She said I must have asked her a thousand already . I suppose I had , too , but how you going to find out about things if you do n't ask questions ? And what DOES make the roads red ? '' `` Well now , I dunno , '' said Matthew . `` Well , that is one of the things to find out sometime . Is n't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about ? It just makes me feel glad to be alive -- it 's such an interesting world . It would n't be half so interesting if we know all about everything , would it ? There 'd be no scope for imagination then , would there ? But am I talking too much ? People are always telling me I do . Would you rather I did n't talk ? If you say so I 'll stop . I can STOP when I make up my mind to it , although it 's difficult . '' Matthew , much to his own surprise , was enjoying himself . Like most quiet folks he liked talkative people when they were willing to do the talking themselves and did not expect him to keep up his end of it . But he had never expected to enjoy the society of a little girl . Women were bad enough in all conscience , but little girls were worse . He detested the way they had of sidling past him timidly , with sidewise glances , as if they expected him to gobble them up at a mouthful if they ventured to say a word . That was the Avonlea type of well-bred little girl .
But this freckled witch was very different , and although he found it rather difficult for his slower intelligence to keep up XXXXX her brisk mental processes he thought that he `` kind of liked her chatter . ''
Like about although for if in of so to with