anne of the island- 第12部分

the　conductor　was　holding　out　his　box　to　the　passenger　next　to　me；

I　suddenly　remembered　where　I　had　put　that　wretched　coin　of　the　realm。

I　hadn't　swallowed　it　after　all。　　I　meekly　fished　it　out　of　the

index　finger　of　my　glove　and　poked　it　in　the　box。　　I　smiled　at

everybody　and　felt　that　it　was　a　beautiful　world。〃



The　visit　to　Echo　Lodge　was　not　the　least　pleasant　of　many

pleasant　holiday　outings。　　Anne　and　Diana　went　back　to　it　by　the

old　way　of　the　beech　woods；　carrying　a　lunch　basket　with　them。

Echo　Lodge；　which　had　been　closed　ever　since　Miss　Lavendar's

wedding；　was　briefly　thrown　open　to　wind　and　sunshine　once　more；

and　firelight　glimmered　again　in　the　little　rooms。　　The　perfume

of　Miss　Lavendar's　rose　bowl　still　filled　the　air。　　It　was　hardly

possible　to　believe　that　Miss　Lavendar　would　not　come　tripping　in

presently；　with　her　brown　eyes　a…star　with　welcome；　and　that

Charlotta　the　Fourth；　blue　of　bow　and　wide　of　smile；　would　not

pop　through　the　door。　　Paul；　too；　seemed　hovering　around；　with

his　fairy　fancies。



〃It　really　makes　me　feel　a　little　bit　like　a　ghost　revisiting　the

old　time　glimpses　of　the　moon；〃　laughed　Anne。　　〃Let's　go　out　and

see　if　the　echoes　are　at　home。　　Bring　the　old　horn。　　It　is　still

behind　the　kitchen　door。〃



The　echoes　were　at　home；　over　the　white　river；　as　silver…clear

and　multitudinous　as　ever；　and　when　they　had　ceased　to　answer　the

girls　locked　up　Echo　Lodge　again　and　went　away　in　the　perfect

half　hour　that　follows　the　rose　and　saffron　of　a　winter　sunset。









Chapter　VIII



Anne's　First　Proposal





The　old　year　did　not　slip　away　in　a　green　twilight；　with　a

pinky…yellow　sunset。　　Instead；　it　went　out　with　a　wild；　white

bluster　and　blow。　　It　was　one　of　the　nights　when　the　storm…wind

hurtles　over　the　frozen　meadows　and　black　hollows；　and　moans

around　the　eaves　like　a　lost　creature；　and　drives　the　snow

sharply　against　the　shaking　panes。



〃Just　the　sort　of　night　people　like　to　cuddle　down　between　their

blankets　and　count　their　mercies；〃　said　Anne　to　Jane　Andrews；　who

had　come　up　to　spend　the　afternoon　and　stay　all　night。　　But　when

they　were　cuddled　between　their　blankets；　in　Anne's　little　porch

room；　it　was　not　her　mercies　of　which　Jane　was　thinking。



〃Anne；〃　she　said　very　solemnly；　〃I　want　to　tell　you　something。　　May　I〃



Anne　was　feeling　rather　sleepy　after　the　party　Ruby　Gillis　had

given　the　night　before。　　She　would　much　rather　have　gone　to　sleep

than　listen　to　Jane's　confidences；　which　she　was　sure　would　bore　her。

She　had　no　prophetic　inkling　of　what　was　coming。　　Probably　Jane　was

engaged；　too；　rumor　averred　that　Ruby　Gillis　was　engaged　to　the

Spencervale　schoolteacher；　about　whom　all　the　girls　were　said

to　be　quite　wild。



〃I'll　soon　be　the　only　fancy…free　maiden　of　our　old　quartet；〃

thought　Anne；　drowsily。　　Aloud　she　said；　〃Of　course。〃



〃Anne；〃　said　Jane；　still　more　solemnly；　〃what　do　you　think　of　my

brother　Billy？〃



Anne　gasped　over　this　unexpected　question；　and　floundered

helplessly　in　her　thoughts。　　Goodness；　what　DID　she　think　of

Billy　Andrews？　　She　had　never　thought　ANYTHING　about　him　

round…faced；　stupid；　perpetually　smiling；　good…natured　Billy

Andrews。　　Did　ANYBODY　ever　think　about　Billy　Andrews？



〃I　　I　don't　understand；　Jane；〃　she　stammered。　　〃What　do　you

mean　　exactly？〃



〃Do　you　like　Billy？〃　asked　Jane　bluntly。



〃Why　　why　　yes；　I　like　him；　of　course；〃　gasped　Anne；

wondering　if　she　were　telling　the　literal　truth。　　Certainly　she

did　not　DISlike　Billy。　　But　could　the　indifferent　tolerance　with

which　she　regarded　him；　when　he　happened　to　be　in　her　range　of

vision；　be　considered　positive　enough　for　liking？　　WHAT　was　Jane

trying　to　elucidate？



〃Would　you　like　him　for　a　husband？〃　asked　Jane　calmly。



〃A　husband！〃　　Anne　had　been　sitting　up　in　bed；　the　better　to

wrestle　with　the　problem　of　her　exact　opinion　of　Billy　Andrews。

Now　she　fell　flatly　back　on　her　pillows；　the　very　breath　gone

out　of　her。　　〃Whose　husband？〃



〃Yours；　of　course；〃　answered　Jane。　　〃Billy　wants　to　marry　you。

He's　always　been　crazy　about　you　　and　now　father　has　given　him

the　upper　farm　in　his　own　name　and　there's　nothing　to　prevent　him

from　getting　married。　　But　he's　so　shy　he　couldn't　ask　you

himself　if　you'd　have　him；　so　he　got　me　to　do　it。　　I'd　rather　not

have；　but　he　gave　me　no　peace　till　I　said　I　would；　if　I　got　a

good　chance。　　What　do　you　think　about　it；　Anne？〃



Was　it　a　dream？　　Was　it　one　of　those　nightmare　things　in　which

you　find　yourself　engaged　or　married　to　some　one　you　hate　or

don't　know；　without　the　slightest　idea　how　it　ever　came　about？

No；　she；　Anne　Shirley；　was　lying　there；　wide　awake；　in　her　own　bed；

and　Jane　Andrews　was　beside　her；　calmly　proposing　for　her　brother　Billy。

Anne　did　not　know　whether　she　wanted　to　writhe　or　laugh；　but　she　could

do　neither；　for　Jane's　feelings　must　not　be　hurt。



〃I　　I　couldn't　marry　Bill；　you　know；　Jane；〃　she　managed　to　gasp。

〃Why；　such　an　idea　never　occurred　to　me　　never！〃



〃I　don't　suppose　it　did；〃　agreed　Jane。　　〃Billy　has　always　been　far

too　shy　to　think　of　courting。　　But　you　might　think　it　over；　Anne。

Billy　is　a　good　fellow。　　I　must　say　that；　if　he　is　my　brother。

He　has　no　bad　habits　and　he's　a　great　worker；　and　you　can　depend

on　him。　　‘A　bird　in　the　hand　is　worth　two　in　the　bush。'　He　told　me　to

tell　you　he'd　be　quite　willing　to　wait　till　you　got　through　college；

if　you　insisted；　though　he'd　RATHER　get　married　this　spring　before

the　planting　begins。　　He'd　always　be　very　good　to　you；　I'm　sure；

and　you　know；　Anne；　I'd　love　to　have　you　for　a　sister。〃



〃I　can't　marry　Billy；〃　said　Anne　decidedly。　　She　had　recovered

her　wits；　and　was　even　feeling　a　little　angry。　　It　was　all　so

ridiculous。　　〃There　is　no　use　thinking　of　it；　Jane。　　I　don't　care

anything　for　him　in　that　way；　and　you　must　tell　him　so。〃



〃Well；　I　didn't　suppose　you　would；〃　said　Jane　with　a　resigned

sigh；　feeling　that　she　had　done　her　best。　　〃I　told　Billy　I　didn't

believe　it　was　a　bit　of　use　to　ask　you；　but　he　insisted。　　Well；

you've　made　your　decision；　Anne；　and　I　hope　you　won't　regret　it。〃



Jane　spoke　rather　coldly。　　She　had　been　perfectly　sure　that　the

enamored　Billy　had　no　chance　at　all　of　inducing　Anne　to　marry　him。

Nevertheless；　she　felt　a　little　resentment　that　Anne　Shirley；

who　was；　after　all；　merely　an　adopted　orphan；　without　kith　or　kin；

should　refuse　her　brother　　one　of　the　Avonlea　Andrews。　　Well；

pride　sometimes　goes　before　a　fall；　Jane　reflected　ominously。



Anne　permitted　herself　to　smile　in　the　darkness　over　the　idea

that　she　might　ever　regret　not　marrying　Billy　Andrews。



〃I　hope　Billy　won't　feel　very　badly　over　it；〃　she　said　nicely。



Jane　made　a　movement　as　if　she　were　tossing　her　head　on　her　pillow。



〃Oh；　he　won't　break　his　heart。　　Billy　has　too　much　good　sense　for　that。

He　likes　Nettie　Blewett　pretty　well；　too；　and　mother　would　rather　he

married　her　than　any　one。　　She's　such　a　good　manager　and　saver。

I　think；　when　Billy　is　once　sure　you　won't　have　him；　he'll　take　Nettie。

Please　don't　mention　this　to　any　one；　will　you；　Anne？〃



〃Certainly　not；〃　said　Anne；　who　had　no　desire　whatever　to　publish

abroad　the　fact　that　Billy　Andrews　wanted　to　marry　her；　preferring　her；

when　all　was　said　and　done；　to　Nettie　Blewett。　　Nettie　Blewett！



〃And　now　I　suppose　we'd　better　go　to　sleep；〃　suggested　Jane。



To　sleep　went　Jane　easily　and　speedily；　but；　though　very　unlike

MacBeth　in　most　respects；　she　had　certainly　contrived　to　murder

sleep　for　Anne。　　That　proposed…to　damsel　lay　on　a　wakeful　pillow

until　the　wee　sma's；　but　her　meditations　were　far　from　being　romantic。

It　was　not；　however；　until　the　next　morning　that　she　had　an　opportunity

to　indulge　in　a　good　laugh　over　the　whole　affair。　　When　Jane　had　gone　home

　still　with　a　hint　of　frost　in　voice　and　manner　because　Anne　had　declined

so　ungratefully　and　decidedly　the　honor　of　an　alliance　with　the　House　of

Andrews　　Anne　retreated　to　the　porch　room；　shut　the　door；　and　had　her

laugh　out　at　last。



〃If　I　could　only　share　the　joke　with　some　one！〃　she　thought。

〃But　I　can't。　　Diana　is　the　only　one　I'd　want　to　tell；　and；　even

if　I　hadn't　sworn　secrecy　to　Jane；　I　can't　tell　Diana　things　now。

She　tells　everything　to　Fred　　I　know　she　does。　　Well；　I've　had

my　first　proposal。　　I　supposed　it　would　come　some　day　　but　I

certainly　never　thought　it　would　be　by　proxy。　　It's　awfully　funny

　and　yet　there's　a　sting　in　it；　too；　somehow。〃



Anne　knew　quite　well　wherein　the　sting　consisted；　though　she

did　not　put　it　into　words。　　She　had　had　her　secret　dreams　of

the　first　time　some　one　should　ask　her　the　great　question。

And　it　had；　in　those　dreams；　always　been　very　romantic　and　beautiful：

and　the　〃some　one〃　was　to　be　very　handsome　and　dark…eyed　and

distinguished…looking　and　eloquent；　whether　he　were　Prince　Charming

to　be　enraptured　with　〃yes；〃　or　one　to　whom　a　regretful；　beautifully

worded；　but　hopeless　refusal　must　be　given。　　If　the　latter；　the

refusal　was　to　be　expressed　so　delicately　that　it　would　be　next　best

thing　to　acceptance；　and　he　would　go　away；　after　kissing　her　hand；

assuring　her　of　his　unalterable；　life…long　devotion。　　And　it　would

always　be　a　beautiful　memory；　to　be　proud　of　and　a　little　sad　about；　also。



And　now；　this　thrilling　experience　had　turned　out　to　be　merely　grotesque。

Billy　Andrews　had　got　his　sister　to　propose　for　him　because　his　father　had

given　him　the　upper　farm；　and　if　Anne　wouldn't　〃have　him〃　Nettie　Blewett　would。

There　was　romance　for　you；　with　a　vengeance！　　Anne　laughed　　and　then　sighed。

The　bloom　had　been　brushed　from　one　little　maiden　dream。　　Would　the　painful

process　go　on　until　everything　became　prosaic　and　hum…drum？









Chapter　IX





An　Unwelcome　Lover　and　a　Welcome　Friend





The　second　term　at　Redmond　sped　as　quickly　as　had　the　first　

〃actually　whizzed　away；〃　Philippa　said。　　Anne　enjoye