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！
He likes Nettie Blewett pretty well； too； and mother would rather he
married her than any one。 She's such a good manager and saver。
I think； when Billy is once sure you won't have him； he'll take Nettie。
Please don't mention this to any one； will you； Anne？〃
〃Certainly not；〃 said Anne； who had no desire whatever to publish
abroad the fact that Billy Andrews wanted to marry her； preferring her；
when all was said and done； to Nettie Blewett。 Nettie Blewett！
〃And now I suppose we'd better go to sleep；〃 suggested Jane。
To sleep went Jane easily and speedily； but； though very unlike
MacBeth in most respects； she had certainly contrived to murder
sleep for Anne。 That proposed…to damsel lay on a wakeful pillow
until the wee sma's； but her meditations were far from being romantic。
It was not； however； until the next morning that she had an opportunity
to indulge in a good laugh over the whole affair。 When Jane had gone home
still with a hint of frost in voice and manner because Anne had declined
so ungratefully and decidedly the honor of an alliance with the House of
Andrews Anne retreated to the porch room； shut the door； and had her
laugh out at last。
〃If I could only share the joke with some one！〃 she thought。
〃But I can't。 Diana is the only one I'd want to tell； and； even
if I hadn't sworn secrecy to Jane； I can't tell Diana things now。
She tells everything to Fred I know she does。 Well； I've had
my first proposal。 I supposed it would come some day but I
certainly never thought it would be by proxy。 It's awfully funny
and yet there's a sting in it； too； somehow。〃
Anne knew quite well wherein the sting consisted； though she
did not put it into words。 She had had her secret dreams of
the first time some one should ask her the great question。
And it had； in those dreams； always been very romantic and beautiful：
and the 〃some one〃 was to be very handsome and dark…eyed and
distinguished…looking and eloquent； whether he were Prince Charming
to be enraptured with 〃yes；〃 or one to whom a regretful； beautifully
worded； but hopeless refusal must be given。 If the latter； the
refusal was to be expressed so delicately that it would be next best
thing to acceptance； and he would go away； after kissing her hand；
assuring her of his unalterable； life…long devotion。 And it would
always be a beautiful memory； to be proud of and a little sad about； also。
And now； this thrilling experience had turned out to be merely grotesque。
Billy Andrews had got his sister to propose for him because his father had
given him the upper farm； and if Anne wouldn't 〃have him〃 Nettie Blewett would。
There was romance for you； with a vengeance！ Anne laughed and then sighed。
The bloom had been brushed from one little maiden dream。 Would the painful
process go on until everything became prosaic and hum…drum？
Chapter IX
An Unwelcome Lover and a Welcome Friend
The second term at Redmond sped as quickly as had the first
〃actually whizzed away；〃 Philippa said。 Anne enjoyed it
thoroughly in all its phases the stimulating class rivalry；
the making and deepening of new and helpful friendships； the gay
little social stunts； the doings of the various societies of
which she was a member； the widening of horizons and interests。
She studied hard； for she had made up her mind to win the Thorburn
Scholarship in English。 This being won； meant that she could
come back to Redmond the next year without trenching on Marilla's
small savings something Anne was determined she would not do。
Gilbert； too； was in full chase after a scholarship； but found
plenty of time for frequent calls at Thirty…eight； St。 John's。
He was Anne's escort at nearly all the college affairs； and she
knew that their names were coupled in Redmond gossip。 Anne raged
over this but was helpless； she could not cast an old friend like
Gilbert aside； especially when he had grown suddenly wise and
wary； as behooved him in the dangerous proximity of more than one
Redmond youth who would gladly have taken his place by the side
of the slender； red…haired coed； whose gray eyes were as alluring
as stars of evening。 Anne was never attended by the crowd of
willing victims who hovered around Philippa's conquering march
through her Freshman year； but there was a lanky； brainy Freshie；
a jolly； little； round Sophomore； and a tall； learned Junior who
all liked to call at Thirty…eight； St。 John's； and talk over
'ologies and 'isms； as well as lighter subjects； with Anne； in
the becushioned parlor of that domicile。 Gilbert did not love
any of them； and he was exceedingly careful to give none of them
the advantage over him by any untimely display of his real
feelings Anne…ward。 To her he had become again the boy…comrade
of Avonlea days； and as such could hold his own against any
smitten swain who had so far entered the lists against him。
As a companion； Anne honestly acknowledged nobody could be so
satisfactory as Gilbert； she was very glad； so she told herself；
that he had evidently dropped all nonsensical ideas though she
spent considerable time secretly wondering why。
Only one disagreeable incident marred that winter。 Charlie Sloane；
sitting bolt upright on Miss Ada's most dearly beloved cushion；
asked Anne one night if she would promise 〃to become Mrs。 Charlie
Sloane some day。〃 Coming after Billy Andrews' proxy effort；
this was not quite the shock to Anne's romantic sensibilities
that it would otherwise have been； but it was certainly another
heart…rending disillusion。 She was angry； too； for she felt that
she had never given Charlie the slightest encouragement to suppose
such a thing possible。 But what could you expect of a Sloane；
as Mrs。 Rachel Lynde would ask scornfully？ Charlie's whole attitude；
tone； air； words； fairly reeked with Sloanishness。 〃He was conferring
a great honor no doubt whatever about that。 And when Anne； utterly
insensible to the honor； refused him； as delicately and considerately
as she could for even a Sloane had feelings which ought not to be
unduly lacerated Sloanishness still further betrayed itself。
Charlie certainly did not take his dismissal as Anne's imaginary
rejected suitors did。 Instead； he became angry； and showed it；
he said two or three quite nasty things； Anne's temper flashed up
mutinously and she retorted with a cutting little speech whose
keenness pierced even Charlie's protective Sloanishness and
reached the quick； he caught up his hat and flung himself out of
the house with a very red face； Anne rushed upstairs； falling twice
over Miss Ada's cushions on the way； and threw herself on her bed；
in tears of humiliation and rage。 Had she actually stooped to
quarrel with a Sloane？ Was it possible anything Charlie Sloane
could say had power to make her angry？ Oh； this was degradation；
indeed worse even than being the rival of Nettie Blewett！
〃I wish I need never see the horrible creature again；〃 she sobbed
vindictively into her pillows。
She could not avoid seeing him again； but the outraged Charlie
took care that it should not be at very close quarters。 Miss
Ada's cushions were henceforth safe from his depredations；
and when he met Anne on the street； or in Redmond's halls；
his bow was icy in the extreme。 Relations between these two
old schoolmates continued to be thus strained for nearly a year！
Then Charlie transferred his blighted affections to a round；
rosy； snub…nosed； blue…eyed； little Sophomore who appreciated
them as they deserved； whereupon he forgave Anne and condescended
to be civil to her again； in a patronizing manner intended to
show her just what she had lost。
One day Anne scurried excitedly into Priscilla's room。
〃Read that；〃 she cried； tossing Priscilla a letter。 〃It's from
Stella and she's coming to Redmond next year and what do
you think of her idea？ I think it's a perfectly splendid one；
if we can only carry it out。 Do you suppose we can； Pris？〃
〃I'll be better able to tell you when I find out what it is；〃
said Priscilla； casting aside a Greek lexicon and taking up
Stella's letter。 Stella Maynard had been one of their chums at
Queen's Academy and had been teaching school ever since。
〃But I'm going to give it up； Anne dear；〃 she wrote； 〃and go to
college next year。 As I took the third year at Queen's I can
enter the Sophomore year。 I'm tired of teaching in a back
country school。 Some day I'm going to write a treatise on
‘The Trials of a Country Schoolmarm。' It will be a harrowing bit
of realism。 It seems to be the prevailing impression that we live
in clover； and have nothing to do but draw our quarter's salary。
My treatise shall tell the truth about us。 Why； if a week should
pass without some one telling me that I am doing easy work for
big pay I would conclude that I might as well order my ascension
robe ‘immediately and to onct。' ‘Well；