anne of the island- 第34部分

a　wicked　man？　　Or　marry　one　yourself？〃



〃Oh；　no。　　I　wouldn't　want　to　marry　anybody　who　was　wicked；

but　I　think　I'd　like　it　if　he　COULD　be　wicked　and　WOULDN'T。

Now；　Fred　is　HOPELESSLY　good。〃



〃You'll　have　more　sense　some　day；　I　hope；〃　said　Marilla。



Marilla　spoke　rather　bitterly。　　She　was　grievously　disappointed。

She　knew　Anne　had　refused　Gilbert　Blythe。　　Avonlea　gossip　buzzed

over　the　fact；　which　had　leaked　out；　nobody　knew　how。　　Perhaps

Charlie　Sloane　had　guessed　and　told　his　guesses　for　truth。

Perhaps　Diana　had　betrayed　it　to　Fred　and　Fred　had　been　indiscreet。

At　all　events　it　was　known；　Mrs。　Blythe　no　longer　asked　Anne；

in　public　or　private；　if　she　had　heard　lately　from　Gilbert；　but

passed　her　by　with　a　frosty　bow。　　Anne；　who　had　always　liked　Gilbert's

merry；　young…hearted　mother；　was　grieved　in　secret　over　this。

Marilla　said　nothing；　but　Mrs。　Lynde　gave　Anne　many　exasperated

digs　about　it；　until　fresh　gossip　reached　that　worthy　lady；

through　the　medium　of　Moody　Spurgeon　MacPherson's　mother；

that　Anne　had　another　〃beau〃　at　college；　who　was　rich　and

handsome　and　good　all　in　one。　　After　that　Mrs。　Rachel　held

her　tongue；　though　she　still　wished　in　her　inmost　heart　that

Anne　had　accepted　Gilbert。　　Riches　were　all　very　well；

but　even　Mrs。　Rachel；　practical　soul　though　she　was；　did　not

consider　them　the　one　essential。　　If　Anne　〃liked〃　the　Handsome

Unknown　better　than　Gilbert　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　said；

but　Mrs。　Rachel　was　dreadfully　afraid　that　Anne　was　going　to

make　the　mistake　of　marrying　for　money。　　Marilla　knew　Anne　too

well　to　fear　this；　but　she　felt　that　something　in　the　universal

scheme　of　things　had　gone　sadly　awry。



〃What　is　to　be；　will　be；〃　said　Mrs。　Rachel　gloomily；　〃and　what　isn't

to　be　happens　sometimes。　　I　can't　help　believing　it's　going　to　happen

in　Anne's　case；　if　Providence　doesn't　interfere；　that's　what。〃

Mrs。　Rachel　sighed。　　She　was　afraid　Providence　wouldn't　interfere；

and　she　didn't　dare　to。



Anne　had　wandered　down　to　the　Dryad's　Bubble　and　was　curled　up

among　the　ferns　at　the　root　of　the　big　white　birch　where　she　and

Gilbert　had　so　often　sat　in　summers　gone　by。　　He　had　gone　into

the　newspaper　office　again　when　college　closed；　and　Avonlea

seemed　very　dull　without　him。　　He　never　wrote　to　her；　and　Anne

missed　the　letters　that　never　came。　　To　be　sure；　Roy　wrote　twice

a　week；　his　letters　were　exquisite　compositions　which　would　have

read　beautifully　in　a　memoir　or　biography。　　Anne　felt　herself

more　deeply　in　love　with　him　than　ever　when　she　read　them；　but

her　heart　never　gave　the　queer；　quick；　painful　bound　at　sight　of

his　letters　which　it　had　given　one　day　when　Mrs。　Hiram　Sloane

had　handed　her　out　an　envelope　addressed　in　Gilbert's　black；

upright　handwriting。　　Anne　had　hurried　home　to　the　east　gable　and

opened　it　eagerly　　to　find　a　typewritten　copy　of　some　college

society　report　　〃only　that　and　nothing　more。〃　　Anne　flung　the

harmless　screed　across　her　room　and　sat　down　to　write　an

especially　nice　epistle　to　Roy。



Diana　was　to　be　married　in　five　more　days。　　The　gray　house　at

Orchard　Slope　was　in　a　turmoil　of　baking　and　brewing　and　boiling

and　stewing；　for　there　was　to　be　a　big；　old…timey　wedding。　　Anne；

of　course；　was　to　be　bridesmaid；　as　had　been　arranged　when　they

were　twelve　years　old；　and　Gilbert　was　coming　from　Kingsport　to

be　best　man。　　Anne　was　enjoying　the　excitement　of　the　various

preparations；　but　under　it　all　she　carried　a　little　heartache。

She　was；　in　a　sense；　losing　her　dear　old　chum；　Diana's　new　home

would　be　two　miles　from　Green　Gables；　and　the　old　constant

companionship　could　never　be　theirs　again。　　Anne　looked　up　at

Diana's　light　and　thought　how　it　had　beaconed　to　her　for　many　years；

but　soon　it　would　shine　through　the　summer　twilights　no　more。

Two　big；　painful　tears　welled　up　in　her　gray　eyes。



〃Oh；〃　she　thought；　〃how　horrible　it　is　that　people　have　to　grow

up　　and　marry　　and　CHANGE！〃









Chapter　XXIX



Diana's　Wedding





〃After　all；　the　only　real　roses　are　the　pink　ones；〃　said　Anne；　as

she　tied　white　ribbon　around　Diana's　bouquet　in　the　westwardlooking

gable　at　Orchard　Slope。　　〃They　are　the　flowers　of　love　and　faith。〃



Diana　was　standing　nervously　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　arrayed

in　her　bridal　white；　her　black　curls　frosted　over　with　the　film

of　her　wedding　veil。　　Anne　had　draped　that　veil；　in　accordance

with　the　sentimental　compact　of　years　before。



〃It's　all　pretty　much　as　I　used　to　imagine　it　long　ago；　when　I

wept　over　your　inevitable　marriage　and　our　consequent　parting；〃

she　laughed。　　〃You　are　the　bride　of　my　dreams；　Diana；　with

the　‘lovely　misty　veil'；　and　I　am　YOUR　bridesmaid。　　But；　alas！

I　haven't　the　puffed　sleeves　　though　these　short　lace　ones　are

even　prettier。　　Neither　is　my　heart　wholly　breaking　nor　do　I

exactly　hate　Fred。〃



〃We　are　not　really　parting；　Anne；〃　protested　Diana。　　〃I'm　not

going　far　away。　　We'll　love　each　other　just　as　much　as　ever。

We've　always　kept　that　‘oath'　of　friendship　we　swore　long　ago；

haven't　we？〃



〃Yes。　　We've　kept　it　faithfully。　　We've　had　a　beautiful

friendship；　Diana。　　We've　never　marred　it　by　one　quarrel　or

coolness　or　unkind　word；　and　I　hope　it　will　always　be　so。

But　things　can't　be　quite　the　same　after　this。　　You'll　have

other　interests。　　I'll　just　be　on　the　outside。　　But　‘such　is

life'　as　Mrs。　Rachel　says。　　Mrs。　Rachel　has　given　you　one　of

her　beloved　knitted　quilts　of　the　‘tobacco　stripe'　pattern；

and　she　says　when　I　am　married　she'll　give　me　one；　too。〃



〃The　mean　thing　about　your　getting　married　is　that　I　won't　be

able　to　be　your　bridesmaid；〃　lamented　Diana。



〃I'm　to　be　Phil's　bridesmaid　next　June；　when　she　marries

Mr。　Blake；　and　then　I　must　stop；　for　you　know　the　proverb

‘three　times　a　bridesmaid；　never　a　bride；'　〃　said　Anne；

peeping　through　the　window　over　the　pink　and　snow　of　the

blossoming　orchard　beneath。　　〃Here　comes　the　minister；　Diana。〃



〃Oh；　Anne；〃　gasped　Diana；　suddenly　turning　very　pale　and

beginning　to　tremble。　　〃Oh；　Anne　　I'm　so　nervous　　I　can't

go　through　with　it　　Anne；　I　know　I'm　going　to　faint。〃



〃If　you　do　I'll　drag　you　down　to　the　rainwater　hogshed　and　drop

you　in；〃　said　Anne　unsympathetically。　　〃Cheer　up；　dearest。

Getting　married　can't　be　so　very　terrible　when　so　many

people　survive　the　ceremony。　　See　how　cool　and　composed

I　am；　and　take　courage。〃



〃Wait　till　your　turn　comes；　Miss　Anne。　　Oh；　Anne；　I　hear　father

coming　upstairs。　　Give　me　my　bouquet。　　Is　my　veil　right？　　Am　I

very　pale？〃



〃You　look　just　lovely。　　Di；　darling；　kiss　me　good…bye　for　the

last　time。　　Diana　Barry　will　never　kiss　me　again。〃



〃Diana　Wright　will；　though。　　There；　mother's　calling。　　Come。〃



Following　the　simple；　old…fashioned　way　in　vogue　then；　Anne　went

down　to　the　parlor　on　Gilbert's　arm。　　They　met　at　the　top　of　the

stairs　for　the　first　time　since　they　had　left　Kingsport；　for

Gilbert　had　arrived　only　that　day。　　Gilbert　shook　hands　courteously。

He　was　looking　very　well；　though；　as　Anne　instantly　noted；　rather　thin。

He　was　not　pale；　there　was　a　flush　on　his　cheek　that　had　burned　into　it

as　Anne　came　along　the　hall　towards　him；　in　her　soft；　white　dress　with

lilies…of…the…valley　in　the　shining　masses　of　her　hair。　　As　they　entered

the　crowded　parlor　together　a　little　murmur　of　admiration　ran　around　the

room。　　〃What　a　fine…looking　pair　they　are；〃　whispered　the　impressible

Mrs。　Rachel　to　Marilla。



Fred　ambled　in　alone；　with　a　very　red　face；　and　then　Diana　swept

in　on　her　father's　arm。　　She　did　not　faint；　and　nothing　untoward

occurred　to　interrupt　the　ceremony。　　Feasting　and　merry…making

followed；　then；　as　the　evening　waned；　Fred　and　Diana　drove　away

through　the　moonlight　to　their　new　home；　and　Gilbert　walked　with

Anne　to　Green　Gables。



Something　of　their　old　comradeship　had　returned　during　the

informal　mirth　of　the　evening。　　Oh；　it　was　nice　to　be　walking

over　that　well…known　road　with　Gilbert　again！



The　night　was　so　very　still　that　one　should　have　been　able　to　hear

the　whisper　of　roses　in　blossom　　the　laughter　of　daisies　　the

piping　of　grasses　　many　sweet　sounds；　all　tangled　up　together。

The　beauty　of　moonlight　on　familiar　fields　irradiated　the　world。



〃Can't　we　take　a　ramble　up　Lovers'　Lane　before　you　go　in？〃　asked

Gilbert　as　they　crossed　the　bridge　over　the　Lake　of　Shining　Waters；

in　which　the　moon　lay　like　a　great；　drowned　blossom　of　gold。



Anne　assented　readily。　　Lovers'　Lane　was　a　veritable　path　in　a

fairyland　that　night　　a　shimmering；　mysterious　place；　full　of

wizardry　in　the　white…woven　enchantment　of　moonlight。　　There　had

been　a　time　when　such　a　walk　with　Gilbert　through　Lovers'　Lane

would　have　been　far　too　dangerous。　　But　Roy　and　Christine　had

made　it　very　safe　now。　　Anne　found　herself　thinking　a　good　deal

about　Christine　as　she　chatted　lightly　to　Gilbert。　　She　had　met

her　several　times　before　leaving　Kingsport；　and　had　been　charmingly

sweet　to　her。　　Christine　had　also　been　charmingly　sweet。　　Indeed；

they　were　a　most　cordial　pair。　　But　for　all　that；　their　acquaintance

had　not　ripened　into　friendship。　　Evidently　Christine　was　not　a

kindred　spirit。



〃Are　you　going　to　be　in　Avonlea　all　summer？〃　asked　Gilbert。



〃No。　　I'm　going　down　east　to　Valley　Road　next　week。　　Esther

Haythorne　wants　me　to　teach　for　her　through　July　and　August。

They　have　a　summer　term　in　that　school；　and　Esther　isn't　feeling　well。

So　I'm　going　to　substitute　for　her。　　In　one　way　I　don't　mind。

Do　you　know；　I'm　beginning　to　feel　a　little　bit　like　a　stranger

in　Avonlea　now？　　It　makes　me　sorry　　but　it's　true。　　It's　quite

appalling　to　see　the　number　of　children　who　have　shot　up　into　big

boys　and　girls　　really　young　men　and　women　　these　past　two　years。

Half　of　my　pupils　are　grown　up。　　It　makes　me　feel　awfully　old　to　see

them　in　the　places　you　and　I　and　our　mates　used　to　fill。〃



Anne　laughed　and　sighed。　　She　felt　very　old　and