anne of the island-第4部分

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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　Marilla

and　Mrs。　Barry　were　over　that　affair；〃　concluded　Anne；　with

reminiscent　laughter。



The　woods　around　the　head　of　the　marsh　were　full　of　purple　vistas；

threaded　with　gossamers。　　Past　a　dour　plantation　of　gnarled　spruces

and　a　maple…fringed；　sun…warm　valley　they　found　the　〃something〃

Gilbert　was　looking　for。



〃Ah；　here　it　is；〃　he　said　with　satisfaction。



〃An　apple　tree　　and　away　back　here！〃　exclaimed　Anne　delightedly。



〃Yes；　a　veritable　apple…bearing　apple　tree；　too；　here　in　the　very

midst　of　pines　and　beeches；　a　mile　away　from　any　orchard。　　I　was

here　one　day　last　spring　and　found　it；　all　white　with　blossom。

So　I　resolved　I'd　come　again　in　the　fall　and　see　if　it　had　been

apples。　　See；　it's　loaded。　　They　look　good；　too　　tawny　as

russets　but　with　a　dusky　red　cheek。　　Most　wild　seedlings　are

green　and　uninviting。〃



〃I　suppose　it　sprang　years　ago　from　some　chance…sown　seed；〃　said

Anne　dreamily。〃　　And　how　it　has　grown　and　flourished　and　held　its

own　here　all　alone　among　aliens；　the　brave　determined　thing！〃



〃Here's　a　fallen　tree　with　a　cushion　of　moss。　　Sit　down；　Anne　

it　will　serve　for　a　woodland　throne。　　I'll　climb　for　some　apples。

They　all　grow　high　　the　tree　had　to　reach　up　to　the　sunlight。〃



The　apples　proved　to　be　delicious。　　Under　the　tawny　skin　was　a

white；　white　flesh；　faintly　veined　with　red；　and；　besides　their

own　proper　apple　taste；　they　had　a　certain　wild；　delightful　tang

no　orchard…grown　apple　ever　possessed。



〃The　fatal　apple　of　Eden　couldn't　have　had　a　rarer　flavor；〃

commented　Anne。　　〃But　it's　time　we　were　going　home。　　See；　it　was

twilight　three　minutes　ago　and　now　it's　moonlight。　　What　a　pity

we　couldn't　have　caught　the　moment　of　transformation。　　But　such

moments　never　are　caught；　I　suppose。〃



〃Let's　go　back　around　the　marsh　and　home　by　way　of　Lover's　Lane。

Do　you　feel　as　disgruntled　now　as　when　you　started　out；　Anne？〃



〃Not　I。　　Those　apples　have　been　as　manna　to　a　hungry　soul。　　I　feel

that　I　shall　love　Redmond　and　have　a　splendid　four　years　there。〃



〃And　after　those　four　years　　what？〃



〃Oh；　there's　another　bend　in　the　road　at　their　end；〃　answered

Anne　lightly。　　〃I've　no　idea　what　may　be　around　it　　I　don't

want　to　have。　　It's　nicer　not　to　know。〃



Lover's　Lane　was　a　dear　place　that　night；　still　and　mysteriously

dim　in　the　pale　radiance　of　the　moonlight。　　They　loitered　through

it　in　a　pleasant　chummy　silence；　neither　caring　to　talk。



〃If　Gilbert　were　always　as　he　has　been　this　evening　how　nice　and

simple　everything　would　be；〃　reflected　Anne。



Gilbert　was　looking　at　Anne；　as　she　walked　along。　　In　her　light　dress；

with　her　slender　delicacy；　she　made　him　think　of　a　white　iris。



〃I　wonder　if　I　can　ever　make　her　care　for　me；〃　he　thought；　with　a

pang　of　self…destruct。









Chapter　III



Greeting　and　Farewell





Charlie　Sloane；　Gilbert　Blythe　and　Anne　Shirley　left　Avonlea　the

following　Monday　morning。　　Anne　had　hoped　for　a　fine　day。　　Diana

was　to　drive　her　to　the　station　and　they　wanted　this；　their　last

drive　together　for　some　time；　to　be　a　pleasant　one。　　But　when　Anne

went　to　bed　Sunday　night　the　east　wind　was　moaning　around　Green

Gables　with　an　ominous　prophecy　which　was　fulfilled　in　the　morning。

Anne　awoke　to　find　raindrops　pattering　against　her　window　and

shadowing　the　pond's　gray　surface　with　widening　rings；　hills　and

sea　were　hidden　in　mist；　and　the　whole　world　seemed　dim　and　dreary。

Anne　dressed　in　the　cheerless　gray　dawn；　for　an　early　start　was

necessary　to　catch　the　boat　train；　she　struggled　against　the　tears

that　WOULD　well　up　in　her　eyes　in　spite　of　herself。　　She　was　leaving

the　home　that　was　so　dear　to　her；　and　something　told　her　that　she　was

leaving　it　forever；　save　as　a　holiday　refuge。　　Things　would　never　be

the　same　again；　coming　back　for　vacations　would　not　be　living　there。

And　oh；　how　dear　and　beloved　everything　was　　that　little　white　porch　room；

sacred　to　the　dreams　of　girlhood；　the　old　Snow　Queen　at　the　window；

the　brook　in　the　hollow；　the　Dryad's　Bubble；　the　Haunted　Woods；

and　Lover's　Lane　　all　the　thousand　and　one　dear　spots　where　memories

of　the　old　years　bided。　　Could　she　ever　be　really　happy　anywhere　else？



Breakfast　at　Green　Gables　that　morning　was　a　rather　doleful　meal。

Davy；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　probably；　could　not　eat；　but

blubbered　shamelessly　over　his　porridge。　　Nobody　else　seemed　to

have　much　appetite；　save　Dora；　who　tucked　away　her　rations　comfortably。

Dora；　like　the　immortal　and　most　prudent　Charlotte；　who　〃went　on

cutting　bread　and　butter〃　when　her　frenzied　lover's　body　had　been

carried　past　on　a　shutter；　was　one　of　those　fortunate　creatures

who　are　seldom　disturbed　by　anything。　　Even　at　eight　it　took　a

great　deal　to　ruffle　Dora's　placidity。　　She　was　sorry　Anne　was

going　away；　of　course；　but　was　that　any　reason　why　she　should

fail　to　appreciate　a　poached　egg　on　toast？　　Not　at　all。　　And；

seeing　that　Davy　could　not　eat　his；　Dora　ate　it　for　him。



Promptly　on　time　Diana　appeared　with　horse　and　buggy；　her　rosy

face　glowing　above　her　raincoat。　　The　good…byes　had　to　be　said

then　somehow。　　Mrs。　Lynde　came　in　from　her　quarters　to　give　Anne

a　hearty　embrace　and　warn　her　to　be　careful　of　her　health；

whatever　she　did。　　Marilla；　brusque　and　tearless；　pecked　Anne's

cheek　and　said　she　supposed　they'd　hear　from　her　when　she　got

settled。　　A　casual　observer　might　have　concluded　that　Anne's

going　mattered　very　little　to　her　　unless　said　observer　had

happened　to　get　a　good　look　in　her　eyes。　　Dora　kissed　Anne　primly

and　squeezed　out　two　decorous　little　tears；　but　Davy；　who　had

been　crying　on　the　back　porch　step　ever　since　they　rose　from　the

table；　refused　to　say　good…bye　at　all。　　When　he　saw　Anne　coming

towards　him　he　sprang　to　his　feet；　bolted　up　the　back　stairs；　and

hid　in　a　clothes　closet；　out　of　which　h