11 A Tempest in the School Teapot

CHAPTER 11 A Tempest in the School Teapot Suddenly it was September and time for school. This was Anne's first chance to attend school with other children, and she was both nervous and excited. Marilla watched her walk down the lane. Anne was such an odd girl, Marilla hoped she'd be able to get along with the other children.

When Anne returned home that night, Marilla knew she had nothing to worry about. "I'm a little behind in my reading but it won't take me long to catch up. Math will be a bit harder, though." Anne ate the cookies Marilla had baked in honor of this special day. "I met so many lovely girls but I, of course, still love Diana best. And Jane Andrews told me Minnie MacPherson told her she heard Prissy Andrews tell Sara Gillis I had a very pretty nose. Wasn't that lovely? Do you think it's true, Marilla? Do I have a pretty nose?" "Your nose is nice enough," said Marilla shortly. Secretly she thought Anne's nose was pretty but she had no intention of telling her so. "Mr. Phillips is quite strict and he pays

more attention to the older children," Anne said. "Anne," Marilla scolded. "You shouldn't speak about your teacher like that." "Oh, I'm not saying an untruth, Marilla," Anne insisted. "You can ask anyone." A few weeks passed and all had gone smoothly. Then one morning as they walked down the road, Diana said, "I guess Gilbert Blythe will be in school today. He's been visiting his cousins in New Brunswick all summer." "Gilbert Blythe?" Anne remembered hearing the name at school. "His father is the town doctor and he's ever so handsome. He's two years older than us but in our grade because he took two years off when his father was sick. They went to Alberta and Gilbert didn't go to school. He's very clever, though, Anne. You'll have a

tough time beating him for Head of the Class." "I'm glad," said Anne quickly. "I prefer the challenge. It doesn't mean as much to beat only little kids in the spelling bee." During class, Diana leaned close to Anne. "That's Gilbert at the back of the room," she said. He was a tall boy with curly brown hair. Anne watched as he pulled the braids of Ruby Gillis when she tried to stand up. He looked right at Anne afterward and winked. "I think your Gilbert Blythe is handsome," confided Anne to Diana, "but very bold. It isn't polite to wink at a strange girl." That afternoon as Anne worked hard on her math problems, Gilbert tried to get her attention. He wasn't used to having to work so hard at it. This was something new for him.

Gilbert reached across the aisle and picked up the end of Anne's long red braid. Holding it out at arm's length, he said in a whisper, "Carrots! Carrots!" Anne heard him this time. She looked angrily back at him. "You mean boy!" she cried. "How dare you!" And then—Thwack! Anne brought her slate down on Gilbert's head and cracked it— slate, not head—in two.

The Avonlea school always enjoyed a scene and this was a good one. There were "oohs" and gasps around the room. The teacher, Mr. Phillips, stormed up to Anne. "Anne Shirley, what does this mean?" he said angrily. Anne did not answer. It was too much to tell the whole class that Gilbert called her "carrots." "It was my fault," Gilbert said. "I teased her." Mr. Phillips paid no attention to Gilbert. "It's a great disappointment to see a pupil behaving like this," Mr. Phillips said. "Anne, go and stand on the platform in front of the blackboard for the rest of the afternoon." With a sad, white face, Anne did as she was told. On the blackboard Mr. Phillips wrote, twice, "Ann Shirley has a very bad temper." It was a terrible punishment for