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。〃