Chapter Thirteen
Sara sat in the parlor with her brothers and sisters, telling them everything about her experiences at Queens. It felt so good to be back again, among people she loved and the places she knew. The first time she set eyes on her old room, she felt it must be embracing her with warm, welcoming arms. If the walls could talk, she thought they'd say, "We've missed you, welcome back." Boarding rooms may be all very well, decked with gold and silver or satin tapestry, but there's no place just like home.
Sara had walked all through her old haunts. Idlewild was abloom with apple blossoms for the summer, soon to bear apples. Violet Vale was all a splendor of purple, purple, purple. She visited Willowmere and walked down the Birch Path, pausing at the old Avonlea school. Lastly, she sat for an entire hour and a half at the Dryad's Bubble. This spot was the dearest to her for it really was the place that was truly hers.
She and Anne took a walk over to the shore road in late afternoon one day, remembering the spot where they had been stopped by the peddler and the fate of that event. Anne laughed now at the dramatic appearance she made when Sara first saw her with her green hair. The girls loitered over to the deep red cliffs of the Avonlea shore, gazing out at the blazing sky of sun and flame and talking of past-graduation happenings.
"Did you see some of the great, big amethysts those old ladies wore at the graduation reception? That's what I used to imagine diamonds were like, but then I saw a real diamond and they looked so cold and unwelcome. To think if we were rich, we could have all those lovely purple amethysts around our necks and in our hair."
"I think we are rich. You said once, 'Look at that sea, all silver and shadow and visions of things not seen.' You couldn't enjoy its loveliness anymore if you had ropes of diamonds or purple amethysts. You wouldn't change into any of those women if you could. I don't want to be anyone but myself, even if I have to go uncomforted by diamonds all my life. I'm quite content to be Sara of Holbrook Farm with my little string of pearls that Father gave me for my birthday. I know he gave them to me with as much love as ever went with any of those old ladies amethysts."
Anne silently agreed and they turned to stroll back home. As they were coming up the main road, a whistling could be heard over the hill. As they reached the top, they saw Gilbert Blythe come out from the Blythe gate, whistling a tune. He lifted his cap to them and would have passed on in silence if Sara had not nudged Anne in the ribs and coughed loudly. Anne extended a hand as Sara watched. Sara had told Anne to really forgive Gilbert and to get it over with.
"Gilbert, I want to say I'm sorry for these three years. I've been awful stubborn and I'd like you to forgive me, if you can find in your heart to say so."
Sara watched Gilbert take the hand eagerly. He answered, "Oh, we were meant to be good friends, Anne. But have you really forgiven me of my old fault?"
Anne nodded. Sara smiled at the two of them.
"Here, I'll going to walk you home." Gilbert fell into step beside Anne and Sara watched them from the top of the hill, sighing and saying softly to herself,
"God's in His Heaven, all's right the world."
THE END
Sara sat in the parlor with her brothers and sisters, telling them everything about her experiences at Queens. It felt so good to be back again, among people she loved and the places she knew. The first time she set eyes on her old room, she felt it must be embracing her with warm, welcoming arms. If the walls could talk, she thought they'd say, "We've missed you, welcome back." Boarding rooms may be all very well, decked with gold and silver or satin tapestry, but there's no place just like home.
Sara had walked all through her old haunts. Idlewild was abloom with apple blossoms for the summer, soon to bear apples. Violet Vale was all a splendor of purple, purple, purple. She visited Willowmere and walked down the Birch Path, pausing at the old Avonlea school. Lastly, she sat for an entire hour and a half at the Dryad's Bubble. This spot was the dearest to her for it really was the place that was truly hers.
She and Anne took a walk over to the shore road in late afternoon one day, remembering the spot where they had been stopped by the peddler and the fate of that event. Anne laughed now at the dramatic appearance she made when Sara first saw her with her green hair. The girls loitered over to the deep red cliffs of the Avonlea shore, gazing out at the blazing sky of sun and flame and talking of past-graduation happenings.
"Did you see some of the great, big amethysts those old ladies wore at the graduation reception? That's what I used to imagine diamonds were like, but then I saw a real diamond and they looked so cold and unwelcome. To think if we were rich, we could have all those lovely purple amethysts around our necks and in our hair."
"I think we are rich. You said once, 'Look at that sea, all silver and shadow and visions of things not seen.' You couldn't enjoy its loveliness anymore if you had ropes of diamonds or purple amethysts. You wouldn't change into any of those women if you could. I don't want to be anyone but myself, even if I have to go uncomforted by diamonds all my life. I'm quite content to be Sara of Holbrook Farm with my little string of pearls that Father gave me for my birthday. I know he gave them to me with as much love as ever went with any of those old ladies amethysts."
Anne silently agreed and they turned to stroll back home. As they were coming up the main road, a whistling could be heard over the hill. As they reached the top, they saw Gilbert Blythe come out from the Blythe gate, whistling a tune. He lifted his cap to them and would have passed on in silence if Sara had not nudged Anne in the ribs and coughed loudly. Anne extended a hand as Sara watched. Sara had told Anne to really forgive Gilbert and to get it over with.
"Gilbert, I want to say I'm sorry for these three years. I've been awful stubborn and I'd like you to forgive me, if you can find in your heart to say so."
Sara watched Gilbert take the hand eagerly. He answered, "Oh, we were meant to be good friends, Anne. But have you really forgiven me of my old fault?"
Anne nodded. Sara smiled at the two of them.
"Here, I'll going to walk you home." Gilbert fell into step beside Anne and Sara watched them from the top of the hill, sighing and saying softly to herself,
"God's in His Heaven, all's right the world."
THE END
