anne of the island-第13章

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we'll　ever　see　the　inside　of　it。〃



〃It　isn't　likely；〃　said　Priscilla。



Anne　smiled　mysteriously。



〃No；　it　isn't　likely。　　But　I　believe　it　will　happen。　　I　have　a

queer；　creepy；　crawly　feeling　　you　can　call　it　a　presentiment；

if　you　like　　that　‘Patty's　Place'　and　I　are　going　to　be　better

acquainted　yet。〃









Chapter　VII



Home　Again





Those　first　three　weeks　at　Redmond　had　seemed　long；　but　the　rest

of　the　term　flew　by　on　wings　of　wind。　　Before　they　realized　it

the　Redmond　students　found　themselves　in　the　grind　of　Christmas

examinations；　emerging　therefrom　more　or　less　triumphantly。　　The

honor　of　leading　in　the　Freshman　classes　fluctuated　between　Anne；

Gilbert　and　Philippa；　Priscilla　did　very　well；　Charlie　Sloane

scraped　through　respectably；　and　comported　himself　as　complacently

as　if　he　had　led　in　everything。



〃I　can't　really　believe　that　this　time　tomorrow　I'll　be　in　Green　Gables；〃

said　Anne　on　the　night　before　departure。　　〃But　I　shall　be。　　And　you；　Phil；

will　be　in　Bolingbroke　with　Alec　and　Alonzo。〃



〃I'm　longing　to　see　them；〃　admitted　Phil；　between　the　chocolate

she　was　nibbling。　　〃They　really　are　such　dear　boys；　you　know。

There's　to　be　no　end　of　dances　and　drives　and　general　jamborees。

I　shall　never　forgive　you；　Queen　Anne；　for　not　coming　home　with

me　for　the　holidays。〃



〃‘Never'　means　three　days　with　you；　Phil。　　It　was　dear　of　you　to

ask　me　　and　I'd　love　to　go　to　Bolingbroke　some　day。　　But　I

can't　go　this　year　　I　MUST　go　home。　　You　don't　know　how　my

heart　longs　for　it。〃



〃You　won't　have　much　of　a　time；〃　said　Phil　scornfully。　　〃There'll

be　one　or　two　quilting　parties；　I　suppose；　and　all　the　old

gossips　will　talk　you　over　to　your　face　and　behind　your　back。

You'll　die　of　lonesomeness；　child。〃



〃In　Avonlea？〃　said　Anne；　highly　amused。



〃Now；　if　you'd　come　with　me　you'd　have　a　perfectly　gorgeous　time。

Bolingbroke　would　go　wild　over　you；　Queen　Anne　　your　hair　and

your　style　and；　oh；　everything！　　You're　so　DIFFERENT。　　You'd　be

such　a　success　　and　I　would　bask　in　reflected　glory　　‘not　the

rose　but　near　the　rose。'　Do　come；　after　all；　Anne。〃



〃Your　picture　of　social　triumphs　is　quite　fascinating；　Phil；　but

I'll　paint　one　to　offset　it。　　I'm　going　home　to　an　old　country

farmhouse；　once　green；　rather　faded　now；　set　among　leafless　apple

orchards。　　There　is　a　brook　below　and　a　December　fir　wood　beyond；

where　I've　heard　harps　swept　by　the　fingers　of　rain　and　wind。

There　is　a　pond　nearby　that　will　be　gray　and　brooding　now。　　There

will　be　two　oldish　ladies　in　the　house；　one　tall　and　thin；　one

short　and　fat；　and　there　will　be　two　twins；　one　a　perfect　model；

the　other　what　Mrs。　Lynde　calls　a　‘holy　terror。'　There　will　be　a

little　room　upstairs　over　the　porch；　where　old　dreams　hang　thick；

and　a　big；　fat；　glorious　feather　bed　which　will　almost　seem　the

height　of　luxury　after　a　boardinghouse　mattress。　　How　do　you　like

my　picture；　Phil？〃



〃It　seems　a　very　dull　one；〃　said　Phil；　with　a　grimace。



〃Oh；　but　I've　left　out　the　transforming　thing；〃　said　Anne　softly。

〃There'll　be　love　there；　Phil　　faithful；　tender　love；　such　as

I'll　never　find　anywhere　else　in　the　world　　love　that's　waiting

for　me。　　That　makes　my　picture　a　masterpiece；　doesn't　it；　even　if

the　colors　are　not　very　brilliant？〃



Phil　silently　got　up；　tossed　her　box　of　chocolates　away；　went　up

to　Anne；　and　put　her　arms　about　her。



〃Anne；　I　wish　I　was　like　you；〃　she　said　soberly。




Diana　met　Anne　at　the　Carmody　station　the　next　night；　and　they

drove　home　together　under　silent；　star…sown　depths　of　sky。　　Green

Gables　had　a　very　festal　appearance　as　they　drove　up　the　lane。

There　was　a　light　in　every　window；　the　glow　breaking　out　through

the　darkness　like　flame…red　blossoms　swung　against　the　dark

background　of　the　Haunted　Wood。　　And　in　the　yard　was　a　brave

bonfire　with　two　gay　little　figures　dancing　around　it；　one　of

which　gave　an　unearthly　yell　as　the　buggy　turned　in　under　the　poplars。



〃Davy　means　that　for　an　Indian　war…whoop；〃　said　Diana。　　〃Mr。

Harrison's　hired　boy　taught　it　to　him；　and　he's　been　practicing

it　up　to　welcome　you　with。　　Mrs。　Lynde　says　it　has　worn　her

nerves　to　a　frazzle。　　He　creeps　up　behind　her；　you　know；　and　then

lets　go。　　He　was　determined　to　have　a　bonfire　for　you；　too。　　He's

been　piling　up　branches　for　a　fortnight　and　pestering　Marilla　to

be　let　pour　some　kerosene　oil　over　it　before　setting　it　on　fire。

I　guess　she　did；　by　the　smell；　though　Mrs。　Lynde　said　up　to　the　last

that　Davy　would　blow　himself　and　everybody　else　up　if　he　was　let。〃



Anne　was　out　of　the　buggy　by　this　time；　and　Davy　was　rapturously

hugging　her　knees；　while　even　Dora　was　clinging　to　her　hand。



〃Isn't　that　a　bully　bonfire；　Anne？　　Just　let　me　show　you　how　to

poke　it　　see　the　sparks？　　I　did　it　for　you；　Anne；　'cause　I　was

so　glad　you　were　coming　home。〃



The　kitchen　door　opened　and　Marilla's　spare　form　darkened　against

the　inner　light。　　She　preferred　to　meet　Anne　in　the　shadows；　for

she　was　horribly　afraid　that　she　was　going　to　cry　with　joy　

she；　stern；　repressed　Marilla；　who　thought　all　display　of　deep

emotion　unseemly。　　Mrs。　Lynde　was　behind　her；　sonsy；　kindly；

matronly；　as　of　yore。　　The　love　that　Anne　had　told　Phil　was

waiting　for　her　surrounded　her　and　enfolded　her　with　its　blessing

and　its　sweetness。　　Nothing；　after　all；　could　compare　with　old　ties；

old　friends；　and　old　Green　Gables！　　How　starry　Anne's　eyes　were

as　they　sat　down　to　the　loaded　supper　table；　how　pink　her　cheeks；

how　silver…clear　her　laughter！　　And　Diana　was　going　to　stay　all

night；　too。　　How　like　the　dear　old　times　it　was！　　And　the

rose…bud　tea…set　graced　the　table！　　With　Marilla　the　force　of

nature　could　no　further　go。



〃I　suppose　you　and　Diana　will　now　proceed　to　talk　all　night；〃

said　Marilla　sarcastically；　as　the　girls　went　upstairs。

Marilla　was　always　sarcastic　after　any　self…betrayal。



〃Yes；〃　agreed　Anne　gaily；　〃but　I'm　going　to　put　Davy　to　bed　first。

He　insists　on　that。〃



〃You　bet；〃　said　Davy；　as　they　went　along　the　hall。　　〃I　want　somebody

to　say　my　prayers　to　again。　　It's　no　fun　saying　them　alone。〃



〃You　don't　say　them　alone；　Davy。　　God　is　always　with　you　to　hear　you。〃



〃Well；　I　can't　see　Him；〃　objected　Davy。　　〃I　want　to　pray　to　somebody

I　can　see；　but　I　WON'T　say　them　to　Mrs。　Lynde　or　Marilla；　there　now！〃



Nevertheless；　when　Davy　was　garbed　in　his　gray　flannel　nighty；　he

did　not　seem　in　a　hurry　to　begin。　　He　stood　before　Anne；

shuffling　one　bare　foot　over　the　other；　and　looked　undecided。



〃Come；　dear；　kneel　down；〃　said　Anne。



Davy　came　and　buried　his　head　in　Anne's　lap；　but　he　did　not　kneel　down。



〃Anne；〃　he　said　in　a　muffled　voice。　　〃I　don't　feel　like　praying　after　all。

I　haven't　felt　like　it　for　a　week　now。　　I　　I　DIDN'T　pray　last　night　nor

the　night　before。〃



〃Why　not；　Davy？〃　asked　Anne　gently。



〃You　　you　won't　be　mad　if　I　tell　you？〃　implored　Davy。



Anne　lifted　the　little　gray…flannelled　body　on　her　knee　and

cuddled　his　head　on　her　arm。



〃Do　I　ever　get　‘mad'　when　you　tell　me　things；　Davy？〃



〃No…o…o；　you　never　do。　　But　you　get　sorry；　and　that's　worse。

You'll　be　awful　sorry　when　I　tell　you　this；　Anne　　and　you'll

be　'shamed　of　me；　I　s'pose。〃



〃Have　you　done　something　naughty；　Davy；　and　is　that　why　you　can't

say　your　prayers？〃



〃No；　I　haven't　done　anything　naughty　　yet。　　But　I　want　to　do　it。〃



〃What　is　it；　Davy？〃



〃I　　I　want　to　say　a　bad　word；　Anne；〃　blurted　out　Davy；　with　a

desperate　effort。　　〃I　heard　Mr。　Harrison's　hired　boy　say　it　one

day　last　week；　and　ever　since　I've　been　wanting　to　say　it　ALL　the

time　　even　when　I'm　saying　my　prayers。〃



〃Say　it　then；　Davy。〃



Davy　lifted　his　flushed　face　in　amazement。



〃But；　Anne；　it's　an　AWFUL　bad　word。〃



〃SAY　IT！〃



Davy　gave　her　another　incredulous　look；　then　in　a　low　voice　he

said　the　dreadful　word。　　The　next　minute　his　face　was　burrowing

against　her。