"I'm crying," sobbed Anne, "because I'm very happy! It's beautiful here! People say I'm very bad, but I'll try very hard to be good. Oh, thank you! Thank you!"

And so the next morning Marilla said, "Well, Anne, Matthew and I have decided to keep you, only if you're a good girl, of course. Why, child, what's the matter?"

Anne stopped crying. "Can I call you Aunt Marilla? I've never had any family at all, so I'd really like to have an aunt. We could imagine that you're my mother's sister."

"Now stop crying, child," said Marilla a little crossly, "and listen. We're going to adopt you, and send you to school after the summer holidays."

"Don't you imagine things?" asked Anne, surprised.

"I couldn't," answered Marilla firmly.

"No, I don't," Marilla replied. "I do my housework, and look after Matthew, and go to church on Sunday. There's no time for imagining things in this house. Just remember that, Anne."

Anne was silent for a few minutes. Then she said, "Marilla do you think I'll find a best friend in Avonlea? Someone who really understands me and knows all my secrets. I've always wanted a friend like that."

When the two girls met, they knew at once that they would be good friends. They often played together, in the fields, or by the river, or in the garden. In the morning Anne helped Marilla with the housework. Then in the afternoon she played with Diana, or talked happily to Matthew while he worked on the farm. She soon knew and loved every flower, tree, and animal at Green Gables.

"Diana! What a beautiful name!" said Anne excitedly. "Her hair isn't red, is it? I hope it isn't." She looked sadly at her red plaits. "I hate my hair."

The Cuthberts had another friend, Mrs Rachel Lynde. She liked to know everything that was happening in and around Avonlea. She was very interested in the Cuthberts little orphan girl, so one day she visited Marilla.

"Our friends, the Barrys, have a daughter called Diana, who's eleven, like you But if you want to play with her, you'll have to be very good. Mrs Barry is very careful about Diana's friends."

"Diana has dark hair. She's a good, clever girl. Try to be like her, Anne."

"Isn't she thin, Marilla?" she said. "Just look at those freckles! And hair as red as carrots!"

"I'm surprised myself," answered Marilla with a smile. "But she's a clever little thing, you know. And she's always dancing, or singing, or laughing."

"I hate you!" she shouted angrily. "I hate you! You're a horrible, fat old woman!" And she ran upstairs.

Anne's face went red. She ran up to Mrs Lynde.

"I was very surprised to hear about the child," she told Marilla. "So you and Matthew have adopted her!"

Mrs Lynde shook her head sadly. "What a mistake, Marilla! You've never had any children yourself, so how can you look after her?"

Just then Anne ran in from the garden. She stopped suddenly when she saw a stranger in the kitchen. Mrs Lynde looked at the thin little girl in the short dress, with her freckled face and red hair.

"Oh dear, oh dear!" said Mrs Lynde. "What a terrible child! You'll not have an easy time with her, Marilla."

"You were rude to her, Rachel," Marilla replied, before she could stop herself.

"I can never do that," said Anne firmly.

"I understand how you feel," said Marilla. "But you must go to her and tell her you're sorry."

"Well!" said Mrs Lynde. She got up and walked to the door. "I think this orphan is more important to you than I am. When I think how long we've been friends… You'll have trouble with her, I can tell you. Well, I'm sorry for you, that's all. Goodbye."

Marilla went upstairs to Anne's room. The child was lying on her narrow bed, sobbing loudly.

"She was rude to me!" said Anne. "She said I was thin and freckled and red-haired. It was very unkind!"

"Then you must stay in your room and think about it. You can come out when you agree to say that you're sorry."

"You mustn't get angry like that, Anne. Mrs Lynde is my friend, and you were very rude to her."

"Anne," he said shyly, "why don't you say you're sorry? Then you can come down, and we can all be happy."

Anne stayed in her room all the next day. Downstairs the house was very quiet without her. That evening, while Marilla was busy in the garden, Matthew went up to Anne's room. The child was sitting sadly by the window.

"I am sorry now," said Anne. "I was very angry yesterday! But do you really want me to…"

Marilla was pleased to hear that Anne was sorry. Later that evening, when she and Anne were in Mrs Lynde's warm kitchen, Anne suddenly fell on her knees.

"Yes, do, please. It's lonely downstairs without you. But don't tell Marilla I've talked to you."

But Mrs Lynde said kindly, "Of course I forgive you." And later she said to Marilla, "Perhaps you're right to keep her. She's a strange little thing, but I think I like her."

"She's enjoying herself!" thought Marilla, watching Anne's face. "She doesn't look sorry at all, but happy and excited!"

"Oh Mrs Lynde," cried the little girl, "I'm very sorry. I can't tell you how sorry I am, so you must just imagine it. I am a bad girl! But please say you will forgive me. I'll be sad all my life if you don't!"