anne of the island-第43部分

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〃You　haven't　told　Anne　the　news　about　Jane；〃　suggested　Marilla。



〃Oh；　Jane；〃　sniffed　Mrs。　Lynde。　　〃Well；〃　she　conceded　grudgingly；

〃Jane　Andrews　is　home　from　the　West　　came　last　week　　and　she's

going　to　be　married　to　a　Winnipeg　millionaire。　　You　may　be　sure

Mrs。　Harmon　lost　no　time　in　telling　it　far　and　wide。〃



〃Dear　old　Jane　　I'm　so　glad；〃　said　Anne　heartily。　　〃She　deserves

the　good　things　of　life。〃



〃Oh；　I　ain't　saying　anything　against　Jane。　　She's　a　nice　enough　girl。

But　she　isn't　in　the　millionaire　class；　and　you'll　find　there's　not

much　to　recommend　that　man　but　his　money；　that's　what。　　Mrs。　Harmon

says　he's　an　Englishman　who　has　made　money　in　mines　but　_I_　believe

he'll　turn　out　to　be　a　Yankee。　　He　certainly　must　have　money；　for

he　has　just　showered　Jane　with　jewelry。　　Her　engagement　ring　is　a

diamond　cluster　so　big　that　it　looks　like　a　plaster　on　Jane's　fat　paw。〃



Mrs。　Lynde　could　not　keep　some　bitterness　out　of　her　tone。

Here　was　Jane　Andrews；　that　plain　little　plodder；　engaged

to　a　millionaire；　while　Anne；　it　seemed；　was　not　yet　bespoken

by　any　one；　rich　or　poor。　　And　Mrs。　Harmon　Andrews　did　brag

insufferably。



〃What　has　Gilbert　Blythe　been　doing　to　at　college？〃　asked　Marilla。

〃I　saw　him　when　he　came　home　last　week；　and　he　is　so　pale　and　thin

I　hardly　knew　him。〃



〃He　studied　very　hard　last　winter；〃　said　Anne。　　〃You　know　he

took　High　Honors　in　Classics　and　the　Cooper　Prize。　　It　hasn't

been　taken　for　five　years！　　So　I　think　he's　rather　run　down。

We're　all　a　little　tired。〃



〃Anyhow；　you're　a　B。A。　and　Jane　Andrews　isn't　and　never　will　be；〃

said　Mrs。　Lynde；　with　gloomy　satisfaction。



A　few　evenings　later　Anne　went　down　to　see　Jane；　but　the　latter

was　away　in　Charlottetown　　〃getting　sewing　done；〃　Mrs。　Harmon

informed　Anne　proudly。　　〃Of　course　an　Avonlea　dressmaker　wouldn't

do　for　Jane　under　the　circumstances。〃



〃I've　heard　something　very　nice　about　Jane；〃　said　Anne。



〃Yes；　Jane　has　done　pretty　well；　even　if　she　isn't　a　B。A。；〃　said

Mrs。　Harmon；　with　a　slight　toss　of　her　head。　　〃Mr。　Inglis　is　worth

millions；　and　they're　going　to　Europe　on　their　wedding　tour。

When　they　come　back　they'll　live　in　a　perfect　mansion　of　marble

in　Winnipeg。　　Jane　has　only　one　trouble　　she　can　cook　so　well

and　her　husband　won't　let　her　cook。　　He　is　so　rich　he　hires

his　cooking　done。　　They're　going　to　keep　a　cook　and　two　other

maids　and　a　coachman　and　a　man…of…all…work。　　But　what　about　YOU；

Anne？　　I　don't　hear　anything　of　your　being　married；　after　all

your　college…going。〃



〃Oh；〃　laughed　Anne；　〃I　am　going　to　be　an　old　maid。　　I　really

can't　find　any　one　to　suit　me。〃　　It　was　rather　wicked　of　her。

She　deliberately　meant　to　remind　Mrs。　Andrews　that　if　she　became

an　old　maid　it　was　not　because　she　had　not　had　at　least　one

chance　of　marriage。　　But　Mrs。　Harmon　took　swift　revenge。



〃Well；　the　over…particular　girls　generally　get　left；　I　notice。

And　what's　this　I　hear　about　Gilbert　Blythe　being　engaged　to　a

Miss　Stuart？　　Charlie　Sloane　tells　me　she　is　perfectly　beautiful。

Is　it　true？〃



〃I　don't　know　if　it　is　true　that　he　is　engaged　to　Miss　Stuart；〃

replied　Anne；　with　Spartan　composure；　〃but　it　is　certainly　true

that　she　is　very　lovely。〃



〃I　once　thought　you　and　Gilbert　would　have　made　a　match　of　it；〃

said　Mrs。　Harmon。　　〃If　you　don't　take　care；　Anne；　all　of　your

beaux　will　slip　through　your　fingers。〃



Anne　decided　not　to　continue　her　duel　with　Mrs。　Harmon。

You　could　not　fence　with　an　antagonist　who　met　rapier　thrust

with　blow　of　battle　axe。



〃Since　Jane　is　away；〃　she　said；　rising　haughtily；　〃I　don't　think

I　can　stay　longer　this　morning。　　I'll　come　down　when　she　comes　home。〃



〃Do；〃　said　Mrs。　Harmon　effusively。　　〃Jane　isn't　a　bit　proud。

She　just　means　to　associate　with　her　old　friends　the　same　as　ever。

She'll　be　real　glad　to　see　you。〃



Jane's　millionaire　arrived　the　last　of　May　and　carried　her　off　in

a　blaze　of　splendor。　　Mrs。　Lynde　was　spitefully　gratified　to

find　that　Mr。　Inglis　was　every　day　of　forty；　and　short　and　thin

and　grayish。　　Mrs。　Lynde　did　not　spare　him　in　her　enumeration　of

his　shortcomings；　you　may　be　sure。



〃It　will　take　all　his　gold　to　gild　a　pill　like　him；　that's　what；〃

said　Mrs。　Rachel　solemnly。



〃He　looks　kind　and　good…hearted；〃　said　Anne　loyally；　〃and　I'm

sure　he　thinks　the　world　of　Jane。〃



〃Humph！〃　said　Mrs。　Rachel。



Phil　Gordon　was　married　the　next　week　and　Anne　went　over　to

Bolingbroke　to　be　her　bridesmaid。　　Phil　made　a　dainty　fairy　of

a　bride；　and　the　Rev。　Jo　was　so　radiant　in　his　happiness　that

nobody　thought　him　plain。



〃We're　going　for　a　lovers'　saunter　through　the　land　of　Evangeline；〃

said　Phil；　〃and　then　we'll　settle　down　on　Patterson　Street。

Mother　thinks　it　is　terrible　　she　thinks　Jo　might　at　least

take　a　church　in　a　decent　place。　　But　the　wilderness　of　the

Patterson　slums　will　blossom　like　the　rose　for　me　if　Jo　is　there。

Oh；　Anne；　I'm　so　happy　my　heart　aches　with　it。〃



Anne　was　always　glad　in　the　happiness　of　her　friends；　but　it

is　sometimes　a　little　lonely　to　be　surrounded　everywhere　by　a

happiness　that　is　not　your　own。　　And　it　was　just　the　same　when

she　went　back　to　Avonlea。　　This　time　it　was　Diana　who　was　bathed

in　the　wonderful　glory　that　comes　to　a　woman　when　her　first…born

is　laid　beside　her。　　Anne　looked　at　the　white　young　mother　with　a

certain　awe　that　had　never　entered　into　her　feelings　for　Diana

before。　　Could　this　pale　woman　with　the　rapture　in　her　eyes　be

the　little　black…curled；　rosy…cheeked　Diana　she　had　played　with

in　vanished　schooldays？　　It　gave　her　a　queer　desolate　feeling

that　she　herself　somehow　belonged　only　in　those　past　years　and

had　no　business　in　the　present　at　all。



〃Isn't　he　perfectly　beautiful？〃　said　Diana　proudly。



The　little　fat　fellow　was　absurdly　like　Fred　　just　as　round；

just　as　red。　　Anne　really　could　not　say　conscientiously　that　she

thought　him　beautiful；　but　she　vowed　sincerely　that　he　was　sweet

and　kissable　and　altogether　delightful。



〃Before　he　came　I　wanted　a　girl；　so　that　I　could　call　her　ANNE；〃

said　Diana。　　〃But　now　that　little　Fred　is　here　I　wouldn't　exchange

him　for　a　million　girls。　　He　just　COULDN'T　have　been　anything　but

his　own　precious　self。〃



〃‘Every　little　baby　is　the　sweetest　and　the　best；'　〃　quoted

Mrs。　Allan　gaily。　　〃If　little　Anne　HAD　come　you'd　have　felt

just　the　same　about　her。〃



Mrs。　Allan　was　visiting　in　Avonlea；　for　the　first　time　since

leaving　it。　　She　was　as　gay　and　sweet　and　sympathetic　as　ever。

Her　old　girl　friends　had　welcomed　her　back　rapturously。

The　reigning　minister's　wife　was　an　estimable　lady；　but　she

was　not　exactly　a　kindred　spirit。



〃I　can　hardly　wait　till　he　gets　old　enough　to　talk；〃　sighed　Diana。

〃I　just　long　to　hear　him　say　‘mother。'　　And　oh；　I'm　determined　that

his　first　memory　of　me　shall　be　a　nice　one。　　The　first　memory　I

have　of　my　mother　is　of　her　slapping　me　for　something　I　had　done。

I　am　sure　I　deserved　it；　and　mother　was　always　a　good　mother　and　I

love　her　dearly。　　But　I　do　wish　my　first　memory　of　her　was　nicer。〃



〃I　have　just　one　memory　of　my　mother　and　it　is　the　sweetest　of

all　my　memories；〃　said　Mrs。　Allan。　　〃I　was　five　years　old；　and　I

had　been　allowed　to　go　to　school　one　day　with　my　two　older　sisters。

When　school　came　out　my　sisters　went　home　in　different　groups；　each

supposing　I　was　with　the　other。　　Instead　I　had　run　off　with　a　little

girl　I　had　played　with　at　recess。　　We　went　to　her　home；　which　was

near　the　school；　and　began　making　mud　pies。　　We　were　having　a

glorious　time　when　my　older　sister　arrived；　breathless　and　angry。



〃‘You　naughty　girl〃　she　cried；　snatching　my　reluctant　hand　and

dragging　me　along　with　her。　　‘Come　home　this　minute。　　Oh；　you're

going　to　catch　it！　　Mother　is　awful　cross。　　She　is　going　to　give

you　a　good　whipping。'



〃I　had　never　been　whipped。　　Dread　and　terror　filled　my　poor

little　heart。　　I　have　never　been　so　miserable　in　my　life　as　I　was

on　that　walk　home。　　I　had　not　meant　to　be　naughty。　　Phemy　Cameron

had　asked　me　to　go　home　with　her　and　I　had　not　known　it　was　wrong

to　go。　　And　now　I　was　to　be　whipped　for　it。　　When　we　got　home　my

sister　dragged　me　into　the　kitchen　where　mother　was　sitting　by

the　fire　in　the　twilight。　　My　poor　wee　legs　were　trembling　so

that　I　could　hardly　stand。　　And　mother　　mother　just　took　me　up

in　her　arms；　without　one　word　of　rebuke　or　harshness；　kissed　me

and　held　me　close　to　her　heart。　　‘I　was　so　frightened　you　were

lost；　darling；'　she　said　tenderly。　　I　could　see　the　love　shining

in　her　eyes　as　she　looked　down　on　me。　　She　never　scolded　or

reproached　me　for　what　I　had　done　　only　told　me　I　must　never　go

away　again　without　asking　permission。　　She　died　very　soon

afterwards。　　That　is　the　only　memory　I　have　of　her。　　Isn't　it　a

beautiful　one？〃



Anne　felt　lonelier　than　ever　as　she　walked　home；　going　by　way　of

the　Birch　Path　and　Willowmere。　　She　had　not　walked　that　way　for

many　moons。　　It　was　a　darkly…purple　bloomy　night。　　The　air　was

heavy　with　blossom　fragrance　　almost　too　heavy。　　The　cloyed

senses　recoiled　from　it　as　from　an　overfull　cup。　　The　birches　of

the　path　had　grown　from　the　fairy　saplings　of　old　to　big　trees。

Everything　had　changed。　　Anne　felt　that　she　would　be　glad　when

the　summer　was　over　and　she　was　away　at　work　again。　　Perhaps　life

would　not　seem　so　empty　then。



　　　　　　〃‘I've　tried　the　world　　it　wears　no　more

　　　　　　The　coloring　of　romance　it　wore；'〃



sighed　Anne　　and　was　straightway　much　comforted　by　the　romance

in　the　idea　of　the　world　being　denuded　of　romance！









Chapter　XL



A　Book　of　Revelation





The　Irvings　came　back　to　Echo　Lodge　for　the　summer；　and　Anne　spent

a　happy　three　weeks　there　in　July。　　Miss　Lavendar　had　not　changed；

Charlotta　the　Fourth　was　a　very　grown…up　young　lady　now；　but　still

adored　Anne　sincerely。



〃When　all's　said　and　done；　Miss　Shirley；　ma'am；　I　haven't　se