CHAPTER XXI. A New Departure in Flavorings
|DEAR ME, there is nothing but meetings and partings in this world, asMrs. Lynde says," remarked Anne plaintively, putting her slate and booksdown on the kitchen table on the last day of June and wiping her redeyes with a very damp handkerchief. "Wasn't it fortunate, Marilla, thatI took an extra handkerchief to school today? I had a presentiment thatit would be needed."
"I never thought you were so fond of Mr. Phillips that you'd require twohandkerchiefs to dry your tears just because he was going away," saidMarilla.
"I don't think I was crying because I was really so very fond of him,"reflected Anne. "I just cried because all the others did. It wasRuby Gillis started it. Ruby Gillis has always declared she hated Mr.Phillips, but just as soon as he got up to make his farewell speech sheburst into tears. Then all the girls began to cry, one after the other.I tried to hold out, Marilla. I tried to remember the time Mr. Phillipsmade me sit with Gil--with a boy; and the time he spelled my namewithout an 'e' on the blackboard; and how he said I was the worst duncehe ever saw at geometry and laughed at my spelling; and all the times hehad been so horrid and sarcastic; but somehow I couldn't, Marilla, and Ijust had to cry too. Jane Andrews has been talking for a month about howglad she'd be when Mr. Phillips went away and she declared she'd nevershed a tear. Well, she was worse than any of us and had to borrow ahandkerchief from her brother--of course the boys didn't cry--becauseshe hadn't brought one of her own, not expecting to need it. Oh,Marilla, it was heartrending. Mr. Phillips made such a beautifulfarewell speech beginning, 'The time has come for us to part.' It wasvery affecting. And he had tears in his eyes too, Marilla. Oh, I feltdreadfully sorry and remorseful for all the times I'd talked in schooland drawn pictures of him on my slate and made fun of him and Prissy.I can tell you I wished I'd been a model pupil like Minnie Andrews. Shehadn't anything on her conscience. The girls cried all the way home fromschool. Carrie Sloane kept saying every few minutes, 'The time has comefor us to part,' and that would start us off again whenever we were inany danger of cheering up. I do feel dreadfully sad, Marilla. But onecan't feel quite in the depths of despair with two months' vacationbefore them, can they, Marilla? And besides, we met the new minister andhis wife coming from the station. For all I was feeling so bad about Mr.Phillips going away I couldn't help taking a little interest in a newminister, could I? His wife is very pretty. Not exactly regally lovely,of course--it wouldn't do, I suppose, for a minister to have a regallylovely wife, because it might set a bad example. Mrs. Lynde says theminister's wife over at Newbridge sets a very bad example because shedresses so fashionably. Our new minister's wife was dressed in bluemuslin with lovely puffed sleeves and a hat trimmed with roses.Jane Andrews said she thought puffed sleeves were too worldly fora minister's wife, but I didn't make any such uncharitable remark,Marilla, because I know what it is to long for puffed sleeves. Besides,she's only been a minister's wife for a little while, so one shouldmake allowances, shouldn't they? They are going to board with Mrs. Lyndeuntil the manse is ready."
If Marilla, in going down to Mrs. Lynde's that evening, was actuated byany motive save her avowed one of returning the quilting frames she hadborrowed the preceding winter, it was an amiable weakness shared by mostof the Avonlea people. Many a thing Mrs. Lynde had lent, sometimesnever expecting to see it again, came home that night in charge of theborrowers thereof. A new minister, and moreover a minister with a wife,was a lawful object of curiosity in a quiet little country settlementwhere sensations were few and far between.
Old Mr. Bentley, the minister whom Anne had found lacking inimagination, had been pastor of Avonlea for eighteen years. He was awidower when he came, and a widower he remained, despite the fact thatgossip regularly married him to this, that, or the other one, every yearof his sojourn. In the preceding February he had resigned his charge anddeparted amid the regrets of his people, most of whom had the affectionborn of long intercourse for their good old minister in spite of hisshortcomings as an orator. Since then the Avonlea church had enjoyed avariety of religious dissipation in listening to the many and variouscandidates and "supplies" who came Sunday after Sunday to preach ontrial. These stood or fell by the judgment of the fathers and mothersin Israel; but a certain small, red-haired girl who sat meekly in thecorner of the old Cuthbert pew also had her opinions about them anddiscussed the same in full with Matthew, Marilla always declining fromprinciple to criticize ministers in any shape or form.
"I don't think Mr. Smith would have done, Matthew" was Anne's finalsumming up. "Mrs. Lynde says his delivery was so poor, but I think hisworst fault was just like Mr. Bentley's--he had no imagination. And Mr.Terry had too much; he let it run away with him just as I did mine inthe matter of the Haunted Wood. Besides, Mrs. Lynde says his theologywasn't sound. Mr. Gresham was a very good man and a very religious man,but he told too many funny stories and made the people laugh in church;he was undignified, and you must have some dignity about a minister,mustn't you, Matthew? I thought Mr. Marshall was decidedly attractive;but Mrs. Lynde says he isn't married, or even engaged, because she madespecial inquiries about him, and she says it would never do to havea young unmarried minister in Avonlea, because he might marry in thecongregation and that would make trouble. Mrs. Lynde is a very farseeingwoman, isn't she, Matthew? I'm very glad they've called Mr. Allan. Iliked him because his sermon was interesting and he prayed as if hemeant it and not just as if he did it because he was in the habit of it.Mrs. Lynde says he isn't perfect, but she says she supposes we couldn'texpect a perfect minister for seven hundred and fifty dollars a year,and anyhow his theology is sound because she questioned him thoroughlyon all the points of doctrine. And she knows his wife's people and theyare most respectable and the women are all good housekeepers. Mrs. Lyndesays that sound doctrine in the man and good housekeeping in the womanmake an ideal combination for a minister's family."
The new minister and his wife were a young, pleasant-faced couple, stillon their honeymoon, and full of all good and beautiful enthusiasms fortheir chosen lifework. Avonlea opened its heart to them from the start.Old and young liked the frank, cheerful young man with his high ideals,and the bright, gentle little lady who assumed the mistress-ship of themanse. With Mrs. Allan Anne fell promptly and wholeheartedly in love.She had discovered another kindred spirit.
"Mrs. Allan is perfectly lovely," she announced one Sunday afternoon."She's taken our class and she's a splendid teacher. She said right awayshe didn't think it was fair for the teacher to ask all the questions,and you know, Marilla, that is exactly what I've always thought. Shesaid we could ask her any question we liked and I asked ever so many.I'm good at asking questions, Marilla."
"I believe you" was Marilla's emphatic comment.
"Nobody else asked any except Ruby Gillis, and she asked if there wasto be a Sunday-school picnic this summer. I didn't think that was avery proper question to ask because it hadn't any connection with thelesson--the lesson was about Daniel in the lions' den--but Mrs. Allanjust smiled and said she thought there would be. Mrs. Allan has alovely smile; she has such _exquisite_ dimples in her cheeks. I wish I haddimples in my cheeks, Marilla. I'm not half so skinny as I was when Icame here, but I have no dimples yet. If I had perhaps I could influencepeople for good. Mrs. Allan said we ought always to try to influenceother people for good. She talked so nice about everything. I never knewbefore that religion was such a cheerful thing. I always thought itwas kind of melancholy, but Mrs. Allan's isn't, and I'd like to be aChristian if I could be one like her. I wouldn't want to be one like Mr.Superintendent Bell."
"It's very naughty of you to speak so about Mr. Bell," said Marillaseverely. "Mr. Bell is a real good man."
"Oh, of course he's good," agreed Anne, "but he doesn't seem to get anycomfort out of it. If I could be good I'd dance and sing all day becauseI was glad of it. I suppose Mrs. Allan is too old to dance and sing andof course it wouldn't be dignified in a minister's wife. But I can justfeel she's glad she's a Christian and that
she'd be one even if shecould get to heaven without it."
"I suppose we must have Mr. and Mrs. Allan up to tea someday soon," saidMarilla reflectively. "They've been most everywhere but here. Let mesee. Next Wednesday would be a good time to have them. But don't say aword to Matthew about it, for if he knew they were coming he'd find someexcuse to be away that day. He'd got so used to Mr. Bentley he didn'tmind him, but he's going to find it hard to get acquainted with a newminister, and a new minister's wife will frighten him to death."
"I'll be as secret as the dead," assured Anne. "But oh, Marilla, willyou let me make a cake for the occasion? I'd love to do something forMrs. Allan, and you know I can make a pretty good cake by this time."
"You can make a layer cake," promised Marilla.
Monday and Tuesday great preparations went on at Green Gables.Having the minister and his wife to tea was a serious and importantundertaking, and Marilla was determined not to be eclipsed by any ofthe Avonlea housekeepers. Anne was wild with excitement and delight. Shetalked it all over with Diana Tuesday night in the twilight, as theysat on the big red stones by the Dryad's Bubble and made rainbows in thewater with little twigs dipped in fir balsam.
"Everything is ready, Diana, except my cake which I'm to make in themorning, and the baking-powder biscuits which Marilla will make justbefore teatime. I assure you, Diana, that Marilla and I have had a busytwo days of it. It's such a responsibility having a minister's family totea. I never went through such an experience before. You should just seeour pantry. It's a sight to behold. We're going to have jellied chickenand cold tongue. We're to have two kinds of jelly, red and yellow, andwhipped cream and lemon pie, and cherry pie, and three kinds of cookies,and fruit cake, and Marilla's famous yellow plum preserves that shekeeps especially for ministers, and pound cake and layer cake, andbiscuits as aforesaid; and new bread and old both, in case the ministeris dyspeptic and can't eat new. Mrs. Lynde says ministers are dyspeptic,but I don't think Mr. Allan has been a minister long enough for it tohave had a bad effect on him. I just grow cold when I think of my layercake. Oh, Diana, what if it shouldn't be good! I dreamed last night thatI was chased all around by a fearful goblin with a big layer cake for ahead."
"It'll be good, all right," assured Diana, who was a very comfortablesort of friend. "I'm sure that piece of the one you made that we had forlunch in Idlewild two weeks ago was perfectly elegant."
"Yes; but cakes have such a terrible habit of turning out bad justwhen you especially want them to be good," sighed Anne, setting aparticularly well-balsamed twig afloat. "However, I suppose I shalljust have to trust to Providence and be careful to put in the flour. Oh,look, Diana, what a lovely rainbow! Do you suppose the dryad will comeout after we go away and take it for a scarf?"
"You know there is no such thing as a dryad," said Diana. Diana's motherhad found out about the Haunted Wood and had been decidedly angry overit. As a result Diana had abstained from any further imitative flightsof imagination and did not think it prudent to cultivate a spirit ofbelief even in harmless dryads.
"But it's so easy to imagine there is," said Anne. "Every night beforeI go to bed, I look out of my window and wonder if the dryad is reallysitting here, combing her locks with the spring for a mirror. SometimesI look for her footprints in the dew in the morning. Oh, Diana, don'tgive up your faith in the dryad!"
Wednesday morning came. Anne got up at sunrise because she was tooexcited to sleep. She had caught a severe cold in the head by reason ofher dabbling in the spring on the preceding evening; but nothing shortof absolute pneumonia could have quenched her interest in culinarymatters that morning. After breakfast she proceeded to make her cake.When she finally shut the oven door upon it she drew a long breath.
"I'm sure I haven't forgotten anything this time, Marilla. But do youthink it will rise? Just suppose perhaps the baking powder isn't good? Iused it out of the new can. And Mrs. Lynde says you can never be sure ofgetting good baking powder nowadays when everything is so adulterated.Mrs. Lynde says the Government ought to take the matter up, but she sayswe'll never see the day when a Tory Government will do it. Marilla, whatif that cake doesn't rise?"
"We'll have plenty without it" was Marilla's unimpassioned way oflooking at the subject.
The cake did rise, however, and came out of the oven as light andfeathery as golden foam. Anne, flushed with delight, clapped it togetherwith layers of ruby jelly and, in imagination, saw Mrs. Allan eating itand possibly asking for another piece!
"You'll be using the best tea set, of course, Marilla," she said. "Can Ifix the table with ferns and wild roses?"
"I think that's all nonsense," sniffed Marilla. "In my opinion it's theeatables that matter and not flummery decorations."
"Mrs. Barry had _her_ table decorated," said Anne, who was not entirelyguiltless of the wisdom of the serpent, "and the minister paid her anelegant compliment. He said it was a feast for the eye as well as thepalate."
"Well, do as you like," said Marilla, who was quite determined not tobe surpassed by Mrs. Barry or anybody else. "Only mind you leave enoughroom for the dishes and the food."
Anne laid herself out to decorate in a manner and after a fashion thatshould leave Mrs. Barry's nowhere. Having abundance of roses and fernsand a very artistic taste of her own, she made that tea table such athing of beauty that when the minister and his wife sat down to it theyexclaimed in chorus over it loveliness.
"It's Anne's doings," said Marilla, grimly just; and Anne felt that Mrs.Allan's approving smile was almost too much happiness for this world.
Matthew was there, having been inveigled into the party only goodnessand Anne knew how. He had been in such a state of shyness andnervousness that Marilla had given him up in despair, but Anne took himin hand so successfully that he now sat at the table in his best clothesand white collar and talked to the minister not uninterestingly.He never said a word to Mrs. Allan, but that perhaps was not to beexpected.
All went merry as a marriage bell until Anne's layer cake was passed.Mrs. Allan, having already been helped to a bewildering variety,declined it. But Marilla, seeing the disappointment on Anne's face, saidsmilingly:
"Oh, you must take a piece of this, Mrs. Allan. Anne made it on purposefor you."
"In that case I must sample it," laughed Mrs. Allan, helping herself toa plump triangle, as did also the minister and Marilla.
Mrs. Allan took a mouthful of hers and a most peculiar expressioncrossed her face; not a word did she say, however, but steadily ate awayat it. Marilla saw the expression and hastened to taste the cake.
"Anne Shirley!" she exclaimed, "what on earth did you put into thatcake?"
"Nothing but what the recipe said, Marilla," cried Anne with a look ofanguish. "Oh, isn't it all right?"
"All right! It's simply horrible. Mr. Allan, don't try to eat it. Anne,taste it yourself. What flavoring did you use?"
"Vanilla," said Anne, her face scarlet with mortification after tastingthe cake. "Only vanilla. Oh, Marilla, it must have been the bakingpowder. I had my suspicions of that bak--"
"Baking powder fiddlesticks! Go and bring me the bottle of vanilla youused."
Anne fled to the pantry and returned with a small bottle partiallyfilled with a brown liquid and labeled yellowly, "Best Vanilla."
Marilla took it, uncorked it, smelled it.
"Mercy on us, Anne, you've flavored that cake with _Anodyne Liniment_. Ibroke the liniment bottle last week and poured what was left into anold empty vanilla bottle. I suppose it's partly my fault--I should havewarned you--but for pity's sake why couldn't you have smelled it?"
Anne dissolved into tears under this double disgrace.
"I couldn't--I had such a cold!" and with this she fairly fled to thegable chamber, where she cast herself on the bed and wept as one whorefuses to be comforted.
Presently a light step sounded on the stairs and somebody entered theroom.
"Oh, Marilla," sobbed Anne, without looking up, "I'm disgraced forever.I shall never be able to
live this down. It will get out--things alwaysdo get out in Avonlea. Diana will ask me how my cake turned out and Ishall have to tell her the truth. I shall always be pointed at as thegirl who flavored a cake with anodyne liniment. Gil--the boys in schoolwill never get over laughing at it. Oh, Marilla, if you have a sparkof Christian pity don't tell me that I must go down and wash the dishesafter this. I'll wash them when the minister and his wife are gone, butI cannot ever look Mrs. Allan in the face again. Perhaps she'll think Itried to poison her. Mrs. Lynde says she knows an orphan girl who triedto poison her benefactor. But the liniment isn't poisonous. It's meantto be taken internally--although not in cakes. Won't you tell Mrs. Allanso, Marilla?"
"Suppose you jump up and tell her so yourself," said a merry voice.
Anne flew up, to find Mrs. Allan standing by her bed, surveying her withlaughing eyes.
"My dear little girl, you mustn't cry like this," she said, genuinelydisturbed by Anne's tragic face. "Why, it's all just a funny mistakethat anybody might make."
"Oh, no, it takes me to make such a mistake," said Anne forlornly. "AndI wanted to have that cake so nice for you, Mrs. Allan."
"Yes, I know, dear. And I assure you I appreciate your kindness andthoughtfulness just as much as if it had turned out all right. Now,you mustn't cry any more, but come down with me and show me your flowergarden. Miss Cuthbert tells me you have a little plot all your own. Iwant to see it, for I'm very much interested in flowers."
Anne permitted herself to be led down and comforted, reflecting that itwas really providential that Mrs. Allan was a kindred spirit. Nothingmore was said about the liniment cake, and when the guests went awayAnne found that she had enjoyed the evening more than could have beenexpected, considering that terrible incident. Nevertheless, she sigheddeeply.
"Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with nomistakes in it yet?"
"I'll warrant you'll make plenty in it," said Marilla. "I never saw yourbeat for making mistakes, Anne."
"Yes, and well I know it," admitted Anne mournfully. "But have you evernoticed one encouraging thing about me, Marilla? I never make the samemistake twice."
"I don't know as that's much benefit when you're always making newones."
"Oh, don't you see, Marilla? There must be a limit to the mistakes oneperson can make, and when I get to the end of them, then I'll be throughwith them. That's a very comforting thought."
"Well, you'd better go and give that cake to the pigs," said Marilla."It isn't fit for any human to eat, not even Jerry Boute."