Anne looked at the still face and there beheld the seal of the Great Presence . When the doctor came he said that death had been instantaneous and probably painless , caused in all likelihood by some sudden shock . The secret of the shock was discovered to be in the paper Matthew had held and which Martin had brought from the office that morning . It contained an account of the failure of the Abbey Bank . The news spread quickly through Avonlea , and all day friends and neighbors thronged Green Gables and came and went on errands of kindness for the dead and living . For the first time shy , quiet Matthew Cuthbert was a person of central importance ; the white majesty of death had fallen on him and set him apart as one crowned . When the calm night came softly down over Green Gables the old house was hushed and tranquil . In the parlor lay Matthew Cuthbert in his coffin , his long gray hair framing his placid face on which there was a little kindly smile as if he but slept , dreaming pleasant dreams . There were flowers about him -- sweet old-fashioned flowers which his mother had planted in the homestead garden in her bridal days and for which Matthew had always had a secret , wordless love . Anne had gathered them and brought them to him , her anguished , tearless eyes burning in her white face . It was the last thing she could do for him . The Barrys and Mrs. Lynde stayed with them that night . Diana , going to the east gable , where Anne was standing at her window , said gently : `` Anne dear , would you like to have me sleep with you tonight ? '' `` Thank you , Diana . '' Anne looked earnestly into her friend 's face . `` I think you wo n't misunderstand me when I say I want to be alone . I 'm not afraid . I have n't been alone one minute since it happened -- and I want to be . I want to be quite silent and quiet and try to realize it . I ca n't realize it .
Half the time it seems to me XXXXX Matthew ca n't be dead ; and the other half it seems as if he must have been dead for a long time and I 've had this horrible dull ache ever since . ''
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