anne of the island-第30章

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livingroom　are　unthinkable。〃　　In　due　time　Aunt　Jamesina　arrived。

Anne　and　Priscilla　and　Phil　had　awaited　her　advent　rather　dubiously；

but　when　Aunt　Jamesina　was　enthroned　in　the　rocking　chair　before　the

open　fire　they　figuratively　bowed　down　and　worshipped　her。



Aunt　Jamesina　was　a　tiny　old　woman　with　a　little；　softly…triangular　face；

and　large；　soft　blue　eyes　that　were　alight　with　unquenchable　youth；　and

as　full　of　hopes　as　a　girl's。　　She　had　pink　cheeks　and　snow…white　hair

which　she　wore　in　quaint　little　puffs　over　her　ears。



〃It's　a　very　old…fashioned　way；〃　she　said；　knitting　industriously

at　something　as　dainty　and　pink　as　a　sunset　cloud。　　〃But　_I_　am　old…fashioned。

My　clothes　are；　and　it　stands　to　reason　my　opinions　are；　too。　　I　don't　say

they're　any　the　better　of　that；　mind　you。　　In　fact；　I　daresay　they're　a　good

deal　the　worse。　　But　they've　worn　nice　and　easy。　　New　shoes　are　smarter　than

old　ones；　but　the　old　ones　are　more　comfortable。　　I'm　old　enough　to　indulge

myself　in　the　matter　of　shoes　and　opinions。　　I　mean　to　take　it　real　easy　here。

I　know　you　expect　me　to　look　after　you　and　keep　you　proper；　but　I'm　not　going

to　do　it。



You're　old　enough　to　know　how　to　behave　if　you're　ever　going　to　be。

So；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　concluded　Aunt　Jamesina；　with　a　twinkle

in　her　young　eyes；　〃you　can　all　go　to　destruction　in　your　own　way。〃



〃Oh；　will　somebody　separate　those　cats？〃　pleaded　Stella；　shudderingly。



Aunt　Jamesina　had　brought　with　her　not　only　the　Sarah…cat　but　Joseph。

Joseph；　she　explained；　had　belonged　to　a　dear　friend　of　hers　who　had

gone　to　live　in　Vancouver。



〃She　couldn't　take　Joseph　with　her　so　she　begged　me　to　take　him。

I　really　couldn't　refuse。　　He's　a　beautiful　cat　　that　is；　his

disposition　is　beautiful。　　She　called　him　Joseph　because　his　coat

is　of　many　colors。〃



It　certainly　was。　　Joseph；　as　the　disgusted　Stella　said；　looked

like　a　walking　rag…bag。　　It　was　impossible　to　say　what　his　ground

color　was。　　His　legs　were　white　with　black　spots　on　them。

His　back　was　gray　with　a　huge　patch　of　yellow　on　one　side　and　a

black　patch　on　the　other。　　His　tail　was　yellow　with　a　gray　tip。

One　ear　was　black　and　one　yellow。　　A　black　patch　over　one　eye　gave

him　a　fearfully　rakish　look。　　In　reality　he　was　meek　and　inoffensive；

of　a　sociable　disposition。　　In　one　respect；　if　in　no　other；　Joseph

was　like　a　lily　of　the　field。　　He　toiled　not　neither　did　he　spin

or　catch　mice。　　Yet　Solomon　in　all　his　glory　slept　not　on　softer

cushions；　or　feasted　more　fully　on　fat　things。



Joseph　and　the　Sarah…cat　arrived　by　express　in　separate　boxes。

After　they　had　been　released　and　fed；　Joseph　selected　the　cushion

and　corner　which　appealed　to　him；　and　the　Sarah…cat　gravely　sat

herself　down　before　the　fire　and　proceeded　to　wash　her　face。　　She

was　a　large；　sleek；　gray…and…white　cat；　with　an　enormous　dignity

which　was　not　at　all　impaired　by　any　consciousness　of　her　plebian

origin。　　She　had　been　given　to　Aunt　Jamesina　by　her　washerwoman。



〃Her　name　was　Sarah；　so　my　husband　always　called　puss　the

Sarah…cat；〃　explained　Aunt　Jamesina。　　〃She　is　eight　years　old；

and　a　remarkable　mouser。　　Don't　worry；　Stella。　　The　Sarah…cat

NEVER　fights　and　Joseph　rarely。〃



〃They'll　have　to　fight　here　in　self…defense；〃　said　Stella。



At　this　juncture　Rusty　arrived　on　the　scene。　　He　bounded

joyously　half　way　across　the　room　before　he　saw　the　intruders。

Then　he　stopped　short；　his　tail　expanded　until　it　was　as　big　as

three　tails。　　The　fur　on　his　back　rose　up　in　a　defiant　arch；

Rusty　lowered　his　head；　uttered　a　fearful　shriek　of　hatred　and

defiance；　and　launched　himself　at　the　Sarah…cat。



The　stately　animal　had　stopped　washing　her　face　and　was　looking

at　him　curiously。　　She　met　his　onslaught　with　one　contemptuous

sweep　of　her　capable　paw。　　Rusty　went　rolling　helplessly　over　on

the　rug；　he　picked　himself　up　dazedly。　　What　sort　of　a　cat　was

this　who　had　boxed　his　ears？　　He　looked　dubiously　at　the　Sarah…cat。

Would　he　or　would　he　not？　　The　Sarah…cat　deliberately　turned　her

back　on　him　and　resumed　her　toilet　operations。　　Rusty　decided　that

he　would　not。　　He　never　did。　　From　that　time　on　the　Sarah…cat　ruled

the　roost。　　Rusty　never　again　interfered　with　her。



But　Joseph　rashly　sat　up　and　yawned。　　Rusty；　burning　to　avenge

his　disgrace；　swooped　down　upon　him。　　Joseph；　pacific　by　nature；

could　fight　upon　occasion　and　fight　well。　　The　result　was　a

series　of　drawn　battles。　　Every　day　Rusty　and　Joseph　fought　at

sight。　　Anne　took　Rusty's　part　and　detested　Joseph。　　Stella　was

in　despair。　　But　Aunt　Jamesina　only　laughed。



Let　them　fight　it　out；〃　she　said　tolerantly。　　〃They'll　make　friends

after　a　bit。　　Joseph　needs　some　exercise　　he　was　getting　too　fat。

And　Rusty　has　to　learn　he　isn't　the　only　cat　in　the　world。〃



Eventually　Joseph　and　Rusty　accepted　the　situation　and　from　sworn

enemies　became　sworn　friends。　　They　slept　on　the　same　cushion　with

their　paws　about　each　other；　and　gravely　washed　each　other's　faces。



〃We've　all　got　used　to　each　other；〃　said　Phil。　　〃And　I've　learned

how　to　wash　dishes　and　sweep　a　floor。〃



〃But　you　needn't　try　to　make　us　believe　you　can　chloroform　a　cat；〃

laughed　Anne。



〃It　was　all　the　fault　of　the　knothole；〃　protested　Phil。



〃It　was　a　good　thing　the　knothole　was　there；〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina

rather　severely。　　〃Kittens　HAVE　to　be　drowned；　I　admit；　or　the

world　would　be　overrun。　　But　no　decent；　grown…up　cat　should　be

done　to　death　　unless　he　sucks　eggs。〃



〃You　wouldn't　have　thought　Rusty　very　decent　if　you'd　seen　him　when

he　came　here；〃　said　Stella。　　〃He　positively　looked　like　the　Old　Nick。〃



〃I　don't　believe　Old　Nick　can　be　so　very；　ugly〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina

reflectively。　　〃He　wouldn't　do　so　much　harm　if　he　was。　　_I_　always

think　of　him　as　a　rather　handsome　gentleman。〃









Chapter　XVII



A　Letter　from　Davy





〃It's　beginning　to　snow；　girls；〃　said　Phil；　coming　in　one

November　evening；　〃and　there　are　the　loveliest　little　stars　and

crosses　all　over　the　garden　walk。　　I　never　noticed　before　what

exquisite　things　snowflakes　really　are。　　One　has　time　to　notice

things　like　that　in　the　simple　life。　　Bless　you　all　for　permitting

me　to　live　it。　　It's　really　delightful　to　feel　worried　because

butter　has　gone　up　five　cents　a　pound。〃



〃Has　it？〃　demanded　Stella；　who　kept　the　household　accounts。



〃It　has　　and　here's　your　butter。　　I'm　getting　quite　expert　at　marketing。

It's　better　fun　than　flirting；〃　concluded　Phil　gravely。



〃Everything　is　going　up　scandalously；〃　sighed　Stella。



〃Never　mind。　　Thank　goodness　air　and　salvation　are　still　free；〃

said　Aunt　Jamesina。



〃And　so　is　laughter；〃　added　Anne。　　〃There's　no　tax　on　it　yet

and　that　is　well；　because　you're　all　going　to　laugh　presently。

I'm　going　to　read　you　Davy's　letter。　　His　spelling　has　improved

immensely　this　past　year；　though　he　is　not　strong　on　apostrophes；

and　he　certainly　possesses　the　gift　of　writing　an　interesting　letter。

Listen　and　laugh；　before　we　settle　down　to　the　evening's　study…grind。〃



〃Dear　Anne；〃　ran　Davy's　letter；　〃I　take　my　pen　to　tell　you　that

we　are　all　pretty　well　and　hope　this　will　find　you　the　same。

It's　snowing　some　today　and　Marilla　says　the　old　woman　in　the　sky

is　shaking　her　feather　beds。　　Is　the　old　woman　in　the　sky　God's

wife；　Anne？　　I　want　to　know。



〃Mrs。　Lynde　has　been　real　sick　but　she　is　better　now。　　She　fell

down　the　cellar　stairs　last　week。　　When　she　fell　she　grabbed　hold

of　the　shelf　with　all　the　milk　pails　and　stewpans　on　it；　and　it

gave　way　and　went　down　with　her　and　made　a　splendid　crash。

Marilla　thought　it　was　an　earthquake　at　first。



One　of　the　stewpans　was　all　dinged　up　and　Mrs。　Lynde　straned　her　ribs。

The　doctor　came　and　gave　her　medicine　to　rub　on　her　ribs　but

she　didn't　under　stand　him　and　took　it　all　inside　instead。

The　doctor　said　it　was　a　wonder　it　dident　kill　her　but　it　dident

and　it　cured　her　ribs　and　Mrs。　Lynde　says　d