anne of the island-第29节

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Sarah…cats's　purring　to　drive　away　the　thought　of　those　snakes。

I　have　enough　faith　for　everything　but　the　snakes。　　I　can't　think

why　Providence　ever　made　them。　　Sometimes　I　don't　think　He　did。

I'm　inclined　to　believe　the　Old　Harry　had　a　hand　in　making　THEM。〃



Anne　had　left　a　thin；　typewritten　communication　till　the　last；

thinking　it　unimportant。　　When　she　had　read　it　she　sat　very

still；　with　tears　in　her　eyes。



〃What　is　the　matter；　Anne？〃　asked　Marilla。



〃Miss　Josephine　Barry　is　dead；〃　said　Anne；　in　a　low　tone。



〃So　she　has　gone　at　last；〃　said　Marilla。　　〃Well；　she　has　been

sick　for　over　a　year；　and　the　Barrys　have　been　expecting　to　hear

of　her　death　any　time。　　It　is　well　she　is　at　rest　for　she　has

suffered　dreadfully；　Anne。　　She　was　always　kind　to　you。〃



〃She　has　been　kind　to　the　last；　Marilla。　　This　letter　is　from　her　lawyer。

She　has　left　me　a　thousand　dollars　in　her　will。〃



〃Gracious；　ain't　that　an　awful　lot　of　money；〃　exclaimed　Davy。

〃She's　the　woman　you　and　Diana　lit　on　when　you　jumped　into

the　spare　room　bed；　ain't　she？　　Diana　told　me　that　story。

Is　that　why　she　left　you　so　much？〃



〃Hush；　Davy；〃　said　Anne　gently。　　She　slipped　away　to　the　porch

gable　with　a　full　heart；　leaving　Marilla　and　Mrs。　Lynde　to　talk

over　the　news　to　their　hearts'　content。



〃Do　you　s'pose　Anne　will　ever　get　married　now？〃　speculated　Davy

anxiously。　　〃When　Dorcas　Sloane　got　married　last　summer　she　said

if　she'd　had　enough　money　to　live　on　she'd　never　have　been

bothered　with　a　man；　but　even　a　widower　with　eight　children　was

better'n　living　with　a　sister…in…law。〃



〃Davy　Keith；　do　hold　your　tongue；〃　said　Mrs。　Rachel　severely。

〃The　way　you　talk　is　scandalous　for　a　small　boy；　that's　what。〃









Chapter　XIX



An　Interlude





〃To　think　that　this　is　my　twentieth　birthday；　and　that　I've　left

my　teens　behind　me　forever；〃　said　Anne；　who　was　curled　up　on　the

hearth…rug　with　Rusty　in　her　lap；　to　Aunt　Jamesina　who　was　reading

in　her　pet　chair。　　They　were　alone　in　the　living　room。　　Stella　and

Priscilla　had　gone　to　a　committee　meeting　and　Phil　was　upstairs

adorning　herself　for　a　party。



〃I　suppose　you　feel　kind　of；　sorry〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina。　　〃The　teens　are

such　a　nice　part　of　life。　　I'm　glad　I've　never　gone　out　of　them　myself。〃



Anne　laughed。



〃You　never　will；　Aunty。　　You'll　be　eighteen　when　you　should　be　a

hundred。　　Yes；　I'm　sorry；　and　a　little　dissatisfied　as　well。

Miss　Stacy　told　me　long　ago　that　by　the　time　I　was　twenty　my

character　would　be　formed；　for　good　or　evil。　　I　don't　feel　that

it's　what　it　should　be。　　It's　full　of　flaws。〃



〃So's　everybody's；〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina　cheerfully。　　〃Mine's　cracked

in　a　hundred　places。　　Your　Miss　Stacy　likely　meant　that　when　you　are

twenty　your　character　would　have　got　its　permanent　bent　in　one　direction

or　'tother；　and　would　go　on　developing　in　that　line。　　Don't　worry　over　it；

Anne。　　Do　your　duty　by　God　and　your　neighbor　and　yourself；　and　have　a　good

time。　　That's　my　philosophy　and　it's　always　worked　pretty　well。　　Where's

Phil　off　to　tonight？〃



〃She's　going　to　a　dance；　and　she's　got　the　sweetest　dress　for　it

　creamy　yellow　silk　and　cobwebby　lace。　　It　just　suits　those

brown　tints　of　hers。〃



〃There's　magic　in　the　words　‘silk'　and　‘lace；'　isn't　there？〃　said

Aunt　Jamesina。　　〃The　very　sound　of　them　makes　me　feel　like

skipping　off　to　a　dance。　　And　YELLOW　silk。　　It　makes　one　think　of

a　dress　of　sunshine。　　I　always　wanted　a　yellow　silk　dress；　but

first　my　mother　and　then　my　husband　wouldn't　hear　of　it。　　The

very　first　thing　I'm　going　to　do　when　I　get　to　heaven　is　to　get　a

yellow　silk　dress。〃



Amid　Anne's　peal　of　laughter　Phil　came　downstairs；　trailing　clouds

of　glory；　and　surveyed　herself　in　the　long　oval　mirror　on　the　wall。



〃A　flattering　looking　glass　is　a　promoter　of　amiability；〃　she

said。　　〃The　one　in　my　room　does　certainly　make　me　green。　　Do　I

look　pretty　nice；　Anne？〃



〃Do　you　really　know　how　pretty　you　are；　Phil？〃　asked　Anne；

in　honest　admiration。



〃Of　course　I　do。　　What　are　looking　glasses　and　men　for？　　That　wasn't

what　I　meant。　　Are　all　my　ends　tucked　in？　　Is　my　skirt　straight？

And　would　this　rose　look　better　lower　down？　　I'm　afraid　it's　too　high

　it　will　make　me　look　lop…sided。　　But　I　hate　things　tickling　my　ears。〃



〃Everything　is　just　right；　and　that　southwest　dimple　of　yours　is　lovely。〃



〃Anne；　there's　one　thing　in　particular　I　like　about　you　　you're

so　ungrudging。　　There　isn't　a　particle　of　envy　in　you。〃



〃Why　should　she　be　envious？〃　demanded　Aunt　Jamesina。　　〃She's　not　quite

as　goodlooking　as　you；　maybe；　but　she's　got　a　far　handsomer　nose。〃



〃I　know　it；〃　conceded　Phil。



〃My　nose　always　has　been　a　great　comfort　to　me；〃　confessed　Anne。



〃And　I　love　the　way　your　hair　grows　on　your　forehead；　Anne。　　And

that　one　wee　curl；　always　looking　as　if　it　were　going　to　drop；

but　never　dropping；　is　delicious。　　But　as　for　noses；　mine　is　a

dreadful　worry　to　me。　　I　know　by　the　time　I'm　forty　it　will　be

Byrney。　　What　do　you　think　I'll　look　like　when　I'm　forty；　Anne？〃



〃Like　an　old；　matronly；　married　woman；〃　teased　Anne。



〃I　won't；〃　said　Phil；　sitting　down　comfortably　to　wait　for　her　escort。

〃Joseph；　you　calico　beastie；　don't　you　dare　jump　on　my　lap。　　I　won't　go

to　a　dance　all　over　cat　hairs。　　No；　Anne；　I　WON'T　look　matronly。　　But　no

doubt　I'll　be　married。〃



〃To　Alec　or　Alonzo？〃　asked　Anne。



〃To　one　of　them；　I　suppose；〃　sighed　Phil；　〃if　I　can　ever　decide　which。〃



〃It　shouldn't　be　hard　to　decide；〃　scolded　Aunt　Jamesina。



〃I　was　born　a　see…saw　Aunty；　and　nothing　can　ever　prevent　me　from　teetering。〃



〃You　ought　to　be　more　levelheaded；　Philippa。〃



〃It's　best　to　be　levelheaded；　of　course；〃　agreed　Philippa；　〃but　you　miss

lots　of　fun。　　As　for　Alec　and　Alonzo；　if　you　knew　them　you'd　understand

why　it's　difficult　to　choose　between　them。　　They're　equally　nice。〃



〃Then　take　somebody　who　is　nicer〃　suggested　Aunt　Jamesina。

〃There's　that　Senior　who　is　so　devoted　to　you　　Will　Leslie。

He　has　such　nice；　large；　mild　eyes。〃



〃They're　a　little　bit　too　large　and　too　mild　　like　a　cow's；〃

said　Phil　cruelly。



〃What　do　you　say　about　George　Parker？〃



〃There's　nothing　to　say　about　him　except　that　he　always　looks　as

if　he　had　just　been　starched　and　ironed。〃



〃Marr　Holworthy　then。　　You　can't　find　a　fault　with　him。〃



〃No；　he　would　do　if　he　wasn't　poor。　　I　must　marry　a　rich　man；

Aunt　Jamesina。　　That　　and　good　looks　　is　an　indispensable

qualification。　　I'd　marry　Gilbert　Blythe　if　he　were　rich。〃



〃Oh；　would　you？〃　said　Anne；　rather　viciously。



〃We　don't　like　that　idea　a　little　bit；　although　we　don't　want

Gilbert　ourselves；　oh；　no；〃　mocked　Phil。　　〃But　don't　let's　talk

of　disagreeable　subjects。　　I'll　have　to　marry　sometime；　I　suppose；

but　I　shall　put　off　the　evil　day　as　long　as　I　can。〃



〃You　mustn't　marry　anybody　you　don't　love；　Phil；　when　all's　said

and　done；〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina。



　　　　　　〃‘Oh；　hearts　that　loved　in　the　good　old　way

　　　　　　Have　been　out　o'　the　fashion　this　many　a　day。'〃



trilled　Phil　mockingly。　　〃There's　the　carriage。　　I　fly　　Bi…bi；

you　two　old…fashioned　darlings。〃



When　Phil　had　gone　Aunt　Jamesina　looked　solemnly　at　Anne。



〃That　girl　is　pretty　and　sweet　and　goodhearted；　but　do　you　think

she　is　quite　right　in　her　mind；　by　spells；　Anne？〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　think　there's　anything　the　matter　with　Phil's　mind；〃

said　Anne；　hiding　a　smile。　　〃It's　just　her　way　of　talking。〃



Aunt　Jamesina　shook　her　head。



〃Well；　I　hope　so；　Anne。　　I　do　hope　so；　because　I　love　her。　　But　_I_

can't　understand　her　　she　beats　me。　　She　isn't　like　any　of　the

girls　I　ever　knew；　or　any　of　the　girls　I　was　myself。〃



〃How　many　girls　were　you；　Aunt　Jimsie？〃



〃About　half　a　dozen；　my　dear。〃









Chapter　XX



Gilbert　Speaks





〃This　has　been　a　dull；　prosy　day；〃　yawned　Phil；　stretching

herself　idly　on　the　sofa；　having　previously　dispossessed　two

exceedingly　indignant　cats。



Anne　looked　up　from　Pickwick　Papers。　　Now　that　spring

examinations　were　over　she　was　treating　herself　to　Dickens。



〃It　has　been　a　prosy　day　for　us；〃　she　said　thoughtfully；　〃but　to

some　people　it　has　been　a　wonderful　day。　　Some　one　has　been

rapturously　happy　in　it。　　Perhaps　a　great　deed　has　been　done

somewhere　today　　or　a　great　poem　written　　or　a　great　man　born。

And　some　heart　has　been　broken；　Phil。〃



〃Why　did　you　spoil　your　pretty　thought　by　tagging　that　last

sentence　on；　honey？〃　grumbled　Phil。　　〃I　don't　like　to　think　of

broken　hearts　　or　anything　unpleasant。〃



〃Do　you　think　you'll　be　able　to　shirk　unpleasant　things　all　your

life；　Phil？〃



〃Dear　me；　no。　　Am　I　not　up　against　them　now？　　You　don't　call　Alec　and

Alonzo　pleasant　things；　do　you；　when　they　simply　plague　my　life　out？〃



〃You　never　take　anything　seriously；　Phil。〃



〃Why　should　I？　　There　are　enough　folks　who　do。　　The　world　needs

people　like　m