anne of the island-第35部分

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them　in　the　places　you　and　I　and　our　mates　used　to　fill。〃



Anne　laughed　and　sighed。　　She　felt　very　old　and　mature　and　wise

　which　showed　how　young　she　was。　　She　told　herself　that　she

longed　greatly　to　go　back　to　those　dear　merry　days　when　life　was

seen　through　a　rosy　mist　of　hope　and　illusion；　and　possessed　an

indefinable　something　that　had　passed　away　forever。　　Where　was　it

now　　the　glory　and　the　dream？



〃‘So　wags　the　world　away；'　〃　quoted　Gilbert　practically；　and　a

trifle　absently。　　Anne　wondered　if　he　were　thinking　of　Christine。

Oh；　Avonlea　was　going　to　be　so　lonely　now　　with　Diana　gone！









Chapter　XXX



Mrs。　Skinner's　Romance





Anne　stepped　off　the　train　at　Valley　Road　station　and　looked

about　to　see　if　any　one　had　come　to　meet　her。　　She　was　to　board

with　a　certain　Miss　Janet　Sweet；　but　she　saw　no　one　who　answered

in　the　least　to　her　preconception　of　that　lady；　as　formed　from

Esther's　letter。　　The　only　person　in　sight　was　an　elderly　woman；

sitting　in　a　wagon　with　mail　bags　piled　around　her。　　Two　hundred

would　have　been　a　charitable　guess　at　her　weight；　her　face　was

as　round　and　red　as　a　harvest…moon　and　almost　as　featureless。

She　wore　a　tight；　black；　cashmere　dress；　made　in　the　fashion　of

ten　years　ago；　a　little　dusty　black　straw　hat　trimmed　with　bows

of　yellow　ribbon；　and　faded　black　lace　mits。



〃Here；　you；〃　she　called；　waving　her　whip　at　Anne。　　〃Are　you　the

new　Valley　Road　schoolma'am？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　I　thought　so。　　Valley　Road　is　noted　for　its　good…looking

schoolma'ams；　just　as　Millersville　is　noted　for　its　humly　ones。

Janet　Sweet　asked　me　this　morning　if　I　could　bring　you　out。　　I

said；　‘Sartin　I　kin；　if　she　don't　mind　being　scrunched　up　some。

This　rig　of　mine's　kinder　small　for　the　mail　bags　and　I'm　some

heftier　than　Thomas！'　Just　wait；　miss；　till　I　shift　these　bags　a

bit　and　I'll　tuck　you　in　somehow。　　It's　only　two　miles　to　Janet's。

Her　next…door　neighbor's　hired　boy　is　coming　for　your　trunk　tonight。

My　name　is　Skinner　　Amelia　Skinner。〃



Anne　was　eventually　tucked　in；　exchanging　amused　smiles　with　herself

during　the　process。



〃Jog　along；　black　mare；〃　commanded　Mrs。　Skinner；　gathering　up　the

reins　in　her　pudgy　hands。　　〃This　is　my　first　trip　on　the　mail　rowte。

Thomas　wanted　to　hoe　his　turnips　today　so　he　asked　me　to　come。

So　I　jest　sot　down　and　took　a　standing…up　snack　and　started。

I　sorter　like　it。　　O'　course　it's　rather　tejus。　　Part　of　the

time　I　sits　and　thinks　and　the　rest　I　jest　sits。　　Jog　along；

black　mare。　　I　want　to　git　home　airly。　　Thomas　is　terrible

lonesome　when　I'm　away。　　You　see；　we　haven't　been　married　very　long。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Anne　politely。



〃Just　a　month。　　Thomas　courted　me　for　quite　a　spell；　though。　　It

was　real　romantic。〃　　Anne　tried　to　picture　Mrs。　Skinner　on

speaking　terms　with　romance　and　failed。



〃Oh？〃　she　said　again。



〃Yes。　　Y'see；　there　was　another　man　after　me。　　Jog　along；　black　mare。

I'd　been　a　widder　so　long　folks　had　given　up　expecting　me　to　marry　again。

But　when　my　darter　　she's　a　schoolma'am　like　you　　went　out　West　to

teach　I　felt　real　lonesome　and　wasn't　nowise　sot　against　the　idea。

Bime…by　Thomas　began　to　come　up　and　so　did　the　other　feller　

William　Obadiah　Seaman；　his　name　was。　　For　a　long　time　I　couldn't

make　up　my　mind　which　of　them　to　take；　and　they　kep'　coming　and　coming；

and　I　kep'　worrying。　　Y'see；　W。O。　was　rich　　he　had　a　fine　place　and

carried　considerable　style。　　He　was　by　far　the　best　match。　　Jog　along；

black　mare。〃



〃Why　didn't　you　marry　him？〃　asked　Anne。



〃Well；　y'see；　he　didn't　love　me；〃　answered　Mrs。　Skinner；　solemnly。



Anne　opened　her　eyes　widely　and　looked　at　Mrs。　Skinner。　　But　there　was

not　a　glint　of　humor　on　that　lady's　face。　　Evidently　Mrs。　Skinner　saw

nothing　amusing　in　her　own　case。



〃He'd　been　a　widder…man　for　three　yers；　and　his　sister　kept　house　for　him。

Then　she　got　married　and　he　just　wanted　some　one　to　look　after　his　house。

It　was　worth　looking　after；　too；　mind　you　that。　　It's　a　handsome　house。

Jog　along；　black　mare。　　As　for　Thomas；　he　was　poor；　and　if　his　house

didn't　leak　in　dry　weather　it　was　about　all　that　could　be　said　for　it；

though　it　looks　kind　of　pictureaskew。　　But；　y'see；　I　loved　Thomas；　and

I　didn't　care　one　red　cent　for　W。O。　　So　I　argued　it　out　with　myself。

‘Sarah　Crowe；'　say　I　　my　first　was　a　Crowe　　‘you　can　marry

your　rich　man　if　you　like　but　you　won't　be　happy。　　Folks　can't

get　along　together　in　this　world　without　a　little　bit　of　love。

You'd　just　better　tie　up　to　Thomas；　for　he　loves　you　and　you　love

him　and　nothing　else　ain't　going　to　do　you。'　　Jog　along；　black　mare。

So　I　told　Thomas　I'd　take　him。　　All　the　time　I　was　getting　ready

I　never　dared　drive　past　W。O。's　place　for　fear　the　sight　of　that

fine　house　of　his　would　put　me　in　the　swithers　again。　　But　now　I

never　think　of　it　at　all；　and　I'm　just　that　comfortable　and　happy

with　Thomas。　　Jog　along；　black　mare。〃



〃How　did　William　Obadiah　take　it？〃　queried　Anne。



〃Oh；　he　rumpussed　a　bit。　　But　he's　going　to　see　a　skinny　old　maid

in　Millersville　now；　and　I　guess　she'll　take　him　fast　enough。

She'll　make　him　a　better　wife　than　his　first　did。　　W。O。　never

wanted　to　marry　her。　　He　just　asked　her　to　marry　him　'cause　his

father　wanted　him　to；　never　dreaming　but　that　she'd　say　‘no。'

But　mind　you；　she　said　'yes。'　　There　was　a　predicament　for　you。

Jog　along；　black　mare。　　She　was　a　great　housekeeper；　but　most

awful　mean。　　She　wore　the　same　bonnet　for　eighteen　years。　　Then　she

got　a　new　one　and　W。O。　met　her　on　the　road　and　didn't　know　her。

Jog　along；　black　mare。　　I　feel　that　I'd　a　narrer　escape。　　I　might

have　married　him　and　been　most　awful　miserable；　like　my　poor

cousin；　Jane　Ann。　　Jane　Ann　married　a　rich　man　she　didn't　care

anything　about；　and　she　hasn't　the　life　of　a　dog。　　She　come　to

see　me　last　week　and　says；　says　she；　‘Sarah　Skinner；　I　envy　you。

I'd　rather　live　in　a　little　hut　on　the　side　of　the　road　with　a

man　I　was　fond　of　than　in　my　big　house　with　the　one　I've　got。'

Jane　Ann's　man　ain't　such　a　bad　sort；　nuther；　though　he's　so

contrary　that　he　wears　his　fur　coat　when　the　thermometer's

at　ninety。　　The　only　way　to　git　him　to　do　anything　is　to　coax

him　to　do　the　opposite。　　But　there　ain't　any　love　to　smooth

things　down　and　it's　a　poor　way　of　living。　　Jog　along；　black　mare。

There's　Janet's　place　in　the　hollow　　‘Wayside；'　she　calls　it。

Quite　pictureaskew；　ain't　it？　　I　guess　you'll　be　glad　to　git

out　of　this；　with　all　them　mail　bags　jamming　round　you。〃



〃Yes；　but　I　have　enjoyed　my　drive　with　you　very　much；〃　said

Anne　sincerely。



〃Git　away　now！〃　said　Mrs。　Skinner；　highly　flattered。　　〃Wait　till

I　tell　Thomas　that。　　He　always　feels　dretful　tickled　when　I　git

a　compliment。　　Jog　along；　black　mare。　　Well；　here　we　are。　　I　hope

you'll　git　on　well　in　the　school；　miss。　　There's　a　short　cut　to

it　through　the　ma'sh　back　of　Janet's。　　If　you　take　that　way　be

awful　keerful。　　If　you　once　got　stuck　in　that　black　mud　you'd　be

sucked　right　down　and　never　seen　or　heard　tell　of　again　till　the

day　of　judgment；　like　Adam　Palmer's　cow。　　Jog　along；　black　mare。〃







Chapter　XXXI



Anne　to　Philippa





〃Anne　Shirley　to　Philippa　Gordon；　greeting。



〃Well…beloved；　it's　high　time　I　was　writing　you。　　Here　am　I；

installed　once　more　as　a　country　‘schoolma'am'　at　Valley　Road；

boarding　at　‘Wayside；'　the　home　of　Miss　Janet　Sweet。　　Janet　is　a

dear　soul　and　very　nicelooking；　tall；　but　not　over…tall；　stoutish；

yet　with　a　certain　restraint　of　outline　suggestive　of　a　thrifty

soul　who　is　not　going　to　be　overlavish　even　in　the　matter　of

avoirdupois。　　She　has　a　knot　of　soft；　crimpy；　brown　hair　with

a　thread　of　gray　in　it；　a　sunny　face　with　rosy　cheeks；　and　big；

kind　eyes　as　blue　as　forget…me…nots。　　Moreover；　she　is　one　of　those

delightful；　old…fashioned　cooks　who　don't　care　a　bit　if　they　ruin

your　digestion　as　long　as　they　can　give　you　feasts　of　fat　things。



〃I　like　her；　and　she　likes　me　　principally；　it　seems；　because

she　had　a　sister　named　Anne　who　died　young。



〃‘I'm　real　glad　to　see　you；'　she　said　briskly；　when　I　landed　in　her　yard。

‘My；　you　don't　look　a　mite　like　I　expected。　　I　was　sure　you'd　be　dark　

my　sister　Anne　was　dark。　　And　here　you're　redheaded！'



〃For　a　few　minutes　I　thought　I　wasn't　going　to　like　Janet　as　much

as　I　had　expected　at　first　sight。　　Then　I　reminded　myself　that　I

really　must　be　more　sensible　than　to　be　prejudiced　against　any

one　simply　because　she　called　my　hair　red。　　Probably　the　word

‘auburn'　was　not　in　Janet's　vocabulary　at　all。



〃‘Wayside'　is　a　dear　sort　of　little　spot。　　The　house　is　small

and　white；　set　down　in　a　delightful　little　hollow　that　drops

away　from　the　road。　　Between　road　and　house　is　an　orchard　and

flower…garden　all　mixed　up　together。　　The　front　door　walk　is

bordered　with　quahog　clam…shells　　‘cow…hawks；'　Janet　calls　them；

there　is　Virginia　Creeper　over　the　porch　and　moss　on　the　roof。

My　room　is　a　neat　little　spot　‘off　the　parlor'　　just　big

enough　for　the　bed　and　me。　　Over　the　head　of　my　bed　there　is　a

picture　of　Robby　Burns　standing　at　Highland　Mary's　grave；

shadowed　by　an　enormous　weeping　willow　tree。　　Robby's　face　is

so　lugubrious　that　it　is　no　wonder　I　have　bad　dreams。　　Why；　the

first　night　I　was　here　I　dreamed　I　COULDN'T　LAUGH。



〃The　parlor　is　tiny　and　neat。　　Its　one　window　is　so　shaded　by　a

huge　willow　that　the　room　has　a　grotto…like　effect　of　emerald　gloom。

There　are　wonderful　tidies　on　the　chairs；　and　gay　mats　on　the　floor；

and　books　and　cards　carefully　arranged　on　a　round　table；　and　vases

of　dried　grass　on　the　mantel…piece。　　Between　the　vases　is　a　cheerful

decoration　of　preserved　coffin　plates　　five　in　all；　pertaining

respectively　to　Janet's　father　and　mother；　a　brother；　her　sister　Anne；

and　a　hired　man　who　died　here　once！　　If　I　go　suddenly　insane　some　of

these　days　‘know　all　men　by　these　presents'　that　those　coffin…plates

have　caused