anne of the island-第39章
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The old camaraderie was gone entirely。 Anne felt it keenly;
but she told herself she was very glad and thankful that Gilbert
had got so completely over his disappointment in regard to her。
She had really been afraid; that April evening in the orchard;
that she had hurt him terribly and that the wound would be
long in healing。 Now she saw that she need not have worried。
Men have died and the worms have eaten them but not for love。
Gilbert evidently was in no danger of immediate dissolution。
He was enjoying life; and he was full of ambition and zest。
For him there was to be no wasting in despair because a woman
was fair and cold。 Anne; as she listened to the ceaseless badinage
that went on between him and Phil; wondered if she had only imagined
that look in his eyes when she had told him she could never care for him。
There were not lacking those who would gladly have stepped into
Gilbert's vacant place。 But Anne snubbed them without fear and
without reproach。 If the real Prince Charming was never to come
she would have none of a substitute。 So she sternly told herself
that gray day in the windy park。
Suddenly the rain of Aunt Jamesina's prophecy came with a swish
and rush。 Anne put up her umbrella and hurried down the slope。
As she turned out on the harbor road a savage gust of wind tore
along it。 Instantly her umbrella turned wrong side out。 Anne
clutched at it in despair。 And then there came a voice
close to her。
〃Pardon me may I offer you the shelter of my umbrella?〃
Anne looked up。 Tall and handsome and distinguished…looking
dark; melancholy; inscrutable eyes melting; musical;
sympathetic voice yes; the very hero of her dreams stood
before her in the flesh。 He could not have more closely
resembled her ideal if he had been made to order。
〃Thank you;〃 she said confusedly。
〃We'd better hurry over to that little pavillion on the point;〃
suggested the unknown。 〃We can wait there until this shower
is over。 It is not likely to rain so heavily very long。〃
The words were very commonplace; but oh; the tone! And the smile
which accompanied them! Anne felt her heart beating strangely。
Together they scurried to the pavilion and sat breathlessly down
under its friendly roof。 Anne laughingly held up her false umbrella。
〃It is when my umbrella turns inside out that I am convinced of
the total depravity of inanimate things;〃 she said gaily。
The raindrops sparkled on her shining hair; its loosened rings
curled around her neck and forehead。 Her cheeks were flushed;
her eyes big and starry。 Her companion looked down at her
admiringly。 She felt herself blushing under his gaze。
Who could he be? Why; there was a bit of the Redmond white and
scarlet pinned to his coat lapel。 Yet she had thought she knew;
by sight at least; all the Redmond students except the Freshmen。
And this courtly youth surely was no Freshman。
〃We are schoolmates; I see;〃 he said; smiling at Anne's colors。
〃That ought to be sufficient introduction。 My name is Royal Gardner。
And you are the Miss Shirley who read the Tennyson paper at the
Philomathic the other evening; aren't you?〃
〃Yes; but I cannot place you at all;〃 said Anne; frankly。
〃Please; where DO you belong?〃
〃I feel as if I didn't belong anywhere yet。 I put in my Freshman
and Sophomore years at Redmond two years ago。 I've been in
Europe ever since。 Now I've come back to finish my Arts course。〃
〃This is my Junior year; too;〃 said Anne。
〃So we are classmates as well as collegemates。 I am reconciled
to the loss of the years that the locust has eaten;〃 said her
companion; with a world of meaning in those wonderful eyes of his。
The rain came steadily down for the best part of an hour。 But
the time seemed really very short。 When the clouds parted and a
burst of pale November sunshine fell athwart the harbor and the
pines Anne and her companion walked home together。 By the time
they had reached the gate of Patty's Place he had asked
permission to call; and had received it。 Anne went in with
cheeks of flame and her heart beating to her fingertips。 Rusty;
who climbed into her lap and tried to kiss her; found a very
absent welcome。 Anne; with her soul full of romantic thrills;
had no attention to spare just then for a crop…eared pussy cat。
That evening a parcel was left at Patty's Place for Miss Shirley。
It was a box containing a dozen magnificent roses。 Phil pounced
impertinently on the card that fell from it; read the name and
the poetical quotation written on the back。
〃Royal Gardner!〃 she exclaimed。 〃Why; Anne; I didn't know you
were acquainted with Roy Gardner!〃
〃I met him in the park this afternoon in the rain;〃 explained Anne
hurriedly。 〃My umbrella turned inside out and he came to my rescue
with his。〃
〃Oh!〃 Phil peered curiously at Anne。〃 And is that exceedingly
commonplace incident any reason why he should send us longstemmed
roses by the dozen; with a very sentimental rhyme? Or why we
should blush divinest rosy…red when we look at his card? Anne;
thy face betrayeth thee。〃
〃Don't talk nonsense; Phil。 Do you know Mr。 Gardner?〃
〃I've met his two sisters; and I know of him。 So does everybody
worthwhile in Kingsport。 The Gardners are among the richest;
bluest; of Bluenoses。 Roy is adorably handsome and clever。
Two years ago his mother's health failed and he had to leave
college and go abroad with her his father is dead。 He must
have been greatly disappointed to have to give up his class; but
they say he was perfectly sweet about it。 Fee fi fo fum;
Anne。 I smell romance。 Almost do I envy you; but not quite。
After all; Roy Gardner isn't Jonas。〃
〃You goose!〃 said Anne loftily。 But she lay long awake that night;
nor did she wish for sleep。 Her waking fancies were more alluring
than any vision of dreamland。 Had the real Prince come at last?
Recalling those glorious dark eyes which had gazed so deeply into
her own; Anne was very strongly inclined to think he had。
Chapter XXVI
Enter Christine
The girls at Patty's Place were dressing for the reception which
the Juniors were giving for the Seniors in February。 Anne surveyed
herself in the mirror of the blue room with girlish satisfaction。
She had a particularly pretty gown on。 Originally it had been
only a simple little slip of cream silk with a chiffon overdress。
But Phil had insisted on taking it home with her in the Christmas
holidays and embroidering tiny rosebuds all over the chiffon。
Phil's fingers were deft; and the result was a dress which was
the envy of every Redmond girl。 Even Allie Boone; whose frocks
came from Paris; was wont to look with longing eyes on that rosebud
concoction as Anne trailed up the main staircase at Redmond in it。
Anne was trying the effect of a white orchid in her hair。
Roy Gardner had sent her white orchids for the reception;
and she knew no other Redmond girl would have them that night
when Phil came in with admiring gaze。
〃Anne; this is certainly your night for looking handsome。
Nine nights out of ten I can easily outshine you。 The tenth
you blossom out suddenly into something that eclipses me altogether。
How do you manage it?〃
〃It's the dress; dear。 Fine feathers。〃
〃‘Tisn't。 The last evening you flamed out into beauty you
wore your old blue flannel shirtwaist that Mrs。 Lynde made you。
If Roy hadn't already lost head and heart about you he certainly
would tonight。 But I don't like orchids on you; Anne。 No; it
isn't jealousy。 Orchids don't seem to BELONG to you。 They're
too exotic too tropical too insolent。 Don't put them in
your hair; anyway。〃
〃Well; I won't。 I admit I'm not fond of orchids myself。 I don't
think they're related to me。 Roy doesn't often send them he
knows I like flowers I can live with。 Orchids are only things
you can visit with。〃