Music Welcome to Snewscast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snoozecast.com and if you enjoy our show, please, share us with a friend. This episode is dedicated to our listener, Vicki Ryan, who wishes Marilla let Anne call her auntie, so do we, and also it is brought to you by Erie Kisses. Tonight, we'll read the ninth chapter, The Anne of Green Gables, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled, Mrs. Rachel Lind is properly horrified. In the last episode, title the Anne's Bringing Up has begun. learns from Marilla that she can indeed stay at Green Gables permanently. Anne is so happy she cries. Marilla instructs Anne to memorize the Lord's Prayer. Anne asks Marilla if she might find a kindred spirit in Avanley. Marilla says there is another girl named Diana who is Anne's age. Anne is excited to meet her and excited to now officially be Anne of Green Gables. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed.

Now, take a few deep breaths. Chapter 9 Anne had been a fortnight and green gables, before Mrs. Lind arrived to inspect her. Mrs. Rachel, to do her justice, was not to blame for this. A severe and unseasonable attack of Grip had confined that good lady to her house ever since the occasion of her last visit to Green Gables. Mrs. Rachel was not often sick and had a well-defined contempt for people who were. But Grip, she asserted, was like no other illness on Earth and could only be interpreted as one of the special visitations of Providence. As soon as her doctor allowed her to put her foot out of doors, she hurried up to green gables, bursting with curiosity to see Matthew and to Morrila's orphan, concerning whom all sorts of stories and suppositions had gone abroad in Avonli. Anne had made good use of every waking moment of that fortnight. Already she was acquainted with every tree and shrub about the place. She had discovered that a lane opened out before the apple orchard

and ran up through a belt of woodland, and she had explored it to its furthest end in all its delicious vagaries of brook and bridge. For copies and wild cherry arch, corners thick with fern and branching byways of maple and mountain ash. She had made friends with the spring down in the hollow, that wonderful, deep, clear, icy cold spring. It was sent about with smooth red sandstones and ramed in by great palm-like clumps of water fern, and beyond it was a log bridge over the brook. That bridge let Anne's dancing feet up over a wooded hill beyond, where perpetual twilight rained under the straight thick growing furs and spruces. The only flowers there were myriads of delicate June bells, those shyest and sweetest of woodland blooms, and a few

pale aerial starflowers like the spirits of last year's blossoms. The smurts glimmered like threads of silver among the trees, and the fur bows, and tassels seemed to utter friendly speech. All these raptured voyages of exploration were made in the odd half-hours which she was is allowed for. Anant talked Matthew and Marilla half-death over her discoveries. Not that Matthew complained, to be sure, he listened it to it all with a worthless smile of enjoyment on his face. Marilla permitted the chatter until she found herself becoming too

interested in it, where upon she always promptly quenched Anne by a curt command to hold her tongue. And was out in the orchard when Mrs. Rachel came, wandering at her own sweet will through the lush, tremulous grasses splashed with ruddy evening sunshine. So that good lady had an excellent chance to dock her illness fully over, describing every ache and pulse beat with such evident enjoyment that Marilla thought even grip must bring its compensations. When details were exhausted Mrs. Rachel introduced the real reason of her call. I've been hearing some surprising things about you and Matthew. I don't suppose you are any more surprised than I am myself," said Marilla. I'm getting over my surprise now. It was too bad there was such a mistake," said Mrs. Rachel, sympathetically. Couldn't you have sent her back? I suppose we could, but we decided not to. Matthew took a fancy tour, and I must say I like her myself. Although I admit she has her faults, the house seems a different place already. She's a real bright little thing. Marilla said more than she had intended to say when she began, for she read disapproval and misses Rachel's expression. It's a great responsibility you've taken on yourself. Send that lady gloomily. Especially when you've never had any experience with children. You don't know much about her or her real disposition. And there's no guessing how a child like that will turn out. But I don't want to discourage you, I'm

sure, Marilla. And I'm not feeling discouraged. Was Marilla's dry response? When I make up my mind to do with thing, it stays made up. I suppose you'd like to see Anne. I'll call her in. Anne came running in presently, her face sparkling with the delight of her orchard rovings, but a bash that finding the delight herself in the unexpected presence of a stranger, she halted, confusedly inside the door. She certainly was an odd looking little creature in the short, tight, wincey dress she had worn from the asylum, below which her thin legs seemed ungracefully long. Her freckles were more numerous and obtrusive than ever. The wind had ruffled her hatless hair into overbillion disorder. It had never looked redder than at that moment. Well, they didn't pick you for your looks.

That sure and certain was Mrs. Rachel Lynn's emphatic comment. Mrs. Rachel was one of those delightful and popular people who pried themselves on speaking their mind without fear or favor. She's terribly skinny and homely, Marilla. Come here, child, and let me have a look at you. Lawful heart, did anyone ever see such freckles? And hair as red as carrots as carrots come here child, I say. Anne came there, but not exactly as Mrs. Rachel expected. With one bound she crossed the kitchen floor and stood before Mrs. Rachel, her face scarlet with anger, her lips quivering, and her whole slender form trembling from head to foot. I hate you. She cried in a choked voice, stamping her foot on the floor. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you." A louder stamp with each assertion of hatred. How dare you call me skinny and ugly. How dare you say I'm freckled and red-headed. are a rude, impolite, unfeeling woman. And exclaimed Marilla in consternation, with Anne continued to face Mrs. Rachel, undauntingly, head up, eyes blazing, hands clenched, passionate indignation exhaling from her like an atmosphere. How dare you say things about me?" She repeated vehemently. How would you like to have such things set about you? How would you like to be told that you were fat and clumsy and probably had an ass

spurt? How would you like to have such things said about you? How would you like to be told that you were fat and clumsy and probably had an as spark of imagination in you? I don't care if I do hurt your feelings by saying so. I hope I hurt them. have hurt mine worse than they were ever hurt, even by Mrs. Thomas' intoxicated husband. And all never forgive you for it. Never. Never, stamp. Did anybody ever see such a temper exclaimed the horrified Mrs. Rachel? And go to your room and stay there until I come up," said Marilla, recovering her powers of speech with difficulty. Anne bursting into tears, rushed to the hall door, slammed it until the tins on the porch wall outside rattled in sympathy and fled through the hall and up the stairs like a whirlwind. A subdued slam above told that the door of the East Gable had been shut with equal vehemence. Well, I don't envy you, your job bringing that up," said Mrs. Rachel. Marilla opened her lips to say she knew not what up apology or deprecation. what she did say was a surprise to herself, then and ever afterwards. You shouldn't have tweeted her about her looks, Rachel. Marilla Cuthbert, you don't mean to say that you areing her in such a terrible display of temper as

we've just seen?

Demanded Mrs. Rachel, indignantly.

No, said Marilla slowly.

I'm not trying to excuse her.

She's been very naughty and I'll have to give her a talking to about it. But we must make allowances for her. She's never been taught what is right. And you were too hard on her, Rachel. Marilla could not help tackling on that last sentence, although she was again surprised at herself for doing it. Mrs. Rachel got up with an air of offended dignity. Well, I see that I'll have to be very careful what I say after this marilla. Since the fine feelings of orphans, brought from goodness knows where, have to be considered before anything else. Oh, no, I'm not vexed. Don't worry yourself. I'm too sorry for you to leave any room for anger in my mind. You'll have your own troubles with that child. But if you'll take my advice, which I suppose you won't

do, although I've brought up ten children, you'll do that talking to you mention with a fair-sized perch switch. I should think that it would be the most effective language for that kind of child. Her temper matches her hair, I guess.

Well? think that would be the most effective language for that kind of child. Her temper matches

her hair, I guess. Well, good evening, Marilla. I hope you'll come down to see me often as usual. But you can't expect me to visit here again in a hurry. If I'm liable to be flown at and insulted in such a fashion.

It's something new in my experience. We're at Mrs. Rachel swept out and away. If a woman who always waddled could be said to sweep away, and Marilla with a very solemn face, But took herself to the East Gable. On the way upstairs, she pondered uneasily as to what she ought to do. She felt no little dismay over the scene that had just been enacted.

How unfortunate that Anne should have displayed such temper before Mrs. Rachel Lind of all people. Then Marilla suddenly became aware of an uncomfortable and rebuking consciousness that she felt more humiliation over. then sorrow over the the discovery of such a serious defect in Anne's disposition. And how was she to punish her? The amiable suggestion of the birch switch to the efficiency of which all Mrs. Rachel's own children could have born smarting testimony did not appeal to Marilla. She did not believe she could whip a child. No. Some other method of punishment must be found to bring Anne to a proper realization of the enormity of her offense.

Murillo found Anne face downward on her bed, crying bitterly, quite oblivious of muddy boots on a clean counter-pane. And she said, not unjently, no answer. And with greater severity, get off that bed this minute and listen to what I have to say to you.

And squirmed off the bed and sat rigidly on a chair beside it, her face swollen and tear-stained, and her eyes fixed stubbornly on the floor. This is a nice way for you to behave, Anne. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? She hadn't any right to call me ugly and red-headed, retorted Anne, evasive, and defiant. You hadn't any right to fly into such a purie and talk to her the way that you did. I was ashamed of you, thoroughly ashamed of you. I wanted you to behave nicely to Mrs. Lind, and instead of that, you have disgraced me. I'm sure I don't know why you should lose your temper like that. Just because Mrs. Lynn said you were red-haired and only, you say it yourself often enough. But there's such a difference between saying a thing yourself and hearing other people say it? Well, Dan, you may know a thing is so, but you can't help hoping other people don't quite think it is. I suppose you think I have an awful temper, but I couldn't help it when she said those things, something just rose right up in me. I had to fly out at her. Well, you made a fine exhibition of yourself, I must say. Mrs. Lind will have a nice story to tell about you everywhere, and she'll tell it, too. It was a dreadful thing for you to lose your temper like that, Anne. Just imagine how you would feel if somebody told you to your face that you were skinning and ugly. Pleated, Anne, tearfully. An older member and suddenly rose up before Marilla. She had been a very small child when she had heard one aunt say of her to another. What a pity she is such a dark, homely little thing. Marilla was every day fifty before the sting had gone out of that memory. I don't say that I think Mrs. Lind was exactly right in saying what she did to you, Anne. She admitted in a softer tone. Rachel is too outspoken. But that is no excuse for such behavior on your part. She was a stranger and an elderly person, and my visitor, all three very good reasons why you should have been respectful to her. You were rude and saucy, and Marilla had a saving inspiration of punishment. You must go to her and tell her you are very sorry for your bad temper and ask her to forgive you. I, I can never do that," said Anne. You can punish me in any way you like, Marilla. You can shut me up in a dark damp dungeon, and feed me only bread and water, and I shall not complain. But I cannot ask Mrs. Linda to forgive me. We're not in the habit of shutting people up in dark damp dungeons," said Marilla D'Aile. Especially as their rather scarce, in heavenly. But apologize to Mrs. Lind you must and shall, and you'll stay here in your room until you can tell me you're willing to do it. I shall have to stay here forever then," said Anne, mournfully, because I can't tell Mrs. Lind, I'm sorry. I said those things to her, how can I? I'm not sorry. I'm sorry I vexed you, but I'm glad I told her just what I did. It was a great satisfaction. I can't say I'm sorry when I'm not, can I? I can't even imagine I'm sorry. Perhaps your imagination will be in better working order by the morning," said Marilla, rising to the park.

You'll have the night to think over your conduct in and come to a better frame of mind. You said you would try to be a very good girl if we kept you at green gables, but I must say it hasn't seemed very much like it this evening. Leaving this parthian shaft to wrinkle an anstormy bosom, Marilla descended to the kitchen, grievously troubled in mind, and vexed in soul. She was as angry with herself as with Anne, because whenever she recalled Mrs. Rachel's dumbfounded countenance, her lips twitched with amusement and she felt the most reprehensible desire to laugh. Yn yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n y