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DownloadfreeeBooksofclassicliterature,booksandnovelsatPlaneteBook.SubscribetoourfreeeBooksblogandemailnewsletter.AnneofGreenGablesByLucyMaudMontgomeryAnneofGreenGablesChapterIMrs.RachelLyndeisSurprisedMrs.RachelLyndelivedjustwheretheAvonleamainroaddippeddownintoalittlehollow,fringedwithaldersandladies’eardropsandtraversedbyabrookthathaditssourceawaybackinthewoodsoftheoldCuthbertplace;itwasreputedtobeanintricate,headlongbrookinitsearliercoursethroughthosewoods,withdarksecretsofpoolandcascade;butbythetimeitreachedLynde’sHollowitwasaquiet,well-conductedlittlestream,fornotevenabrookcouldrunpastMrs.RachelLynde’sdoorwithoutdueregardfordecencyanddecorum;itprobablywasconsciousthatMrs.Rachelwassittingatherwindow,keepingasharpeyeoneverythingthatpassed,frombrooksandchildrenup,andthatifshenoticedanythingoddoroutofplaceshewouldneverrestuntilshehadferretedoutthewhysandwhereforesthereof.ThereareplentyofpeopleinAvonleaandoutofit,whocanattendcloselytotheirneighbor’sbusinessbydintofne-glectingtheirown;butMrs.RachelLyndewasoneofthoseFreeeBooksatPlaneteBook.comcapablecreatureswhocanmanagetheirownconcernsandthoseofotherfolksintothebargain.Shewasanotablehousewife;herworkwasalwaysdoneandwelldone;she‘ran’theSewingCircle,helpedruntheSunday-school,andwasthestrongestpropoftheChurchAidSocietyandFor-eignMissionsAuxiliary.YetwithallthisMrs.Rachelfoundabundanttimetositforhoursatherkitchenwindow,knit-ting‘cottonwarp’quilts—shehadknittedsixteenofthem,asAvonleahousekeeperswerewonttotellinawedvoic-es—andkeepingasharpeyeonthemainroadthatcrossedthehollowandwoundupthesteepredhillbeyond.SinceAvonleaoccupiedalittletriangularpeninsulajuttingoutintotheGulfofSt.Lawrencewithwaterontwosidesofit,anybodywhowentoutofitorintoithadtopassoverthathillroadandsoruntheunseengauntletofMrs.Rachel’sall-seeingeye.ShewassittingthereoneafternooninearlyJune.Thesunwascominginatthewindowwarmandbright;theor-chardontheslopebelowthehousewasinabridalflushofpinky-whitebloom,hummedoverbyamyriadofbees.ThomasLynde—ameeklittlemanwhomAvonleapeoplecalled‘RachelLynde’shusband’—wassowinghislateturnipseedonthehillfieldbeyondthebarn;andMatthewCuth-bertoughttohavebeensowinghisonthebigredbrookfieldawayoverbyGreenGables.Mrs.RachelknewthatheoughtbecauseshehadheardhimtellPeterMorrisontheeveningbeforeinWilliamJ.Blair’sstoreoveratCarmo-dythathemeanttosowhisturnipseedthenextafternoon.Peterhadaskedhim,ofcourse,forMatthewCuthberthadneverbeenknowntovolunteerinformationaboutanythinginhiswholelife.AndyetherewasMatthewCuthbert,athalf-pastthreeontheafternoonofabusyday,placidlydrivingoverthehollowandupthehill;moreover,heworeawhitecollarandhisbestsuitofclothes,whichwasplainproofthathewasgoingoutofAvonlea;andhehadthebuggyandthesor-relmare,whichbetokenedthathewasgoingaconsiderabledistance.Now,wherewasMatthewCuthbertgoingandwhywashegoingthere?HaditbeenanyothermaninAvonlea,Mrs.Rachel,deft-lyputtingthisandthattogether,mighthavegivenaprettygoodguessastobothquestions.ButMatthewsorarelywentfromhomethatitmustbesomethingpressingandunusualwhichwastakinghim;hewastheshyestmanaliveandhat-edtohavetogoamongstrangersortoanyplacewherehemighthavetotalk.Matthew,dressedupwithawhitecollaranddrivinginabuggy,wassomethingthatdidn’thappenoften.Mrs.Rachel,ponderasshemight,couldmakenoth-ingofitandherafternoon’senjoymentwasspoiled.‘I’lljuststepovertoGreenGablesafterteaandfindoutfromMarillawherehe’sgoneandwhy,’theworthywom-anfinallyconcluded.‘Hedoesn’tgenerallygototownthistimeofyearandheNEVERvisits;ifhe’drunoutoftur-nipseedhewouldn’tdressupandtakethebuggytogoformore;hewasn’tdrivingfastenoughtobegoingforadoctor.Yetsomethingmusthavehappenedsincelastnighttostarthimoff.I’mcleanpuzzled,that’swhat,andIwon’tknowaminute’speaceofmindorconscienceuntilIknowwhathasFreeeBooksatPlaneteBook.comtakenMatthewCuthbertoutofAvonleatoday.’AccordinglyafterteaMrs.Rachelsetout;shehadnotfartogo;thebig,rambling,orchard-emboweredhousewheretheCuthbertslivedwasascantquarterofamileuptheroadfromLynde’sHollow.Tobesure,thelonglanemadeitagooddealfurther.MatthewCuthbert’sfather,asshyandsilentashissonafterhim,hadgotasfarawayashepossiblycouldfromhisfellowmenwithoutactuallyretreatingintothewoodswhenhefoundedhishomestead.GreenGableswasbuiltatthefurthestedgeofhisclearedlandandthereitwastothisday,barelyvisiblefromthemainroadalongwhichalltheotherAvonleahousesweresosociablysitu-ated.Mrs.RachelLyndedidnotcalllivinginsuchaplaceLIVINGatall.‘It’sjustSTAYING,that’swhat,’shesaidasshesteppedalongthedeep-rutted,grassylaneborderedwithwildrosebushes.‘It’snowonderMatthewandMarillaarebothalit-tleodd,livingawaybackherebythemselves.Treesaren’tmuchcompany,thoughdearknowsiftheywerethere’dbeenoughofthem.I’drutherlookatpeople.Tobesure,theyseemcontentedenough;butthen,Isuppose,they’reusedtoit.Abodycangetusedtoanything,eventobeinghanged,astheIrishmansaid.’WiththisMrs.RachelsteppedoutofthelaneintothebackyardofGreenGables.Verygreenandneatandprecisewasthatyard,setaboutononesidewithgreatpatriarchalwillowsandtheotherwithprimLombardies