anne of the island- 第15部分

possession　when　you　choose。　　We　shall　pack　away　a　few　things　we

prize　especially；　but　all　the　rest　will　be　left。〃



〃Will　you　leave　the　china　dogs？〃　asked　Anne　timidly。



〃Would　you　like　me　to？〃



〃Oh；　indeed；　yes。　　They　are　delightful。〃



A　pleased　expression　came　into　Miss　Patty's　face。



〃I　think　a　great　deal　of　those　dogs；〃　she　said　proudly。　　〃They　are

over　a　hundred　years　old；　and　they　have　sat　on　either　side　of　this

fireplace　ever　since　my　brother　Aaron　brought　them　from　London

fifty　years　ago。　　Spofford　Avenue　was　called　after　my　brother　Aaron。〃



〃A　fine　man　he　was；〃　said　Miss　Maria；　speaking　for　the　first　time。

〃Ah；　you　don't　see　the　like　of　him　nowadays。〃



〃He　was　a　good　uncle　to　you；　Maria；〃　said　Miss　Patty；　with　evident　emotion。

〃You　do　well　to　remember　him。〃



〃I　shall　always　remember　him；〃　said　Miss　Maria　solemnly。　　〃I　can　see　him；

this　minute；　standing　there　before　that　fire；　with　his　hands　under　his

coat…tails；　beaming　on　us。〃



Miss　Maria　took　out　her　handkerchief　and　wiped　her　eyes；　but　Miss　Patty

came　resolutely　back　from　the　regions　of　sentiment　to　those　of　business。



〃I　shall　leave　the　dogs　where　they　are；　if　you　will　promise　to　be

very　careful　of　them；〃　she　said。　　〃Their　names　are　Gog　and　Magog。

Gog　looks　to　the　right　and　Magog　to　the　left。　　And　there's　just

one　thing　more。　　You　don't　object；　I　hope；　to　this　house　being

called　Patty's　Place？〃



〃No；　indeed。　　We　think　that　is　one　of　the　nicest　things　about　it。〃



〃You　have　sense；　I　see；〃　said　Miss　Patty　in　a　tone　of　great　satisfaction。

〃Would　you　believe　it？　　All　the　people　who　came　here　to　rent　the　house

wanted　to　know　if　they　couldn't　take　the　name　off　the　gate　during　their

occupation　of　it。　　I　told　them　roundly　that　the　name　went　with　the　house。

This　has　been　Patty's　Place　ever　since　my　brother　Aaron　left　it　to　me　in

his　will；　and　Patty's　Place　it　shall　remain　until　I　die　and　Maria　dies。

After　that　happens　the　next　possessor　can　call　it　any　fool　name　he　likes；〃

concluded　Miss　Patty；　much　as　she　might　have　said；　〃After　that　　the　deluge。〃

〃And　now；　wouldn't　you　like　to　go　over　the　house　and　see　it　all　before　we

consider　the　bargain　made？〃



Further　exploration　still　further　delighted　the　girls。　　Besides　the

big　living…room；　there　was　a　kitchen　and　a　small　bedroom　downstairs。

Upstairs　were　three　rooms；　one　large　and　two　small。　　Anne　took　an

especial　fancy　to　one　of　the　small　ones；　looking　out　into　the　big　pines；

and　hoped　it　would　be　hers。　　It　was　papered　in　pale　blue　and　had　a

little；　old…timey　toilet　table　with　sconces　for　candles。　　There　was

a　diamond…paned　window　with　a　seat　under　the　blue　muslin　frills　that

would　be　a　satisfying　spot　for　studying　or　dreaming。



〃It's　all　so　delicious　that　I　know　we　are　going　to　wake　up　and　find

it　a　fleeting　vision　of　the　night；〃　said　Priscilla　as　they　went　away。



〃Miss　Patty　and　Miss　Maria　are　hardly　such　stuff　as　dreams　are

made　of；〃　laughed　Anne。　　〃Can　you　fancy　them　‘globe…trotting'　

especially　in　those　shawls　and　caps？〃



〃I　suppose　they'll　take　them　off　when　they　really　begin　to　trot；〃

said　Priscilla；　〃but　I　know　they'll　take　their　knitting　with

them　everywhere。　　They　simply　couldn't　be　parted　from　it。

They　will　walk　about　Westminster　Abbey　and　knit；　I　feel　sure。

Meanwhile；　Anne；　we　shall　be　living　in　Patty's　Place　　and　on

Spofford　Avenue。　　I　feel　like　a　millionairess　even　now。〃



〃I　feel　like　one　of　the　morning　stars　that　sang　for　joy；〃　said　Anne。



Phil　Gordon　crept　into　Thirty…eight；　St。　John's；　that　night　and

flung　herself　on　Anne's　bed。



〃Girls；　dear；　I'm　tired　to　death。　　I　feel　like　the　man　without　a　country　

or　was　it　without　a　shadow？　　I　forget　which。　　Anyway；　I've　been　packing　up。〃



〃And　I　suppose　you　are　worn　out　because　you　couldn't　decide　which

things　to　pack　first；　or　where　to　put　them；〃　laughed　Priscilla。



〃E…zackly。　　And　when　I　had　got　everything　jammed　in　somehow；　and

my　landlady　and　her　maid　had　both　sat　on　it　while　I　locked　it；　I

discovered　I　had　packed　a　whole　lot　of　things　I　wanted　for

Convocation　at　the　very　bottom。　　I　had　to　unlock　the　old　thing

and　poke　and　dive　into　it　for　an　hour　before　I　fished　out　what　I

wanted。　　I　would　get　hold　of　something　that　felt　like　what　I　was

looking　for；　and　I'd　yank　it　up；　and　it　would　be　something　else。

No；　Anne；　I　did　NOT　swear。〃



〃I　didn't　say　you　did。〃



〃Well；　you　looked　it。　　But　I　admit　my　thoughts　verged　on　the　profane。

And　I　have　such　a　cold　in　the　head　　I　can　do　nothing　but　sniffle；

sigh　and　sneeze。　　Isn't　that　alliterative　agony　for　you？　　Queen　Anne；

do　say　something　to　cheer　me　up。〃



〃Remember　that　next　Thursday　night；　you'll　be　back　in　the　land　of

Alec　and　Alonzo；〃　suggested　Anne。



Phil　shook　her　head　dolefully。



〃More　alliteration。　　No；　I　don't　want　Alec　and　Alonzo　when　I　have

a　cold　in　the　head。　　But　what　has　happened　you　two？　　Now　that　I　look

at　you　closely　you　seem　all　lighted　up　with　an　internal　iridescence。

Why；　you're　actually　SHINING！　　What's　up？〃



〃We　are　going　to　live　in　Patty's　Place　next　winter；〃　said　Anne　triumphantly。

〃Live；　mark　you；　not　board！　　We've　rented　it；　and　Stella　Maynard　is　coming；

and　her　aunt　is　going　to　keep　house　for　us。〃



Phil　bounced　up；　wiped　her　nose；　and　fell　on　her　knees　before　Anne。



〃Girls　　girls　　let　me　come；　too。　　Oh；　I'll　be　so　good。　　If

there's　no　room　for　me　I'll　sleep　in　the　little　doghouse　in　the

orchard　　I've　seen　it。　　Only　let　me　come。〃



〃Get　up；　you　goose。〃



〃I　won't　stir　off　my　marrow　bones　till　you　tell　me　I　can　live

with　you　next　winter。〃



Anne　and　Priscilla　looked　at　each　other。　　Then　Anne　said　slowly；

〃Phil　dear；　we'd　love　to　have　you。　　But　we　may　as　well　speak　plainly。

I'm　poor　　Pris　is　poor　　Stella　Maynard　is　poor　　our　housekeeping

will　have　to　be　very　simple　and　our　table　plain。　　You'd　have　to　live　as

we　would。　　Now；　you　are　rich　and　your　boardinghouse　fare　attests　the　fact。〃



〃Oh；　what　do　I　care　for　that？〃　demanded　Phil　tragically。

〃Better　a　dinner　of　herbs　where　your　chums　are　than　a　stalled　ox

in　a　lonely　boardinghouse。　　Don't　think　I'm　ALL　stomach；　girls。

I'll　be　willing　to　live　on　bread　and　water　　with　just　a　LEETLE

jam　　if　you'll　let　me　come。〃



〃And　then；〃　continued　Anne；　〃there　will　be　a　good　deal　of　work　to　be　done。

Stella's　aunt　can't　do　it　all。　　We　all　expect　to　have　our　chores　to　do。

Now；　you　　〃



〃Toil　not；　neither　do　I　spin；〃　finished　Philippa。　　〃But　I'll　learn

to　do　things。　　You'll　only　have　to　show　me　once。　　I　CAN　make　my

own　bed　to　begin　with。　　And　remember　that；　though　I　can't　cook；

I　CAN　keep　my　temper。　　That's　something。　　And　I　NEVER　growl　about

the　weather。　　That's　more。　　Oh；　please；　please！　　I　never　wanted

anything　so　much　in　my　life　　and　this　floor　is　awfully　hard。〃



〃There's　just　one　more　thing；〃　said　Priscilla　resolutely。

〃You；　Phil；　as　all　Redmond　knows；　entertain　callers　almost　every

evening。　　Now；　at　Patty's　Place　we　can't　do　that。　　We　have　decided

that　we　shall　be　at　home　to　our　friends　on　Friday　evenings　only。

If　you　come　with　us　you'll　have　to　abide　by　that　rule。〃



〃Well；　you　don't　think　I'll　mind　that；　do　you？　　Why；　I'm　glad　of　it。

I　knew　I　should　have　had　some　such　rule　myself；　but　I　hadn't

enough　decision　to　make　it　or　stick　to　it。　　When　I　can　shuffle

off　the　responsibility　on　you　it　will　be　a　real　relief。　　If　you

won't　let　me　cast　in　my　lot　with　you　I'll　die　of　the　disappointment

and　then　I'll　come　back　and　haunt　you。　　I'll　camp　on　the　very　doorstep

of　Patty's　Place　and　you　won't　be　able　to　go　out　or　come　in　without

falling　over　my　spook。〃



Again　Anne　and　Priscilla　exchanged　eloquent　looks。



〃Well；〃　said　Anne；　〃of　course　we　can't　promise　to　take　you　until

we've　consulted　with　Stella；　but　I　don't　think　she'll　object；

and；　as　far　as　we　are　concerned；　you　may　come　and　glad　welcome。〃



〃If　you　get　tired　of　our　simple　life　you　can　leave　us；　and　no

questions　asked；〃　added　Priscilla。



Phil　sprang　up；　hugged　them　both　jubilantly；　and　went　on　her　way

rejoicing。



〃I　hope　things　will　go　right；〃　said　Priscilla　soberly。



〃We　must　MAKE　them　go　right；〃　avowed　Anne。　　〃I　think　Phil　will

fit　into　our　'appy　little　'ome　very　well。〃



〃Oh；　Phil's　a　dear　to　rattle　round　with　and　be　chums。　　And；　of　course；

the　more　there　are　of　us　the　easier　it　will　be　on　our　slim　purses。

But　how　will　she　be　to　live　with？　　You　have　to　summer　and　winter　with

any　one　before　you　know　if　she's　LIVABLE　or　not。〃



〃Oh；　well；　we'll　all　be　put　to　the　test；　as　far　as　that　goes。

And　we　must　quit　us　like　sensible　folk；　living　and　let　live。

Phil　isn't　selfish；　though　she's　a　little　thoughtless；　and　I

believe　we　will　all　get　on　beautifully　in　Patty's　Place。〃









Chapter　XI



The　Round　of　Life





Anne　was　back　in　Avonlea　with　the　luster　of　the　Thorburn　Scholarship

on　her　brow。　　People　told　her　she　hadn't　changed　much；　in　a　tone

which　hinted　they　were　surprised　and　a　little　disappointed　she　hadn't。

Avonlea　had　not　changed；　either。　　At　least；　so　it　seemed　at　first。

But　as　Anne　sat　in　the　Green　Gables　pew；　on　the　first　Sunday　after

her　return；　and　looked　over　the　congregation；　she　saw　several　little

changes　which；　all　coming　home　to　her　at　once；　made　her　realize　that

time　did　not　quite　stand　still；　even　in　Avonlea。　　A　new　minister　was　in

the　pulpit。　　In　the　pews　more　than　one　familiar　face　was　missing　forever。

Old　〃Uncle　Abe；〃　his　prophesying　over　and　done　with；　Mrs。　Peter　Sloane；

who　had　sighed；　it　was　to　be　hoped；　for　the　last　time；　Timothy　Cotton；

who；　as　Mrs。　Rachel　Lynde　said　〃had　actually　managed　to　die　at　last

after　practicing　at　it　for　twenty　years；〃　and　old　Josiah　Sloane；　whom

nobody　knew　in　his　coffin　because　he　had　his　whiskers　neatly　trimmed；

were　all　sleeping　in　the　little　graveyard　behind　the　church。　　And　Billy

Andrews　was　married　to　Nettie　Blewett！　　They　〃appeared　out〃　that　Sunday。

When　Billy；　beaming　with　pride