And now I was to be whipped for it . When we got home my sister dragged me into the kitchen where mother was sitting by the fire in the twilight . My poor wee legs were trembling so that I could hardly stand . And mother -- mother just took me up in her arms , without one word of rebuke or harshness , kissed me and held me close to her heart . ' I was so frightened you were lost , darling , ' she said tenderly . I could see the love shining in her eyes as she looked down on me . She never scolded or reproached me for what I had done -- only told me I must never go away again without asking permission . She died very soon afterwards . That is the only memory I have of her . Is n't it a beautiful one ? '' Anne felt lonelier than ever as she walked home , going by way of the Birch Path and Willowmere . She had not walked that way for many moons . It was a darkly-purple bloomy night . The air was heavy with blossom fragrance -- almost too heavy . The cloyed senses recoiled from it as from an overfull cup . The birches of the path had grown from the fairy saplings of old to big trees . Everything had changed . Anne felt that she would be glad when the summer was over and she was away at work again . Perhaps life would not seem so empty then . '' ` I 've tried the world -- it wears no more The coloring of romance it wore , ' '' sighed Anne -- and was straightway much comforted by the romance in the idea of the world being denuded of romance !
Chapter XL A Book of Revelation The Irvings came back to Echo Lodge for the summer , and XXXXX spent a happy three weeks there in July .
Anne Path Willowmere arms cup fire love night saplings twilight