anne of the island- 第23部分

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；　if　a　once　black　cat　had　been　well　and　thoroughly

singed　the　result　would　have　resembled　the　hue　of　this　waif's

thin；　draggled；　unsightly　fur。



Anne　〃shooed；〃　but　the　cat　would　not　〃shoo。〃　　As　long　as　she

stood　he　sat　back　on　his　haunches　and　gazed　at　her　reproachfully

out　of　his　one　good　eye；　when　she　resumed　her　walk　he　followed。

Anne　resigned　herself　to　his　company　until　she　reached　the　gate

of　Patty's　Place；　which　she　coldly　shut　in　his　face；　fondly

supposing　she　had　seen　the　last　of　him。　　But　when；　fifteen

minutes　later；　Phil　opened　the　door；　there　sat　the　rusty…brown

cat　on　the　step。　　More；　he　promptly　darted　in　and　sprang　upon

Anne's　lap　with　a　half…pleading；　half…triumphant　〃miaow。〃



〃Anne；〃　said　Stella　severely；　〃do　you　own　that　animal？〃



〃No；　I　do　NOT；〃　protested　disgusted　Anne。　　〃The　creature　followed

me　home　from　somewhere。　　I　couldn't　get　rid　of　him。　　Ugh；　get　down。

I　like　decent　cats　reasonably　well；　but　I　don't　like　beasties　of

your　complexion。〃



Pussy；　however；　refused　to　get　down。　　He　coolly　curled　up　in

Anne's　lap　and　began　to　purr。



〃He　has　evidently　adopted　you；〃　laughed　Priscilla。



〃I　won't　BE　adopted；〃　said　Anne　stubbornly。



〃The　poor　creature　is　starving；〃　said　Phil　pityingly。　　〃Why；　his

bones　are　almost　coming　through　his　skin。〃



〃Well；　I'll　give　him　a　square　meal　and　then　he　must　return　to

whence　he　came；〃　said　Anne　resolutely。



The　cat　was　fed　and　put　out。　　In　the　morning　he　was　still

on　the　doorstep。　　On　the　doorstep　he　continued　to　sit；　bolting

in　whenever　the　door　was　opened。　　No　coolness　of　welcome　had

the　least　effect　on　him；　of　nobody　save　Anne　did　he　take　the

least　notice。　　Out　of　compassion　the　girls　fed　him；　but　when

a　week　had　passed　they　decided　that　something　must　be　done。

The　cat's　appearance　had　improved。　　His　eye　and　cheek　had

resumed　their　normal　appearance；　he　was　not　quite　so　thin；

and　he　had　been　seen　washing　his　face。



〃But　for　all　that　we　can't　keep　him；〃　said　Stella。　　〃Aunt　Jimsie

is　coming　next　week　and　she　will　bring　the　Sarah…cat　with　her。



We　can't　keep　two　cats；　and　if　we　did　this　Rusty　Coat　would

fight　all　the　time　with　the　Sarah…cat。　　He's　a　fighter　by　nature。

He　had　a　pitched　battle　last　evening　with　the　tobacco…king's　cat

and　routed　him；　horse；　foot　and　artillery。〃



〃We　must　get　rid　of　him；〃　agreed　Anne；　looking　darkly　at　the

subject　of　their　discussion；　who　was　purring　on　the　hearth　rug

with　an　air　of　lamb…like　meekness。　　〃But　the　question　is　　how？

How　can　four　unprotected　females　get　rid　of　a　cat　who　won't　be

got　rid　of？〃



We　must　chloroform　him；〃　said　Phil　briskly。　　〃That　is　the　most

humane　way。〃



〃Who　of　us　knows　anything　about　chloroforming　a　cat？〃　demanded

Anne　gloomily。



〃I　do；　honey。　　It's　one　of　my　few　　sadly　few　　useful　accomplishments。

I've　disposed　of　several　at　home。　　You　take　the　cat　in　the　morning　and

give　him　a　good　breakfast。　　Then　you　take　an　old　burlap　bag　　there's

one　in　the　back　porch　　put　the　cat　on　it　and　turn　over　him　a　wooden　box。

Then　take　a　two…ounce　bottle　of　chloroform；　uncork　it；　and　slip　it　under

the　edge　of　the　box。　　Put　a　heavy　weight　on　top　of　the　box　and　leave　it

till　evening。　　The　cat　will　be　dead；　curled　up　peacefully　as　if　he

were　asleep。　　No　pain　　no　struggle。〃



〃It　sounds　easy；〃　said　Anne　dubiously。



〃It　IS　easy。　　Just　leave　it　to　me。　　I'll　see　to　it；〃　said　Phil　reassuringly。



Accordingly　the　chloroform　was　procured；　and　the　next　morning　Rusty　was

lured　to　his　doom。　　He　ate　his　breakfast；　licked　his　chops；　and　climbed

into　Anne's　lap。　　Anne's　heart　misgave　her。　　This　poor　creature　loved　her

　trusted　her。　　How　could　she　be　a　party　to　this　destruction？



〃Here；　take　him；〃　she　said　hastily　to　Phil。　　〃I　feel　like　a　murderess。〃



〃He　won't　suffer；　you　know；〃　comforted　Phil；　but　Anne　had　fled。



The　fatal　deed　was　done　in　the　back　porch。　　Nobody　went　near　it

that　day。　　But　at　dusk　Phil　declared　that　Rusty　must　be　buried。



〃Pris　and　Stella　must　dig　his　grave　in　the　orchard；〃　declared　Phil；

〃and　Anne　must　come　with　me　to　lift　the　box　off。　　That's　the　part

I　always　hate。〃



The　two　conspirators　tip…toed　reluctantly　to　the　back　porch。

Phil　gingerly　lifted　the　stone　she　had　put　on　the　box。　　Suddenly；

faint　but　distinct；　sounded　an　unmistakable　mew　under　the　box。



〃He　　he　isn't　dead；〃　gasped　Anne；　sitting　blankly　down　on　the

kitchen　doorstep。



〃He　must　be；〃　said　Phil　incredulously。



Another　tiny　mew　proved　that　he　wasn't。　　The　two　girls　stared　at

each　other。〃



What　will　we　do？〃　questioned　Anne。



〃Why　in　the　world　don't　you　come？〃　demanded　Stella；　appearing　in

the　doorway。　　〃We've　got　the　grave　ready。　　‘What　silent　still　and

silent　all？'〃　she　quoted　teasingly。



〃‘Oh；　no；　the　voices　of　the　dead　Sound　like　the　distant　torrent's　fall；'〃

promptly　counter…quoted　Anne；　pointing　solemnly　to　the　box。