the heart to love it； and the hand to gather it to ourselves
so much in men and women； so much in art and literature； so much
everywhere in which to delight； and for which to be thankful。'
I think Redmond has taught me that in some measure； Anne。〃
〃Judging from what you all； say〃 remarked Aunt Jamesina；
〃the sum and substance is that you can learn if you've got
natural gumption enough in four years at college what it
would take about twenty years of living to teach you。 Well；
that justifies higher education in my opinion。 It's a matter
I was always dubious about before。〃
〃But what about people who haven't natural gumption； Aunt Jimsie？〃
〃People who haven't natural gumption never learn；〃 retorted
Aunt Jamesina； 〃neither in college nor life。 If they live to
be a hundred they really don't know anything more than when they
were born。 It's their misfortune not their fault； poor souls。
But those of us who have some gumption should duly thank the
Lord for it。〃
〃Will you please define what gumption is； Aunt Jimsie？〃 asked Phil。
〃No； I won't； young woman。 Any one who has gumption knows what
it is； and any one who hasn't can never know what it is。 So there
is no need of defining it。〃
The busy days flew by and examinations were over。 Anne took
High Honors in English。 Priscilla took Honors in Classics； and
Phil in Mathematics。 Stella obtained a good all…round showing。
Then came Convocation。
〃This is what I would once have called an epoch in my life；〃
said Anne； as she took Roy's violets out of their box and gazed
at them thoughtfully。 She meant to carry them； of course； but
her eyes wandered to another box on her table。 It was filled
with lilies…of…the…valley； as fresh and fragrant as those which
bloomed in the Green Gables yard when June came to Avonlea。
Gilbert Blythe's card lay beside it。
Anne wondered why Gilbert should have sent her flowers for Convocation。
She had seen very little of him during the past winter。 He had come to
Patty's Place only one Friday evening since the Christmas holidays；
and they rarely met elsewhere。 She knew he was studying very hard；
aiming at High Honors and the Cooper Prize； and he took little part
in the social doings of Redmond。 Anne's own winter had been quite
gay socially。 She had seen a good deal of the Gardners； she and
Dorothy were very intimate； college circles expected the announcement
of her engagement to Roy any day。 Anne expected it herself。 Yet
just before she left Patty's Place for Convocation she flung Roy's
violets aside and put Gilbert's lilies…of…the…valley in their place。
She could not have told why she did it。 Somehow； old Avonlea days
and dreams and friendships seemed very close to her in this attainment
of her long…cherished ambitions。 She and Gilbert had once picturedout
merrily the day on which they should be capped and gowned graduates in
Arts。 The wonderful day had come and Roy's violets had no place in it。
Only her old friend's flowers seemed to belong to this fruition of
old…blossoming hopes which he had once shared。
For years this day had beckoned and allured to her； but when it
came the one single； keen； abiding memory it left with her was
not that of the breathless moment when the stately president of
Redmond gave her cap and diploma and hailed her B。A。； it was not
of the flash in Gilbert's eyes when he saw her lilies； nor the
puzzled pained glance Roy gave her as he passed her on the platform。
It was not of Aline Gardner's condescending congratulations； or
Dorothy's ardent； impulsive good wishes。 It was of one strange；
unaccountable pang that spoiled this long…expected day for her
and left in it a certain faint but enduring flavor of bitterness。
The Arts graduates gave a graduation dance that night。 When Anne
dressed for it she tossed aside the pearl beads she usually wore
and took from her trunk the small box that had come to Green Gables
on Christmas day。 In it was a thread…like gold chain with a tiny
pink enamel heart as a pendant。 On the accompanying card was written；
〃With all good wishes from your old chum； Gilbert。〃 Anne； laughing
over the memory the enamel heart conjured up the fatal day when
Gilbert had called her 〃Carrots〃 and vainly tried to make his peace
with a pink candy heart； had written him a nice little note of thanks。
But she had never worn the trinket。 Tonight she fastened it about her
white throat with a dreamy smile。
She and Phil walked to Redmond together。 Anne walked in silence；
Phil chattered of many things。 Suddenly she said；
〃I heard today that Gilbert Blythe's engagement to Christine
Stuart was to be announced as soon as Convocation was over。
Did you hear anything of it？〃
〃No；〃 said Anne。
〃I think it's true；〃 said Phil lightly。
Anne did not speak。 In the darkness she felt her face burning。
She slipped her hand inside her collar and caught at the gold
chain。 One energetic twist and it gave way。 Anne thrust the
broken trinket into her pocket。 Her hands were trembling and
her eyes were smarting。
But she was the gayest of all the gay revellers that night； and
told Gilbert unregretfully that her card was full when he came to
ask her for a dance。 Afterwards； when she sat with the girls
before the dying embers at Patty's Place； removing the spring
chilliness from their satin skins； none chatted more blithely
than she of the day's events。
〃Moody Spurgeon MacPherson called here tonight after you left；〃
said Aunt Jamesina； who had sat up to keep the fire on。 〃He didn't
know about the graduation dance。 That boy ought to sleep with a
rubber band around his head to train his ears not to stick out。
I had a beau once who did that and it improved him immensely。
It was I who suggested it to him and he took my advice； but he
never forgave me for it。〃
〃Moody Spurgeon is a very serious young man；〃 yawned Priscilla。
〃He is concerned with graver matters than his ears。 He is going
to be a minister； you know。〃
〃Well； I suppose the Lord doesn't regard the ears of a man；〃
said Aunt Jamesina gravely； dropping all further criticism of
Moody Spurgeon。 Aunt Jamesina had a proper respect for the
cloth even in the case of an unfledged parson。
Chapter XXXVIII
False Dawn
〃Just imagine this night week I'll be in Avonlea delightful thought！〃
said Anne； bending over the box in which she was packing Mrs。 Rachel Lynde's
quilts。 〃But just imagine this night week I'll be gone forever from
Patty's Place horrible thought！〃
〃I wonder if the ghost of all our laughter will echo through the maiden
dreams of Miss Patty and Miss Maria；〃 speculated Phil。
Miss Patty and Miss Maria were coming home； after having trotted over
most of the habitable globe。
〃We'll be back the second week in May〃 wrote Miss Patty。 〃I expect
Patty's Place will seem rather small after the Hall of the Kings at
Karnak； but I never did like big places to live in。 And I'll be glad
enough to be home again。 When you start traveling late in life you're
apt to do too much of it because you know you haven't much time left；
and it's a thing that grows on you。 I'm afraid Maria will never be
contented again。〃
〃I shall leave here my fancies and dreams to bless the next comer；〃
said Anne； looking around the blue room wistfully her pretty blue
room where she had spent three such happy years。 She had knelt at
its window to pray and had bent from it to watch the sunset behind
the pines。 She had heard the autumn raindrops beating against it
and had welcomed the spring robins at its sill。 She wondered if
old dreams could haunt rooms if； when one left forever the room
where she had joyed and suffered and laughed and wept； something
of her； intangible and invisible； yet nonetheless real； did not
remain behind like a voiceful memory。
〃I think；〃 said Phil； 〃that a room where one dreams and grieves
and rejoices and lives becomes inseparably connected with those
processes and acquires a personality of its own。 I am sure if I
came into this room fifty years from now it would say 'Anne； Anne'
to me。 What nice times we've had here； honey！ What chats and
jokes and good chummy jamborees！ Oh； dear me！ I'm to marry Jo
in June and I know I will be rapturously happy。 But just now
I feel as if I wanted this lovely Redmond life to go on forever。〃
〃I'm unreasonable enough just now to wish that； too；〃 admitted Anne。
〃No matter what deeper joys may come to us later on we'll never again
have just the same delightful； irresponsible existence we've had here。
It's over forever； Phil。〃
〃What are you going to do with Rusty？〃 asked Phil； as that
privileged pussy padded into the room。
〃I am going to take him home with me and Joseph and the Sarah…cat；〃
announced Aunt Jamesina； following Rusty。 〃It would be a shame
to separate those cats now that they have learned to live together。
It's a hard lesson for cats and humans to learn。〃
〃I'm sorry to part with Rusty；〃 said Anne regretfully； 〃but it
would be no use to take him to Green Gables。 Marilla detests
cats； and Davy would tease his life out。 Besides； I don't
suppose I'll be home very long。 I've been offered the
principalship of the Summerside High School。〃
〃Are you going to accept it？〃 asked Phil。
〃I I haven't decided yet；〃 answered Anne； with a confused flush。
Phil nodded understandingly。 Naturally Anne's plans could not be
settled until Roy had spoken。 He would soon there was no doubt
of that。 And there was no doubt that Anne would say 〃yes〃 when he
said 〃Will you please？〃 Anne herself regarded the state of affairs
with a seldom…ruffled complacency。 She was deeply in love with Roy。
True； it was not just what she had imagined love to be。 But was
anything in life； Anne asked herself wearily； like one's imagination
of it？ It was the old di