If she 'd really felt sorry it would n't be so bad . And you do n't seem to realize it , neither ; you 're making excuses for her all the time to yourself -- I can see that . '' `` Well now , she 's such a little thing , '' feebly reiterated Matthew . `` And there should be allowances made , Marilla . You know she 's never had any bringing up . '' `` Well , she 's having it now '' retorted Marilla . The retort silenced Matthew if it did not convince him . That dinner was a very dismal meal . The only cheerful thing about it was Jerry Buote , the hired boy , and Marilla resented his cheerfulness as a personal insult . When her dishes were washed and her bread sponge set and her hens fed Marilla remembered that she had noticed a small rent in her best black lace shawl when she had taken it off on Monday afternoon on returning from the Ladies ' Aid . She would go and mend it . The shawl was in a box in her trunk . As Marilla lifted it out , the sunlight , falling through the vines that clustered thickly about the window , struck upon something caught in the shawl -- something that glittered and sparkled in facets of violet light . Marilla snatched at it with a gasp . It was the amethyst brooch , hanging to a thread of the lace by its catch ! `` Dear life and heart , '' said Marilla blankly , `` what does this mean ? Here 's my brooch safe and sound that I thought was at the bottom of Barry 's pond . Whatever did that girl mean by saying she took it and lost it ? I declare I believe Green Gables is bewitched . I remember now that when I took off my shawl Monday afternoon I laid it on the bureau for a minute .
I suppose the XXXXX got caught in it somehow .
Barry Buote Gables Marilla Matthew afternoon brooch cheerfulness lace minute