anne of the island-第22部分

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with　summer　suns　and　skies；　a　time　of　keen　delight　in　wholesome　things；

a　time　of　renewing　and　deepening　of　old　friendships；　a　time　in　which

she　had　learned　to　live　more　nobly；　to　work　more　patiently；　to　play

more　heartily。



〃All　life　lessons　are　not　learned　at　college；〃　she　thought。

〃Life　teaches　them　everywhere。〃



But　alas；　the　final　week　of　that　pleasant　vacation　was　spoiled　for　Anne；

by　one　of　those　impish　happenings　which　are　like　a　dream　turned　upside　down。



〃Been　writing　any　more　stories　lately？〃　inquired　Mr。　Harrison　genially

one　evening　when　Anne　was　taking　tea　with　him　and　Mrs。　Harrison。



〃No；〃　answered　Anne；　rather　crisply。



〃Well；　no　offense　meant。　　Mrs。　Hiram　Sloane　told　me　the　other

day　that　a　big　envelope　addressed　to　the　Rollings　Reliable　Baking

Powder　Company　of　Montreal　had　been　dropped　into　the　post　office

box　a　month　ago；　and　she　suspicioned　that　somebody　was　trying　for

the　prize　they'd　offered　for　the　best　story　that　introduced　the

name　of　their　baking　powder。　　She　said　it　wasn't　addressed　in

your　writing；　but　I　thought　maybe　it　was　you。〃



〃Indeed；　no！　　I　saw　the　prize　offer；　but　I'd　never　dream　of

competing　for　it。　　I　think　it　would　be　perfectly　disgraceful　to

write　a　story　to　advertise　a　baking　powder。　　It　would　be　almost

as　bad　as　Judson　Parker's　patent　medicine　fence。〃



So　spake　Anne　loftily；　little　dreaming　of　the　valley　of

humiliation　awaiting　her。　　That　very　evening　Diana　popped　into

the　porch　gable；　bright…eyed　and　rosy　cheeked；　carrying　a　letter。



〃Oh；　Anne；　here's　a　letter　for　you。　　I　was　at　the　office；　so　I

thought　I'd　bring　it　along。　　Do　open　it　quick。　　If　it　is　what　I

believe　it　is　I　shall　just　be　wild　with　delight。〃　　Anne；　puzzled；

opened　the　letter　and　glanced　over　the　typewritten　contents。





　　　　　　Miss　Anne　Shirley；

　　　　　　Green　Gables；

　　　　　　Avonlea；　P。E。　Island。



〃DEAR　MADAM：　We　have　much　pleasure　in　informing　you　that

your　charming　story　‘Averil's　Atonement'　has　won　the　prize

of　twenty…five　dollars　offered　in　our　recent　competition。

We　enclose　the　check　herewith。　　We　are　arranging　for　the

publication　of　the　story　in　several　prominent　Canadian

newspapers；　and　we　also　intend　to　have　it　printed　in

pamphlet　form　for　distribution　among　our　patrons。

Thanking　you　for　the　interest　you　have　shown　in

our　enterprise；　we　remain；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　very　truly；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ROLLINGS　RELIABLE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BAKING　POWDER　Co。〃





〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Anne；　blankly。



Diana　clapped　her　hands。



〃Oh；　I　KNEW　it　would　win　the　prize　　I　was　sure　of　it。

_I_　sent　your　story　into　the　competition；　Anne。〃



〃Diana　　Barry！〃



〃Yes；　I　did；〃　said　Diana　gleefully；　perching　herself　on　the　bed。

〃When　I　saw　the　offer　I　thought　of　your　story　in　a　minute；　and　at

first　I　thought　I'd　ask　you　to　send　it　in。　　But　then　I　was　afraid

you　wouldn't　　you　had　so　little　faith　left　in　it。　　So　I　just

decided　I'd　send　the　copy　you　gave　me；　and　say　nothing　about　it。

Then；　if　it　didn't　win　the　prize；　you'd　never　know　and　you　wouldn't

feel　badly　over　it；　because　the　stories　that　failed　were　not　to　be

returned；　and　if　it　did　you'd　have　such　a　delightful　surprise。〃



Diana　was　not　the　most　discerning　of　mortals；　but　just　at　this

moment　it　struck　her　that　Anne　was　not　looking　exactly　overjoyed。

The　surprise　was　there；　beyond　doubt　　but　where　was　the　delight？



〃Why；　Anne；　you　don't　seem　a　bit　pleased！〃　she　exclaimed。



Anne　instantly　manufactured　a　smile　and　put　it　on。



〃Of　course　I　couldn't　be　anything　but　pleased　over　your　unselfish

wish　to　give　me　pleasure；〃　she　said　slowly。　　〃But　you　know　　I'm

so　amazed　　I　can't　realize　it　　and　I　don't　understand。　　There

wasn't　a　word　in　my　story　about　　about　　〃　Anne　choked　a　little

over　the　word　　〃baking　powder。〃



〃Oh；　_I_　put　that　in；〃　said　Diana；　reassured。　　〃It　was　as　easy　as

wink　　and　of　course　my　experience　in　our　old　Story　Club　helped　me。

You　know　the　scene　where　Averil　makes　the　cake？　　Well；　I　just　stated

that　she　used　the　Rollings　Reliable　in　it；　and　that　was　why　it　turned

out　so　well；　and　then；　in　the　last　paragraph；　where　PERCEVAL　clasps

AVERIL　in　his　arms　and　says；　‘Sweetheart；　the　beautiful　coming　years

will　bring　us　the　fulfilment　of　our　home　of　dreams；'　I　added；　‘in　which

we　will　never　use　any　baking　powder　except　Rollings　Reliable。'〃



〃Oh；〃　gasped　poor　Anne；　as　if　some　one　had　dashed　cold　water　on　her。



〃And　you've　won　the　twenty…five　dollars；〃　continued　Diana　jubilantly。

〃Why；　I　heard　Priscilla　say　once　that　the　Canadian　Woman　only　pays

five　dollars　for　a　story！〃



Anne　held　out　the　hateful　pink　slip　in　shaking　fingers。



〃I　can't　take　it　　it's　yours　by　right；　Diana。　　You　sent　the

story　in　and　made　the　alterations。　　I　　I　would　certainly　never

have　sent　it。　　So　you　must　take　the　check。〃



〃I'd　like　to　see　myself；〃　said　Diana　scornfully。　　〃Why；　what　I

did　wasn't　any　trouble。　　The　honor　of　being　a　friend　of　the

prizewinner　is　enough　for　me。　　Well；　I　must　go。　　I　should　have

gone　straight　home　from　the　post　office　for　we　have　company。

But　I　simply　had　to　come　and　hear　the　news。　　I'm　so　glad　for

your　sake；　Anne。〃



Anne　suddenly　bent　forward；　put　her　arms　about　Diana；　and　kissed

her　cheek。



〃I　think　you　are　the　sweetest　and　truest　friend　in　the　world；

Diana；〃　she　said；　with　a　little　tremble　in　her　voice；　〃and　I

assure　you　I　appreciate　the　motive　of　what　you've　done。〃



Diana；　pleased　and　embarrassed；　got　herself　away；　and　poor　Anne；

after　flinging　the　innocent　check　into　her　bureau　drawer　as　if　it

were　blood…money；　cast　herself　on　her　bed　and　wept　tears　of　shame

and　outraged　sensibility。　　Oh；　she　could　never　live　this　down　　never！



Gilbert　arrived　at　dusk；　brimming　over　with　congratulations；

for　he　had　called　at　Orchard　Slope　and　heard　the　news。　　But　his

congratulations　died　on　his　lips　at　sight　of　Anne's　face。



〃Why；　Anne；　what　is　the　matter？　　I　　expected　to　find　you　radiant

over　winning　Rollings　Reliable　prize。　　Good　for　you！〃



〃Oh；　Gilbert；　not　you；〃　implored　Anne；　in　an　ET…TU　BRUTE　tone。

〃I　thought　YOU　would　understand。　　Can't　you　see　how　awful　it　is？〃



〃I　must　confess　I　can't。　　WHAT　is　wrong？〃



〃Everything；〃　moaned　Anne。　　〃I　feel　as　if　I　were　disgraced　forever。

What　do　you　think　a　mother　would　feel　like　if　she　found　her

child　tattooed　over　with　a　baking　powder　advertisement？

I　feel　just　the　same。　　I　loved　my　poor　little　story；　and　I

wrote　it　out　of　the　best　that　was　in　me。　　And　it　is　SACRILEGE　to

have　it　degraded　to　the　level　of　a　baking　powder　advertisement。

Don't　you　remember　what　Professor　Hamilton　used　to　tell　us　in　the

literature　class　at　Queen's？　　He　said　we　were　never　to　write　a

word　for　a　low　or　unworthy　motive；　but　always　to　cling　to　the

very　highest　ideals。　　What　will　he　think　when　he　hears　I've

written　a　story　to　advertise　Rollings　Reliable？　　And；　oh；　when　it

gets　out　at　Redmond！　　Think　how　I'll　be　teased　and　laughed　at！〃



〃That　you　won't；〃　said　Gilbert；　wondering　uneasily　if　it　were

that　confounded　Junior's　opinion　in　particular　over　which　Anne

was　worried。　　〃The　Reds　will　think　just　as　I　thought　　that　you；

being　like　nine　out　of　ten　of　us；　not　overburdened　with　worldly

wealth；　had　taken　this　way　of　earning　an　honest　penny　to　help

yourself　through　the　year。　　I　don't　see　that　there's　anything　low

or　unworthy　about　that；　or　anything　ridiculous　either。　　One　would

rather　write　masterpieces　of　literature　no　doubt　　but　meanwhile

board　and　tuition　fees　have　to　be　paid。〃



This　commonsense；　matter…of…fact　view　of　the　case　cheered　Anne　a

little。　　At　least　it　removed　her　dread　of　being　laughed　at；

though　the　deeper　hurt　of　an　outraged　ideal　remained。









Chapter　XVI



Adjusted　Relationships





〃It's　the　homiest　spot　I　ever　saw　　it's　homier　than　home；〃

avowed　Philippa　Gordon；　looking　about　her　with　delighted　eyes。

They　were　all　assembled　at　twilight　in　the　big　living…room　at

Patty's　Place　　Anne　and　Priscilla；　Phil　and　Stella；　Aunt　Jamesina；

Rusty；　Joseph；　the　Sarah…Cat；　and　Gog　and　Magog。　　The　firelight

shadows　were　dancing　over　the　walls；　the　cats　were　purring；

and　a　huge　bowl　of　hothouse　chrysanthemums；　sent　to　Phil　by　one

of　the　victims；　shone　through　the　golden　gloom　like　creamy　moons。



It　was　three　weeks　since　they　had　considered　themselves　settled；

and　already　all　believed　the　experiment　would　be　a　success。　　The

first　fortnight　after　their　return　had　been　a　pleasantly　exciting

one；　they　had　been　busy　setting　up　their　household　goods；　organizing

their　little　establishment；　and　adjusting　different　opinions。



Anne　was　not　over…sorry　to　leave　Avonlea　when　the　time　came　to

return　to　college。　　The　last　few　days　of　her　vacation　had　not

been　pleasant。　　Her　prize　story　had　been　published　in　the　Island

papers；　and　Mr。　William　Blair　had；　upon　the　counter　of　his

store；　a　huge　pile　of　pink；　green　and　yellow　pamphlets；

containing　it；　one　of　which　he　gave　to　every　customer。　　He　sent　a

complimentary　bundle　to　Anne；　who　promptly　dropped　them　all　in

the　kitchen　stove。　　Her　humiliation　was　the　consequence　of　her

own　ideals　only；　for　Avonlea　folks　thought　it　quite　splendid

that　she　should　have　won　the　prize。　　Her　many　friends　regarded

her　with　honest　admiration；　her　few　foes　with　scornful　envy。

Josie　Pye　said　she　believed　Anne　Shirley　had　just　copied　the　story；

she　was　sure　she　remembered　reading　it　in　a　paper　years　before。

The　Sloanes；　who　had　found　out　or　guessed　that　Charlie　had　been

〃turned　down；〃　said　they　didn't　think　it　was　much　to　be　proud　of；

almost　any　one　could　have　done　it；　if　she　tried。　　Aunt　Atossa

told　Anne　she　was　very　sorry　to　hear　she　had　taken　to　writing

novels；　nobody　born　and　bred　in　Avonlea　would　do　it；　that　was

what　came　of　adopting　orphans　from　goodness　knew　where；　with

goodness　knew　what　kind　of　parents。　　Even　Mrs。　Ra