anne of the island-第5章

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Do　you　feel　as　disgruntled　now　as　when　you　started　out；　Anne？〃



〃Not　I。　　Those　apples　have　been　as　manna　to　a　hungry　soul。　　I　feel

that　I　shall　love　Redmond　and　have　a　splendid　four　years　there。〃



〃And　after　those　four　years　　what？〃



〃Oh；　there's　another　bend　in　the　road　at　their　end；〃　answered

Anne　lightly。　　〃I've　no　idea　what　may　be　around　it　　I　don't

want　to　have。　　It's　nicer　not　to　know。〃



Lover's　Lane　was　a　dear　place　that　night；　still　and　mysteriously

dim　in　the　pale　radiance　of　the　moonlight。　　They　loitered　through

it　in　a　pleasant　chummy　silence；　neither　caring　to　talk。



〃If　Gilbert　were　always　as　he　has　been　this　evening　how　nice　and

simple　everything　would　be；〃　reflected　Anne。



Gilbert　was　looking　at　Anne；　as　she　walked　along。　　In　her　light　dress；

with　her　slender　delicacy；　she　made　him　think　of　a　white　iris。



〃I　wonder　if　I　can　ever　make　her　care　for　me；〃　he　thought；　with　a

pang　of　self…destruct。









Chapter　III



Greeting　and　Farewell





Charlie　Sloane；　Gilbert　Blythe　and　Anne　Shirley　left　Avonlea　the

following　Monday　morning。　　Anne　had　hoped　for　a　fine　day。　　Diana

was　to　drive　her　to　the　station　and　they　wanted　this；　their　last

drive　together　for　some　time；　to　be　a　pleasant　one。　　But　when　Anne

went　to　bed　Sunday　night　the　east　wind　was　moaning　around　Green

Gables　with　an　ominous　prophecy　which　was　fulfilled　in　the　morning。

Anne　awoke　to　find　raindrops　pattering　against　her　window　and

shadowing　the　pond's　gray　surface　with　widening　rings；　hills　and

sea　were　hidden　in　mist；　and　the　whole　world　seemed　dim　and　dreary。

Anne　dressed　in　the　cheerless　gray　dawn；　for　an　early　start　was

necessary　to　catch　the　boat　train；　she　struggled　against　the　tears

that　WOULD　well　up　in　her　eyes　in　spite　of　herself。　　She　was　leaving

the　home　that　was　so　dear　to　her；　and　something　told　her　that　she　was

leaving　it　forever；　save　as　a　holiday　refuge。　　Things　would　never　be

the　same　again；　coming　back　for　vacations　would　not　be　living　there。

And　oh；　how　dear　and　beloved　everything　was　　that　little　white　porch　room；

sacred　to　the　dreams　of　girlhood；　the　old　Snow　Queen　at　the　window；

the　brook　in　the　hollow；　the　Dryad's　Bubble；　the　Haunted　Woods；

and　Lover's　Lane　　all　the　thousand　and　one　dear　spots　where　memories

of　the　old　years　bided。　　Could　she　ever　be　really　happy　anywhere　else？



Breakfast　at　Green　Gables　that　morning　was　a　rather　doleful　meal。

Davy；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　probably；　could　not　eat；　but

blubbered　shamelessly　over　his　porridge。　　Nobody　else　seemed　to

have　much　appetite；　save　Dora；　who　tucked　away　her　rations　comfortably。

Dora；　like　the　immortal　and　most　prudent　Charlotte；　who　〃went　on

cutting　bread　and　butter〃　when　her　frenzied　lover's　body　had　been

carried　past　on　a　shutter；　was　one　of　those　fortunate　creatures

who　are　seldom　disturbed　by　anything。　　Even　at　eight　it　took　a

great　deal　to　ruffle　Dora's　placidity。　　She　was　sorry　Anne　was

going　away；　of　course；　but　was　that　any　reason　why　she　should

fail　to　appreciate　a　poached　egg　on　toast？　　Not　at　all。　　And；

seeing　that　Davy　could　not　eat　his；　Dora　ate　it　for　him。



Promptly　on　time　Diana　appeared　with　horse　and　buggy；　her　rosy

face　glowing　above　her　raincoat。　　The　good…byes　had　to　be　said

then　somehow。　　Mrs。　Lynde　came　in　from　her　quarters　to　give　Anne

a　hearty　embrace　and　warn　her　to　be　careful　of　her　health；

whatever　she　did。　　Marilla；　brusque　and　tearless；　pecked　Anne's

cheek　and　said　she　supposed　they'd　hear　from　her　when　she　got

settled。　　A　casual　observer　might　have　concluded　that　Anne's

going　mattered　very　little　to　her　　unless　said　observer　had

happened　to　get　a　good　look　in　her　eyes。　　Dora　kissed　Anne　primly

and　squeezed　out　two　decorous　little　tears；　but　Davy；　who　had

been　crying　on　the　back　porch　step　ever　since　they　rose　from　the

table；　refused　to　say　good…bye　at　all。　　When　he　saw　Anne　coming

towards　him　he　sprang　to　his　feet；　bolted　up　the　back　stairs；　and

hid　in　a　clothes　closet；　out　of　which　he　would　not　come。　　His　muffled

howls　were　the　last　sounds　Anne　heard　as　she　left　Green　Gables。



It　rained　heavily　all　the　way　to　Bright　River；　to　which　station

they　had　to　go；　since　the　branch　line　train　from　Carmody　did　not

connect　with　the　boat　train。　　Charlie　and　Gilbert　were　on　the

station　platform　when　they　reached　it；　and　the　train　was　whistling。

Anne　had　just　time　to　get　her　ticket　and　trunk　check；　say　a　hurried

farewell　to　Diana；　and　hasten　on　board。　　She　wished　she　were　going　back

with　Diana　to　Avonlea；　she　knew　she　was　going　to　die　of　homesickness。

And　oh；　if　only　that　dismal　rain　would　stop　pouring　down　as　if　the

whole　world　were　weeping　over　summer　vanished　and　joys　departed！

Even　Gilbert's　presence　brought　her　no　comfort；　for　Charlie　Sloane

was　there；　too；　and　Sloanishness　could　be　tolerated　only　in　fine　weather。

It　was　absolutely　insufferable　in　rain。



But　when　the　boat　steamed　out　of　Charlottetown　harbor　things　took

a　turn　for　the　better。　　The　rain　ceased　and　the　sun　began　to

burst　out　goldenly　now　and　again　between　the　rents　in　the　clouds；

burnishing　the　gray　seas　with　copper…hued　radiance；　and　lighting

up　the　mists　that　curtained　the　Island's　red　shores　with　gleams

of　gold　foretokening　a　fine　day　after　all。　　Besides；　Charlie

Sloane　promptly　became　so　seasick　that　he　had　to　go　below；　and

Anne　and　Gilbert　were　left　alone　on　deck。



〃I　am　very　glad　that　all　the　Sloanes　get　seasick　as　soon　as　they

go　on　water；〃　thought　Anne　mercilessly。　　〃I　am　sure　I　couldn't

take　my　farewell　look　at　the　‘ould　sod'　with　Charlie　standing

there　pretending　to　look　sentimentally　at　it；　too。〃



〃Well；　we're　off；〃　remarked　Gilbert　unsentimentally。



〃Yes；　I　feel　like　Byron's　‘Childe　Harold'　　only　it　isn't　really

my　‘native　shore'　that　I'm　watching；〃　said　Anne；　winking　her　gray

eyes　vigorously。　　〃Nova　Scotia　is　that；　I　suppose。　　But　one's

native　shore　is　the　land　one　loves　the　best；　and　that's　good　old

P。E。I。　for　me。　　I　can't　believe　I　didn't　always　live　here。

Those　eleven　years　before　I　came　seem　like　a　bad　dream。

It's　seven　years　since　I　crossed　on　this　boat　　the　evening

Mrs。　Spencer　brought　me　over　from　Hopetown。　　I　can　see　myself；

in　that　dreadful　old　wincey　dress　and　faded　sailor　hat；　exploring

decks　and　cabins　with　enraptured　curiosity。　　It　was　a　fine　evening；

and　how　those　red　Island　shores　did　gleam　in　the　sunshine。　　Now　I'm

crossing　the　strait　again。　　Oh；　Gilbert；　I　do　hope　I'll　like　Redmond

and　Kingsport；　but　I'm　sure　I　won't！〃



〃Where's　all　your　philosophy　gone；　Anne？〃



〃It's　all　submerged　under　a　great；　swamping　wave　of　loneliness

and　homesickness。　　I've　longed　for　three　years　to　go　to　Redmond

　and　now　I'm　going　　and　I　wish　I　weren't！　　Never　mind！　　I

shall　be　cheerful　and　philosophical　again　after　I　have　just　one

good　cry。　　I　MUST　have　that；　‘as　a　went'　　and　I'll　have　to　wait

until　I　get　into　my　boardinghouse　bed　tonight；　wherever　it　may

be；　before　I　can　have　it。　　Then　Anne　will　be　herself　again。　　I

wonder　if　Davy　has　come　out　of　the　closet　yet。〃



It　was　nine　that　night　when　their　train　reached　Kingsport；　and

they　found　themselves　in　the　blue…white　glare　of　the　crowded　station。

Anne　felt　horribly　bewildered；　but　a　moment　later　she　was　seized　by

Priscilla　Grant；　who　had　come　to　Kingsport　on　Saturday。



〃Here　you　are；　beloved！　　And　I　suppose　you're　as　tired　as　I　was

when　I　got　here　Saturday　night。〃



〃Tired！　　Priscilla；　don't　talk　of　it。　　I'm　tired；　and　green；

and　provincial；　and　only　about　ten　years　old。　　For　pity's　sake

take　your　poor；　broken…down　chum　to　some　place　where　she　can

hear　herself　think。〃



〃I'll　take　you　right　up　to　our　boardinghouse。　　I've　a　cab　ready　outside。〃



〃It's　such　a　blessing　you're　here；　Prissy。　　If　you　weren't　I

think　I　should　just　sit　down　on　my　suitcase；　here　and　now；　and

weep　bitter　tears。　　What　a　comfort　one　familiar　face　is　in　a

howling　wilderness　of　strangers！〃



〃Is　that　Gilbert　Blythe　ove