Marilla tried to stop Anne, but she continued.

“How dare you say such rude things? Would you like it if I called you fat?”

“What a temper69!” said Mrs. Rachel surprised.

Marilla told Anne to come to her room. Anne burst into tears, rushed upstairs and shut the door.

“Well, I advise70 you to talk to that girl. And when I say ‘talk’, I mean a birch twig71 – a very effective language for a child like that,” said Mrs. Rachel and went away.

Mrs. Cuthbert came upstairs and found Anne in her bed crying.

“Anne, I think you shouldn’t have behaved72 like that,” said Marilla.

“She shouldn’t have called me red haired and ugly.”

“You always say bad things about your red hair yourself.”

“There’s a difference when I say it and when other people say it about me,” said Anne.

“I don’t think it was the right thing for Mrs. Rachel to say for you, but now she has a wonderful story about you to tell. You must go to her and say that you are sorry.”

“No. I will never do that.”

“Yes, you will. You will stay in this room until you apologise73 for your behaviour to Mrs. Rachel.”

“I will stay here forever then. How can I tell I’m sorry for my words, if I’m not sorry at all!”

“You said you would be a nice girl, if we let you stay at Avonlea,” said Marilla and left the room. She was worried about this situation, but still, when she remembered the face of Mrs. Rachel she couldn’t stop smiling.

Exercise: What are these words?

finally

birch twig

to advise

difference

to behave

Exercise: Choose the right word.

1. She also thought that if she left the child right there, she would never forgive/imagine herself.

2. “But I don’t understand why people say their daydreaming/prayers on their knees.

3. “Well, I advise/apologise you to talk to that girl.”

Marilla said nothing to Matthew, but when the next morning Anne wasn’t at the table she had to explain why.

“It’s a good thing Rachel got those words. Someone had to say that to the old gossip74 lady,” said Matthew.

“Matthew Cuthbert, I am very surprised. I hope you don’t think we shouldn’t punish75 the child.”

“Well, I think she should be punished a little, but not too much. Are you going to give her something to eat?” he asked.

“When did you hear of me not feeding people right? I’ll carry her the food, but she will stay in her room until she apologises76 to Mrs. Rachel.”

Without Anne, breakfast, lunch and dinner became very silent77. Marilla brought her food, but Anne almost didn’t touch it. Once Marilla went away and Metthew gathered all is courage and came to Anne.

“Anne,” he whispered78, “how are you making it?”

“Pretty well,” she smiled sadly. “I imagine79 things, that helps.”

Matthew gathered his courage80 once again and said “Don’t you think it’s better apologise and forget about it?”

“Apologise to Mrs. Rachel?”

“Y—yes, apologise,” said Matthew.

“I think I can do that for you, Matthew. At first I was angry, very angry, but this morning it was over. I will tell Marilla that I want to apologise when she comes.”

Anne told Marilla and they both went to Mrs. Rachel. Anne stood on her knees and asked the old lady to forgive her. She spoke long and was very sincere81. Mrs. Rachel said she forgave her.

Exercise: What are these words?

to explain

to gossip

to punish

to apologise

sincere

“Well, how do you like them?” asked Marilla.

Anne looked at three new dresses on the bed. Marilla made them herself; they were just plain82 skirts with plain sleeves.

“I’ll imagine that I like them,” said Anne.

“I don’t want you to imagine it,” said Marilla, offended83. “Oh, I see you don’t like the dresses! They are new and clean. Why don’t you like them?”

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