"Gilbert?" Anne asked suddenly, looking up. "Would you get me some marzipan? And some black licorice? And some pumpkin butter?"
Gilbert was surprised by the sudden request.
"Please- I need to have it." Anne begged. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted it. "I need to have it right now."
"Of course," he said, a bit bewildered but willing nonetheless. "I'll go now."
He got up and started to leave.
Marilla met him at the door, coming in with Rachel Lynde behind her. "Leaving already?" Marilla asked him, surprised because he had arrived such a short time ago.
"No- just going to ride into town and get Anne some candy. Good day, Mrs. Lynde," Gilbert acknowledge.
"Oh, that's nice of you," Marilla said to him.
Gilbert laughed. "She needs it now or she's going to die, so I figured I better make haste."
Marilla frowned. "What do you mean she must have it now or she'll die?" She came further into the room. "Anne, are you all right?"
Anne nodded. "Yes, but I want some black licorice. And marzipan. And pumpkin butter. I need it so badly. ...Gilbert, why haven't you left yet?"
Marilla came over to her, concerned. Then she shook her head. "You mustn't eat those things."
Anne looked startled at being told she couldn't. "Why not? I know candy isn't good for you, but I hardly ever eat it- it can't be bad to indulge once in a while, can it?"
"That's not it. In the book I ordered- about pregnancy- the author, a Dr. Kellogg, says you mustn't give in to cravings while you're pregnant. I didn't know that before- I just read that yesterday, and-"
Anne was crushed. "But Marilla I have to have it!"
"And that's exactly why you can't," Marilla said firmly.
Anne looked at Gilbert with pleading eyes.
Gilbert was standing at the door, ready to go- but unsure of what to do. He knew Anne would feel betrayed if he sided with Miss Cuthbert. And he wanted to give Anne what she wanted, but he felt stuck; if Miss Cuthbert wouldn't allow something, he really could not go over her head and give it to Anne anyway, could he?
But Rachel Lynde, with all her experience, was prepared to take up for Anne in this matter, saying, "Marilla, that doctor is either foolhardy or he's lying about his expertise! Babies are always born with some sort of mark upon them when the mother was kept from what she wanted!"
Marilla began, "Oh, Rachel-"
"If you don't give in to her, that baby's going to be born with horrible birthmarks and disfigurements! You mark my words, that's what'll happen!" Rachel insisted. "I went through this many times, and I'll have you know that I never limited myself, and not one of my babies arrived disfigured!"
"It's just an old wives' tale!" Marilla protested, giving Rachel a look as if she was being ridiculous.
"The reason the advice has been passed down is because it's true," Rachel insisted. "They wouldn't keep being repeated generation after generation if there wasn't some kernel of truth to it, would they?"
"No!" Marilla said adamantly. She went over to the cabinet and took a book out. "Now it says right here in this book- Dr. Kellogg says that yielding to such desires creates weakness and mustn't be allowed."
Anne could have cried.
Marilla read from the book: "The craving which pregnant women often experience for various articles of food cannot be regarded as an expression of a real want upon the part of the system-"
"It is a real want!" Anne said, almost yelling.
Marilla quieted her with one look, and then continued: "The craving is not so strong that it cannot be readily controlled by a little determination on the part of the prospective mother-"
Anne asked incredulously, "How can that man tell me how strong my cravings are?!" Then she was angry: "Let's give him some pregnancy cravings and see how he copes with 'a little determination'!"
"Anne, calm yourself this instant," Marilla said firmly. She continued: "The article craved is manifestly an improper one…the will should be set actively at work to resist the morbid appetite."
"Marilla, that's horrible!" Anne finally did yell. "And it's not right! How can you believe what that- that fraud; what that charlatan- says? Let me have what I want! I'll die if I don't get it! I will! And then…you'll be sorry!"
"Anne, I won't have you going into hysterics! Stop shouting and sit down; you're not to get agitated. You know, you won't take care of yourself a bit, I have to, and I certainly can't trust you to make wise decisions for yourself, now can I? You've done nothing sensible since all this started."
Gilbert looked back and forth between them, with the awkwardness that comes from watching another family fighting with each other in front of outsiders.
Marilla took a deep breath, and then- more calmly- told Anne to try to come to her senses and do what was best for her baby.
But Anne looked miserable and said pitifully, "I have to go through this awful, horrible thing and you won't even let me have some candy…"
Gilbert could not take seeing Anne so unhappy and finally spoke up: "I hope you don't consider this to be an intrusion, but I'm reading a book by a Dr. West- Maidenhood and Motherhood- and I happen to have it with me-"
"Really?" Marilla asked, her eyebrows raised. "You are reading a book called Maidenhood and Motherhood?"
"Yes, ma'am. And in it, the doctor mentions what Mrs. Lynde said- about birth marks- and he says that it's true. See-"
Gilbert went to the kitchen table, pulled a volume from his bookstrap, and quickly brought himself to the right page. "The doctor says that cravings are perfectly normal and healthy. He says that bad things can happen if she isn't given in to. This is what it says: This craving will sometimes compel her to get up at midnight to eat. She may desire only certain kinds of food, or, perhaps, drink. If she refuses to satisfy this craving for particular kinds of food, the thought of it will haunt her day and night." He looked up at Marilla as he finished: "The unsatisfied craving may show itself, as in birth-marks upon the child. It is advisable, therefore, as far as may be without injury, to satisfy all such cravings."
"It is advisable, therefore, to satisfy all such cravings," Anne repeated staunchly, looking at Marilla. "It can't be an old wives' tale, can it? Not if a doctor wrote it in a book!"
"Well…two professionals can have differing opinions," Marilla said, troubled.
Finally she decided: "But I must do for Anne what I believe to be the proper way, and I trust this Dr. Kellogg. He seems to be a highly reputable fellow. …I'm going by what his book says, and Anne must do as I say. That's all there is to it."
Anne put her head down on the table, her arms covering her face.
Gilbert felt bad for Anne. Suddenly he had an idea. "I don't mean to be impertinent, but…when was the book published?"
Marilla checked. "1884," she told him. "Why?"
"Mine has a publishing date of 1887. Perhaps in the past three years medicine has proven that it's true. Maybe there was some sort of advancement. Your Dr. Kellogg might even have changed his opinion in the past three years. …This newer book might even reflect his current practices."
Marilla looked conflicted. "I suppose it is possible…"
She glanced around at the three faces staring at her, waiting for her decision.
Finally she said, "I must admit I don't agree with Dr. Kellogg on everything. He devotes a great deal of time to say that girls have equal mental capabilities to that of boys- which I appreciate- but then he says that because of the delicate nervous system of females, study can be hazardous to her constitution, and that reading novels can be as harmful as an addiction to opium."
"Does he?" Rachel asked, interested.
Marilla said slowly, "He says that girls who are between the ages of twelve and twenty and have devoted themselves to study, will do lifelong damage to their health. He says that many girls spend too much time on what he calls 'useless accomplishments' instead of taking the time to learn to run a home…"
"I don't doubt it," Rachel said, agreeing. "I never thought it benefitted any girl to be sent off to college along with the men. Higher education will do a girl no good. Perhaps Dr. Kellogg knows what he's talking about, then. I certainly wouldn't approve of you sending Anne off to college."
Marilla stared at her. "Rachel, not every girl marries. You can't say it hurts to get an education in order to provide for yourself!"
"No, no, Marilla- your Dr. Kellogg here knows what he's talking about, and I quite agree with him!"
Anne wanted to say something, but kept her mouth shut, afraid that anything she said would just be reason for Marilla to deny her what she wanted.
"All right," Marilla consented at last: "Gilbert may get you what it is you're craving."
Anne was so happy she bounded to Marilla and wrapped her in a hug.
Marilla laughed.
"Gilbert, go," Anne insisted.
Gilbert couldn't help laughing too.
"Here, let me get you some money-" Marilla began, going to her purse.
"Oh, thank you, but no- I want to get it for Anne myself, as a little present. Please allow me," he asked.
Marilla hesitated, but then closed her purse and nodded.
Gilbert went quickly out the door to the buggy.
Anne followed him, with Marilla rushing out after her- afraid Anne thought she could go into town with him.
But Anne wasn't trying to go with Gilbert, she just wanted to remind him: "Don't forget anything!" she called out. "I need it all. I can't eat the licorice without the marzipan and the pumpkin butter. It has to all be there. You won't forget, will you?"
"Trust me, Anne, I don't think I will ever, ever be able to forget the combination of black licorice, marzipan, and pumpkin butter. I can promise you that."
He began to drive, but then she said: "Oh, Gilbert!"
He stopped.
She smiled. "If you happen to meet a witch while you're getting it for me, don't promise to give her the baby in exchange for something I want to eat. …I know I don't really want a baby, but I don't want to trade it to a witch, either."
He got the horses moving, shaking his head with a laugh as he went.
Marilla looked startled. "What in the world was that all about?"
Anne smiled. "Nothing. Just a story Gilbert was telling me."
Marilla led Anne back into the house as she said, "Well, it doesn't sound like a suitable story at all, especially not at a time when you're supposed to be calm and undisturbed!"