anne of the island-第2章

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sure　I　shall　like　it　after　a　while。　　But　for　the　first　few　weeks

I　know　I　won't。　　I　shan't　even　have　the　comfort　of　looking　forward

to　the　weekend　visit　home；　as　I　had　when　I　went　to　Queen's。

Christmas　will　seem　like　a　thousand　years　away。〃



〃Everything　is　changing　　or　going　to　change；〃　said　Diana　sadly。

〃I　have　a　feeling　that　things　will　never　be　the　same　again；　Anne。〃



〃We　have　come　to　a　parting　of　the　ways；　I　suppose；〃　said　Anne

thoughtfully。　　〃We　had　to　come　to　it。　　Do　you　think；　Diana；　that

being　grown…up　is　really　as　nice　as　we　used　to　imagine　it　would

be　when　we　were　children？〃



〃I　don't　know　　there　are　SOME　nice　things　about　it；〃　answered

Diana；　again　caressing　her　ring　with　that　little　smile　which

always　had　the　effect　of　making　Anne　feel　suddenly　left　out　and

inexperienced。　　〃But　there　are　so　many　puzzling　things；　too。

Sometimes　I　feel　as　if　being　grown…up　just　frightened　me　　and

then　I　would　give　anything　to　be　a　little　girl　again。〃



〃I　suppose　we'll　get　used　to　being　grownup　in　time；〃　said　Anne

cheerfully。　　〃There　won't　be　so　many　unexpected　things　about　it

by　and　by　　though；　after　all；　I　fancy　it's　the　unexpected

things　that　give　spice　to　life。　　We're　eighteen；　Diana。　　In　two

more　years　we'll　be　twenty。　　When　I　was　ten　I　thought　twenty　was

a　green　old　age。　　In　no　time　you'll　be　a　staid；　middle…aged

matron；　and　I　shall　be　nice；　old　maid　Aunt　Anne；　coming　to　visit

you　on　vacations。　　You'll　always　keep　a　corner　for　me；　won't　you；

Di　darling？　　Not　the　spare　room；　of　course　　old　maids　can't

aspire　to　spare　rooms；　and　I　shall　be　as　'umble　as　Uriah　Heep；

and　quite　content　with　a　little　over…the…porch　or　off…the…parlor

cubby　hole。〃



〃What　nonsense　you　do　talk；　Anne；〃　laughed　Diana。　　〃You'll　marry

somebody　splendid　and　handsome　and　rich　　and　no　spare　room　in

Avonlea　will　be　half　gorgeous　enough　for　you　　and　you'll　turn

up　your　nose　at　all　the　friends　of　your　youth。〃



〃That　would　be　a　pity；　my　nose　is　quite　nice；　but　I　fear　turning

it　up　would　spoil　it；〃　said　Anne；　patting　that　shapely　organ。

〃I　haven't　so　many　good　features　that　I　could　afford　to　spoil

those　I　have；　so；　even　if　I　should　marry　the　King　of　the　Cannibal

Islands；　I　promise　you　I　won't　turn　up　my　nose　at　you；　Diana。〃



With　another　gay　laugh　the　girls　separated；　Diana　to　return　to

Orchard　Slope；　Anne　to　walk　to　the　Post　Office。　　She　found　a

letter　awaiting　her　there；　and　when　Gilbert　Blythe　overtook　her

on　the　bridge　over　the　Lake　of　Shining　Waters　she　was　sparkling

with　the　excitement　of　it。



〃Priscilla　Grant　is　going　to　Redmond；　too；〃　she　exclaimed。

〃Isn't　that　splendid？　　I　hoped　she　would；　but　she　didn't　think

her　father　would　consent。　　He　has；　however；　and　we're　to　board

together。　　I　feel　that　I　can　face　an　army　with　banners　　or　all

the　professors　of　Redmond　in　one　fell　phalanx　　with　a　chum　like

Priscilla　by　my　side。〃



〃I　think　we'll　like　Kingsport；〃　said　Gilbert。　　〃It's　a　nice　old

burg；　they　tell　me；　and　has　the　finest　natural　park　in　the　world。

I've　heard　that　the　scenery　in　it　is　magnificent。〃



〃I　wonder　if　it　will　be　　can　be　　any　more　beautiful　than　this；〃

murmured　Anne；　looking　around　her　with　the　loving；　enraptured　eyes

of　those　to　whom　〃home〃　must　always　be　the　loveliest　spot　in　the　world；

no　matter　what　fairer　lands　may　lie　under　alien　stars。



They　were　leaning　on　the　bridge　of　the　old　pond；　drinking　deep　of

the　enchantment　of　the　dusk；　just　at　the　spot　where　Anne　had　climbed

from　her　sinking　Dory　on　the　day　Elaine　floated　down　to　Camelot。

The　fine；　empurpling　dye　of　sunset　still　stained　the　western　skies；

but　the　moon　was　rising　and　the　water　lay　like　a　great；　silver　dream

in　her　light。　　Remembrance　wove　a　sweet　and　subtle　spell　over　the

two　young　creatures。



〃You　are　very　quiet；　Anne；〃　said　Gilbert　at　last。



〃I'm　afraid　to　speak　or　move　for　fear　all　this　wonderful　beauty

will　vanish　just　like　a　broken　silence；〃　breathed　Anne。



Gilbert　suddenly　laid　his　hand　over　the　slender　white　one　lying

on　the　rail　of　the　bridge。　　His　hazel　eyes　deepened　into　darkness；

his　still　boyish　lips　opened　to　say　something　of　the　dream　and　hope

that　thrilled　his　soul。　　But　Anne　snatched　her　hand　away　and

turned　quickly。　　The　spell　of　the　dusk　was　broken　for　her。



〃I　must　go　home；〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　rather　overdone　carelessness。

〃Marilla　had　a　headache　this　afternoon；　and　I'm　sure　the　twins　will

be　in　some　dreadful　mischief　by　this　time。　　I　really　shouldn't　have

stayed　away　so　long。〃



She　chattered　ceaselessly　and　inconsequently　until　they　reached

the　Green　Gables　lane。　　Poor　Gilbert　hardly　had　a　chance　to　get

a　　word　in　edgewise。　　Anne　felt　rather　relieved　when　they　parted。

There　had　been　a　new；　secret　self…consciousness　in　her　heart　with

regard　to　Gilbert；　ever　since　that　fleeting　moment　of　revelation

in　the　garden　of　Echo　Lodge。　　Something　alien　had　intruded　into

the　old；　perfect；　school…day　comradeship　　something　that

threatened　to　mar　it。



〃I　never　felt　glad　to　see　Gilbert　go　before；〃　she　thought；　half…

resentfully；　half…sorrowfully；　as　she　walked　alone　up　the　lane。

〃Our　friendship　will　be　spoiled　if　he　goes　on　with　this　nonsense。

It　mustn't　be　spoiled　　I　won't　let　it。　　Oh；　WHY　can't　boys　be

just　sensible！〃



Anne　had　an　uneasy　doubt　that　it　was　not　strictly　〃sensible〃　that

she　should　still　feel　on　her　hand　the　warm　pressure　of　Gilbert's；

as　distinctly　as　she　had　felt　it　for　the　swift　second　his　had

rested　there；　and　still　less　sensible　that　the　sensation　was　far

from　being　an　unpleasant　one　　very　different　from　that　which

had　attended　a　similar　demonstration　on　Charlie　Sloane's　part；

when　she　had　been　sitting　out　a　dance　with　him　at　a　White　Sands

party　three　nights　before。　　Anne　shivered　over　the　disagreeable

recollection。　　But　all　problems　connected　with　infatuated　swains

vanished　from　her　mind　when　she　entered　the　homely；　unsentimental

atmosphere　of　the　Green　Gables　kitchen　where　an　eight…year…old

boy　was　crying　grievously　on　the　sofa。



〃What　is　the　matter；　Davy？〃　asked　Anne；　taking　him　up　in　her　arms。

〃Where　are　Marilla　and　Dora？〃



〃Marilla's　putting　Dora　to　bed；〃　sobbed　Davy；　〃and　I'm　crying

'cause　Dora　fell　down　the　outside　cellar　steps；　heels　over　head；

and　scraped　all　the　skin　off　her　nose；　and　　〃



〃Oh；　well；　don't　cry　about　it；　dear。　　Of　course；　you　are　sorry

for　her；　but　crying　won't　help　her　any。　　She'll　be　all　right

tomorrow。　　Crying　never　helps　any　one；　Davy…boy；　and　　〃



〃I　ain't　crying　'cause　Dora　fell　down　cellar；〃　said　Davy；　cutting

short　Anne's　wellmeant　preachment　with　increasing　bitterness。

〃I'm　crying；　cause　I　wasn't　there　to　see　her　fall。　　I'm　always

missing　some　fun　or　other；　seems　to　me。〃



〃Oh；　Davy！〃　Anne　choked　back　an　unholy　shriek　of　laughter。

〃Would　you　call　it　fun　to　see　poor　little　Dora　fall　down　the

steps　and　get　hurt？〃



〃She　wasn't　MUCH　hurt；〃　said　Davy；　defiantly。　　〃'Course；　if

she'd　been　killed　I'd　have　been　real　sorry；　Anne。　　But　the　Keiths

ain't　so　easy　killed。　　They're　like　the　Blewetts；　I　guess。　　Herb

Blewett　fell　off　the　hayloft　last　Wednesday；　and　rolled　right

down　through　the　turnip　chute　into　the　box　stall；　where　they　had

a　fearful　wild；　cross　horse；　and　rolled　right　under　his　heels。

And　still　he　got　out　alive；　with　only　three　bones　broke。　　Mrs。

Lynde　says　there　are　some　folks　you　can't　kill　with　a　meat…axe。

Is　Mrs。　Lynde　coming　here　tomorrow；　Anne？〃



〃Yes；　Davy；　and　I　hope　you'll　be　always　very　nice　and　good　to　her。〃



〃I'll　be　nice　and　good。　　But　will　she　ever　put　me　to　bed　at　nights；　Anne？〃



〃Perhaps。　　Why？〃



〃'Cause；〃　said　Davy　very　decidedly；　〃if　she　does　I　won't　say　my

prayers　before　her　like　I　do　before　you；　Anne。〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃'Cause　I　don't　think　it　would　be　nice　to　talk　to　God　before

strangers；　Anne。　　Dora　can　say　hers　to　Mrs。　Lynde　if　she　likes；

but　_I_　won't。　　I'll　wait　till　she's　gone　and　then　say　'em。　　Won't

that　be　all　right；　Anne？〃