anne of the island-第14部分

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whereon　live　people　whom　to　know　is　to　be　unknown；　and　make　life

inside　compensate　for　the　outside。〃



Accordingly　they　went　house…hunting；　but　to　find　just　what

they　wanted　proved　even　harder　than　Priscilla　had　feared。

Houses　there　were　galore；　furnished　and　unfurnished；　but　one

was　too　big；　another　too　small；　this　one　too　expensive；　that

one　too　far　from　Redmond。　　Exams　were　on　and　over；　the　last

week　of　the　term　came　and　still　their　〃house　o'dreams；〃　as

Anne　called　it；　remained　a　castle　in　the　air。



〃We　shall　have　to　give　up　and　wait　till　the　fall；　I　suppose；〃　said

Priscilla　wearily；　as　they　rambled　through　the　park　on　one　of　April's

darling　days　of　breeze　and　blue；　when　the　harbor　was　creaming　and

shimmering　beneath　the　pearl…hued　mists　floating　over　it。　　〃We　may

find　some　shack　to　shelter　us　then；　and　if　not；　boardinghouses　we

shall　have　always　with　us。〃



〃I'm　not　going　to　worry　about　it　just　now；　anyway；　and　spoil　this

lovely　afternoon；〃　said　Anne；　gazing　around　her　with　delight。

The　fresh　chill　air　was　faintly　charged　with　the　aroma　of　pine

balsam；　and　the　sky　above　was　crystal　clear　and　blue　　a　great

inverted　cup　of　blessing。　　〃Spring　is　singing　in　my　blood　today；

and　the　lure　of　April　is　abroad　on　the　air。　　I'm　seeing　visions

and　dreaming　dreams；　Pris。　　That's　because　the　wind　is　from　the

west。　　I　do　love　the　west　wind。　　It　sings　of　hope　and　gladness；

doesn't　it？　　When　the　east　wind　blows　I　always　think　of　sorrowful

rain　on　the　eaves　and　sad　waves　on　a　gray　shore。　　When　I　get　old

I　shall　have　rheumatism　when　the　wind　is　east。〃



〃And　isn't　it　jolly　when　you　discard　furs　and　winter　garments

for　the　first　time　and　sally　forth；　like　this；　in　spring　attire？〃

laughed　Priscilla。　　〃Don't　you　feel　as　if　you　had　been　made　over　new？〃



〃Everything　is　new　in　the　spring；〃　said　Anne。　　〃Springs　themselves

are　always　so　new；　too。　　No　spring　is　ever　just　like　any　other　spring。

It　always　has　something　of　its　own　to　be　its　own　peculiar　sweetness。

See　how　green　the　grass　is　around　that　little　pond；　and　how　the　willow

buds　are　bursting。〃



〃And　exams　are　over　and　gone　　the　time　of　Convocation　will　come

soon　　next　Wednesday。　　This　day　next　week　we'll　be　home。〃



〃I'm　glad；〃　said　Anne　dreamily。　　〃There　are　so　many　things　I　want

to　do。　　I　want　to　sit　on　the　back　porch　steps　and　feel　the　breeze

blowing　down　over　Mr。　Harrison's　fields。　　I　want　to　hunt　ferns

in　the　Haunted　Wood　and　gather　violets　in　Violet　Vale。　　Do　you

remember　the　day　of　our　golden　picnic；　Priscilla？　　I　want　to　hear

the　frogs　singing　and　the　poplars　whispering。　　But　I've　learned

to　love　Kingsport；　too；　and　I'm　glad　I'm　coming　back　next　fall。

If　I　hadn't　won　the　Thorburn　I　don't　believe　I　could　have。　　I

COULDN'T　take　any　of　Marilla's　little　hoard。〃



〃If　we　could　only　find　a　house！〃　sighed　Priscilla。　　〃Look　over

there　at　Kingsport；　Anne　　houses；　houses　everywhere；　and　not

one　for　us。〃



〃Stop　it；　Pris。　　‘The　best　is　yet　to　be。'　　Like　the　old　Roman；

we'll　find　a　house　or　build　one。　　On　a　day　like　this　there's

no　such　word　as　fail　in　my　bright　lexicon。〃



They　lingered　in　the　park　until　sunset；　living　in　the　amazing

miracle　and　glory　and　wonder　of　the　springtide；　and　they　went

home　as　usual；　by　way　of　Spofford　Avenue；　that　they　might　have

the　delight　of　looking　at　Patty's　Place。



〃I　feel　as　if　something　mysterious　were　going　to　happen　right

away　　‘by　the　pricking　of　my　thumbs；'　〃　said　Anne；　as　they　went

up　the　slope。　　〃It's　a　nice　story…bookish　feeling。　　Why　　why　

why！　　Priscilla　Grant；　look　over　there　and　tell　me　if　it's　true；

or　am　I　seein'　things？〃



Priscilla　looked。　　Anne's　thumbs　and　eyes　had　not　deceived　her。

Over　the　arched　gateway　of　Patty's　Place　dangled　a　little；　modest

sign。　　It　said　〃To　Let；　Furnished。　　Inquire　Within。〃



〃Priscilla；〃　said　Anne；　in　a　whisper；　〃do　you　suppose　it's

possible　that　we　could　rent　Patty's　Place？〃



〃No；　I　don't；〃　averred　Priscilla。　　〃It　would　be　too　good　to　be

true。　　Fairy　tales　don't　happen　nowadays。　　I　won't　hope；　Anne。

The　disappointment　would　be　too　awful　to　bear。　　They're　sure　to

want　more　for　it　than　we　can　afford。　　Remember；　it's　on　Spofford

Avenue。〃



〃We　must　find　out　anyhow；〃　said　Anne　resolutely。　　〃It's　too　late

to　call　this　evening；　but　we'll　come　tomorrow。　　Oh；　Pris；　if　we

can　get　this　darling　spot！　　I've　always　felt　that　my　fortunes

were　linked　with　Patty's　Place；　ever　since　I　saw　it　first。〃









Chapter　X



Patty's　Place





The　next　evening　found　them　treading　resolutely　the　herring…bone

walk　through　the　tiny　garden。　　The　April　wind　was　filling　the

pine　trees　with　its　roundelay；　and　the　grove　was　alive　with　robins

　great；　plump；　saucy　fellows；　strutting　along　the　paths。

The　girls　rang　rather　timidly；　and　were　admitted　by　a　grim　and

ancient　handmaiden。　　The　door　opened　directly　into　a　large

living…room；　where　by　a　cheery　little　fire　sat　two　other　ladies；

both　of　whom　were　also　grim　and　ancient。　　Except　that　one　looked

to　be　about　seventy　and　the　other　fifty；　there　seemed　little

difference　between　them。　　Each　had　amazingly　big；　light…blue　eyes

behind　steel…rimmed　spectacles；　each　wore　a　cap　and　a　gray　shawl；

each　was　knitting　without　haste　and　without　rest；　each　rocked

placidly　and　looked　at　the　girls　without　speaking；　and　just

behind　each　sat　a　large　white　china　dog；　with　round　green　spots

all　over　it；　a　green　nose　and　green　ears。　　Those　dogs　captured

Anne's　fancy　on　the　spot；　they　seemed　like　the　twin　guardian

deities　of　Patty's　Place。



For　a　few　minutes　nobody　spoke。　　The　girls　were　too　nervous　to

find　words；　and　neither　the　ancient　ladies　nor　the　china　dogs

seemed　conversationally　inclined。　　Anne　glanced　about　the　room。

What　a　dear　place　it　was！　　Another　door　opened　out　of　it　directly

into　the　pine　grove　and　the　robins　came　boldly　up　on　the　very　step。

The　floor　was　spotted　with　round；　braided　mats；　such　as　Marilla

made　at　Green　Gables；　but　which　were　considered　out　of　date

everywhere　else；　even　in　Avonlea。　　And　yet　here　they　were　on

Spofford　Avenue！　　A　big；　polished　grandfather's　clock　ticked

loudly　and　solemnly　in　a　corner。　　There　were　delightful　little

cupboards　over　the　mantelpiece；　behind　whose　glass　doors　gleamed

quaint　bits　of　china。　　The　walls　were　hung　with　old　prints　and

silhouettes。　　In　one　corner　the　stairs　went　up；　and　at　the　first

low　turn　was　a　long　window　with　an　inviting　seat。　　It　was　all

just　as　Anne　had　known　it　must　be。



By　this　time　the　silence　had　grown　too　dreadful；　and　Priscilla

nudged　Anne　to　intimate　that　she　must　speak。



〃We　　we　　saw　by　your　sign　that　this　house　is　to　let；〃　said　Anne

faintly；　addressing　the　older　lady；　who　was　evidently　Miss　Patty　Spofford。



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Miss　Patty。　　〃I　intended　to　take　that　sign　down　today。〃



〃Then　　then　we　are　too　late；〃　said　Anne　sorrowfully。　　〃You've　let　it

to　some　one　else？〃



〃No；　but　we　have　decided　not　to　let　it　at　all。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry；〃　exclaimed　Anne　impulsively。　　〃I　love　this　place　so。

I　did　hope　we　could　have　got　it。〃



Then　did　Miss　Patty　lay　down　her　knitting；　take　off　her　specs；

rub　them；　put　them　on　again；　and　for　the　first　time　look　at　Anne

as　at　a　human　being。　　The　other　lady　followed　her　example　so

perfectly　that　she　might　as　well　have　been　a　reflection　in　a　mirror。



〃You　LOVE　it；〃　said　Miss　Patty　with　emphasis。　　〃Does　that　mean

that　you　really　LOVE　it？　　Or　that　you　merely　like　the　looks　of　it？

The　girls　nowadays　indulge　in　such　exaggerated　statements　that　one

never　can　tell　what　they　DO　mean。　　It　wasn't　so　in　my　young　days。

THEN　a　girl　did　not　say　she　LOVED　turnips；　in　just　the　same　tone

as　she　might　have　said　she　loved　her　mother　or　her　Savior。〃



Anne's　conscience　bore　her　up。



〃I　really　do　love　it；〃　she　said　gently。　　〃I've　loved　it　ever　since

I　saw　it　last　fall。　　My　two　college　chums　and　I　want　to　keep　house

next　year　instead　of　boarding；　so　we　are　looking　for　a　little　place

to　rent；　and　when　I　saw　that　this　house　was　to　let　I　was　so　happy。〃



〃If　you　love　it；　you　can　have　it；〃　said　Miss　Patty。　　〃Maria　and　I

decided　today　that　we　would　not　let　it　after　all；　because　we　did

not　like　any　of　the　people　who　have　wanted　it。　　We　don't　HAVE　to

let　it。　　We　can　afford　to　go　to　Europe　even　if　we　don't　let　it。

It　would　help　us　out；　but　not　for　gold　will　I　let　my　home　pass

into　the　possession　of　such　people　as　have　come　here　and　looked

at　it。　　YOU　are　different。　　I　believe　you　do　love　it　and　will　be

good　to　it。　　You　can　have　it。〃



〃If　　if　we　can　afford　to　pay　what　you　ask　for　it；〃　hesitated　Anne。



Miss　Patty　named　the　amount　required。　　Anne　and　Priscilla　looked

at　each　other。　　Priscilla　shook　her　head。



〃I'm　afraid　we　can't　afford　quite　so　much；〃　said　Anne；　choking

back　her　disappointment。　　〃You　see；　we　are　only　college　girls

and　we　are　poor。〃



〃What　were　you　thinking　you　could　afford？〃　demanded　Miss　Patty；

ceasing　not　to　knit。



Anne　named　her　amount。　　Miss　Patty　nodded　gravely。



〃That　will　do。　　As　I　told　you；　it　is　not　strictly　necessary　that

we　should　let　it　at　all。　　We　are　not　rich；　but　we　have　enough　to

go　to　Europe　on。　　I　have　never　been　in　Europe　in　my　life；　and　never

expected　or　wanted　to　go。　　But　my　niece　there；　Maria　Spofford；　has

taken　a　fancy　to　go。　　Now；　you　know　a　young　person　like　Maria　can't

go　globetrotting　alone。〃



〃No　　I　　I　suppose　not；〃　murmured　Anne；　seeing　that　Miss　Patty

was　quite　solemnly　in　earnest。



〃Of　course　not。　　So　I　have　to　go　along　to　look　after　her。　　I　expect　to

enjoy　it；　too；　I'm　seventy　years　old；　but　I'm　not　tired　of　living　yet。

I　daresay　I'd　have　gone　to　Europe　before　if　the　idea　had　occurred　to　me。

We　shall　be　away　for　two　years；　perhaps　three。　　We　sail　in　June　and　we

shall　send　you　the　key；　and　leave　all　in　order　for　you　to　take

possession　when　you　choose。　　We　shall　pack　away　a　few　things　we

prize　especially；　but　all　the　rest　will　be　l