The Queen’s College Class

It was November. Marilla and Anne sat in the kitchen at Green Gables. Manila’s eyes were tired and weak. They often hurt her. «I’ll go to town tomorrow and get new glasses,» she thought.

Anne was in front of the fire with a book in her hand. Marilla watched her. She loved Anne very much. She often made pretty dresses for the child now.

«Anne,» she said. «Miss Stacy was here today. She talked to me about your future. Would you like to study at Queen’s College in Charlottetown? Would you like to be a teacher?»

«Oh yes, Marilla,» said Anne, and her eyes shone. «But isn’t Queen’s College very expensive?»

«Yes,» said Marilla. «But Matthew and I will pay for you.»

Six other students from Avonlea wanted to go to Queen’s College, too. They studied after school in one class-the Queen’s College class.

Anne and Gilbert Blythe were the smartest students in the class. Sometimes Anne was first, and sometimes Gilbert. Gilbert was friendly with the other girls in the class, but he never spoke to Anne.

When Anne thought about him, she felt sorry. «I don’t hate Gilbert now,» she thought.

The Queen’s College class was very interesting and the days went quickly. Winter came again, then spring, then summer. At the beginning of the long summer vacation, Anne went home and put her books away in a box.

«I’m not going to study in the vacation,» she said to Marilla. «I want to enjoy this summer. There are going to be parties and concerts. And Mr. Barry is going to take us to dinner one evening at the hotel at White Sands.»

Mrs. Lynde came to tea with Marilla at Green Gables. «Matthew doesn’t look very well these days,» she said.

«No,» said Marilla. «He had a problem with his heart last week. He works hard, but he has to be careful.»

«When Anne came to Green Gables, I said unkind things about her,» said Mrs. Lynde. «But I made a big mistake. She helps you, and she’s very pretty now too.»

Anne enjoyed her summer very much. In the fall, she went back to school. The Queen’s College class started again and Anne worked hard all year. But she went to parties and concerts, too.

When Marilla looked at Anne, she felt a little sad. «She’s fifteen now,» she thought. «She’s almost a woman!»

***

By June, Anne and the other students were ready for the Queen’s College examinations. They went to Charlottetown and stayed there for a week. When Anne came home, Diana was at Green Gables. «How were the examinations, Anne?» she asked.

«They were very difficult,» said Anne. «I’m very tired now!» One evening three weeks later, Anne sat by the window in Green Gables. The summer evening was very beautiful. The sky in the west was slowly turning red.

Suddenly, Diana arrived with a newspaper in her hand. «Anne!» she cried excitedly. «Your name’s in the newspaper! You came first in the Queen’s College examinations-you and Gilbert Blythe. You’re the best students on the island!»

Anne looked at the newspaper. There were two hundred names there. Her name was at the top-hers and Gilbert’s!

«This is wonderful, Diana!» she said happily.

She ran to Marilla and Matthew. Then she went to see Mrs. Lynde and Mrs. Allan. «You did very well, Anne,» they said.