Chapter 3. Anne Starts School
One day, Anne and Marilla were at home. ‘Where's my brooch? I can't find it.' said Marilla.
‘I played with it in your bedroom,' said Anne. ‘But only in your bedroom.'
But Marilla couldn't find the brooch in her room. ‘Did you lose it?' asked Marilla.
‘No, I didn't lose it,' replied Anne.
Marilla didn't believe her.
‘I didn't do anything,' said Anne.
‘Well, you aren't going to the picnic on Wednesday afternoon,' said Marilla.
Wednesday morning arrived. It was the day of the picnic. Anne decided to apologise to Marilla. She really wanted to go to the picnic. ‘I took the brooch!' said Anne to Marilla. ‘I played with it near the Lake of Shining Waters. I lost it there.'
Anne asked for her punishment. She wanted her punishment before the picnic. But the punishment was... that she couldn't go to the picnic.
Anne was very unhappy. At lunch she didn't eat anything. After lunch there was a great surprise. Marilla found the brooch. It was on her old dress! Anne's story about the brooch wasn't true.
‘I'm sorry that I didn't believe you,' said Marilla. ‘But I'm also angry about your story. You didn't lose the brooch at the Lake of Shining Waters. Listen, I'll say I'm sorry if you say you're sorry.'
Marilla and Anne apologised. ‘You can go on the picnic now, Anne.' said Marilla.
So Anne went to the picnic. She enjoyed it very much.
When she returned from the picnic, she was very happy, and very tired.
‘Oh Marilla, the picnic was wonderful. We had tea and then we went on a boat on the Lake of Shining Waters. The ice cream was delicious. I can't describe that ice cream in words.' Anne was happy again.
On the first day of September, Anne started school. She enjoyed her first day.
Mr. Phillips, the teacher, was strange. He was tall and skinny. He didn't listen to Anne. Another
student called Prissy Andrews was his favourite student, but Anne was happy because she sat next to her best friend, Diana.
Three weeks later, Anne and Diana walked to school. The road to school was beautiful. Diana talked about a boy called Gilbert Blythe. Gilbert was in their class. Everybody at school liked him. He had brown hair and green eyes.
At school, Anne didn't look at Gilbert. She looked at the Lake of Shining Waters. Gilbert wanted Anne to look at him. So later that day, he did something very bad. He laughed at Anne's hair and shouted:
‘Carrots, Carrots!'
‘You horrible boy!' shouted Anne and she hit Gilbert on the head with her book.
Mr. Phillips decided to punish Anne, and not Gilbert. Anne had to stand in front of the blackboard all afternoon.
‘I was wrong, not Anne,' said Gilbert. ‘You must punish me and not Anne.' But Mr. Phillips only
punished Anne. Mr. Phillips wrote something on the blackboard:
Anne Shirley has a very bad temper. Anne Shirley must learn to control her bad temper.
Anne decided never to look at Gilbert again. Gilbert apologised a lot, but Anne didn't say anything, but that wasn't the end of Anne's problems. One day Anne arrived late for school. Twelve of Anne's classmates also arrived late for school, but Mr. Phillips didn't punish the other students. He only punished Anne and her punishment was … to sit next to Gilbert Blythe!
Gilbert wanted to give Anne some sweets, but Anne didn't want to talk to Gilbert.
On that day, Anne made an important decision. ‘I'll never go to school again!' said Anne.
At home, Anne told Marilla about her decision. Marilla didn't know what to do. Then Marilla decided to ask Rachel for some advice. ‘Don't do anything. Don't say anything,' said Rachel. ‘I'm sure after a few days she'll return to school.'
Marilla agreed with Rachel. She decided not to say anything to Anne. Anne was sad because
she didn't see Diana at school, but she played with Diana after school. ‘I like playing with Diana so much,' she told Marilla. ‘I hope Diana never leaves me.'
When Anne said this, Marilla laughed so much. Matthew was surprised. It was strange to hear Marilla laugh like that.
Soon, it was October. She enjoyed the beautiful colours of autumn. ‘I'm so happy to live in a world where there are Octobers,' she said. ‘I don't want to live in a world where, after September, it's November.' Anne was happy, but soon, there were more problems.
One day, Marilla had to go out. ‘Anne, you can invite Diana to tea,' said Marilla. ‘Here's a bottle of fruit juice. You can give some to Diana,' she said.
Anne was very excited about this. Tea time soon arrived and Anne and Diana were together. They had a wonderful time, having tea, and chatting like adults. Then Anne gave Diana some fruit juice. Diana drank not one, not two, but three glasses of fruit juice. Anne chatted a lot, as usual. But soon Diana didn't feel very well. She had to go home.
Anne was very sad about this. ‘Poor Diana,' she thought.
On the next day, Anne understood the problem. Marilla wanted to talk to Anne.
‘Diana's mother is very angry. Diana returned home yesterday and she wasn't very well. What did you give Diana to drink?' asked Marilla.
‘Only fruit juice,' said Anne.
Marilla looked in the kitchen. She saw a bottle. But it wasn't a bottle of fruit juice. It was a bottle of medicine. A bottle of red medicine. The fruit juice was in a different place.
Marilla and Anne tried to explain everything to Diana's mother, Mrs. Barry. Mrs. Barry was tall, with black hair, and black eyes, like Diana.
‘It was a mistake. We're sorry,' they both said.
But Mrs. Barry didn't forgive Anne. She didn't believe Anne. And she didn't want Diana to play with Anne anymore. What can I do? thought Anne.
The next afternoon, Diana came to say goodbye.
‘Oh Diana, please think of me sometimes.'
‘Of course,' replied Diana.
The following morning, Anne prepared her school books.
‘I'm going back to school. I can't speak to Diana, but I can see her.'
