Marilla , as she picked her steps along the damp lane , thought that it was really a satisfaction to know that she was going home to a briskly snapping wood fire and a table nicely spread for tea , instead of to the cold comfort of old Aid meeting evenings before Anne had come to Green Gables . Consequently , when Marilla entered her kitchen and found the fire black out , with no sign of Anne anywhere , she felt justly disappointed and irritated . She had told Anne to be sure and have tea ready at five o'clock , but now she must hurry to take off her second-best dress and prepare the meal herself against Matthew 's return from plowing . `` I 'll settle Miss Anne when she comes home , '' said Marilla grimly , as she shaved up kindlings with a carving knife and with more vim than was strictly necessary . Matthew had come in and was waiting patiently for his tea in his corner . `` She 's gadding off somewhere with Diana , writing stories or practicing dialogues or some such tomfoolery , and never thinking once about the time or her duties . She 's just got to be pulled up short and sudden on this sort of thing . I do n't care if Mrs. Allan does say she 's the brightest and sweetest child she ever knew . She may be bright and sweet enough , but her head is full of nonsense and there 's never any knowing what shape it 'll break out in next . Just as soon as she grows out of one freak she takes up with another . But there ! Here I am saying the very thing I was so riled with Rachel Lynde for saying at the Aid today . I was real glad when Mrs. Allan spoke up for Anne , for if she had n't I know I 'd have said something too sharp to Rachel before everybody . Anne 's got plenty of faults , goodness knows , and far be it from me to deny it . But I 'm bringing her up and not Rachel Lynde , who 'd pick faults in the Angel Gabriel himself if he lived in Avonlea . Just the same , Anne has no business to leave the house like this when I told her she was to stay home this afternoon and look after things . I must say , with all her faults , I never found her disobedient or untrustworthy before and I 'm real sorry to find her so now . '' `` Well now , I dunno , '' said Matthew , who , being patient and wise and , above all , hungry , had deemed it best to let Marilla talk her wrath out unhindered , having learned by experience that she got through with whatever work was on hand much quicker if not delayed by untimely argument . `` Perhaps you 're judging her too hasty , Marilla . Do n't call her untrustworthy until you 're sure she has disobeyed you .
Mebbe it can all be explained -- Anne 's a great hand XXXXX explaining . ''
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