anne of the island-第10节

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warp　quilt　this　winter。　　Mrs。　Silas　Sloane　has　a　handsome　new

apple…leaf　pattern。



〃When　I　feel　that　I　must　have　some　excitement　I　read　the　murder

trials　in　that　Boston　paper　my　niece　sends　me。　　I　never　used　to

do　it；　but　they're　real　interesting。　　The　States　must　be　an　awful

place。　　I　hope　you'll　never　go　there；　Anne。　　But　the　way　girls

roam　over　the　earth　now　is　something　terrible。　　It　always　makes

me　think　of　Satan　in　the　Book　of　Job；　going　to　and　fro　and　walking

up　and　down。　　I　don't　believe　the　Lord　ever　intended　it；　that's　what。



〃Davy　has　been　pretty　good　since　you　went　away。　　One　day　he　was

bad　and　Marilla　punished　him　by　making　him　wear　Dora's　apron　all

day；　and　then　he　went　and　cut　all　Dora's　aprons　up。　　I　spanked

him　for　that　and　then　he　went　and　chased　my　rooster　to　death。



〃The　MacPhersons　have　moved　down　to　my　place。　　She's　a　great

housekeeper　and　very　particular。　　She's　rooted　all　my　June　lilies

up　because　she　says　they　make　a　garden　look　so　untidy。　　Thomas

set　them　lilies　out　when　we　were　married。　　Her　husband　seems　a

nice　sort　of　a　man；　but　she　can't　get　over　being　an　old　maid；

that's　what。



〃Don't　study　too　hard；　and　be　sure　and　put　your　winter

underclothes　on　as　soon　as　the　weather　gets　cool。

Marilla　worries　a　lot　about　you；　but　I　tell　her　you've

got　a　lot　more　sense　than　I　ever　thought　you　would　have

at　one　time；　and　that　you'll　be　all　right。〃



Davy's　letter　plunged　into　a　grievance　at　the　start。



〃Dear　anne；　please　write　and　tell　marilla　not　to　tie　me　to　the

rale　of　the　bridge　when　I　go　fishing　the　boys　make　fun　of　me　when

she　does。　　Its　awful　lonesome　here　without　you　but　grate　fun　in

school。　　Jane　andrews　is　crosser　than　you。　　I　scared　mrs。　lynde

with　a　jacky　lantern　last　nite。　　She　was　offel　mad　and　she　was

mad　cause　I　chased　her　old　rooster　round　the　yard　till　he　fell

down　ded。　　I　didn't　mean　to　make　him　fall　down　ded。　　What　made

him　die；　anne；　I　want　to　know。　　mrs。　lynde　threw　him　into　the

pig　pen　she　mite　of　sold　him　to　mr。　blair。　　mr。　blair　is　giving

50　sense　apeace　for　good　ded　roosters　now。　　I　herd　mrs。　lynde

asking　the　minister　to　pray　for　her。　　What　did　she　do　that　was　so

bad；　anne；　I　want　to　know。　　I've　got　a　kite　with　a　magnificent

tail；　anne。　　Milty　bolter　told　me　a　grate　story　in　school

yesterday。　　it　is　troo。　　old　Joe　Mosey　and　Leon　were　playing

cards　one　nite　last　week　in　the　woods。　　The　cards　were　on　a　stump

and　a　big　black　man　bigger　than　the　trees　come　along　and　grabbed

the　cards　and　the　stump　and　disapered　with　a　noys　like　thunder。

Ill　bet　they　were　skared。　　Milty　says　the　black　man　was　the　old

harry。　　was　he；　anne；　I　want　to　know。　　Mr。　kimball　over　at

spenservale　is　very　sick　and　will　have　to　go　to　the　hospitable。

please　excuse　me　while　I　ask　marilla　if　thats　spelled　rite。

Marilla　says　its　the　silem　he　has　to　go　to　not　the　other　place。

He　thinks　he　has　a　snake　inside　of　him。　　whats　it　like　to　have　a

snake　inside　of　you；　anne。　　I　want　to　know。　　mrs。　lawrence　bell

is　sick　to。　　mrs。　lynde　says　that　all　that　is　the　matter　with

her　is　that　she　thinks　too　much　about　her　insides。〃



〃I　wonder；〃　said　Anne；　as　she　folded　up　her　letters；　〃what　Mrs。

Lynde　would　think　of　Philippa。〃









Chapter　VI



In　the　Park





〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　yourselves　today；　girls？〃

asked　Philippa；　popping　into　Anne's　room　one　Saturday　afternoon。



〃We　are　going　for　a　walk　in　the　park；〃　answered　Anne。　　〃I　ought　to

stay　in　and　finish　my　blouse。　　But　I　couldn't　sew　on　a　day　like　this。

There's　something　in　the　air　that　gets　into　my　blood　and　makes　a　sort

of　glory　in　my　soul。　　My　fingers　would　twitch　and　I'd　sew　a　crooked　seam。

So　it's　ho　for　the　park　and　the　pines。〃



〃Does　‘we'　include　any　one　but　yourself　and　Priscilla？〃



〃Yes；　it　includes　Gilbert　and　Charlie；　and　we'll　be　very　glad　if

it　will　include　you；　also。〃



〃But；〃　said　Philippa　dolefully；　〃if　I　go　I'll　have　to　be　gooseberry；

and　that　will　be　a　new　experience　for　Philippa　Gordon。〃



〃Well；　new　experiences　are　broadening。　　Come　along；　and　you'll　be

able　to　sympathize　with　all　poor　souls　who　have　to　play

gooseberry　often。　　But　where　are　all　the　victims？〃



〃Oh；　I　was　tired　of　them　all　and　simply　couldn't　be　bothered　with

any　of　them　today。　　Besides；　I've　been　feeling　a　little　blue　

just　a　pale；　elusive　azure。　　It　isn't　serious　enough　for　anything

darker。　　I　wrote　Alec　and　Alonzo　last　week。　　I　put　the　letters

into　envelopes　and　addressed　them；　but　I　didn't　seal　them　up。

That　evening　something　funny　happened。　　That　is；　Alec　would　think

it　funny；　but　Alonzo　wouldn't　be　likely　to。　　I　was　in　a　hurry；　so

I　snatched　Alec's　letter　　as　I　thought　　out　of　the　envelope

and　scribbled　down　a　postscript。　　Then　I　mailed　both　letters。　　I

got　Alonzo's　reply　this　morning。　　Girls；　I　had　put　that　postscript

to　his　letter　and　he　was　furious。　　Of　course　he'll　get　over　it　

and　I　don't　care　if　he　doesn't　　but　it　spoiled　my　day。

So　I　thought　I'd　come　to　you　darlings　to　get　cheered　up。

After　the　football　season　opens　I　won't　have　any　spare　Saturday

afternoons。　　I　adore　football。　　I've　got　the　most　gorgeous

cap　and　sweater　striped　in　Redmond　colors　to　wear　to　the　games。

To　be　sure；　a　little　way　off　I'll　look　like　a　walking　barber's　pole。

Do　you　know　that　that　Gilbert　of　yours　has　been　elected　Captain　of

the　Freshman　football　team？〃



〃Yes；　he　told　us　so　last　evening；〃　said　Priscilla；　seeing　that

outraged　Anne　would　not　answer。　　〃He　and　Charlie　were　down。

We　knew　they　were　coming；　so　we　painstakingly　put　out　of　sight

or　out　of　reach　all　Miss　Ada's　cushions。　　That　very　elaborate　one

with　the　raised　embroidery　I　dropped　on　the　floor　in　the　corner

behind　the　chair　it　was　on。　　I　thought　it　would　be　safe　there。

But　would　you　believe　it？　　Charlie　Sloane　made　for　that　chair；

noticed　the　cushion　behind　it；　solemnly　fished　it　up；　and　sat　on

it　the　whole　evening。　　Such　a　wreck　of　a　cushion　as　it　was！　　Poor

Miss　Ada　asked　me　today；　still　smiling；　but　oh；　so　reproachfully；

why　I　had　allowed　it　to　be　sat　upon。　　I　told　her　I　hadn't　　that

it　was　a　matter　of　predestination　coupled　with　inveterate

Sloanishness　and　I　wasn't　a　match　for　both　combined。〃



〃Miss　Ada's　cushions　are　really　getting　on　my　nerves；〃　said　Anne。

〃She　finished　two　new　ones　last　week；　stuffed　and　embroidered

within　an　inch　of　their　lives。　　There　being　absolutely　no　other

cushionless　place　to　put　them　she　stood　them　up　against　the　wall

on　the　stair　landing。　　They　topple　over　half　the　time　and　if　we

come　up　or　down　the　stairs　in　the　dark　we　fall　over　them。　　Last

Sunday；　when　Dr。　Davis　prayed　for　all　those　exposed　to　the

perils　of　the　sea；　I　added　in　thought　‘and　for　all　those　who　live

in　houses　where　cushions　are　loved　not　wisely　but　too　well！'

There！　we're　ready；　and　I　see　the　boys　coming　through　Old　St。　John's。

Do　you　cast　in　your　lot　with　us；　Phil？〃



〃I'll　go；　if　I　can　walk　with　Priscilla　and　Charlie。　　That　will　be

a　bearable　degree　of　gooseberry。　　That　Gilbert　of　yours　is　a

darling；　Anne；　but　why　does　he　go　around　so　much　with　Goggle…eyes？〃



Anne　stiffened。　　She　had　no　great　liking　for　Charlie　Sloane；　but

he　was　of　Avonlea；　so　no　outsider　had　any　business　to　laugh　at　him。



〃Charlie　and　Gilbert　have　always　been　friends；〃　she　said　coldly。

〃Charlie　is　a　nice　boy。　　He's　not　to　blame　for　his　eyes。〃



〃Don't　tell　me　that！　　He　is！　　He　must　have　done　something

dreadful　in　a　previous　existence　to　be　punished　with　such　eyes。

Pris　and　I　are　going　to　have　such　sport　with　him　this　afternoon。

We'll　make　fun　of　him　to　his　face　and　he'll　never　know　it。〃



Doubtless；　〃the　abandoned　P's；〃　as　Anne　called　them；　did　carry

out　their　amiable　intentions。　　But　Sloane　was　blissfully

ignorant；　he　thought　he　was　quite　a　fine　fellow　to　be　walking

with　two　such　coeds；　especially　Philippa　Gordon；　the　class　beauty

and　belle。　　It　must　surely　impress　Anne。　　She　would　see　that　some

people　appreciated　him　at　his　real　value。



Gilbert　and　Anne　loitered　a　little　behind　the　others；　enjoying

the　calm；　still　beauty　of　the　autumn　afternoon　under　the　pines　of

the　park；　on　the　road　that　climbed　and　twisted　round　the　harbor　shore。



〃The　silence　here　is　like　a　prayer；　isn't　it？〃　said　Anne；

her　face　upturned　to　the　shining　sky。　　〃How　I　love　the　pines！

They　seem　to　strike　their　roots　deep　into　the　romance　of　all　the　ages。

It　is　so　comforting　to　creep　away　now　and　then　for　a　good　talk　with　them。

I　always　feel　so　happy　out　here。〃



　　　　　　〃‘And　so　in　mountain　solitudes　o'ertaken

　　　　　　　　　　As　by　some　spell　divine；

　　　　　　Their　cares　drop　from　them　like　the　needles　shaken

　　　　　　　　　　From　out　the　gusty　pine；'〃



quoted　Gilbert。



〃They　make　our　little　ambitions　seem　rather　petty；　don't　they；　Anne？〃



〃I　think；　if　ever　any　great　sorrow　came　to　me；　I　would　come　to　the

pines　for　comfort；〃　said　Anne　dreamily。



〃I　hope　no　great　sorrow　ever　will　come　to　you；　Anne；〃　said　Gilbert；

who　c