按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Don't ask me why。 As Lord Dundreary says； ‘there are thome thingth no
fellow can underthtand。'
〃Anne； did you ever get on a street car and then discover that you
hadn't any money with you to pay your fare？ I did； the other day。
It's quite awful。 I had a nickel with me when I got on the car。
I thought it was in the left pocket of my coat。 When I got
settled down comfortably I felt for it。 It wasn't there。
I had a cold chill。 I felt in the other pocket。 Not there。
I had another chill。 Then I felt in a little inside pocket。
All in vain。 I had two chills at once。
〃I took off my gloves； laid them on the seat； and went over all
my pockets again。 It was not there。 I stood up and shook myself；
and then looked on the floor。 The car was full of people； who
were going home from the opera； and they all stared at me； but
I was past caring for a little thing like that。
〃But I could not find my fare。 I concluded I must have put it in
my mouth and swallowed it inadvertently。
〃I didn't know what to do。 Would the conductor； I wondered； stop
the car and put me off in ignominy and shame？ Was it possible
that I could convince him that I was merely the victim of my own
absentmindedness； and not an unprincipled creature trying to
obtain a ride upon false pretenses？ How I wished that Alec
or Alonzo were there。 But they weren't because I wanted them。
If I HADN'T wanted them they would have been there by the dozen。
And I couldn't decide what to say to the conductor when he came
around。 As soon as I got one sentence of explanation mapped out
in my mind I felt nobody could believe it and I must compose
another。 It seemed there was nothing to do but trust in
Providence； and for all the comfort that gave me I might as well
have been the old lady who； when told by the captain during a
storm that she must put her trust in the Almighty exclaimed；
‘Oh； Captain； is it as bad as that？'
〃Just at the conventional moment； when all hope had fled； and
the conductor was holding out his box to the passenger next to me；
I suddenly remembered where I had put that wretched coin of the realm。
I hadn't swallowed it after all。 I meekly fished it out of the
index finger of my glove and poked it in the box。 I smiled at
everybody and felt that it was a beautiful world。〃
The visit to Echo Lodge was not the least pleasant of many
pleasant holiday outings。 Anne and Diana went back to it by the
old way of the beech woods； carrying a lunch basket with them。
Echo Lodge； which had been closed ever since Miss Lavendar's
wedding； was briefly thrown open to wind and sunshine once more；
and firelight glimmered again in the little rooms。 The perfume
of Miss Lavendar's rose bowl still filled the air。 It was hardly
possible to believe that Miss Lavendar would not come tripping in
presently； with her brown eyes a…star with welcome； and that
Charlotta the Fourth； blue of bow and wide of smile； would not
pop through the door。 Paul； too； seemed hovering around； with
his fairy fancies。
〃It really makes me feel a little bit like a ghost revisiting the
old time glimpses of the moon；〃 laughed Anne。 〃Let's go out and
see if the echoes are at home。 Bring the old horn。 It is still
behind the kitchen door。〃
The echoes were at home； over the white river； as silver…clear
and multitudinous as ever； and when they had ceased to answer the
girls locked up Echo Lodge again and went away in the perfect
half hour that follows the rose and saffron of a winter sunset。
Chapter VIII
Anne's First Proposal
The old year did not slip away in a green twilight； with a
pinky…yellow sunset。 Instead； it went out with a wild； white
bluster and blow。 It was one of the nights when the storm…wind
hurtles over the frozen meadows and black hollows； and moans
around the eaves like a lost creature； and drives the snow
sharply against the shaking panes。
〃Just the sort of night people like to cuddle down between their
blankets and count their mercies；〃 said Anne to Jane Andrews； who
had come up to spend the afternoon and stay all night。 But when
they were cuddled between their blankets； in Anne's little porch
room； it was not her mercies of which Jane was thinking。
〃Anne；〃 she said very solemnly； 〃I want to tell you something。 May I〃
Anne was feeling rather sleepy after the party Ruby Gillis had
given the night before。 She would much rather have gone to sleep
than listen to Jane's confidences； which she was sure would bore her。
She had no prophetic inkling of what was coming。 Probably Jane was
engaged； too； rumor averred that Ruby Gillis was engaged to the
Spencervale schoolteacher； about whom all the girls were said
to be quite wild。
〃I'll soon be the only fancy…free maiden of our old quartet；〃
thought Anne； drowsily。 Aloud she said； 〃Of course。〃
〃Anne；〃 said Jane； still more solemnly； 〃what do you think of my
brother Billy？〃
Anne gasped over this unexpected question； and floundered
helplessly in her thoughts。 Goodness； what DID she think of
Billy Andrews？ She had never thought ANYTHING about him
round…faced； stupid； perpetually smiling； good…natured Billy
Andrews。 Did ANYBODY ever think about Billy Andrews？
〃I I don't understand； Jane；〃 she stammered。 〃What do you
mean exactly？〃
〃Do you like Billy？〃 asked Jane bluntly。
〃Why why yes； I like him； of course；〃 gasped Anne；
wondering if she were telling the literal truth。 Certainly she
did not DISlike Billy。 But could the indifferent tolerance with
which she regarded him； when he happened to be in her range of
vision； be considered positive enough for liking？ WHAT was Jane
trying to elucidate？
〃Would you like him for a husband？〃 asked Jane calmly。
〃A husband！〃 Anne had been sitting up in bed； the better to
wrestle with the problem of her exact opinion of Billy Andrews。
Now she fell flatly back on her pillows； the very breath gone
out of her。 〃Whose husband？〃
〃Yours； of course；〃 answered Jane。 〃Billy wants to marry you。
He's always been crazy about you and now father has given him
the upper farm in his own name and there's nothing to prevent him
from getting married。 But he's so shy he couldn't ask you
himself if you'd have him； so he got me to do it。 I'd rather not
have； but he gave me no peace till I said I would； if I got a
good chance。 What do you think about it； Anne？〃
Was it a dream？ Was it one of those nightmare things in which
you find yourself engaged or married to some one you hate or
don't know； without the slightest idea how it ever came about？
No； she； Anne Shirley； was lying there； wide awake； in her own bed；
and Jane Andrews was beside her； calmly proposing for her brother Billy。
Anne did not know whether she wanted to writhe or laugh； but she could
do neither； for Jane's feelings must not be hurt。
〃I I couldn't marry Bill； you know； Jane；〃 she managed to gasp。
〃Why； such an idea never occurred to me never！〃
〃I don't suppose it did；〃 agreed Jane。 〃Billy has always been far
too shy to think of courting。 But you might think it over； Anne。
Billy is a good fellow。 I must say that； if he is my brother。
He has no bad habits and he's a great worker； and you can depend
on him。 ‘A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush。' He told me to
tell you he'd be quite willing to wait till you got through college；
if you insisted； though he'd RATHER get married this spring before
the planting begins。 He'd always be very good to you； I'm sure；
and you know； Anne； I'd love to have you for a sister。〃
〃I can't marry Billy；〃 said Anne decidedly。 She had recovered
her wits； and was even feeling a little angry。 It was all so
ridiculous。 〃There is no use thinking of it； Jane。 I don't care
anything for him in that way； and you must tell him so。〃
〃Well； I didn't suppose you would；〃 said Jane with a resigned
sigh； feeling that she had done her best。 〃I told Billy I didn't
believe it was a bit of use to ask you； but he insisted。 Well；
you've made your decision； Anne； and I hope you won't regret it。〃
Jane spoke rather coldly。 She had been perfectly sure that the
enamored Billy had no chance at all of inducing Anne to marry him。
Nevertheless； she felt a little resentment that Anne Shirley；
who was； after all； merely an adopted orphan； without kith or kin；
should refuse her brother one of the Avonlea Andrews。 Well；
pride sometimes goes before a fall； Jane reflected ominously。
Anne permitted herself to smile in the darkness over the idea
that she might ever regret not marrying Billy Andrews。
〃I hope Billy won't feel very badly over it；〃 she said nicely。
Jane made a movement as if she were tossing her head on her pillow。
〃Oh； he won't break his heart。 Billy has too much good sense for that。
He likes Nettie Blewett pretty well； too； and mother would rather he
married her