anne of the island-第6部分

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will　know；　my　state　of　mind　at　present。　　They　would　exult　in

saying　‘I　told　you　so；'　and　be　convinced　it　was　the　beginning　of

the　end。　　Whereas　it　is　just　the　end　of　the　beginning。〃



〃Exactly。　　That　sounds　more　Anneish。　　In　a　little　while　we'll　be

acclimated　and　acquainted；　and　all　will　be　well。　　Anne；　did　you

notice　the　girl　who　stood　alone　just　outside　the　door　of　the

coeds'　dressing　room　all　the　morning　　the　pretty　one　with　the

brown　eyes　and　crooked　mouth？〃



〃Yes；　I　did。　　I　noticed　her　particularly　because　she　seemed　the

only　creature　there　who　LOOKED　as　lonely　and　friendless　as　I　FELT。

I　had　YOU；　but　she　had　no　one。〃



〃I　think　she　felt　pretty　all…by…herselfish；　too。　　Several　times　I

saw　her　make　a　motion　as　if　to　cross　over　to　us；　but　she　never

did　it　　too　shy；　I　suppose。　　I　wished　she　would　come。　　If　I　hadn't

felt　so　much　like　the　aforesaid　elephant　I'd　have　gone　to　her。

But　I　couldn't　lumber　across　that　big　hall　with　all　those　boys

howling　on　the　stairs。　　She　was　the　prettiest　freshette　I　saw　today；

but　probably　favor　is　deceitful　and　even　beauty　is　vain　on　your

first　day　at　Redmond；〃　concluded　Priscilla　with　a　laugh。



〃I'm　going　across　to　Old　St。　John's　after　lunch；〃　said　Anne。

〃I　don't　know　that　a　graveyard　is　a　very　good　place　to　go　to　get

cheered　up；　but　it　seems　the　only　get…at…able　place　where　there

are　trees；　and　trees　I　must　have。　　I'll　sit　on　one　of　those　old

slabs　and　shut　my　eyes　and　imagine　I'm　in　the　Avonlea　woods。〃



Anne　did　not　do　that；　however；　for　she　found　enough　of　interest

in　Old　St。　John's　to　keep　her　eyes　wide　open。　　They　went　in　by

the　entrance　gates；　past　the　simple；　massive；　stone　arch

surmounted　by　the　great　lion　of　England。



　　　　〃‘And　on　Inkerman　yet　the　wild　bramble　is　gory；

　　　　And　those　bleak　heights　henceforth　shall　be　famous　in　story；'〃



quoted　Anne；　looking　at　it　with　a　thrill。　　They　found　themselves

in　a　dim；　cool；　green　place　where　winds　were　fond　of　purring。

Up　and　down　the　long　grassy　aisles　they　wandered；　reading　the

quaint；　voluminous　epitaphs；　carved　in　an　age　that　had　more

leisure　than　our　own。



〃‘Here　lieth　the　body　of　Albert　Crawford；　Esq。；'〃　read　Anne

from　a　worn；　gray　slab；　〃‘for　many　years　Keeper　of　His　Majesty's

Ordnance　at　Kingsport。　　He　served　in　the　army　till　the　peace　of

1763；　when　he　retired　from　bad　health。　　He　was　a　brave　officer；

the　best　of　husbands；　the　best　of　fathers；　the　best　of　friends。

He　died　October　29th；　1792；　aged　84　years。'　There's　an　epitaph

for　you；　Prissy。　　There　is　certainly　some　‘scope　for　imagination'

in　it。　　How　full　such　a　life　must　have　been　of　adventure！　　And　as

for　his　personal　qualities；　I'm　sure　human　eulogy　couldn't　go

further。　　I　wonder　if　they　told　him　he　was　all　those　best　things

while　he　was　alive。〃



〃Here's　another；〃　said　Priscilla。　　〃Listen　



‘To　the　memory　of　Alexander　Ross；　who　died　on　the　22nd　of　September；

1840；　aged　43　years。　　This　is　raised　as　a　tribute　of　affection　by　one

whom　he　served　so　faithfully　for　27　years　that　he　was　regarded　as　a　friend；

deserving　the　fullest　confidence　and　attachment。'　〃



〃A　very　good　epitaph；〃　commented　Anne　thoughtfully。　　〃I　wouldn't

wish　a　better。　　We　are　all　servants　of　some　sort；　and　if　the　fact

that　we　are　faithful　can　be　truthfully　inscribed　on　our　tombstones

nothing　more　need　be　added。　　Here's　a　sorrowful　little　gray　stone；

Prissy　　‘to　the　memory　of　a　favorite　child。'　And　here　is　another

‘erected　to　the　memory　of　one　who　is　buried　elsewhere。'　　I　wonder

where　that　unknown　grave　is。　　Really；　Pris；　the　graveyards　of　today

will　never　be　as　interesting　as　this。　　You　were　right　　I　shall

come　here　often。　　I　love　it　already。　　I　see　we're　not　alone　here

　there's　a　girl　down　at　the　end　of　this　avenue。〃



〃Yes；　and　I　believe　it's　the　very　girl　we　saw　at　Redmond　this　morning。

I've　been　watching　her　for　five　minutes。　　She　has　started　to　come　up

the　avenue　exactly　half　a　dozen　times；　and　half　a　dozen　times　has　she

turned　and　gone　back。　　Either　she's　dreadfully　shy　or　she　has　got

something　on　her　conscience。　　Let's　go　and　meet　her。　　It's　easier

to　get　acquainted　in　a　graveyard　than　at　Redmond；　I　believe。〃



They　walked　down　the　long　grassy　arcade　towards　the　stranger；　who

was　sitting　on　a　gray　slab　under　an　enormous　willow。　　She　was

certainly　very　pretty；　with　a　vivid；　irregular；　bewitching　type

of　prettiness。　　There　was　a　gloss　as　of　brown　nuts　on　her

satin…smooth　hair　and　a　soft；　ripe　glow　on　her　round　cheeks。

Her　eyes　were　big　and　brown　and　velvety；　under　oddly…pointed

black　brows；　and　her　crooked　mouth　was　rose…red。　　She　wore　a

smart　brown　suit；　with　two　very　modish　little　shoes　peeping

from　beneath　it；　and　her　hat　of　dull　pink　straw；　wreathed　with

golden…brown　poppies；　had　the　indefinable；　unmistakable　air

which　pertains　to　the　〃creation〃　of　an　artist　in　millinery。

Priscilla　had　a　sudden　stinging　consciousness　that　her　own　hat

had　been　trimmed　by　her　village　store　milliner；　and　Anne　wondered

uncomfortably　if　the　blouse　she　had　made　herself；　and　which　Mrs。

Lynde　had　fitted；　looked　VERY　countrified　and　home…made　besides

the　stranger's　smart　attire。　　For　a　moment　both　girls　felt　like

turning　back。



But　they　had　already　stopped　and　turned　towards　the　gray　slab。

It　was　too　late　to　retreat；　for　the　brown…eyed　girl　had　evidently

concluded　that　they　were　coming　to　speak　to　her。　　Instantly　she

sprang　up　and　came　forward　with　outstretched　hand　and　a　gay；

friendly　smile　in　which　there　seemed　not　a　shadow　of　either

shyness　or　burdened　conscience。



〃Oh；　I　want　to　know　who　you　two　girls　are；〃　she　exclaimed　eagerly。

〃I've　been　DYING　to　know。　　I　saw　you　at　Redmond　this　morning。

Say；　wasn't　it　AWFUL　there？　　For　the　time　I　wished　I　had　stayed

home　and　got　married。〃



Anne　and　Priscilla　both　broke　into　unconstrained　laughter　at　this

unexpected　conclusion。　　The　brown…eyed　girl　laughed；　too。



〃I　really　did。　　I　COULD　have；　you　know。　　Come；　let's　all　sit　down

on　this　gravestone　and　get　acquainted。　　It　won't　be　hard。　　I　know

we're　going　to　adore　each　other　　I　knew　it　as　soon　as　I　saw　you

at　Redmond　this　morning。　　I　wanted　so　much　to　go　right　over　and

hug　you　both。〃



〃Why　didn't　you？〃　asked　Priscilla。



〃Because　I　simply　couldn't　make　up　my　mind　to　do　it。　　I　never　can

make　up　my　mind　about　anything　myself　　I'm　always　afflicted

with　indecision。　　Just　as　soon　as　I　decide　to　do　something　I　feel

in　my　bones　that　another　course　would　be　the　correct　one。　　It's　a

dreadful　misfortune；　but　I　was　born　that　way；　and　there　is　no　use

in　blaming　me　for　it；　as　some　people　do。　　So　I　couldn't　make　up

my　mind　to　go　and　speak　to　you；　much　as　I　wanted　to。〃



〃We　thought　you　were　too　shy；〃　said　Anne。



〃No；　no；　dear。　　Shyness　isn't　among　the　many　failings　　or

virtues　　of　Philippa　Gordon　　Phil　for　short。　　Do　call　me　Phil

right　off。　　Now；　what　are　your　handles？〃



〃She's　Priscilla　Grant；〃　said　Anne；　pointing。



〃And　SHE'S　Anne　Shirley；〃　said　Priscilla；　pointing　in　turn。



〃And　we're　from　the　Island；〃　said　both　together。



〃I　hail　from　Bolingbroke；　Nova　Scotia；〃　said　Philippa。



〃Bolingbroke！〃　exclaimed　Anne。　　〃Why；　that　is　where　I　was　born。〃



〃Do　you　really　mean　it？　　Why；　that　makes　you　a　Bluenose　after　all。〃



〃No；　it　doesn't；〃　retorted　Anne。　　〃Wasn't　it　Dan　O'Connell　who

said　that　if　a　man　was　born　in　a　stable　it　didn't　make　him　a　horse？

I'm　Island　to　the　core。〃



〃Well；　I'm　glad　you　were　born　in　Bolingbroke　anyway。　　It　makes　us

kind　of　neighbors；　doesn't　it？　　And　I　like　that；　because　when　I　tell

you　secrets　it　won't　be　as　if　I　were　telling　them　to　a　stranger。

I　have　to　tell　them。　　I　can't　keep　secrets　　it's　no　use　to　try。

That's　my　worst　failing　　that；　and　indecision；　as　aforesaid。

Would　you　believe　it？　　　it　took　me　half　an　hour　to　decide　which

hat　to　wear　when　I　was　coming　here　　HERE；　to　a　graveyard！

At　first　I　inclined　to　my　brown　one　with　the　feather；

but　as　soon　as　I　put　it　on　I　thought　this　pink　one　with　the

floppy　brim　would　be　more　becoming。　　When　I　got　IT　pinned　in

place　I　liked　the　brown　one　better。　　At　last　I　put　them　close

together　on　the　bed；　shut　my　eyes；　and　jabbed　with　a　hat　pin。

The　pin　speared　the　pink　one；　so　I　put　it　on。　　It　is　becoming；

isn't　it？　　Tell　me；　what　do　you　think　of　my　looks？〃



At　this　naive　demand；　made　in　a　perfectly　serious　tone；　Priscilla

laughed　again。　　But　Anne　said；　impulsively　squeezing　Philippa's

hand；



〃We　thought　this　morning　that　you　were　the　prettiest　girl　we　saw

at　Redmond。〃



Philippa's　crooked　mouth　flashed　into　a　bewitching；　crooked　smile

over　very　white　little　teeth。



〃I　thought　that　myself；〃　was　her　next　astounding　statement；

〃but　I　wanted　some　one　else's　opinion　to　bolster　mine　up。

I　can't　decide　even　on　my　own　appearance。　　Just　as　soon　as　I've

decided　that　I'm　pretty　I　begin　to　feel　miserably　that　I'm　not。

Besides；　have　a　horrible　old　great…aunt　who　is　always　saying　to　me；

with　a　mournful　sigh；　‘You　were　such　a　pretty　baby。　　It's　strange　how

children　change　when　they　grow　up。'　I　adore　aunts；　but　I　detest　great…

aunts。　　Please　tell　me　quite　often　that　I　am　pretty；　if　you　don't　mind。

I　feel　so　much　more　comfortable　when　I　can　believe　I'm　pretty。　　And

I'll　be　just　as　obliging　to　you　if　you　want　me　to　　I　CAN　be；　with

a　clear　conscience。〃



〃Thanks；〃　laughed　Anne；　〃but　Priscilla　and　I　are　so　firmly　convinced

of　our　own　good　looks　that　we　don't　need　any　assurance　about　them；

so　you　needn't　trouble。〃



〃Oh；　you're　laughing　at　me。　　I　know　you　think　I'm　abominably　vain；

but　I'm　not。　　There　really　isn't　one　spark　of　vanity　in　me。

And　I'm　never　a　bit　grudging　about　paying　compliments　to　other

girls　when　they　deserve　them。　　I'm　so　glad　I　know　you　folks。

I　came　up　on　Saturday　and　I've　nearly　died　of　homesickness

ever　since。　　It's　a　horrible　feeling；　isn't　it？　　In　Bolingbroke

I'm　an　important　personage；　and　in　Kingsport　I'm　just　nobody！

There　were　times