anne of the island-第17章

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I've　boarded　for　four　years　and　I'm　so　tired　of　it。　　I　don't　feel　like

enduring　three　years　more　of　it。



Now；　why　can't　you　and　Priscilla　and　I　club　together；　rent

a　little　house　somewhere　in　Kingsport；　and　board　ourselves？

It　would　be　cheaper　than　any　other　way。　　Of　course；　we　would

have　to　have　a　housekeeper　and　I　have　one　ready　on　the　spot。

You've　heard　me　speak　of　Aunt　Jamesina？　　She's　the　sweetest

aunt　that　ever　lived；　in　spite　of　her　name。　　She　can't　help　that！

She　was　called　Jamesina　because　her　father；　whose　name　was　James；

was　drowned　at　sea　a　month　before　she　was　born。　　I　always　call　her

Aunt　Jimsie。　　Well；　her　only　daughter　has　recently　married　and

gone　to　the　foreign　mission　field。　　Aunt　Jamesina　is　left　alone

in　a　great　big　house；　and　she　is　horribly　lonesome。　　She　will

come　to　Kingsport　and　keep　house　for　us　if　we　want　her；　and　I

know　you'll　both　love　her。　　The　more　I　think　of　the　plan　the　more

I　like　it。　　We　could　have　such　good；　independent　times。



〃Now；　if　you　and　Priscilla　agree　to　it；　wouldn't　it　be　a　good

idea　for　you；　who　are　on　the　spot；　to　look　around　and　see　if　you

can　find　a　suitable　house　this　spring？　　That　would　be　better　than

leaving　it　till　the　fall。　　If　you　could　get　a　furnished　one　so

much　the　better；　but　if　not；　we　can　scare　up　a　few　sticks　of

finiture　between　us　and　old　family　friends　with　attics。　　Anyhow；

decide　as　soon　as　you　can　and　write　me；　so　that　Aunt　Jamesina

will　know　what　plans　to　make　for　next　year。〃



〃I　think　it's　a　good　idea；〃　said　Priscilla。



〃So　do　I；〃　agreed　Anne　delightedly。　　〃Of　course；　we　have　a　nice

boardinghouse　here；　but；　when　all's　said　and　done；　a　boardinghouse

isn't　home。　　So　let's　go　house…hunting　at　once；　before　exams　come　on。〃



〃I'm　afraid　it　will　be　hard　enough　to　get　a　really　suitable　house；〃

warned　Priscilla。　　〃Don't　expect　too　much；　Anne。　　Nice　houses　in

nice　localities　will　probably　be　away　beyond　our　means。　　We'll　likely

have　to　content　ourselves　with　a　shabby　little　place　on　some　street

whereon　live　people　whom　to　know　is　to　be　unknown；　and　make　life

inside　compensate　for　the　outside。〃



Accordingly　they　went　house…hunting；　but　to　find　just　what

they　wanted　proved　even　harder　than　Priscilla　had　feared。

Houses　there　were　galore；　furnished　and　unfurnished；　but　one

was　too　big；　another　too　small；　this　one　too　expensive；　that

one　too　far　from　Redmond。　　Exams　were　on　and　over；　the　last

week　of　the　term　came　and　still　their　〃house　o'dreams；〃　as

Anne　called　it；　remained　a　castle　in　the　air。



〃We　shall　have　to　give　up　and　wait　till　the　fall；　I　suppose；〃　said

Priscilla　wearily；　as　they　rambled　through　the　park　on　one　of　April's

darling　days　of　breeze　and　blue；　when　the　harbor　was　creaming　and

shimmering　beneath　the　pearl…hued　mists　floating　over　it。　　〃We　may

find　some　shack　to　shelter　us　then；　and　if　not；　boardinghouses　we

shall　have　always　with　us。〃



〃I'm　not　going　to　worry　about　it　just　now；　anyway；　and　spoil　this

lovely　afternoon；〃　said　Anne；　gazing　around　her　with　delight。

The　fresh　chill　air　was　faintly　charged　with　the　aroma　of　pine

balsam；　and　the　sky　above　was　crystal　clear　and　blue　　a　great

inverted　cup　of　blessing。　　〃Spring　is　singing　in　my　blood　today；

and　the　lure　of　April　is　abroad　on　the　air。　　I'm　seeing　visions

and　dreaming　dreams；　Pris。　　That's　because　the　wind　is　from　the

west。　　I　do　love　the　west　wind。　　It　sings　of　hope　and　gladness；

doesn't　it？　　When　the　east　wind　blows　I　always　think　of　sorrowful

rain　on　the　eaves　and　sad　waves　on　a　gray　shore。　　When　I　get　old

I　shall　have　rheumatism　when　the　wind　is　east。〃



〃And　isn't　it　jolly　when　you　discard　furs　and　winter　garments

for　the　first　time　and　sally　forth；　like　this；　in　spring　attire？〃

laughed　Priscilla。　　〃Don't　you　feel　as　if　you　had　been　made　over　new？〃



〃Everything　is　new　in　the　spring；〃　said　Anne。　　〃Springs　themselves

are　always　so　new；　too。　　No　spring　is　ever　just　like　any　other　spring。

It　always　has　something　of　its　own　to　be　its　own　peculiar　sweetness。

See　how　green　the　grass　is　around　that　little　pond；　and　how　the　willow

buds　are　bursting。〃



〃And　exams　are　over　and　gone　　the　time　of　Convocation　will　come

soon　　next　Wednesday。　　This　day　next　week　we'll　be　home。〃



〃I'm　glad；〃　said　Anne　dreamily。　　〃There　are　so　many　things　I　want

to　do。　　I　want　to　sit　on　the　back　porch　steps　and　feel　the　breeze

blowing　down　over　Mr。　Harrison's　fields。　　I　want　to　hunt　ferns

in　the　Haunted　Wood　and　gather　violets　in　Violet　Vale。　　Do　you

remember　the　day　of　our　golden　picnic；　Priscilla？　　I　want　to　hear

the　frogs　singing　and　the　poplars　whispering。　　But　I've　learned

to　love　Kingsport；　too；　and　I'm　glad　I'm　coming　back　next　fall。

If　I　hadn't　won　the　Thorburn　I　don't　believe　I　could　have。　　I

COULDN'T　take　any　of　Marilla's　little　hoard。〃



〃If　we　could　only　find　a　house！〃　sighed　Priscilla。　　〃Look　over

there　at　Kingsport；　Anne　　houses；　houses　everywhere；　and　not

one　for　us。〃



〃Stop　it；　Pris。　　‘The　best　is　yet　to　be。'　　Like　the　old　Roman；

we'll　find　a　house　or　build　one。　　On　a　day　like　this　there's

no　such　word　as　fail　in　my　bright　lexicon。〃



They　lingered　in　the　park　until　sunset；　living　in　the　amazing

miracle　and　glory　and　wonder　of　the　springtide；　and　they　went

home　as　usual；　by　way　of　Spofford　Avenue；　that　they　might　have

the　delight　of　looking　at　Patty's　Place。



〃I　feel　as　if　something　mysterious　were　going　to　happen　right

away　　‘by　the　pricking　of　my　thumbs；'　〃　said　Anne；　as　they　went

up　the　slope。　　〃It's　a　nice　story…bookish　feeling。　　Why　　why　

why！　　Priscilla　Grant；　look　over　there　and　tell　me　if　it's　true；

or　am　I　seein'　things？〃



Priscilla　looked。　　Anne's　thumbs　and　eyes　had　not　deceived　her。

Over　the　arched　gateway　of　Patty's　Place　dangled　a　little；　modest

sign。　　It　said　〃To　Let；　Furnished。　　Inquire　Within。〃



〃Priscilla；〃　said　Anne；　in　a　whisper；　〃do　you　suppose　it's

possible　that　we　could　rent　Patty's　Place？〃



〃No；　I　don't；〃　averred　Priscilla。　　〃It　would　be　too　good　to　be

true。　　Fairy　tales　don't　happen　nowadays。　　I　won't　hope；　Anne。

The　disappointment　would　be　too　awful　to　bear。　　They're　sure　to

want　more　for　it　than　we　can　afford。　　Remember；　it's　on　Spofford

Avenue。〃



〃We　must　find　out　anyhow；〃　said　Anne　resolutely。　　〃It's　too　late

to　call　this　evening；　but　we'll　come　tomorrow。　　Oh；　Pris；　if　we

can　get　this　darling　spot！　　I've　always　felt　that　my　fortunes

were　linked　with　Patty's　Place；　ever　since　I　saw　it　first。〃









Chapter　X



Patty's　Place





The　next　evening　found　them　treading　resolutely　the　herring…bone

walk　through　the　tiny　garden。　　The　April　wind　was　filling　the

pine　trees　with　its　roundelay；　and　the　grove　was　alive　with　robins

　great；　plump；　saucy　fellows；　strutting　along　the　paths。

The　girls　rang　rather　timidly；　and　were　admitted　by　a　grim　and

ancient　handmaiden。　　The　door　opened　directly　into　a　large

living…room；　where　by　a　cheery　little　fire　sat　two　other　ladies；

both　of　whom　were　also　grim　and　ancient。　　Except　that　one　looked

to　be　about　seventy　and　the　other　fifty；　there　seemed　little

difference　between　them。　　Each　had　amazingly　big；　light…blue　eyes

behind　steel…rimmed　spectacles；　each　wore　a　cap　and　a　gray　shawl；

each　was　knitting　without　haste　and　without　rest；　each　rocked

placidly　and　looked　at　the　girls　without　speaking；　and　just

behind　each　sat　a　large　white　china　dog；　with　round　green　spots

all　over　it；　a　green　nose　and　green　ears。　　Those　dogs　captured

Anne's　fancy　on　the　spot；　they　seemed　like　the　twin　guardian

deities　of　Patty's　Place。



For　a　few　minutes　nobody　spoke。　　The　girls　were　too　nervous　to

find　words；　and　neither　the　ancient　ladies　nor　the　china　dogs

seemed　conversationally　inclined。　　Anne　glanced　about　the　room。

What　a　dear　place　it　was！　　Another　door　opened　out　of　it　directly

into　the　pine　grove　and　the　robins　came　boldly　up　on　the　very　step。

The　floor　was　spotted　with　round；　braided　mats；　such　as　Marilla

made　at　Gre