A pretty Emperor indeed -- with one foot in the grave and yet plotting wholesale murder '' -- and Susan thumped and kneaded her bread with as much vicious energy as she could have expended in punching Francis Joseph himself if he had been so unlucky as to fall into her clutches . Walter had gone to town on the early train , and Nan offered to look after Jims for the day and so set Rilla free . Rilla was wildly busy all day , helping to decorate the Glen hall and seeing to a hundred last things . The evening was beautiful , in spite of the fact that Mr. Pryor was reported to have said that he `` hoped it would rain pitch forks points down , '' and to have wantonly kicked Miranda 's dog as he said it . Rilla , rushing home from the hall , dressed hurriedly . Everything had gone surprisingly well at the last ; Irene was even then downstairs practising her songs with Miss Oliver ; Rilla was excited and happy , forgetful even of the Western front for the moment . It gave her a sense of achievement and victory to have brought her efforts of weeks to such a successful conclusion . She knew that there had not lacked people who thought and hinted that Rilla Blythe had not the tact or patience to engineer a concert programme . She had shown them ! Little snatches of song bubbled up from her lips as she dressed . She thought she was looking very well . Excitement brought a faint , becoming pink into her round creamy cheeks , quite drowning out her few freckles , and her hair gleamed with red-brown lustre . Should she wear crab-apple blossoms in it , or her little fillet of pearls ? After some agonised wavering she decided on the crab-apple blossoms and tucked the white waxen cluster behind her left ear . Now for a final look at her feet . Yes , both slippers were on . She gave the sleeping Jims a kiss -- what a dear little warm , rosy , satin face he had -- and hurried down the hill to the hall . Already it was filling -- soon it was crowded . Her concert was going to be a brilliant success . The first three numbers were successfully over .
Rilla was in the little dressing-room XXXXX the platform , looking out on the moonlit harbour and rehearsing her own recitations .
After as at behind for in into of on to