anne of the island-第11部分

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which　gave　an　unearthly　yell　as　the　buggy　turned　in　under　the　poplars。



〃Davy　means　that　for　an　Indian　war…whoop；〃　said　Diana。　　〃Mr。

Harrison's　hired　boy　taught　it　to　him；　and　he's　been　practicing

it　up　to　welcome　you　with。　　Mrs。　Lynde　says　it　has　worn　her

nerves　to　a　frazzle。　　He　creeps　up　behind　her；　you　know；　and　then

lets　go。　　He　was　determined　to　have　a　bonfire　for　you；　too。　　He's

been　piling　up　branches　for　a　fortnight　and　pestering　Marilla　to

be　let　pour　some　kerosene　oil　over　it　before　setting　it　on　fire。

I　guess　she　did；　by　the　smell；　though　Mrs。　Lynde　said　up　to　the　last

that　Davy　would　blow　himself　and　everybody　else　up　if　he　was　let。〃



Anne　was　out　of　the　buggy　by　this　time；　and　Davy　was　rapturously

hugging　her　knees；　while　even　Dora　was　clinging　to　her　hand。



〃Isn't　that　a　bully　bonfire；　Anne？　　Just　let　me　show　you　how　to

poke　it　　see　the　sparks？　　I　did　it　for　you；　Anne；　'cause　I　was

so　glad　you　were　coming　home。〃



The　kitchen　door　opened　and　Marilla's　spare　form　darkened　against

the　inner　light。　　She　preferred　to　meet　Anne　in　the　shadows；　for

she　was　horribly　afraid　that　she　was　going　to　cry　with　joy　

she；　stern；　repressed　Marilla；　who　thought　all　display　of　deep

emotion　unseemly。　　Mrs。　Lynde　was　behind　her；　sonsy；　kindly；

matronly；　as　of　yore。　　The　love　that　Anne　had　told　Phil　was

waiting　for　her　surrounded　her　and　enfolded　her　with　its　blessing

and　its　sweetness。　　Nothing；　after　all；　could　compare　with　old　ties；

old　friends；　and　old　Green　Gables！　　How　starry　Anne's　eyes　were

as　they　sat　down　to　the　loaded　supper　table；　how　pink　her　cheeks；

how　silver…clear　her　laughter！　　And　Diana　was　going　to　stay　all

night；　too。　　How　like　the　dear　old　times　it　was！　　And　the

rose…bud　tea…set　graced　the　table！　　With　Marilla　the　force　of

nature　could　no　further　go。



〃I　suppose　you　and　Diana　will　now　proceed　to　talk　all　night；〃

said　Marilla　sarcastically；　as　the　girls　went　upstairs。

Marilla　was　always　sarcastic　after　any　self…betrayal。



〃Yes；〃　agreed　Anne　gaily；　〃but　I'm　going　to　put　Davy　to　bed　first。

He　insists　on　that。〃



〃You　bet；〃　said　Davy；　as　they　went　along　the　hall。　　〃I　want　somebody

to　say　my　prayers　to　again。　　It's　no　fun　saying　them　alone。〃



〃You　don't　say　them　alone；　Davy。　　God　is　always　with　you　to　hear　you。〃



〃Well；　I　can't　see　Him；〃　objected　Davy。　　〃I　want　to　pray　to　somebody

I　can　see；　but　I　WON'T　say　them　to　Mrs。　Lynde　or　Marilla；　there　now！〃



Nevertheless；　when　Davy　was　garbed　in　his　gray　flannel　nighty；　he

did　not　seem　in　a　hurry　to　begin。　　He　stood　before　Anne；

shuffling　one　bare　foot　over　the　other；　and　looked　undecided。



〃Come；　dear；　kneel　down；〃　said　Anne。



Davy　came　and　buried　his　head　in　Anne's　lap；　but　he　did　not　kneel　down。



〃Anne；〃　he　said　in　a　muffled　voice。　　〃I　don't　feel　like　praying　after　all。

I　haven't　felt　like　it　for　a　week　now。　　I　　I　DIDN'T　pray　last　night　nor

the　night　before。〃



〃Why　not；　Davy？〃　asked　Anne　gently。



〃You　　you　won't　be　mad　if　I　tell　you？〃　implored　Davy。



Anne　lifted　the　little　gray…flannelled　body　on　her　knee　and

cuddled　his　head　on　her　arm。



〃Do　I　ever　get　‘mad'　when　you　tell　me　things；　Davy？〃



〃No…o…o；　you　never　do。　　But　you　get　sorry；　and　that's　worse。

You'll　be　awful　sorry　when　I　tell　you　this；　Anne　　and　you'll

be　'shamed　of　me；　I　s'pose。〃



〃Have　you　done　something　naughty；　Davy；　and　is　that　why　you　can't

say　your　prayers？〃



〃No；　I　haven't　done　anything　naughty　　yet。　　But　I　want　to　do　it。〃



〃What　is　it；　Davy？〃



〃I　　I　want　to　say　a　bad　word；　Anne；〃　blurted　out　Davy；　with　a

desperate　effort。　　〃I　heard　Mr。　Harrison's　hired　boy　say　it　one

day　last　week；　and　ever　since　I've　been　wanting　to　say　it　ALL　the

time　　even　when　I'm　saying　my　prayers。〃



〃Say　it　then；　Davy。〃



Davy　lifted　his　flushed　face　in　amazement。



〃But；　Anne；　it's　an　AWFUL　bad　word。〃



〃SAY　IT！〃



Davy　gave　her　another　incredulous　look；　then　in　a　low　voice　he

said　the　dreadful　word。　　The　next　minute　his　face　was　burrowing

against　her。



〃Oh；　Anne；　I'll　never　say　it　again　　never。　　I'll　never　WANT　to

say　it　again。　　I　knew　it　was　bad；　but　I　didn't　s'pose　it　was　so

　so　　I　didn't　s'pose　it　was　like　THAT。〃



〃No；　I　don't　think　you'll　ever　want　to　say　it　again；　Davy　　or

think　it；　either。　　And　I　wouldn't　go　about　much　with　Mr。　Harrison's

hired　boy　if　I　were　you。〃



〃He　can　make　bully　war…whoops；〃　said　Davy　a　little　regretfully。



〃But　you　don't　want　your　mind　filled　with　bad　words；　do　you；　Davy

　words　that　will　poison　it　and　drive　out　all　that　is　good　and　manly？〃



〃No；〃　said　Davy；　owl…eyed　with　introspection。



〃Then　don't　go　with　those　people　who　use　them。　　And　now　do　you

feel　as　if　you　could　say　your　prayers；　Davy？〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Davy；　eagerly　wriggling　down　on　his　knees；　〃I　can

say　them　now　all　right。　　I　ain't　scared　now　to　say　‘if　I　should

die　before　I　wake；'　like　I　was　when　I　was　wanting　to　say　that　word。〃



Probably　Anne　and　Diana　did　empty　out　their　souls　to　each　other

that　night；　but　no　record　of　their　confidences　has　been　preserved。

They　both　looked　as　fresh　and　bright…eyed　at　breakfast　as　only

youth　can　look　after　unlawful　hours　of　revelry　and　confession。

There　had　been　no　snow　up　to　this　time；　but　as　Diana　crossed

the　old　log　bridge　on　her　homeward　way　the　white　flakes　were

beginning　to　flutter　down　over　the　fields　and　woods；　russet

and　gray　in　their　dreamless　sleep。　　Soon　the　far…away　slopes

and　hills　were　dim　and　wraith…like　through　their　gauzy　scarfing；

as　if　pale　autumn　had　flung　a　misty　bridal　veil　over　her　hair

and　was　waiting　for　her　wintry　bridegroom。　　So　they　had　a　white

Christmas　after　all；　and　a　very　pleasant　day　it　was。　　In　the

forenoon　letters　and　gifts　came　from　Miss　Lavendar　and　Paul；

Anne　opened　them　in　the　cheerful　Green　Gables　kitchen；　which　was

filled　with　what　Davy；　sniffing　in　ecstasy；　called　〃pretty　smells。〃



〃Miss　Lavendar　and　Mr。　Irving　are　settled　in　their　new　home　now；〃

reported　Anne。　　〃I　am　sure　Miss　Lavendar　is　perfectly　happy　

I　know　it　by　the　general　tone　of　her　letter　　but　there's　a

note　from　Charlotta　the　Fourth。　　She　doesn't　like　Boston　at　all；

and　she　is　fearfully　homesick。　　Miss　Lavendar　wants　me　to　go

through　to　Echo　Lodge　some　day　while　I'm　home　and　light　a　fire　to

air　it；　and　see　that　the　cushions　aren't　getting　moldy。　　I　think

I'll　get　Diana　to　go　over　with　me　next　week；　and　we　can　spend　the

evening　with　Theodora　Dix。　　I　want　to　see　Theodora。　　By　the　way；

is　Ludovic　Speed　still　going　to　see　her？〃



〃They　say　so；〃　said　Marilla；　〃and　he's　likely　to　continue　it。

Folks　have　given　up　expecting　that　that　courtship　will　ever

arrive　anywhere。〃



〃I'd　hurry　him　up　a　bit；　if　I　was　Theodora；　that's　what；〃　said

Mrs。　Lynde。　　And　there　is　not　the　slightest　doubt　but　that　she　would。



There　was　also　a　characteristic　scrawl　from　Philippa；　full　of

Alec　and　Alonzo；　what　they　said　and　what　they　did；　and　how　they

looked　when　they　saw　her。



〃But　I　can't　make　up　my　mind　yet　which　to　marry；〃　wrote　Phil。

〃I　do　wish　you　had　come　with　me　to　decide　for　me。　　Some　one

will　have　to。　　When　I　saw　Alec　my　heart　gave　a　great　thump　and　I

thought；　‘He　might　be　the　right　one。'　　And　then；　when　Alonzo　came；

thump　went　my　heart　again。　　So　that's　no　guide；　though　it　should　be；

according　to　all　the　novels　I've　ever　read。　　Now；　Anne；　YOUR　heart

wouldn't　thump　for　anybody　but　the　genuine　Prince　Charming；　would　it？

There　must　be　something　radically　wrong　with　mine。　　But　I'm　having　a

perfectly　gorgeous　time。　　How　I　wish　you　were　here！　　It's　snowing

today；　and　I'm　rapturous。　　I　was　so　afraid　we'd　have　a　green

Christmas　and　I　loathe　them。　　You　know；　when　Christmas　is　a　dirty

grayey…browney　affair；　looking　as　if　it　had　been　left　over　a　hundred

years　ago　and　had　been　in　soak　ever　since；　it　is　called　a　GREEN　Christmas！

Don't　ask　me　why。　　As　Lord　Dundreary　says；　‘there　are　thome　thingth　no

fellow　can　underthtand。'



〃Anne；　did　you　ever　get　on　a　street　car　and　then　discover　that　you

hadn't　any　money　with　you　to　pay　your　fare？　　I　did；　the　other　day。

It's　quite　awful。　　I　had　a　nickel　with　me　when　I　got　on　the　car。

I　thought　it　was　in　the　left　pocket　of　my　coat。　　When　I　got

settled　down　comfortably　I　felt　for　it。　　It　wasn't　there。

I　had　a　cold　chill。　　I　felt　in　the　other　pocket。　　Not　there。

I　had　another　chill。　　Then　I　felt　in　a　little　inside　pocket。

All　in　vain。　　I　had　two　chills　at　once。



〃I　took　off　my　gloves；　laid　them　on　the　seat；　and　went　over　all

my　pockets　again。　　It　was　not　there。　　I　stood　up　and　shook　myself；

and　then　looked　on　the　floor。　　The　car　was　full　of　people；　who

were　going　home　from　the　opera；　and　they　all　stared　at　me；　but

I　was　past　caring　for　a　little　thing　like　that。



〃But　I　could　not　find　my　fare。　　I　concluded　I　must　have　put　it　in

my　mouth　and　swallowed　it　inadvertently。



〃I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　　Would　the　conductor；　I　wondered；　stop

the　car　and　put　me　off　in　ignominy　and　shame？　　Was　it　possible

that　I　could　convince　him　that　I　was　merely　the　victim　of　my　own

absentmindedness；　and　not　an　unprincipled　creature　trying　to

obtain　a　ride　upon　false　pretenses？　　How　I　wished　that　Alec

or　Alonzo　were　there。　　But　they　weren't　because　I　wanted　them。

If　I　HADN'T　wanted　them　they　would　have　been　there　by　the　dozen。

And　I　couldn't　decide　what　to　say　to　the　conductor　when　he　came

around。　　As　soon　as　I　got　one　sentence　of　explanation　mapped　out

in　my　mind　I　felt　nobody　could　believe　it　and　I　must　compose

another。　　It　seemed　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　trust　in

Providence；　and　for　all　the　comfort　that　gave　me　I　might　as　well

have　been　the　old　lady　who；　when　told　by　the　captain　during　a

storm　that　she　must　put　her　trust　in　the　Almighty　exclaimed；

‘Oh；　Captain；　is　it　as　bad　as　that？'



〃Just　at　the　conventional　moment；　when　all　hope　had　fled；　and

the　conductor　was　holding　out　his　box　to　the　passenger　next　to　me；

I　suddenly　reme