Other lines and Anne III responses

Question 1

Narrator: When the birches in the hollow turned golden as sunshine and the maples behind the orchard were royal crimson…

Answer 1

Oh, Marilla, I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be dreadful if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn’t it?

Question 2

Marilla: Such talk, really Anne, I wouldn’t be surprised if you took a notion to get up and have dinner in the middle of the night or tried to fly from the hay lift.

Answer 2

Do you think about flying, Marilla?

Question 3

Marilla: No, I don’t. But if you behave like an ordinary mortal you may ask Diana to come over, spend the afternoon with you and have tea here.

Answer 3

Oh, Marilla, how perfectly lovely! You are able to imagine things after all, or else you’d never understand how I have longed for that very thing. May I use the rosebud spray tea set?

Question 4

Marilla: No, indeed! My own mother’s tea set, what next? You’ll put down the old brown set. But you can open the little crock of cherry preserves, a half glass of raspberry cordial, and some of the cookies and snaps.

Answer 4

[starting to run or preparing to run]

Question 5

Narrator: Anne flew down the hollow, past the spring, and up the spruce path to Orchard Slope to ask Diana to tea. Marilla drove off with Matthew to Carmody to purchase tractor parts and buttons.

Answer 5

[run back and forth across the stage, ending at downstage right. pretend to brush off clothes and take a deep breath before walking to meet Diana at downstage center]

Question 6

Diana: My second best dress.

Answer 6

[hugging Diana] You look exactly as it is proper to look when one is asked out to tea.
[shake Diana’s hand and sit down together]
How is your mother?

Question 7

Diana: She is very well, thank you. I have heard that the Cuthberts have gone to Carmody on behalf of the tractor?

Answer 7

Indeed. Our potato crop is very good this year. I hope your father’s potato crop is good too?

Question 8

Diana: Fairly good, thank you.

Answer 8

[standing and moving to get the bottle of cordial] Marilla has said we may have fruitcake and cherry preserves for tea. But it is terrible manners to talk of what you are going to give company to eat, so I won’t tell you what she said we may drink. Only that it begins with “R” and a “C” and it’s bright red in color. Red tastes twice as good as any other color.

Question 9

Diana: Raspberry cordial! I love raspberry cordial!

Answer 9

[pour Diana a glass]

Question 10

Diana: The nicest drink I ever drank. Ever so much nicer than Mrs. Lynde’s. Although she brags of hers, this doesn’t taste a bit like it.

Answer 10

I should think Marilla’s raspberry cordial would be nicer, for she’s a famous cook on several continents.
[pour Diana another glass. each time she runs out, pour her another]
She’s trying to teach me, but I assure you, Diana, it is uphill work. There’s so little scope for imagination in cookery. It’s all rules, rules, rules. Last week, I did make up a fine pudding, but I forgot to cover the sauce. Next morning… oh, Diana, fancy if you can my extreme horror at finding a mouse drowned in it!

Question 11

Diana: [stands up suddenly]

Answer 11

Why, Diana, what’s the matter?

Question 12

Diana: I’m awful dizzy. I… I think I must go straight home.

Answer 12

[stands up and helps her sit back down] Oh dear, you mustn’t dream of going home without your tea.
[pour her more cordial]

Question 13

Diana: next line

Answer 13

Well, at least a bit of fruitcake and some cherry preserves?

Question 14

Diana: next line [stands up and starts to leave]

Answer 14

[stand up] Well, goodness, do you suppose you’re taking the smallpox? Where do you feel bad?

Question 15

Diana: I must go home. [exits]

Answer 15

[sit back down. lift the glass and smell it, then set it back down, looking confused]

Question 16

Narrator: The next day was Sunday and Anne did not stir from her room. Monday she was sent on an errand to Mrs. Lynde’s from which she came flying back and quite collapsed at the kitchen table.

Answer 16

[sitting at the table, crying]

Question 17

Marilla: Whatever has gone wrong now? You haven’t been saucy to Mrs. Lynde, have you?

Answer 17

Mrs. Lynde was up to see Mrs. Barry today and, oh, Marilla, Mrs. Barry says I set Diana drunk Saturday.

Question 18

Marilla: Set Diana drunk? Is it you or Mrs. Barry gone crazy? What on earth did you give her?

Answer 18

Not a thing but raspberry cordial.

Question 19

Marilla: Well, drunk fiddlesticks. Show me, Anne.

Answer 19

[get up and bring Marilla the bottle]

Question 20

Marilla: Raspberry cordial is as innocent as… oh, my, oh dear. Anne, Anne, this is nothing like raspberry cordial. Indeed not. This, Anne, is three year old currant wine. I had put the cordial in the cellar.

Answer 20

I shall pack my bags and find a steamer to South America.

Question 21

Marilla: Indeed you won’t. But I will say, you have a genius for trouble.

Answer 21

I never tasted it, Marilla. I was busy as could be… talking. Mrs. Barry smelled Diana’s breath and knew immediately she was drunk. She had a fearful headache yesterday. Mrs. Barry is so indignant. She will never believe but what I did it on purpose.

Question 22

Marilla: There, there child, don’t cry. I can’t see as you were to blame, although I’m sorry it happened so.

Answer 22

I must cry, Marilla. My heart is broken. The stars in the courses fight against me. Diana and I are parted forever.

Question 23

Marilla: Don’t be such a goose. You best go up this evening and tell her how it was.

Answer 23

[grabbing her arm] I wish you’d go, Marilla. You’re so much more dignified than I am.

Question 24

Marilla: Well, I will. Don’t cry any more, Anne. I will set about this straight.
[skip to the final Mrs. Barry and Marilla lines before Anne again]
Mrs. Barry: And as I remember, when there were eyebrows raised about your bottling the wine, you were very firm, saying you’d made it so weak that it couldn’t have the least effect on anybody.
Marilla: Well, currant wine isn’t supposed to be drunk two tumblerfuls at a time, and if a child I had to do with was so greedy I’d sober her up with a right good spanking.

Answer 24

[stand behind Marilla while they talk, looking nervous]
[stepping forward] Oh, Mrs. Barry, please forgive me. I did not mean to intoxicate Diana. She is, you know, my one bosom friend in all the world. Oh, please do not say I may not see her.

Question 25

Mrs. Barry: I don’t think you’re a fit girl for Diana to associate with. You had better go home and behave yourself.

Answer 25

May I not see Diana once to say farewell?

Question 26

Mrs. Barry: Diana has gone to Carmody to see her father. I will communicate your goodbye on her return. [exits]

Answer 26

My last hope is gone. I can only pray, but I do not believe that God himself can do very much with such an obstinate person as Mrs. Barry. [exit stage right]

Question 27

Marilla: You mustn’t smile, Marilla. Poor, poor little soul. [exits]
[Diana and Anne enter and meet at downstage center]

Answer 27

Diana! I was hoping to see you.

Question 28

Diana: Oh, Anne, I’m not allowed.

Answer 28

Your mother hasn’t relented?

Question 29

Diana: She says I am never to play with you again. She’ll only let me come out for fresh air. Ten minutes, and she is timing me by the clock.

Answer 29

Ten minutes to say an eternal farewell?

Question 30

Diana: She is in staunch opposition.

Answer 30

Oh, Diana, you will promise me faithfully never to forget me, the friend of your youth, no matter what dearer friends may find thee?

Question 31

Diana: Why do you say thee?

Answer 31

They say it in all the best books.

Question 32

Diana: I will never, never have another bosom friend.

Answer 32

Really?

Question 33

Diana: I am your devoted friend, Anne, and always will be, you may be sure of that.

Answer 33

And I will always love thee, Diana. In the years to come, thy memory will shine like a star over my lonely life. Will thou give me a lock of thy jet-black hair to treasure forevermore?

Question 34

Diana: Have you anything to cut it with?

Answer 34

I’ve got my patchwork scissors in my apron pocket, fortunately.