Billy has too much good sense for that . He likes Nettie Blewett pretty well , too , and mother would rather he married her than any one . She 's such a good manager and saver . I think , when Billy is once sure you wo n't have him , he 'll take Nettie . Please do n't mention this to any one , will you , Anne ? '' `` Certainly not , '' said Anne , who had no desire whatever to publish abroad the fact that Billy Andrews wanted to marry her , preferring her , when all was said and done , to Nettie Blewett . Nettie Blewett ! `` And now I suppose we 'd better go to sleep , '' suggested Jane . To sleep went Jane easily and speedily ; but , though very unlike MacBeth in most respects , she had certainly contrived to murder sleep for Anne . That proposed-to damsel lay on a wakeful pillow until the wee sma 's , but her meditations were far from being romantic . It was not , however , until the next morning that she had an opportunity to indulge in a good laugh over the whole affair . When Jane had gone home -- still with a hint of frost in voice and manner because Anne had declined so ungratefully and decidedly the honor of an alliance with the House of Andrews -- Anne retreated to the porch room , shut the door , and had her laugh out at last . `` If I could only share the joke with some one ! '' she thought . `` But I ca n't . Diana is the only one I 'd want to tell , and , even if I had n't sworn secrecy to Jane , I ca n't tell Diana things now . She tells everything to Fred -- I know she does . Well , I 've had my first proposal . I supposed it would come some day -- but I certainly never thought it would be by proxy . It 's awfully funny -- and yet there 's a sting in it , too , somehow . ''
Anne knew quite well wherein the sting consisted , XXXXX she did not put it into words .
To for from if on than that though until with