anne of the island- 第31部分

on　the　harbor　rocks？〃



〃If　I　was　as　young　as　you；　I'd　decide　in　favor　of　the　park；〃　said

Aunt　Jamesina；　tickling　Joseph's　yellow　ear　with　a　knitting　needle。



〃I　thought　that　you　claimed　to　be　as　young　as　any　of　us；　Aunty；〃

teased　Anne。



〃Yes；　in　my　soul。　　But　I'll　admit　my　legs　aren't　as　young　as　yours。

You　go　and　get　some　fresh　air；　Anne。　　You　look　pale　lately。〃



〃I　think　I'll　go　to　the　park；〃　said　Anne　restlessly。　　〃I　don't

feel　like　tame　domestic　joys　today。　　I　want　to　feel　alone　and

free　and　wild。　　The　park　will　be　empty；　for　every　one　will　be　at

the　football　match。〃



〃Why　didn't　you　go　to　it？〃



〃‘Nobody　axed　me；　sir；　she　said'　　at　least；　nobody　but　that

horrid　little　Dan　Ranger。　　I　wouldn't　go　anywhere　with　him；

but　rather　than　hurt　his　poor　little　tender　feelings　I　said　I

wasn't　going　to　the　game　at　all。　　I　don't　mind。　　I'm　not　in

the　mood　for　football　today　somehow。〃



〃You　go　and　get　some　fresh　air；〃　repeated　Aunt　Jamesina；　〃but　take

your　umbrella；　for　I　believe　it's　going　to　rain。　　I've　rheumatism

in　my　leg。〃



〃Only　old　people　should　have　rheumatism；　Aunty。〃



〃Anybody　is　liable　to　rheumatism　in　her　legs；　Anne。　　It's　only

old　people　who　should　have　rheumatism　in　their　souls；　though。

Thank　goodness；　I　never　have。　　When　you　get　rheumatism　in　your

soul　you　might　as　well　go　and　pick　out　your　coffin。〃



It　was　November　　the　month　of　crimson　sunsets；　parting　birds；

deep；　sad　hymns　of　the　sea；　passionate　wind…songs　in　the　pines。

Anne　roamed　through　the　pineland　alleys　in　the　park　and；　as　she

said；　let　that　great　sweeping　wind　blow　the　fogs　out　of　her　soul。

Anne　was　not　wont　to　be　troubled　with　soul　fog。　　But；　somehow；　since

her　return　to　Redmond　for　this　third　year；　life　had　not　mirrored

her　spirit　back　to　her　with　its　old；　perfect；　sparkling　clearness。



Outwardly；　existence　at　Patty's　Place　was　the　same　pleasant

round　of　work　and　study　and　recreation　that　it　had　always　been。

On　Friday　evenings　the　big；　fire…lighted　livingroom　was　crowded　by

callers　and　echoed　to　endless　jest　and　laughter；　while　Aunt　Jamesina

smiled　beamingly　on　them　all。　　The　〃Jonas〃　of　Phil's　letter　came　often；

running　up　from　St。　Columbia　on　the　early　train　and　departing　on　the　late。

He　was　a　general　favorite　at　Patty's　Place；　though　Aunt　Jamesina　shook　her

head　and　opined　that　divinity　students　were　not　what　they　used　to　be。



〃He's　VERY　nice；　my　dear；〃　she　told　Phil；　〃but　ministers　ought　to　be

graver　and　more　dignified。〃



〃Can't　a　man　laugh　and　laugh　and　be　a　Christian　still？〃　demanded　Phil。



〃Oh；　MEN　　yes。　　But　I　was　speaking　of　MINISTERS；　my　dear；〃

said　Aunt　Jamesina　rebukingly。〃　　And　you　shouldn't　flirt　so　with

Mr。　Blake　　you　really　shouldn't。〃



〃I'm　not　flirting　with　him；〃　protested　Phil。



Nobody　believed　her；　except　Anne。　　The　others　thought　she　was　amusing

herself　as　usual；　and　told　her　roundly　that　she　was　behaving　very　badly。



〃Mr。　Blake　isn't　of　the　Alec…and…Alonzo　type；　Phil；〃　said　Stella　severely。

〃He　takes　things　seriously。　　You　may　break　his　heart。〃



〃Do　you　really　think　I　could？〃　asked　Phil。　　〃I'd　love　to　think　so。〃



〃Philippa　Gordon！　　I　never　thought　you　were　utterly　unfeeling。

The　idea　of　you　saying　you'd　love　to　break　a　man's　heart！〃



〃I　didn't　say　so；　honey。　　Quote　me　correctly。　　I　said　I'd　like　to　think

I　COULD　break　it。　　I　would　like　to　know　I　had　the　POWER　to　do　it。〃



〃I　don't　understand　you；　Phil。　　You　are　leading　that　man　on　deliberately

　and　you　know　you　don't　mean　anything　by　it。〃



〃I　mean　to　make　him　ask　me　to　marry　him　if　I　can；〃　said　Phil　calmly。



〃I　give　you　up；〃　said　Stella　hopelessly。



Gilbert　came　occasionally　on　Friday　evenings。　　He　seemed

always　in　good　spirits；　and　held　his　own　in　the　jests　and

repartee　that　flew　about。　　He　neither　sought　nor　avoided　Anne。

When　circumstances　brought　them　in　contact　he　talked　to　her

pleasantly　and　courteously；　as　to　any　newly…made　acquaintance。

The　old　camaraderie　was　gone　entirely。　　Anne　felt　it　keenly；

but　she　told　herself　she　was　very　glad　and　thankful　that　Gilbert

had　got　so　completely　over　his　disappointment　in　regard　to　her。

She　had　really　been　afraid；　that　April　evening　in　the　orchard；

that　she　had　hurt　him　terribly　and　that　the　wound　would　be

long　in　healing。　　Now　she　saw　that　she　need　not　have　worried。

Men　have　died　and　the　worms　have　eaten　them　but　not　for　love。

Gilbert　evidently　was　in　no　danger　of　immediate　dissolution。

He　was　enjoying　life；　and　he　was　full　of　ambition　and　zest。

For　him　there　was　to　be　no　wasting　in　despair　because　a　woman

was　fair　and　cold。　　Anne；　as　she　listened　to　the　ceaseless　badinage

that　went　on　between　him　and　Phil；　wondered　if　she　had　only　imagined

that　look　in　his　eyes　when　she　had　told　him　she　could　never　care　for　him。



There　were　not　lacking　those　who　would　gladly　have　stepped　into

Gilbert's　vacant　place。　　But　Anne　snubbed　them　without　fear　and

without　reproach。　　If　the　real　Prince　Charming　was　never　to　come

she　would　have　none　of　a　substitute。　　So　she　sternly　told　herself

that　gray　day　in　the　windy　park。



Suddenly　the　rain　of　Aunt　Jamesina's　prophecy　came　with　a　swish

and　rush。　　Anne　put　up　her　umbrella　and　hurried　down　the　slope。

As　she　turned　out　on　the　harbor　road　a　savage　gust　of　wind　tore

along　it。　　Instantly　her　umbrella　turned　wrong　side　out。　　Anne

clutched　at　it　in　despair。　　And　then　　there　came　a　voice

close　to　her。



〃Pardon　me　　may　I　offer　you　the　shelter　of　my　umbrella？〃



Anne　looked　up。　　Tall　and　handsome　and　distinguished…looking

　dark；　melancholy；　inscrutable　eyes　　melting；　musical；

sympathetic　voice　　yes；　the　very　hero　of　her　dreams　stood

before　her　in　the　flesh。　　He　could　not　have　more　closely

resembled　her　ideal　if　he　had　been　made　to　order。



〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　confusedly。



〃We'd　better　hurry　over　to　that　little　pavillion　on　the　point；〃

suggested　the　unknown。　　〃We　can　wait　there　until　this　shower

is　over。　　It　is　not　likely　to　rain　so　heavily　very　long。〃



The　words　were　very　commonplace；　but　oh；　the　tone！　　And　the　smile

which　accompanied　them！　　Anne　felt　her　heart　beating　strangely。



Together　they　scurried　to　the　pavilion　and　sat　breathlessly　down

under　its　friendly　roof。　　Anne　laughingly　held　up　her　false　umbrella。



〃It　is　when　my　umbrella　turns　inside　out　that　I　am　convinced　of

the　total　depravity　of　inanimate　things；〃　she　said　gaily。



The　raindrops　sparkled　on　her　shining　hair；　its　loosened　rings

curled　around　her　neck　and　forehead。　　Her　cheeks　were　flushed；

her　eyes　big　and　starry。　　Her　companion　looked　down　at　her

admiringly。　　She　felt　herself　blushing　under　his　gaze。

Who　could　he　be？　　Why；　there　was　a　bit　of　the　Redmond　white　and

scarlet　pinned　to　his　coat　lapel。　　Yet　she　had　thought　she　knew；

by　sight　at　least；　all　the　Redmond　students　except　the　Freshmen。

And　this　courtly　youth　surely　was　no　Freshman。



〃We　are　schoolmates；　I　see；〃　he　said；　smiling　at　Anne's　colors。

〃That　ought　to　be　sufficient　introduction。　　My　name　is　Royal　Gardner。

And　you　are　the　Miss　Shirley　who　read　the　Tennyson　paper　at　the

Philomathic　the　other　evening；　aren't　you？〃



〃Yes；　but　I　cannot　place　you　at　all；〃　said　Anne；　frankly。

〃Please；　where　DO　you　belong？〃



〃I　feel　as　if　I　didn't　belong　anywhere　yet。　　I　put　in　my　Freshman

and　Sophomore　years　at　Redmond　two　years　ago。　　I've　been　in

Europe　ever　since。　　Now　I've　come　back　to　finish　my　Arts　course。〃



〃This　is　my　Junior　year；　too；〃　said　Anne。



〃So　we　are　classmates　as　well　as　collegemates。　　I　am　reconciled

to　the　loss　of　the　years　that　the　locust　has　eaten；〃　said　her

companion；　with　a　world　of　meaning　in　those　wonderful　eyes　of　his。



The　rain　came　steadily　down　for　the　best　part　of　an　hour。　　But

the　time　seemed　really　very　short。　　When　the　clouds　parted　and　a

burst　of　pale　November　sunshine　fell　athwart　the　harbor　and　the

pines　Anne　and　her　companion　walked　home　together。　　By　the　time

they　had　reached　the　gate　of　Patty's　Place　he　had　asked

permission　to　call；　and　had　received　it。　　Anne　went　in　with

cheeks　of　flame　and　her　heart　beating　to　her　fingertips。　　Rusty；

who　climbed　into　her　lap　and　tried　to　kiss　her；　found　a　very

absent　welcome。　　Anne；　with　her　soul　full　of　romantic　thrills；

had　no　attention　to　spare　just　then　for　a　crop…eared　pussy　cat。



That　evening　a　parcel　was　left　at　Patty's　Place　for　Miss　Shirley。

It　was　a　box　containing　a　dozen　magnificent　roses。　　Phil　pounced

impertinently　on　the　card　that　fell　from　it；　read　the　name　and

the　poetical　quotation　written　on　the　back。



〃Royal　Gardner！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Why；　Anne；　I　didn't　know　you

were　acquainted　with　Roy　Gardner！〃



〃I　met　him　in　the　park　this　afternoon　in　the　rain；〃　explained　Anne

hurriedly。　　〃My　umbrella　turned　inside　out　and　he　came　to　my　rescue

with　his。〃



〃Oh！〃　Phil　peered　curiously　at　Anne。〃　　And　is　that　exceedingly

commonplace　incident　any　reason　why　he　should　send　us　longstemmed

roses　by　the　dozen；　with　a　very　sentimental　rhyme？　　Or　why　we

should　blush　divinest　rosy…red　when　we　look　at　his　card？　　Anne；

thy　face　betrayeth　thee。〃



〃Don't　talk　nonsense；　Phil。　　Do　you　know　Mr。　Gardner？〃



〃I've　met　his　two　sisters；　and　I　know　of　him。　　So　does　everybody

worthwhile　in　Kingsport。　　The　Gardners　are　among　the　richest；

bluest；　of　Bluenoses。　　Roy　is　adorably　handsome　and　clever。

Two　years　ago　his　mother's　health　failed　and　he　had　to　leave

college　and　go　abroad　with　her　　his　father　is　dead。　　He　must

have　been　greatly　disappointed　to　have　to　give　up　his　class；　but

they　say　he　was　perfectly　sweet　about　it。　　Fee　　fi　　fo　　fum；

Anne。　　I　smell　romance。　　Almost　do　I　envy　you；　but　not　quite。

After　all；　Roy　Gardner　isn't　Jonas。〃



〃You　goose！〃　said　Anne　loftily。　　But　she　lay　long　awake　that　night；

nor　did　she　wish　for　sleep。　　Her　waking　fancies　were　more　alluring

than　any　vision　of　dreamland。　　Had　the　real　Prince　come　at　last？

Recalling　those　glorious　da