anne of the island- 第40部分

an　irrevocableness　about　it　that　chilled　her。



〃I　shall　be　glad　to　see　them；〃　she　said　flatly；　and　then　wondered

if　she　really　would　be　glad。　　She　ought　to　be；　of　course。　　But

would　it　not　be　something　of　an　ordeal？　　Gossip　had　filtered　to

Anne　regarding　the　light　in　which　the　Gardners　viewed　the

〃infatuation〃　of　son　and　brother。　　Roy　must　have　brought　pressure

to　bear　in　the　matter　of　this　call。　　Anne　knew　she　would　be

weighed　in　the　balance。　　From　the　fact　that　they　had　consented　to

call　she　understood　that；　willingly　or　unwillingly；　they　regarded

her　as　a　possible　member　of　their　clan。



〃I　shall　just　be　myself。　　I　shall　not　TRY　to　make　a　good　impression；〃

thought　Anne　loftily。　　But　she　was　wondering　what　dress　she　would

better　wear　Saturday　afternoon；　and　if　the　new　style　of　high

hair…dressing　would　suit　her　better　than　the　old；　and　the　walking

party　was　rather　spoiled　for　her。　　By　night　she　had　decided　that　she

would　wear　her　brown　chiffon　on　Saturday；　but　would　do　her　hair　low。



Friday　afternoon　none　of　the　girls　had　classes　at　Redmond。

Stella　took　the　opportunity　to　write　a　paper　for　the　Philomathic

Society；　and　was　sitting　at　the　table　in　the　corner　of　the

living…room　with　an　untidy　litter　of　notes　and　manuscript　on　the

floor　around　her。　　Stella　always　vowed　she　never　could　write

anything　unless　she　threw　each　sheet　down　as　she　completed　it。

Anne；　in　her　flannel　blouse　and　serge　skirt；　with　her　hair　rather

blown　from　her　windy　walk　home；　was　sitting　squarely　in　the

middle　of　the　floor；　teasing　the　Sarah…cat　with　a　wishbone。

Joseph　and　Rusty　were　both　curled　up　in　her　lap。　　A　warm　plummy

odor　filled　the　whole　house；　for　Priscilla　was　cooking　in　the

kitchen。　　Presently　she　came　in；　enshrouded　in　a　huge　work…apron；

with　a　smudge　of　flour　on　her　nose；　to　show　Aunt　Jamesina　the

chocolate　cake　she　had　just　iced。



At　this　auspicious　moment　the　knocker　sounded。　　Nobody　paid　any

attention　to　it　save　Phil；　who　sprang　up　and　opened　it；　expecting

a　boy　with　the　hat　she　had　bought　that　morning。　　On　the　doorstep

stood　Mrs。　Gardner　and　her　daughters。



Anne　scrambled　to　her　feet　somehow；　emptying　two　indignant　cats

out　of　her　lap　as　she　did　so；　and　mechanically　shifting　her

wishbone　from　her　right　hand　to　her　left。　　Priscilla；　who　would

have　had　to　cross　the　room　to　reach　the　kitchen　door；　lost　her

head；　wildly　plunged　the　chocolate　cake　under　a　cushion　on　the

inglenook　sofa；　and　dashed　upstairs。　　Stella　began　feverishly

gathering　up　her　manuscript。　　Only　Aunt　Jamesina　and　Phil

remained　normal。　　Thanks　to　them；　everybody　was　soon　sitting　at

ease；　even　Anne。　　Priscilla　came　down；　apronless　and　smudgeless；

Stella　reduced　her　corner　to　decency；　and　Phil　saved　the

situation　by　a　stream　of　ready　small　talk。



Mrs。　Gardner　was　tall　and　thin　and　handsome；　exquisitely

gowned；　cordial　with　a　cordiality　that　seemed　a　trifle　forced。

Aline　Gardner　was　a　younger　edition　of　her　mother；　lacking　the

cordiality。　　She　endeavored　to　be　nice；　but　succeeded　only　in

being　haughty　and　patronizing。　　Dorothy　Gardner　was　slim　and

jolly　and　rather　tomboyish。　　Anne　knew　she　was　Roy's　favorite

sister　and　warmed　to　her。　　She　would　have　looked　very　much　like

Roy　if　she　had　had　dreamy　dark　eyes　instead　of　roguish　hazel

ones。　　Thanks　to　her　and　Phil；　the　call　really　went　off　very

well；　except　for　a　slight　sense　of　strain　in　the　atmosphere

and　two　rather　untoward　incidents。　　Rusty　and　Joseph；　left　to

themselves；　began　a　game　of　chase；　and　sprang　madly　into

Mrs。　Gardner's　silken　lap　and　out　of　it　in　their　wild　career。

Mrs。　Gardner　lifted　her　lorgnette　and　gazed　after　their　flying

forms　as　if　she　had　never　seen　cats　before；　and　Anne；　choking

back　slightly　nervous　laughter；　apologized　as　best　she　could。



〃You　are　fond　of　cats？〃　said　Mrs。　Gardner；　with　a　slight

intonation　of　tolerant　wonder。



Anne；　despite　her　affection　for　Rusty；　was　not　especially　fond　of

cats；　but　Mrs。　Gardner's　tone　annoyed　her。　　Inconsequently　she

remembered　that　Mrs。　John　Blythe　was　so　fond　of　cats　that　she

kept　as　many　as　her　husband　would　allow。



〃They　ARE　adorable　animals；　aren't　they？〃　she　said　wickedly。



〃I　have　never　liked　cats；〃　said　Mrs。　Gardner　remotely。



〃I　love　them；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃They　are　so　nice　and　selfish。

Dogs　are　TOO　good　and　unselfish。　　They　make　me　feel　uncomfortable。

But　cats　are　gloriously　human。〃



〃You　have　two　delightful　old　china　dogs　there。　　May　I　look　at

them　closely？〃　said　Aline；　crossing　the　room　towards　the　fireplace

and　thereby　becoming　the　unconscious　cause　of　the　other　accident。

Picking　up　Magog；　she　sat　down　on　the　cushion　under　which　was

secreted　Priscilla's　chocolate　cake。　　Priscilla　and　Anne　exchanged

agonized　glances　but　could　do　nothing。　　The　stately　Aline　continued　to

sit　on　the　cushion　and　discuss　china　dogs　until　the　time　of　departure。



Dorothy　lingered　behind　a　moment　to　squeeze　Anne's　hand　and

whisper　impulsively。



〃I　KNOW　you　and　I　are　going　to　be　chums。　　Oh；　Roy　has　told　me　all

about　you。　　I'm　the　only　one　of　the　family　he　tells　things　to；

poor　boy　　nobody　COULD　confide　in　mamma　and　Aline；　you　know。

What　glorious　times　you　girls　must　have　here！　　Won't　you　let　me

come　often　and　have　a　share　in　them？〃



〃Come　as　often　as　you　like；〃　Anne　responded　heartily；　thankful

that　one　of　Roy's　sisters　was　likable。　　She　would　never　like

Aline；　so　much　was　certain；　and　Aline　would　never　like　her；

though　Mrs。　Gardner　might　be　won。　　Altogether；　Anne　sighed　with

relief　when　the　ordeal　was　over。



　　　　　　　　　　　　〃‘Of　all　sad　words　of　tongue　or　pen

　　　　　　　　　　　　The　saddest　are　it　might　have　been；'〃



quoted　Priscilla　tragically；　lifting　the　cushion。　　〃This　cake　is

now　what　you　might　call　a　flat　failure。　　And　the　cushion　is

likewise　ruined。　　Never　tell　me　that　Friday　isn't　unlucky。〃



〃People　who　send　word　they　are　coming　on　Saturday　shouldn't　come

on　Friday；〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina。



〃I　fancy　it　was　Roy's　mistake；〃　said　Phil。　　〃That　boy　isn't　really

responsible　for　what　he　says　when　he　talks　to　Anne。　　Where　IS　Anne？〃



Anne　had　gone　upstairs。　　She　felt　oddly　like　crying。　　But　she

made　herself　laugh　instead。　　Rusty　and　Joseph　had　been　TOO　awful！

And　Dorothy　WAS　a　dear。









Chapter　XXXVII



Full…fledged　B。A。's





〃I　wish　I　were　dead；　or　that　it　were　tomorrow　night；〃　groaned　Phil。



〃If　you　live　long　enough　both　wishes　will　come　true；〃　said　Anne　calmly。



〃It's　easy　for　you　to　be　serene。　　You're　at　home　in　Philosophy。

I'm　not　　and　when　I　think　of　that　horrible　paper　tomorrow　I　quail。

If　I　should　fail　in　it　what　would　Jo　say？〃



〃You　won't　fail。　　How　did　you　get　on　in　Greek　today？〃



〃I　don't　know。　　Perhaps　it　was　a　good　paper　and　perhaps　it　was

bad　enough　to　make　Homer　turn　over　in　his　grave。　　I've　studied

and　mulled　over　notebooks　until　I'm　incapable　of　forming　an

opinion　of　anything。　　How　thankful　little　Phil　will　be　when　all

this　examinating　is　over。〃



〃Examinating？　　I　never　heard　such　a　word。〃



〃Well；　haven't　I　as　good　a　right　to　make　a　word　as　any　one　else？〃

demanded　Phil。



〃Words　aren't　made　　they　grow；〃　said　Anne。



〃Never　mind　　I　begin　faintly　to　discern　clear　water　ahead　where

no　examination　breakers　loom。　　Girls；　do　you　　can　you　realize

that　our　Redmond　Life　is　almost　over？〃



〃I　can't；〃　said　Anne；　sorrowfully。　　〃It　seems　just　yesterday

that　Pris　and　I　were　alone　in　that　crowd　of　Freshmen　at　Redmond。

And　now　we　are　Seniors　in　our　final　examinations。〃



〃‘Potent；　wise；　and　reverend　Seniors；'〃　quoted　Phil。　　〃Do　you

suppose　we　really　are　any　wiser　than　when　we　came　to　Redmond？〃



〃You　don't　act　as　if　you　were　by　times；〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina　severely。



〃Oh；　Aunt　Jimsie；　haven't　we　been　pretty　good　girls；　take　us　by

and　large；　these　three　winters　you've　mothered　us？〃　pleaded　Phil。



〃You've　been　four　of　the　dearest；　sweetest；　goodest　girls　that

ever　went　together　through　college；〃　averred　Aunt　Jamesina；　who

never　spoiled　a　compliment　by　misplaced　economy。



〃But　I　mistrust　you　haven't　any　too　much　sense　yet。　　It's　not　to

be　expected；　of　course。　　Experience　teaches　sense。　　You　can't

learn　it　in　a　college　course。　　You've　been　to　college　four　years

and　I　never　was；　but　I　know　heaps　more　than　you　do；　young　ladies。〃



　　　　　　〃‘There　are　lots　of　things　that　never　go　by　rule；

　　　　　　There's　a　powerful　pile　o'　knowledge

　　　　　　That　you　never　get　at　college；

　　　　　　There　are　heaps　of　things　you　never　learn　at　school；'〃



quoted　Stella。



〃Have　you　learned　anything　at　Redmond　except　dead　languages　and

geometry　and　such　trash？〃　queried　Aunt　Jamesina。



〃Oh；　yes。　　I　think　we　have；　Aunty；〃　protested　Anne。



〃We've　learned　the　truth　of　what　Professor　Woodleigh　told　us

last　Philomathic；〃　said　Phil。　　〃He　said；　‘Humor　is　the　spiciest

condiment　in　the　feast　of　existence。　　Laugh　at　your　mistakes

but　learn　from　them；　joke　over　your　troubles　but　gather　strength

from　them；　make　a　jest　of　your　difficulties　but　overcome　them。'

Isn't　that　worth　learning；　Aunt　Jimsie？〃



〃Yes；　it　is；　dearie。　　When　you've　learned　to　laugh　at　the　things

that　should　be　laughed　at；　and　not　to　laugh　at　those　that　shouldn't；

you've　got　wisdom　and　understanding。〃



〃What　have　you　got　out　of　your　Redmond　course；　Anne？〃　murmured

Priscilla　aside。



〃I　think；〃　said　Anne　slowly；　〃that　I　really　have　learned　to　look

upon　each　little　hindrance　as　a　jest　and　each　great　one　as　the

foreshadowing　of　victory。　　Summing　up；　I　think　that　is　what

Redmond　has　given　me。〃



〃I　shall　have　to　fall　back　on　another　Professor　Woodleigh

quotation　to　express　what　it　has　done　for　me；〃　said　Priscilla。

〃You　remember　that　he　said　in　his　address；　‘There　is　so　much

in　the　world　for　us　all　if　we　only　have　the　eyes　to　see　it；　and

the　heart　to　love　it；　and　the　hand　to　gather　it　to　ourselves　

so　much　in　men　and　women；　so　much　in　art　and　literature；　so　much

everywhere　in　w