And you WERE too hard on her , Rachel . '' Marilla could not help tacking on that last sentence , although she was again surprised at herself for doing it . Mrs. Rachel got up with an air of offended dignity . `` Well , I see that I 'll have to be very careful what I say after this , Marilla , since the fine feelings of orphans , brought from goodness knows where , have to be considered before anything else . Oh , no , I 'm not vexed -- do n't worry yourself . I 'm too sorry for you to leave any room for anger in my mind . You 'll have your own troubles with that child . But if you 'll take my advice -- which I suppose you wo n't do , although I 've brought up ten children and buried two -- you 'll do that ` talking to ' you mention with a fair-sized birch switch . I should think THAT would be the most effective language for that kind of a child . Her temper matches her hair I guess . Well , good evening , Marilla . I hope you 'll come down to see me often as usual . But you ca n't expect me to visit here again in a hurry , if I 'm liable to be flown at and insulted in such a fashion . It 's something new in MY experience . '' Whereat Mrs. Rachel swept out and away -- if a fat woman who always waddled COULD be said to sweep away -- and Marilla with a very solemn face betook herself to the east gable . On the way upstairs she pondered uneasily as to what she ought to do . She felt no little dismay over the scene that had just been enacted . How unfortunate that Anne should have displayed such temper before Mrs. Rachel Lynde , of all people ! Then Marilla suddenly became aware of an uncomfortable and rebuking consciousness that she felt more humiliation over this than sorrow over the discovery of such a serious defect in Anne 's disposition . And how was she to punish her ?
The amiable suggestion of the birch switch -- to the efficiency XXXXX which all of Mrs. Rachel 's own children could have borne smarting testimony -- did not appeal to Marilla .
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