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！
playfellow； thought she saw the face God had meant Ruby to have；
and remembered it so always。
Mrs。 Gillis called Anne aside into a vacant room before the
funeral procession left the house； and gave her a small packet。
〃I want you to have this；〃 she sobbed。 〃Ruby would have liked you
to have it。 It's the embroidered centerpiece she was working at。
It isn't quite finished the needle is sticking in it just where
her poor little fingers put it the last time she laid it down； the
afternoon before she died。〃
〃There's always a piece of unfinished work left；〃 said Mrs。 Lynde；
with tears in her eyes。 〃But I suppose there's always some one
to finish it。〃
〃How difficult it is to realize that one we have always known
can really be dead；〃 said Anne； as she and Diana walked home。
〃Ruby is the first of our schoolmates to go。 One by one； sooner
or later； all the rest of us must follow。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 said Diana uncomfortably。 She did not
want to talk of that。 She would have preferred to have discussed
the details of the funeral the splendid white velvet casket
Mr。 Gillis had insisted on having for Ruby 〃the Gillises must
always make a splurge； even at funerals；〃 quoth Mrs。 Rachel Lynde
Herb Spencer's sad face； the uncontrolled； hysteric grief of
one of Ruby's sisters but Anne would not talk of these things。
She seemed wrapped in a reverie in which Diana felt lonesomely
that she had neither lot nor part。
〃Ruby Gillis was a great girl to laugh；〃 said Davy suddenly。
〃Will she laugh as much in heaven as she did in Avonlea； Anne？
I want to know。〃
〃Yes； I think she will；〃 said Anne。
〃Oh； Anne；〃 protested Diana； with a rather shocked smile。
〃Well； why not； Diana？〃 asked Anne seriously。 〃Do you think
we'll never laugh in heaven？〃
〃Oh I I don't know〃 floundered Diana。 〃It doesn't seem
just right； somehow。 You know it's rather dreadful to laugh in
church。〃
〃But heaven won't be like church all the time；〃 said Anne。
〃I hope it ain't；〃 said Davy emphatically。 〃If it is I don't
want to go。 Church is awful dull。 Anyway； I don't mean to go
for ever so long。 I mean to live to be a hundred years old； like
Mr。 Thomas Blewett of White Sands。 He says he's lived so long
'cause he always smoked tobacco and it killed all the germs。
Can I smoke tobacco pretty soon； Anne？〃
〃No； Davy； I hope you'll never use tobacco；〃 said Anne absently。
〃What'll you feel like if the germs kill me then？〃 demanded Davy。
Chapter XV
A Dream Turned Upside Down
〃Just one more week and we go back to Redmond；〃 said Anne。
She was happy at the thought of returning to work； classes
and Redmond friends。 Pleasing visions were also being woven
around Patty's Place。 There was a warm pleasant sense of home
in the thought of it； even though she had never lived there。
But the summer had been a very happy one； too a time of glad living
with summer suns and skies； a time of keen delight in wholesome things；
a time of renewing and deepening of old friendships； a time in which
she had learned to live more nobly； to work more patiently； to play
more heartily。
〃All life lessons are not learned at college；〃 she thought。
〃Life teaches them everywhere。〃
But alas； the final week of that pleasant vacation was spoiled for Anne；
by one of those impish happenings which are like a dream turned upside down。
〃Been writing any more stories lately？〃 inquired Mr。 Harrison genially
one evening when Anne was taking tea with him and Mrs。 Harrison。
〃No；〃 answered Anne； rather crisply。
〃Well； no offense meant。 Mrs。 Hiram Sloane told me the other
day that a big envelope addressed to the Rollings Reliable Baking
Powder Company of Montreal had been dropped into the post office
box a month ago； and she suspicioned that somebody was trying for
the prize they'd offered for the best story that introduced the
name of their baking powder。 She said it wasn't addressed in
your writing； but I thought maybe it was you。〃
〃Indeed； no！ I saw the prize offer； but I'd never dream of
competing for it。 I think it would be perfectly disgraceful to
write a story to advertise a baking powder。 It would be almost
as bad as Judson Parker's patent medicine fence。〃
So spake Anne loftily； little dreaming of the valley of
humiliation awaiting her。 That very evening Diana popped into
the porch gable； bright…eyed and rosy cheeked； carrying a letter。
〃Oh； Anne； here's a letter for you。 I was at the office； so I
thought I'd bring it along。 Do open it quick。 If it is what I
believe it is I shall just be wild with delight。〃 Anne； puzzled；
opened the letter and glanced over the typewritten contents。
Miss Anne Shirley；
Green Gables；
Avonlea； P。E。 Island。
〃DEAR MADAM： We have much pleasure in informing you that
your charming story ‘Averil's Atonement' has won the prize
of twenty…five dollars offered in our recent competition。
We enclose the check herewith。 We are arranging for the
publication of the story in several prominent Canadian
newspapers； and we also intend to have it printed in
pamphlet form for distribution among our patrons。
Thanking you for the interest you have shown in
our enterprise； we remain；
Yours very truly；
THE ROLLINGS RELIABLE
BAKING POWDER Co。〃
〃I don't understand；〃 said Anne； blankly。
Diana clapped her hands。
〃Oh； I KNEW it would win the prize I was sure of it。
_I_ sent your story into the competition； Anne。〃
〃Diana Barry！〃
〃Yes； I did；〃 said Diana gleefully； perching herself on the bed。
〃When I saw the offer I thought of your story in a minute； and at
first I thought I'd ask you to send it in。 But then I was afraid
you wouldn't you had so little faith left in it。 So I just
decided I'd send the copy you gave me； and say nothing about it。
Then； if it didn't win the prize； you'd never know and you wouldn't
feel badly over it； because the stories that failed were not to be
returned； and if it did you'd have such a delightful surprise。〃
Diana was not the most discerning of mortals； but just at this
moment it struck her that Anne was not looking exactly overjoyed。
The surprise was there； beyond doubt but where was the delight？
〃Why； Anne； you don't seem a bit pleased！〃 she exclaimed。
Anne instantly manufactured a smile and put it on。
〃Of course I couldn't be anything but pleased over your unselfish
wish to give me pleasure；〃 she said slowly。 〃But you know I'm
so amazed I can't realize it and I don't understand。 There
wasn't a word in my story about about 〃 Anne choked a little
over the word 〃baking powder。〃
〃Oh； _I_ put that in；〃 said Diana； reassured。 〃It was as easy as
wink and of course my experience in our old Story Club helped me。
You know the scene where Averil makes the cake？ Well； I just stated
that she used the Rollings Reliable in it； and that was why it turned
out so well； and then； in the last paragraph； where PERCEVAL clasps
AVERIL in his arms and says； ‘Sweetheart； the beautiful coming years
will bring us the fulfilment of our home of dreams；' I added； ‘in which
we will never use any baking powder except Rollings Reliable。'〃
〃Oh；〃 gasped poor Anne； as if some one had dashed cold water on her。
〃And you've won the twenty…five dollars；〃 continued Diana jubilantly。
〃Why； I heard Priscilla say once that the Canadian Woman only pays
five dollars for a story！〃
Anne held out the hateful pink slip in shaking fingers。
〃I can't take it it's yours by right； Diana。 You sent the
story in and made the alterations。 I I would certainly never
have sent it。 So you must take the check。〃
〃I'd like to see myself；〃 said Diana scornfully。 〃Why； what I
did wasn't any trouble。 The honor of being a friend of the
prizewinner is enough for me。 Well； I must go。 I should have
gone straight home from the post office for we have company。
But I simply had to come and hear the news。 I'm so glad for
your sake； Anne。〃
Anne suddenly bent forward； put her arms about Diana； and kissed
her cheek。
〃I think you are the sweetest and truest friend in the world；
Diana；〃 she said； with a little tremble in her voice； 〃and I
assure you I appreciate the motive of what you've done。〃
Diana； pleased and embarrassed； got herself away； and poor Anne；
after flinging the innocent check into her bureau drawer as if it
were blood…money； cast herself on her bed and wept tears of shame
and outraged sensibility。 Oh； she could never live this down never！
Gilbert arrived at dusk； brimming over with congratulations；
for he had called at Orchard Slope and heard the news。 But his
congratulations died on his lips at sight of Anne's face。
〃Why； Anne； what