Oh , drat the men ! No matter what they do , it 's the wrong thing . And no matter who they are , it 's somebody they should n't be . They do exasperate me . '' `` Gilbert and Captain Jim are men , and it is through them that the truth has been discovered at last , '' said Anne . `` Well , I admit that , '' conceded Miss Cornelia reluctantly . `` I 'm sorry I raked the doctor off so . It 's the first time in my life I 've ever felt ashamed of anything I said to a man . I do n't know as I shall tell him so , though . He 'll just have to take it for granted . Well , Anne , dearie , it 's a mercy the Lord does n't answer all our prayers . I 've been praying hard right along that the operation would n't cure Dick . Of course I did n't put it just quite so plain . But that was what was in the back of my mind , and I have no doubt the Lord knew it . '' `` Well , He has answered the spirit of your prayer . You really wished that things should n't be made any harder for Leslie . I 'm afraid that in my secret heart I 've been hoping the operation would n't succeed , and I am wholesomely ashamed of it . '' `` How does Leslie seem to take it ? '' `` She writes like one dazed . I think that , like ourselves , she hardly realises it yet .
She says , ` It all seems like a strange dream XXXXX me , Anne . '
Of as at for in like that though through to