Anne of Green Gables Chapter 23

Anne Comes to Grief in an Affair of Honor

• Another year, another Diana Barry birthday party. The scene is set: the girls are in the Barry garden after tea.
• They soon start daring each other to do things. In Avonlea, it's completely taboo to refuse a dare.
• Anne scorns Josie Pye when Josie successfully walks a fence in response to a dare, saying it isn't that impressive, and she knew a girl who could walk the ridgepole of a roof. See where this is going?
• Josie dares Anne to walk the ridgepole of the Barry roof.
• Diana begs Anne to refuse, but Anne's too proud. She tells Diana she can have her pearl bead ring if she dies, and climbs up to the roof.
• Anne walks a few steps, and then falls off.
• Luckily, she falls off the side where the roof extends low over a porch, so she doesn't die. But she's in a lot of pain. Mr. Barry has to carry her home.
• When Marilla sees Mr. Barry carrying Anne limp in his arms, she realizes she loves her. Not that she says so. But she's scared.
• Anne explains what happened, then faints from the pain.
• The doctor pronounces her ankle broken. He sets it, but she has to stay in bed for several weeks.
• Anne has many visitors for the next three weeks, but she's excited to get back to school and meet their new lady teacher.