anne of the island-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Her　sense　of　humor　was　developing；　and　the　speeches　that　would

have　hurt　her　at　fourteen　were　becoming　merely　food　for　amusement

now。　　Josie　suspected　that　Anne　was　laughing　at　her　behind　those

wicked　eyes；　but　she　contented　herself　with　whispering　to　Gertie；

as　they　went　downstairs；　that　Anne　Shirley　would　put　on　more　airs

than　ever　now　that　she　was　going　to　college　　you'd　see！



All　the　〃old　crowd〃　was　there；　full　of　mirth　and　zest　and

youthful　lightheartedness。　　Diana　Barry；　rosy　and　dimpled；

shadowed　by　the　faithful　Fred；　Jane　Andrews；　neat　and　sensible

and　plain；　Ruby　Gillis；　looking　her　handsomest　and　brightest　in　a

cream　silk　blouse；　with　red　geraniums　in　her　golden　hair；　Gilbert

Blythe　and　Charlie　Sloane；　both　trying　to　keep　as　near　the

elusive　Anne　as　possible；　Carrie　Sloane；　looking　pale　and

melancholy　because；　so　it　was　reported；　her　father　would　not

allow　Oliver　Kimball　to　come　near　the　place；　Moody　Spurgeon

MacPherson；　whose　round　face　and　objectionable　ears　were　as　round

and　objectionable　as　ever；　and　Billy　Andrews；　who　sat　in　a　corner　all

the　evening；　chuckled　when　any　one　spoke　to　him；　and　watched　Anne

Shirley　with　a　grin　of　pleasure　on　his　broad；　freckled　countenance。



Anne　had　known　beforehand　of　the　party；　but　she　had　not　known

that　she　and　Gilbert　were；　as　the　founders　of　the　Society；　to　be

presented　with　a　very　complimentary　〃address〃　and　〃tokens　of

respect〃　　in　her　case　a　volume　of　Shakespeare's　plays；　in

Gilbert's　a　fountain　pen。　　She　was　so　taken　by　surprise　and

pleased　by　the　nice　things　said　in　the　address；　read　in　Moody

Spurgeon's　most　solemn　and　ministerial　tones；　that　the　tears

quite　drowned　the　sparkle　of　her　big　gray　eyes。　　She　had　worked

hard　and　faithfully　for　the　A。V。I。S。；　and　it　warmed　the　cockles

of　her　heart　that　the　members　appreciated　her　efforts　so　sincerely。

And　they　were　all　so　nice　and　friendly　and　jolly　　even　the　Pye

girls　had　their　merits；　at　that　moment　Anne　loved　all　the　world。



She　enjoyed　the　evening　tremendously；　but　the　end　of　it　rather

spoiled　all。　　Gilbert　again　made　the　mistake　of　saying　something

sentimental　to　her　as　they　ate　their　supper　on　the　moonlit

verandah；　and　Anne；　to　punish　him；　was　gracious　to　Charlie　Sloane

and　allowed　the　latter　to　walk　home　with　her。　　She　found；

however；　that　revenge　hurts　nobody　quite　so　much　as　the　one　who

tries　to　inflict　it。　　Gilbert　walked　airily　off　with　Ruby　Gillis；

and　Anne　could　hear　them　laughing　and　talking　gaily　as　they

loitered　along　in　the　still；　crisp　autumn　air。　　They　were

evidently　having　the　best　of　good　times；　while　she　was　horribly

bored　by　Charlie　Sloane；　who　talked　unbrokenly　on；　and　never；

even　by　accident；　said　one　thing　that　was　worth　listening　to。

Anne　gave　an　occasional　absent　〃yes〃　or　〃no；〃　and　thought　how

beautiful　Ruby　had　looked　that　night；　how　very　goggly　Charlie's

eyes　were　in　the　moonlight　　worse　even　than　by　daylight　　and

that　the　world；　somehow；　wasn't　quite　such　a　nice　place　as　she

had　believed　it　to　be　earlier　in　the　evening。



〃I'm　just　tired　out　　that　is　what　is　the　matter　with　me；〃

she　said；　when　she　thankfully　found　herself　alone　in　her　own　room。

And　she　honestly　believed　it　was。　　But　a　certain　little　gush　of　joy；

as　from　some　secret；　unknown　spring；　bubbled　up　in　her　heart

the　next　evening；　when　she　saw　Gilbert　striding　down　through　the

Haunted　Wood　and　crossing　the　old　log　bridge　with　that　firm；

quick　step　of　his。　　So　Gilbert　was　not　going　to　spend　this　last

evening　with　Ruby　Gillis　after　all！



〃You　look　tired；　Anne；〃　he　said。



〃I　am　tired；　and；　worse　than　that；　I'm　disgruntled。　　I'm　tired

because　I've　been　packing　my　trunk　and　sewing　all　day。　　But　I'm

disgruntled　because　six　women　have　been　here　to　say　good…bye　to

me；　and　every　one　of　the　six　managed　to　say　something　that　seemed

to　take　the　color　right　out　of　life　and　leave　it　as　gray　and

dismal　and　cheerless　as　a　November　morning。〃



〃Spiteful　old　cats！〃　was　Gilbert's　elegant　comment。



〃Oh；　no；　they　weren't；〃　said　Anne　seriously。　　〃That　is　just　the

trouble。　　If　they　had　been　spiteful　cats　I　wouldn't　have　minded

them。　　But　they　are　all　nice；　kind；　motherly　souls；　who　like　me

and　whom　I　like；　and　that　is　why　what　they　said；　or　hinted；　had

such　undue　weight　with　me。　　They　let　me　see　they　thought　I　was

crazy　going　to　Redmond　and　trying　to　take　a　B。A。；　and　ever　since

I've　been　wondering　if　I　am。　　Mrs。　Peter　Sloane　sighed　and　said

she　hoped　my　strength　would　hold　out　till　I　got　through；　and　at

once　I　saw　myself　a　hopeless　victim　of　nervous　prostration　at　the

end　of　my　third　year；　Mrs。　Eben　Wright　said　it　must　cost　an　awful

lot　to　put　in　four　years　at　Redmond；　and　I　felt　all　over　me　that

it　was　unpardonable　of　me　to　squander　Marilla's　money　and　my　own

on　such　a　folly。　　Mrs。　Jasper　Bell　said　she　hoped　I　wouldn't　let

college　spoil　me；　as　it　did　some　people；　and　I　felt　in　my　bones

that　the　end　of　my　four　Redmond　years　would　see　me　a　most

insufferable　creature；　thinking　I　knew　it　all；　and　looking　down

on　everything　and　everybody　in　Avonlea；　Mrs。　Elisha　Wright　said

she　understood　that　Redmond　girls；　especially　those　who　belonged

to　Kingsport；　were　'dreadful　dressy　and　stuck…up；'　and　she

guessed　I　wouldn't　feel　much　at　home　among　them；　and　I　saw

myself；　a　snubbed；　dowdy；　humiliated　country　girl；　shuffling

through　Redmond's　classic　halls　in　coppertoned　boots。〃



Anne　ended　with　a　laugh　and　a　sigh　commingled。　　With　her　sensitive

nature　all　disapproval　had　weight；　even　the　disapproval　of　those

for　whose　opinions　she　had　scant　respect。　　For　the　time　being　life

was　savorless；　and　ambition　had　gone　out　like　a　snuffed　candle。



〃You　surely　don't　care　for　what　they　said；〃　protested　Gilbert。

〃You　know　exactly　how　narrow　their　outlook　on　life　is；　excellent

creatures　though　they　are。　　To　do　anything　THEY　have　never　done

is　anathema　maranatha。　　You　are　the　first　Avonlea　girl　who　has

ever　gone　to　college；　and　you　know　that　all　pioneers　are　considered

to　be　afflicted　with　moonstruck　madness。〃



〃Oh；　I　know。　　But　FEELING　is　so　different　from　KNOWING。　　My　common

sense　tells　me　all　you　can　say；　but　there　are　times　when　common

sense　has　no　power　over　me。　　Common　nonsense　takes　possession　of

my　soul。　　Really；　after　Mrs。　Elisha　went　away　I　hardly　had　the

heart　to　finish　packing。〃



〃You're　just　tired；　Anne。　　Come；　forget　it　all　and　take　a　walk

with　me　　a　ramble　back　through　the　woods　beyond　the　marsh。

There　should　be　something　there　I　want　to　show　you。〃



〃Should　be！　　Don't　you　know　if　it　is　there？〃



〃No。　　I　only　know　it　should　be；　from　something　I　saw　there　in　spring。

Come　on。　　We'll　pretend　we　are　two　children　again　and　we'll　go　the

way　of　the　wind。〃



They　started　gaily　off。　　Anne；　remembering　the　unpleasantness　of

the　preceding　evening；　was　very　nice　to　Gilbert；　and　Gilbert；　who

was　learning　wisdom；　took　care　to　be　nothing　save　the　schoolboy

comrade　again。　　Mrs。　Lynde　and　Marilla　watched　them　from　the

kitchen　window。



〃That'll　be　a　match　some　day；〃　Mrs。　Lynde　said　approvingly。



Marilla　winced　slightly。　　In　her　heart　she　hoped　it　would；　but　it

went　against　her　grain　to　hear　the　matter　spoken　of　in　Mrs。　Lynde's

gossipy　matter…of…fact　way。



〃They're　only　children　yet；〃　she　said　shortly。



Mrs。　Lynde　laughed　good…naturedly。



〃Anne　is　eighteen；　I　was　married　when　I　was　that　age。　　We　old

folks；　Marilla；　are　too　much　given　to　thinking　children　never

grow　up；　that's　what。　　Anne　is　a　young　woman　and　Gilbert's　a　man；

and　he　worships　the　ground　she　walks　on；　as　any　one　can　see。

He's　a　fine　fellow；　and　Anne　can't　do　better。　　I　hope　she　won't

get　any　romantic　nonsense　into　her　head　at　Redmond。　　I　don't

approve　of　them　coeducational　places　and　never　did；　that's　what。

I　don't　believe；〃　concluded　Mrs。　Lynde　solemnly；　〃that　the

students　at　such　colleges　ever　do　much　else　than　flirt。〃



〃They　must　study　a　little；〃　said　Marilla；　with　a　smile。



〃Precious　little；〃　sniffed　Mrs。　Rachel。　　〃However；　I　think　Anne

will。　　She　never　was　flirtatious。　　But　she　doesn't　appreciate

Gilbert　at　his　full　value；　that's　what。　　Oh；　I　know　girls！

Charlie　Sloane　is　wild　about　her；　too；　but　I'd　never　advise　her

to　marry　a　Sloane。　　The　Sloanes　are　good；　honest；　respectable　people；

of　course。　　But　when　all's　said　and　done；　they're　SLOANES。〃



Marilla　nodded。　　To　an　outsider；　the　statement　that　Sloanes　were

Sloanes　might　not　be　very　illuminating；　but　she　understood。

Every　village　has　such　a　family；　good；　honest；　respectable　people

they　may　be；　but　SLOANES　they　are　and　must　ever　remain；　though

they　speak　with　the　tongues　of　men　and　angels。



Gilbert　and　Anne；　happily　unconscious　that　their　future　was　thus

being　settled　by　Mrs。　Rachel；　were　sauntering　through　the　shadows

of　the　Haunted　Wood。　　Beyond；　the　harvest　hills　were　basking　in

an　amber　sunset　radiance；　under　a　pale；　aerial　sky　of　rose　and　blue。

The　distant　spruce　groves　were　burnished　bronze；　and　their　long　shadows

barred　the　upland　meadows。　　But　around　them　a　little　wind　sang　among

the　fir　tassels；　and　in　it　there　was　the　note　of　autumn。



〃This　wood　really　is　haunted　now　　by　old　memories；〃　said　Anne；

stooping　to　gather　a　spray　of　ferns；　bleached　to　waxen　whiteness

by　frost。　　〃It　seems　to　me　that　the　little　girls　Diana　and　I　used

to　be　play　here　still；　and　sit　by　the　Dryad's　Bubble　in　the

twilights；　trysting　with　the　ghosts。　　Do　you　know；　I　can　never　go

up　this　path　in　the　dusk　without　feeling　a　bit　of　the　old　fright

and　shiver？　　There　was　one　especially　horrifying　phantom　which　we

created　　the　ghost　of　the　murdered　child　that　crept　up　behind

you　and　laid　cold　fingers　on　yours。　　I　confess　that；　to　this　day；

I　cannot　help　fancying　its　little；　furtive　footsteps　behind　me

when　I　come　here　after　nightfall。　　I'm　not　afraid　of　the　White

Lady　or　the　headless　man　or　the　skeletons；　but　I　wish　I　had　never

imagined　that　baby's　ghost　into　existence。　　How　angry　Ma