asked Gilbert . Something in his tone -- something she had not heard since that miserable evening in the orchard at Patty 's Place -- made Anne 's heart beat wildly . But she made answer lightly . `` Of course . Everybody has . It would n't do for us to have all our dreams fulfilled . We would be as good as dead if we had nothing left to dream about . What a delicious aroma that low-descending sun is extracting from the asters and ferns . I wish we could see perfumes as well as smell them . I 'm sure they would be very beautiful . '' Gilbert was not to be thus sidetracked . `` I have a dream , '' he said slowly . `` I persist in dreaming it , although it has often seemed to me that it could never come true . I dream of a home with a hearth-fire in it , a cat and dog , the footsteps of friends -- and YOU ! '' Anne wanted to speak but she could find no words . Happiness was breaking over her like a wave . It almost frightened her . `` I asked you a question over two years ago , Anne . If I ask it again today will you give me a different answer ? '' Still Anne could not speak .
But she lifted her eyes , shining with all the love-rapture XXXXX countless generations , and looked into his for a moment .
although as at for if of since that to with