10 Anne’s Confession

CHAPTER 10 Anne's Confession A few days before the picnic, Marilla came into the kitchen with a frown on her face. She found Anne shelling peas. "Anne," she said sternly. "Have you seen my brooch?" "Your brooch, Marilla?" Anne looked up from her work.

"Yes," she responded. "The pearl brooch that was my mother's. Have you seen it?" Anne looked back down. "I saw it this afternoon when you were in town," said Anne, a little slowly. "I was passing your room and saw it on the cushion, so I went to look at it." "Did you touch it?" asked Marilla. "Y-e-s-s," admitted Anne. "I picked it up and pinned it to my shirt just to see how it would look." "You had no right to do anything of the sort. It was very wrong. Where did you put it?" "Oh, I put it back. I was only in your room for a minute, I promise." "You didn't put it back," said Marilla. "The brooch is not on its cushion. It's not in my room at all!" Anne stood up. "I did put it back! I

remember it clearly. I just don't remember whether I stuck it in the pincushion or laid it on the china tray." "I'll go and have another look," said Marilla. "If you put that brooch back, it's still there. If it isn't, I'll know you didn't, that's all!" Marilla looked behind the dresser and under the bed but found nothing. She was very angry. How could Anne do this—and lie about it? Anne refused to admit that she took the brooch from the room. She insisted she put it right back. "Fine. If that's your only answer"—Marilla stood with arms crossed—"you can go up to your room and stay there until you're ready to admit the truth." "But the picnic?" Anne stuttered. "You'll not go unless you confess," Marilla

said sternly. "Now, upstairs!" Anne did as she was told and slowly climbed the stairs. When Matthew came in for afternoon tea, Marilla told him the story. "She was admiring that brooch only last week," she said. "She even asked if I thought pearls were the souls of lilies." Marilla shook her head sadly. "I'm sure she didn't mean to lose it. Likely she took it outside to play one of her games and lost it. It just breaks my heart, Matthew. It was Mother's brooch." "Now, now, Marilla," Matthew said, trying to comfort her. The day of the Sunday school picnic finally arrived. Marilla took Anne's breakfast up to her room. As soon as she opened the door, Anne began to speak. "Very well, Marilla," she started. "I will confess to the crime. I took your brooch

outside. I imagined I was a princess out for a ride on my beautiful mare. When crossing the bridge, I noticed how the brooch sparkled in the water. I leaned over to get a better look and the brooch fell into the water. I'm very sorry, Marilla—I wish I could take it all back." Anne hung her head. "And now, Marilla," Anne said, "I'd like you to punish me so that we can get it over with. I'd like to go to the picnic." "Picnic indeed!" Marilla said. "That shall be your punishment, Anne Shirley! You won't be going to any picnic!" "No! Oh, please, Marilla," Anne cried. "That would be too awful! It's my first chance to taste ice cream! You promised me I could go if I confessed. That's the reason I confessed." "There's no reason for you to plead. You're not going and that's that."

Anne threw herself onto her bed in tears. Marilla left the room. She spent the rest of the morning cleaning the house, trying to forget there was a weeping, upset girl upstairs. She called her down for lunch but Anne would not be moved. After eating, Marilla went up to her own room to get her shawl that needed mending. As she took it down from its hook she noticed something sparkling. When she turned the shawl over, she saw her pearl brooch dangling from a thread. "Oh no," Marilla gasped. "I remember now that when I took off my shawl Monday afternoon I laid it on the bureau for a minute. I suppose the brooch got caught in it somehow. Why would she tell me she took the brooch if she didn't? Oh, poor Anne! She must have made up that confession just to go to the picnic!" She rushed to Anne's room.