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XVI. The Substance of Things Hoped For
picnic,whenIwentaroundinthesunwithoutmyhat.Isupposeit’sungratefulofmetoworryoverthem,whenIshouldbethankfulthey’renotspreadallovermyfaceastheyoncewere;butIdowishtheyhadn’tcome...allMrs.Morgan’sheroineshavesuchperfectcomplexions.Ican’trecallafreckledoneamongthem.”
“Yoursarenotverynoticeable,”comfortedDiana.“Tryalittlelemonjuiceonthemtonight.”
ThenextdayAnnemadeherpiesandladyfingers,diduphermuslindress,andsweptanddustedeveryroominthehouse...aquiteunnecessaryproceeding,forGreenGableswas,asusual,intheapplepieorderdeartoMarilla’sheart.ButAnnefeltthatafleckofdustwouldbeadesecrationinahousethatwastobehonoredbyavisitfromCharlotteE.Morgan.Sheevencleanedoutthe“catch-all”closetunderthestairs,althoughtherewasnottheremotestpossibilityofMrs.Morgan’sseeingitsinterior.
“ButIwanttoFEELthatitisinperfectorder,evenifsheisn’ttoseeit,”AnnetoldMarilla.“Youknow,inherbook‘GoldenKeys,’shemakeshertwoheroinesAliceandLouisatakefortheirmottothatverseofLongfellow’s,
‘Intheelderdaysofart
Builderswroughtwithgreatestcare
Eachminuteandunseenpart,
Forthegodsseeeverywhere,’
andsotheyalwayskepttheircellarstairsscrubbedandneverforgottosweepunderthebeds.IshouldhaveaguiltyconscienceifIthoughtthisclosetwasindisorderwhenMrs.Morganwasinthehouse.Eversinceweread‘GoldenKeys,’lastApril,DianaandIhavetakenthatverseforourmottotoo
