anne of the island- 第25部分

congratulations　died　on　his　lips　at　sight　of　Anne's　face。



〃Why；　Anne；　what　is　the　matter？　　I　　expected　to　find　you　radiant

over　winning　Rollings　Reliable　prize。　　Good　for　you！〃



〃Oh；　Gilbert；　not　you；〃　implored　Anne；　in　an　ET…TU　BRUTE　tone。

〃I　thought　YOU　would　understand。　　Can't　you　see　how　awful　it　is？〃



〃I　must　confess　I　can't。　　WHAT　is　wrong？〃



〃Everything；〃　moaned　Anne。　　〃I　feel　as　if　I　were　disgraced　forever。

What　do　you　think　a　mother　would　feel　like　if　she　found　her

child　tattooed　over　with　a　baking　powder　advertisement？

I　feel　just　the　same。　　I　loved　my　poor　little　story；　and　I

wrote　it　out　of　the　best　that　was　in　me。　　And　it　is　SACRILEGE　to

have　it　degraded　to　the　level　of　a　baking　powder　advertisement。

Don't　you　remember　what　Professor　Hamilton　used　to　tell　us　in　the

literature　class　at　Queen's？　　He　said　we　were　never　to　write　a

word　for　a　low　or　unworthy　motive；　but　always　to　cling　to　the

very　highest　ideals。　　What　will　he　think　when　he　hears　I've

written　a　story　to　advertise　Rollings　Reliable？　　And；　oh；　when　it

gets　out　at　Redmond！　　Think　how　I'll　be　teased　and　laughed　at！〃



〃That　you　won't；〃　said　Gilbert；　wondering　uneasily　if　it　were

that　confounded　Junior's　opinion　in　particular　over　which　Anne

was　worried。　　〃The　Reds　will　think　just　as　I　thought　　that　you；

being　like　nine　out　of　ten　of　us；　not　overburdened　with　worldly

wealth；　had　taken　this　way　of　earning　an　honest　penny　to　help

yourself　through　the　year。　　I　don't　see　that　there's　anything　low

or　unworthy　about　that；　or　anything　ridiculous　either。　　One　would

rather　write　masterpieces　of　literature　no　doubt　　but　meanwhile

board　and　tuition　fees　have　to　be　paid。〃



This　commonsense；　matter…of…fact　view　of　the　case　cheered　Anne　a

little。　　At　least　it　removed　her　dread　of　being　laughed　at；

though　the　deeper　hurt　of　an　outraged　ideal　remained。









Chapter　XVI



Adjusted　Relationships





〃It's　the　homiest　spot　I　ever　saw　　it's　homier　than　home；〃

avowed　Philippa　Gordon；　looking　about　her　with　delighted　eyes。

They　were　all　assembled　at　twilight　in　the　big　living…room　at

Patty's　Place　　Anne　and　Priscilla；　Phil　and　Stella；　Aunt　Jamesina；

Rusty；　Joseph；　the　Sarah…Cat；　and　Gog　and　Magog。　　The　firelight

shadows　were　dancing　over　the　walls；　the　cats　were　purring；

and　a　huge　bowl　of　hothouse　chrysanthemums；　sent　to　Phil　by　one

of　the　victims；　shone　through　the　golden　gloom　like　creamy　moons。



It　was　three　weeks　since　they　had　considered　themselves　settled；

and　already　all　believed　the　experiment　would　be　a　success。　　The

first　fortnight　after　their　return　had　been　a　pleasantly　exciting

one；　they　had　been　busy　setting　up　their　household　goods；　organizing

their　little　establishment；　and　adjusting　different　opinions。



Anne　was　not　over…sorry　to　leave　Avonlea　when　the　time　came　to

return　to　college。　　The　last　few　days　of　her　vacation　had　not

been　pleasant。　　Her　prize　story　had　been　published　in　the　Island

papers；　and　Mr。　William　Blair　had；　upon　the　counter　of　his

store；　a　huge　pile　of　pink；　green　and　yellow　pamphlets；

containing　it；　one　of　which　he　gave　to　every　customer。　　He　sent　a

complimentary　bundle　to　Anne；　who　promptly　dropped　them　all　in

the　kitchen　stove。　　Her　humiliation　was　the　consequence　of　her

own　ideals　only；　for　Avonlea　folks　thought　it　quite　splendid

that　she　should　have　won　the　prize。　　Her　many　friends　regarded

her　with　honest　admiration；　her　few　foes　with　scornful　envy。

Josie　Pye　said　she　believed　Anne　Shirley　had　just　copied　the　story；

she　was　sure　she　remembered　reading　it　in　a　paper　years　before。

The　Sloanes；　who　had　found　out　or　guessed　that　Charlie　had　been

〃turned　down；〃　said　they　didn't　think　it　was　much　to　be　proud　of；

almost　any　one　could　have　done　it；　if　she　tried。　　Aunt　Atossa

told　Anne　she　was　very　sorry　to　hear　she　had　taken　to　writing

novels；　nobody　born　and　bred　in　Avonlea　would　do　it；　that　was

what　came　of　adopting　orphans　from　goodness　knew　where；　with

goodness　knew　what　kind　of　parents。　　Even　Mrs。　Rachel　Lynde　was

darkly　dubious　about　the　propriety　of　writing　fiction；　though　she

was　almost　reconciled　to　it　by　that　twenty…five　dollar　check。



〃It　is　perfectly　amazing；　the　price　they　pay　for　such　lies；

that's　what；〃　she　said；　half…proudly；　half…severely。



All　things　considered；　it　was　a　relief　when　going…away　time　came。

And　it　was　very　jolly　to　be　back　at　Redmond；　a　wise；　experienced

Soph　with　hosts　of　friends　to　greet　on　the　merry　opening　day。

Pris　and　Stella　and　Gilbert　were　there；　Charlie　Sloane；　looking

more　important　than　ever　a　Sophomore　looked　before；　Phil；　with

the　Alec…and…Alonzo　question　still　unsettled；　and　Moody　Spurgeon

MacPherson。　　Moody　Spurgeon　had　been　teaching　school　ever　since

leaving　Queen's；　but　his　mother　had　concluded　it　was　high　time

he　gave　it　up　and　turned　his　attention　to　learning　how　to　be　a

minister。　　Poor　Moody　Spurgeon　fell　on　hard　luck　at　the　very

beginning　of　his　college　career。　　Half　a　dozen　ruthless　Sophs；

who　were　among　his　fellow…boarders；　swooped　down　upon　him　one

night　and　shaved　half　of　his　head。　　In　this　guise　the　luckless

Moody　Spurgeon　had　to　go　about　until　his　hair　grew　again。　　He

told　Anne　bitterly　that　there　were　times　when　he　had　his　doubts

as　to　whether　he　was　really　called　to　be　a　minister。



Aunt　Jamesina　did　not　come　until　the　girls　had　Patty's　Place

ready　for　her。　　Miss　Patty　had　sent　the　key　to　Anne；　with　a

letter　in　which　she　said　Gog　and　Magog　were　packed　in　a　box　under

the　spare…room　bed；　but　might　be　taken　out　when　wanted；　in　a

postscript　she　added　that　she　hoped　the　girls　would　be　careful

about　putting　up　pictures。　　The　living　room　had　been　newly

papered　five　years　before　and　she　and　Miss　Maria　did　not　want　any

more　holes　made　in　that　new　paper　than　was　absolutely　necessary。

For　the　rest　she　trusted　everything　to　Anne。



How　those　girls　enjoyed　putting　their　nest　in　order！　　As　Phil　said；

it　was　almost　as　good　as　getting　married。　　You　had　the　fun　of

homemaking　without　the　bother　of　a　husband。　　All　brought　something

with　them　to　adorn　or　make　comfortable　the　little　house。　　Pris　and

Phil　and　Stella　had　knick…knacks　and　pictures　galore；　which　latter

they　proceeded　to　hang　according　to　taste；　in　reckless　disregard

of　Miss　Patty's　new　paper。



〃We'll　putty　the　holes　up　when　we　leave；　dear　　she'll　never　know；〃

they　said　to　protesting　Anne。



Diana　had　given　Anne　a　pine　needle　cushion　and　Miss　Ada　had　given

both　her　and　Priscilla　a　fearfully　and　wonderfully　embroidered　one。

Marilla　had　sent　a　big　box　of　preserves；　and　darkly　hinted　at　a

hamper　for　Thanksgiving；　and　Mrs。　Lynde　gave　Anne　a　patchwork　quilt

and　loaned　her　five　more。



〃You　take　them；〃　she　said　authoritatively。　　〃They　might　as　well　be

in　use　as　packed　away　in　that　trunk　in　the　garret　for　moths　to　gnaw。〃



No　moths　would　ever　have　ventured　near　those　quilts；　for　they

reeked　of　mothballs　to　such　an　extent　that　they　had　to　be　hung　in

the　orchard　of　Patty's　Place　a　full　fortnight　before　they　could

be　endured　indoors。　　Verily；　aristocratic　Spofford　Avenue　had

rarely　beheld　such　a　display。　　The　gruff　old　millionaire　who

lived　〃next　door〃　came　over　and　wanted　to　buy　the　gorgeous　red

and　yellow　〃tulip…pattern〃　one　which　Mrs。　Rachel　had　given　Anne。

He　said　his　mother　used　to　make　quilts　like　that；　and　by　Jove；　he

wanted　one　to　remind　him　of　her。　　Anne　would　not　sell　it；　much　to

his　disappointment；　but　she　wrote　all　about　it　to　Mrs。　Lynde。

That　highly…gratified　lady　sent　word　back　that　she　had　one　just

like　it　to　spare；　so　the　tobacco　king　got　his　quilt　after　all；

and　insisted　on　having　it　spread　on　his　bed；　to　the　disgust　of

his　fashionable　wife。



Mrs。　Lynde's　quilts　served　a　very　useful　purpose　that　winter。

Patty's　Place　for　all　its　many　virtues；　had　its　faults　also。

It　was　really　a　rather　cold　house；　and　when　the　frosty　nights

came　the　girls　were　very　glad　to　snuggle　down　under　Mrs。　Lynde's

quilts；　and　hoped　that　the　loan　of　them　might　be　accounted　unto

her　for　righteousness。　　Anne　had　the　blue　room　she　had　coveted

at　sight。　　Priscilla　and　Stella　had　the　large　one。　　Phil　was

blissfully　content　with　the　little　one　over　the　kitchen；　and

Aunt　Jamesina　was　to　have　the　downstairs　one　off　the　living…room。

Rusty　at　first　slept　on　the　doorstep。



Anne；　walking　home　from　Redmond　a　few　days　after　her　return；

became　aware　that　the　people　that　she　met　surveyed　her　with　a

covert；　indulgent　smile。　　Anne　wondered　uneasily　what　was　the

matter　with　her。　　Was　her　hat　crooked？　　Was　her　belt　loose？

Craning　her　head　to　investigate；　Anne；　for　the　first　time；

saw　Rusty。



Trotting　along　behind　her；　close　to　her　heels；　was　quite　the

most　forlorn　specimen　of　the　cat　tribe　she　had　ever　beheld。

The　animal　was　well　past　kitten…hood；　lank；　thin；　disreputable

looking。　　Pieces　of　both　ears　were　lacking；　one　eye　was

temporarily　out　of　repair；　and　one　jowl　ludicrously　swollen。

As　for　color；