anne of the island-第24部分

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playfellow；　thought　she　saw　the　face　God　had　meant　Ruby　to　have；

and　remembered　it　so　always。



Mrs。　Gillis　called　Anne　aside　into　a　vacant　room　before　the

funeral　procession　left　the　house；　and　gave　her　a　small　packet。



〃I　want　you　to　have　this；〃　she　sobbed。　　〃Ruby　would　have　liked　you

to　have　it。　　It's　the　embroidered　centerpiece　she　was　working　at。

It　isn't　quite　finished　　the　needle　is　sticking　in　it　just　where

her　poor　little　fingers　put　it　the　last　time　she　laid　it　down；　the

afternoon　before　she　died。〃



〃There's　always　a　piece　of　unfinished　work　left；〃　said　Mrs。　Lynde；

with　tears　in　her　eyes。　　〃But　I　suppose　there's　always　some　one

to　finish　it。〃



〃How　difficult　it　is　to　realize　that　one　we　have　always　known

can　really　be　dead；〃　said　Anne；　as　she　and　Diana　walked　home。

〃Ruby　is　the　first　of　our　schoolmates　to　go。　　One　by　one；　sooner

or　later；　all　the　rest　of　us　must　follow。〃



〃Yes；　I　suppose　so；〃　said　Diana　uncomfortably。　　She　did　not

want　to　talk　of　that。　　She　would　have　preferred　to　have　discussed

the　details　of　the　funeral　　the　splendid　white　velvet　casket

Mr。　Gillis　had　insisted　on　having　for　Ruby　　〃the　Gillises　must

always　make　a　splurge；　even　at　funerals；〃　quoth　Mrs。　Rachel　Lynde

　Herb　Spencer's　sad　face；　the　uncontrolled；　hysteric　grief　of

one　of　Ruby's　sisters　　but　Anne　would　not　talk　of　these　things。

She　seemed　wrapped　in　a　reverie　in　which　Diana　felt　lonesomely

that　she　had　neither　lot　nor　part。



〃Ruby　Gillis　was　a　great　girl　to　laugh；〃　said　Davy　suddenly。

〃Will　she　laugh　as　much　in　heaven　as　she　did　in　Avonlea；　Anne？

I　want　to　know。〃



〃Yes；　I　think　she　will；〃　said　Anne。



〃Oh；　Anne；〃　protested　Diana；　with　a　rather　shocked　smile。



〃Well；　why　not；　Diana？〃　asked　Anne　seriously。　　〃Do　you　think

we'll　never　laugh　in　heaven？〃



〃Oh　　I　　I　don't　know〃　floundered　Diana。　　〃It　doesn't　seem

just　right；　somehow。　　You　know　it's　rather　dreadful　to　laugh　in

church。〃



〃But　heaven　won't　be　like　church　　all　the　time；〃　said　Anne。



〃I　hope　it　ain't；〃　said　Davy　emphatically。　　〃If　it　is　I　don't

want　to　go。　　Church　is　awful　dull。　　Anyway；　I　don't　mean　to　go

for　ever　so　long。　　I　mean　to　live　to　be　a　hundred　years　old；　like

Mr。　Thomas　Blewett　of　White　Sands。　　He　says　he's　lived　so　long

'cause　he　always　smoked　tobacco　and　it　killed　all　the　germs。

Can　I　smoke　tobacco　pretty　soon；　Anne？〃



〃No；　Davy；　I　hope　you'll　never　use　tobacco；〃　said　Anne　absently。



〃What'll　you　feel　like　if　the　germs　kill　me　then？〃　demanded　Davy。









Chapter　XV



A　Dream　Turned　Upside　Down





〃Just　one　more　week　and　we　go　back　to　Redmond；〃　said　Anne。

She　was　happy　at　the　thought　of　returning　to　work；　classes

and　Redmond　friends。　　Pleasing　visions　were　also　being　woven

around　Patty's　Place。　　There　was　a　warm　pleasant　sense　of　home

in　the　thought　of　it；　even　though　she　had　never　lived　there。



But　the　summer　had　been　a　very　happy　one；　too　　a　time　of　glad　living

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