anne of the island-第17节

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my　landlady　and　her　maid　had　both　sat　on　it　while　I　locked　it；　I

discovered　I　had　packed　a　whole　lot　of　things　I　wanted　for

Convocation　at　the　very　bottom。　　I　had　to　unlock　the　old　thing

and　poke　and　dive　into　it　for　an　hour　before　I　fished　out　what　I

wanted。　　I　would　get　hold　of　something　that　felt　like　what　I　was

looking　for；　and　I'd　yank　it　up；　and　it　would　be　something　else。

No；　Anne；　I　did　NOT　swear。〃



〃I　didn't　say　you　did。〃



〃Well；　you　looked　it。　　But　I　admit　my　thoughts　verged　on　the　profane。

And　I　have　such　a　cold　in　the　head　　I　can　do　nothing　but　sniffle；

sigh　and　sneeze。　　Isn't　that　alliterative　agony　for　you？　　Queen　Anne；

do　say　something　to　cheer　me　up。〃



〃Remember　that　next　Thursday　night；　you'll　be　back　in　the　land　of

Alec　and　Alonzo；〃　suggested　Anne。



Phil　shook　her　head　dolefully。



〃More　alliteration。　　No；　I　don't　want　Alec　and　Alonzo　when　I　have

a　cold　in　the　head。　　But　what　has　happened　you　two？　　Now　that　I　look

at　you　closely　you　seem　all　lighted　up　with　an　internal　iridescence。

Why；　you're　actually　SHINING！　　What's　up？〃



〃We　are　going　to　live　in　Patty's　Place　next　winter；〃　said　Anne　triumphantly。

〃Live；　mark　you；　not　board！　　We've　rented　it；　and　Stella　Maynard　is　coming；

and　her　aunt　is　going　to　keep　house　for　us。〃



Phil　bounced　up；　wiped　her　nose；　and　fell　on　her　knees　before　Anne。



〃Girls　　girls　　let　me　come；　too。　　Oh；　I'll　be　so　good。　　If

there's　no　room　for　me　I'll　sleep　in　the　little　doghouse　in　the

orchard　　I've　seen　it。　　Only　let　me　come。〃



〃Get　up；　you　goose。〃



〃I　won't　stir　off　my　marrow　bones　till　you　tell　me　I　can　live

with　you　next　winter。〃



Anne　and　Priscilla　looked　at　each　other。　　Then　Anne　said　slowly；

〃Phil　dear；　we'd　love　to　have　you。　　But　we　may　as　well　speak　plainly。

I'm　poor　　Pris　is　poor　　Stella　Maynard　is　poor　　our　housekeeping

will　have　to　be　very　simple　and　our　table　plain。　　You'd　have　to　live　as

we　would。　　Now；　you　are　rich　and　your　boardinghouse　fare　attests　the　fact。〃



〃Oh；　what　do　I　care　for　that？〃　demanded　Phil　tragically。

〃Better　a　dinner　of　herbs　where　your　chums　are　than　a　stalled　ox

in　a　lonely　boardinghouse。　　Don't　think　I'm　ALL　stomach；　girls。

I'll　be　willing　to　live　on　bread　and　water　　with　just　a　LEETLE

jam　　if　you'll　let　me　come。〃



〃And　then；〃　continued　Anne；　〃there　will　be　a　good　deal　of　work　to　be　done。

Stella's　aunt　can't　do　it　all。　　We　all　expect　to　have　our　chores　to　do。

Now；　you　　〃



〃Toil　not；　neither　do　I　spin；〃　finished　Philippa。　　〃But　I'll　learn

to　do　things。　　You'll　only　have　to　show　me　once。　　I　CAN　make　my

own　bed　to　begin　with。　　And　remember　that；　though　I　can't　cook；

I　CAN　keep　my　temper。　　That's　something。　　And　I　NEVER　growl　about

the　weather。　　That's　more。　　Oh；　please；　please！　　I　never　wanted

anything　so　much　in　my　life　　and　this　floor　is　awfully　hard。〃



〃There's　just　one　more　thing；〃　said　Priscilla　resolutely。

〃You；　Phil；　as　all　Redmond　knows；　entertain　callers　almost　every

evening。　　Now；　at　Patty's　Place　we　can't　do　that。　　We　have　decided

that　we　shall　be　at　home　to　our　friends　on　Friday　evenings　only。

If　you　come　with　us　you'll　have　to　abide　by　that　rule。〃



〃Well；　you　don't　think　I'll　mind　that；　do　you？　　Why；　I'm　glad　of　it。

I　knew　I　should　have　had　some　such　rule　myself；　but　I　hadn't

enough　decision　to　make　it　or　stick　to　it。　　When　I　can　shuffle

off　the　responsibility　on　you　it　will　be　a　real　relief。　　If　you

won't　let　me　cast　in　my　lot　with　you　I'll　die　of　the　disappointment

and　then　I'll　come　back　and　haunt　you。　　I'll　camp　on　the　very　doorstep

of　Patty's　Place　and　you　won't　be　able　to　go　out　or　come　in　without

falling　over　my　spook。〃



Again　Anne　and　Priscilla　exchanged　eloquent　looks。



〃Well；〃　said　Anne；　〃of　course　we　can't　promise　to　take　you　until

we've　consulted　with　Stella；　but　I　don't　think　she'll　object；

and；　as　far　as　we　are　concerned；　you　may　come　and　glad　welcome。〃



〃If　you　get　tired　of　our　simple　life　you　can　leave　us；　and　no

questions　asked；〃　added　Priscilla。



Phil　sprang　up；　hugged　them　both　jubilantly；　and　went　on　her　way

rejoicing。



〃I　hope　things　will　go　right；〃　said　Priscilla　soberly。



〃We　must　MAKE　them　go　right；〃　avowed　Anne。　　〃I　think　Phil　will

fit　into　our　'appy　little　'ome　very　well。〃



〃Oh；　Phil's　a　dear　to　rattle　round　with　and　be　chums。　　And；　of　course；

the　more　there　are　of　us　the　easier　it　will　be　on　our　slim　purses。

But　how　will　she　be　to　live　with？　　You　have　to　summer　and　winter　with

any　one　before　you　know　if　she's　LIVABLE　or　not。〃



〃Oh；　well；　we'll　all　be　put　to　the　test；　as　far　as　that　goes。

And　we　must　quit　us　like　sensible　folk；　living　and　let　live。

Phil　isn't　selfish；　though　she's　a　little　thoughtless；　and　I

believe　we　will　all　get　on　beautifully　in　Patty's　Place。〃









Chapter　XI



The　Round　of　Life





Anne　was　back　in　Avonlea　with　the　luster　of　the　Thorburn　Scholarship

on　her　brow。　　People　told　her　she　hadn't　changed　much；　in　a　tone

which　hinted　they　were　surprised　and　a　little　disappointed　she　hadn't。

Avonlea　had　not　changed；　either。　　At　least；　so　it　seemed　at　first。

But　as　Anne　sat　in　the　Green　Gables　pew；　on　the　first　Sunday　after

her　return；　and　looked　over　the　congregation；　she　saw　several　little

changes　which；　all　coming　home　to　her　at　once；　made　her　realize　that

time　did　not　quite　stand　still；　even　in　Avonlea。　　A　new　minister　was　in

the　pulpit。　　In　the　pews　more　than　one　familiar　face　was　missing　forever。

Old　〃Uncle　Abe；〃　his　prophesying　over　and　done　with；　Mrs。　Peter　Sloane；

who　had　sighed；　it　was　to　be　hoped；　for　the　last　time；　Timothy　Cotton；

who；　as　Mrs。　Rachel　Lynde　said　〃had　actually　managed　to　die　at　last

after　practicing　at　it　for　twenty　years；〃　and　old　Josiah　Sloane；　whom

nobody　knew　in　his　coffin　because　he　had　his　whiskers　neatly　trimmed；

were　all　sleeping　in　the　little　graveyard　behind　the　church。　　And　Billy

Andrews　was　married　to　Nettie　Blewett！　　They　〃appeared　out〃　that　Sunday。

When　Billy；　beaming　with　pride　and　happiness；　showed　his　be…plumed　and

be…silked　bride　into　the　Harmon　Andrews'　pew；　Anne　dropped　her　lids　to

hide　her　dancing　eyes。　　She　recalled　the　stormy　winter　night　of　the

Christmas　holidays　when　Jane　had　proposed　for　Billy。　　He　certainly

had　not　broken　his　heart　over　his　rejection。　　Anne　wondered　if　Jane

had　also　proposed　to　Nettie　for　him；　or　if　he　had　mustered　enough

spunk　to　ask　the　fateful　question　himself。　　All　the　Andrews　family

seemed　to　share　in　his　pride　and　pleasure；　from　Mrs。　Harmon　in　the

pew　to　Jane　in　the　choir。　　Jane　had　resigned　from　the　Avonlea　school

and　intended　to　go　West　in　the　fall。



〃Can't　get　a　beau　in　Avonlea；　that's　what；〃　said　Mrs。　Rachel　Lynde

scornfully。　　〃SAYS　she　thinks　she'll　have　better　health　out　West。

I　never　heard　her　health　was　poor　before。〃



〃Jane　is　a　nice　girl；〃　Anne　had　said　loyally。　　〃She　never　tried

to　attract　attention；　as　some　did。〃



〃Oh；　she　never　chased　the　boys；　if　that's　what　you　mean；〃　said

Mrs。　Rachel。　　〃But　she'd　like　to　be　married；　just　as　much　as

anybody；　that's　what。　　What　else　would　take　her　out　West　to　some

forsaken　place　whose　only　recommendation　is　that　men　are　plenty

and　women　scarce？　　Don't　you　tell　me！〃



But　it　was　not　at　Jane；　Anne　gazed　that　day　in　dismay　and　surprise。

It　was　at　Ruby　Gillis；　who　sat　beside　her　in　the　choir。　　What　had

happened　to　Ruby？　　She　was　even　handsomer　than　ever；　but　her　blue

eyes　were　too　bright　and　lustrous；　and　the　color　of　her　cheeks　was

hectically　brilliant；　besides；　she　was　very　thin；　the　hands　that

held　her　hymn…book　were　almost　transparent　in　their　delicacy。



〃Is　Ruby　Gillis　ill？〃　Anne　asked　of　Mrs。　Lynde；　as　they　went

home　from　church。



〃Ruby　Gillis　is　dying　of　galloping　consumption；〃　said　Mrs。　Lynde

bluntly。　　〃Everybody　knows　it　except　herself　and　her　FAMILY。

They　won't　give　in。　　If　you　ask　THEM；　she's　perfectly　well。

She　hasn't　been　able　to　teach　since　she　had　that　attack　of

congestion　in　the　winter；　but　she　says　she's　going　to　teach

again　in　the　fall；　and　she's　after　the　White　Sands　school。

She'll　be　in　her　grave；　poor　girl；　when　White　Sands　school　opens；

that's　what。〃



Anne　listened　in　shocked　silence。　　Ruby　Gillis；　her　old　school…chum；

dying？　　Could　it　be　possible？　　Of　late　years　they　had　grown　apart；

but　the　old　tie　of　school…girl　intimacy　was　there；　and　made　itself

felt　sharply　in　the　tug　the　news　gave　at　Anne's　heartstrings。

Ruby；　the　brilliant；　the　merry；　the　coquettish！　　It　was　impossible

to　associate　the　thought　of　her　with　anything　like　death。　　She　had

greeted　Anne　with　gay　cordiality　after　church；　and　urged　her　to

come　up　the　next　evening。



〃I'll　be　away　Tuesday　and　Wednesday　evenings；〃　she　had　whispered

triumphantly。　　〃There's　a　concert　at　Carmody　and　a　party　at　White

Sands。　　Herb　Spencer's　going　to　take　me。　　He's　my　LATEST。　　Be　sure

to　come　up　tomorrow。　　I'm　dying　for　a　good　talk　with　you。　　I　want

to　hear　all　about　your　doings　at　Redmond。〃