English
ItwasnotuntilthenextFridaythatMarillaheardthestoryoftheflower-wreathedhat.ShecamehomefromMrs.Lynde’sandcalledAnnetoaccount.
“Anne,Mrs.RachelsaysyouwenttochurchlastSundaywithyourhatriggedoutridiculouswithrosesandbuttercups.
Whatonearthputyouuptosuchacaper?
Apretty-lookingobjectyoumusthavebeen!”
“Oh.Iknowpinkandyellowaren’tbecomingtome,”beganAnne.
“Becomingfiddlesticks!Itwasputtingflowersonyourhatatall,nomatterwhatcolortheywere,thatwasridiculous.Youarethemostaggravatingchild!”
“Idon’tseewhyit’sanymoreridiculoustowearflowersonyourhatthanonyourdress,”protestedAnne.“Lotsoflittlegirlstherehadbouquetspinnedontheirdresses.What’sthedifference?”
Marillawasnottobedrawnfromthesafeconcreteintodubiouspathsoftheabstract.
“Don’tanswermebacklikethat,Anne.Itwasverysillyofyoutodosuchathing.
Neverletmecatchyouatsuchatrickagain.
Mrs.Rachelsaysshethoughtshewouldsinkthroughthefloorwhenshesawyoucomeinallriggedoutlikethat.
Shecouldn’tgetnearenoughtotellyoutotakethemofftillitwastoolate.
Shesayspeopletalkedaboutitsomethingdreadful.
OfcoursetheywouldthinkIhadnobettersensethantoletyougodeckedoutlikethat.”
“Oh,I’msosorry,”saidAnne,tearswellingintohereyes.“Ineverthoughtyou’dmind.
TherosesandbuttercupsweresosweetandprettyIthoughtthey’dlooklovelyonmyhat.
Lotsofthelittlegirlshadartificialflowersontheirhats.
I’mafraidI’mgoingtobeadreadfultrialtoyou.
Maybeyou’dbettersendmebacktotheasylum.
Thatwouldbeterrible;Idon’tthinkIcouldendureit;mostlikelyIwouldgointoconsumption;I’msothinasitis,yousee.
Butthatwouldbebetterthanbeingatrialtoyou.”
“Nonsense,”saidMarilla,vexedatherselfforhavingmadethechildcry.
“Idon’twanttosendyoubacktotheasylum,I’msure.
AllIwantisthatyoushouldbehavelikeotherlittlegirlsandnotmakeyourselfridiculous.Don’tcryanymore.I’vegotsomenewsforyou.DianaBarrycamehomethisafternoon.
I’mgoinguptoseeifIcanborrowaskirtpatternfromMrs.Barry,andifyoulikeyoucancomewithmeandgetacquaintedwithDiana.”
Annerosetoherfeet,withclaspedhands,thetearsstillglisteningonhercheeks;thedishtowelshehadbeenhemmingslippedunheededtothefloor.
“Oh,Marilla,I’mfrightened—nowthatithascomeI’mactuallyfrightened.Whatifsheshouldn’tlikeme!Itwouldbethemosttragicaldisappointmentofmylife.”
“Now,don’tgetintoafluster.AndIdowishyouwouldn’tusesuchlongwords.Itsoundssofunnyinalittlegirl.IguessDiana’lllikeyouwellenough.
It’shermotheryou’vegottoreckonwith.
Ifshedoesn’tlikeyouitwon’tmatterhowmuchDianadoes.
IfshehasheardaboutyouroutbursttoMrs.LyndeandgoingtochurchwithbuttercupsroundyourhatIdon’tknowwhatshe’llthinkofyou.
Youmustbepoliteandwellbehaved,anddon’tmakeanyofyourstartlingspeeches.
Forpity’ssake,ifthechildisn’tactuallytrembling!”
AnneWAStrembling.Herfacewaspaleandtense.
“Oh,Marilla,you’dbeexcited,too,ifyouweregoingtomeetalittlegirlyouhopedtobeyourbosomfriendandwhosemothermightn’tlikeyou,”shesaidasshehastenedtogetherhat.
TheywentovertoOrchardSlopebytheshortcutacrossthebrookandupthefirryhillgrove.
Mrs.BarrycametothekitchendoorinanswertoMarilla’sknock.
Shewasatallblack-eyed,black-hairedwoman,withaveryresolutemouth.
Shehadthereputationofbeingverystrictwithherchildren.
“Howdoyoudo,Marilla?”shesaidcordially.“Comein.Andthisisthelittlegirlyouhaveadopted,Isuppose?”
“Yes,thisisAnneShirley,”saidMarilla.
“SpelledwithanE,”gaspedAnne,who,tremulousandexcitedasshewas,wasdeterminedthereshouldbenomisunderstandingonthatimportantpoint.
Mrs.Barry,nothearingornotcomprehending,merelyshookhandsandsaidkindly:
“Howareyou?”
“Iamwellinbodyalthoughconsiderablerumpledupinspirit,thankyouma’am,”saidAnnegravely.
ThenasidetoMarillainanaudiblewhisper,“Therewasn’tanythingstartlinginthat,wasthere,Marilla?”
Dianawassittingonthesofa,readingabookwhichshedroppedwhenthecallersentered.
Shewasaveryprettylittlegirl,withhermother’sblackeyesandhair,androsycheeks,andthemerryexpressionwhichwasherinheritancefromherfather.
“ThisismylittlegirlDiana,”saidMrs.Barry.
“Diana,youmighttakeAnneoutintothegardenandshowheryourflowers.
Itwillbebetterforyouthanstrainingyoureyesoverthatbook.
Shereadsentirelytoomuch—”thistoMarillaasthelittlegirlswentout—”andIcan’tpreventher,forherfatheraidsandabetsher.She’salwaysporingoverabook.
I’mgladshehastheprospectofaplaymate—perhapsitwilltakehermoreout-of-doors.”
Outsideinthegarden,whichwasfullofmellowsunsetlightstreamingthroughthedarkoldfirstothewestofit,stoodAnneandDiana,gazingbashfullyateachotheroveraclumpofgorgeoustigerlilies.
TheBarrygardenwasabowerywildernessofflowerswhichwouldhavedelightedAnne’sheartatanytimelessfraughtwithdestiny.
Itwasencircledbyhugeoldwillowsandtallfirs,beneathwhichflourishedflowersthatlovedtheshade.
Prim,right-angledpathsneatlyborderedwithclamshells,intersecteditlikemoistredribbonsandinthebedsbetweenold-fashionedflowersranriot.
Therewererosybleeding-heartsandgreatsplendidcrimsonpeonies;white,fragrantnarcissiandthorny,sweetScotchroses;pinkandblueandwhitecolumbinesandlilac-tintedBouncingBets;clumpsofsouthernwoodandribbongrassandmint;purpleAdam-and-Eve,daffodils,andmassesofsweetcloverwhitewithitsdelicate,fragrant,featherysprays;scarletlightningthatshotitsfierylancesoverprimwhitemusk-flowers;agardenitwaswheresunshinelingeredandbeeshummed,andwinds,beguiledintoloitering,purredandrustled.
“Oh,Diana,”saidAnneatlast,claspingherhandsandspeakingalmostinawhisper,“oh,doyouthinkyoucanlikemealittle—enoughtobemybosomfriend?”
Dianalaughed.Dianaalwayslaughedbeforeshespoke.
“Why,Iguessso,”shesaidfrankly.“I’mawfullygladyou’vecometoliveatGreenGables.
Itwillbejollytohavesomebodytoplaywith.
Thereisn’tanyothergirlwholivesnearenoughtoplaywith,andI’venosistersbigenough.”
“Willyousweartobemyfriendforeverandever?”demandedAnneeagerly.
Dianalookedshocked.
“Whyit’sdreadfullywickedtoswear,”shesaidrebukingly.
“Ohno,notmykindofswearing.Therearetwokinds,youknow.”
“Ineverheardofbutonekind,”saidDianadoubtfully.
“Therereallyisanother.Oh,itisn’twickedatall.Itjustmeansvowingandpromisingsolemnly.”
“Well,Idon’tminddoingthat,”agreedDiana,relieved.“Howdoyoudoit?”
“Wemustjoinhands—so,”saidAnnegravely.“Itoughttobeoverrunningwater.
We’lljustimaginethispathisrunningwater.I’llrepeattheoathfirst.
Isolemnlysweartobefaithfultomybosomfriend,DianaBarry,aslongasthesunandmoonshallendure.Nowyousayitandputmynamein.”
Dianarepeatedthe“oath”withalaughforeandaft.Thenshesaid:
“You’reaqueergirl,Anne.Iheardbeforethatyouwerequeer.ButIbelieveI’mgoingtolikeyourealwell.”
WhenMarillaandAnnewenthomeDianawentwiththemasforasthelogbridge.
Thetwolittlegirlswalkedwiththeirarmsabouteachother.
Atthebrooktheypartedwithmanypromisestospendthenextafternoontogether.
“Well,didyoufindDianaakindredspirit?”askedMarillaastheywentupthroughthegardenofGreenGables.
“Ohyes,”sighedAnne,blissfullyunconsciousofanysarcasmonMarilla’spart.
“OhMarilla,I’mthehappiestgirlonPrinceEdwardIslandthisverymoment.
IassureyouI’llsaymyprayerswitharightgood-willtonight.
DianaandIaregoingtobuildaplayhouseinMr.WilliamBell’sbirchgrovetomorrow.
CanIhavethosebrokenpiecesofchinathatareoutinthewoodshed?
Diana’sbirthdayisinFebruaryandmineisinMarch.
Don’tyouthinkthatisaverystrangecoincidence?
Dianaisgoingtolendmeabooktoread.
Shesaysit’sperfectlysplendidandtremendouslyexciting.
She’sgoingtoshowmeaplacebackinthewoodswherericeliliesgrow.
Don’tyouthinkDianahasgotverysoulfuleyes?IwishIhadsoulfuleyes.
Dianaisgoingtoteachmetosingasongcalled‘NellyintheHazelDell.’
She’sgoingtogivemeapicturetoputupinmyroom;it’saperfectlybeautifulpicture,shesays—alovelyladyinapalebluesilkdress.Asewing-machineagentgaveittoher.IwishIhadsomethingtogiveDiana.
I’maninchtallerthanDiana,butsheiseversomuchfatter;shesaysshe’dliketobethinbecauseit’ssomuchmoregraceful,butI’mafraidsheonlysaidittosoothemyfeelings.
We’regoingtotheshoresomedaytogathershells.
WehaveagreedtocallthespringdownbythelogbridgetheDryad’sBubble.Isn’tthataperfectlyelegantname?
Ireadastoryonceaboutaspringcalledthat.
Adryadissortofagrown-upfairy,Ithink.”
“Well,allIhopeisyouwon’ttalkDianatodeath,”saidMarilla.
“Butrememberthisinallyourplanning,Anne.
You’renotgoingtoplayallthetimenormostofit.
You’llhaveyourworktodoandit’llhavetobedonefirst.”
Anne’scupofhappinesswasfull,andMatthewcausedittooverflow.
HehadjustgothomefromatriptothestoreatCarmody,andhesheepishlyproducedasmallparcelfromhispocketandhandedittoAnne,withadeprecatorylookatMarilla.
“Iheardyousayyoulikedchocolatesweeties,soIgotyousome,”hesaid.
“Humph,”sniffedMarilla.“It’llruinherteethandstomach.
There,there,child,don’tlooksodismal.
Youcaneatthose,sinceMatthewhasgoneandgotthem.
He’dbetterhavebroughtyoupeppermints.They’rewholesomer.
Don’tsickenyourselfeatingallthematoncenow.”
“Oh,no,indeed,Iwon’t,”saidAnneeagerly.“I’lljusteatonetonight,Marilla.
AndIcangiveDianahalfofthem,can’tI?
TheotherhalfwilltastetwiceassweettomeifIgivesometoher.
It’sdelightfultothinkIhavesomethingtogiveher.”
“Iwillsayitforthechild,”saidMarillawhenAnnehadgonetohergable,“sheisn’tstingy.
I’mglad,forofallfaultsIdeteststinginessinachild.
Dearme,it’sonlythreeweekssinceshecame,anditseemsasifshe’dbeenherealways.Ican’timaginetheplacewithouther.
Now,don’tbelookingItold-you-so,Matthew.
That’sbadenoughinawoman,butitisn’ttobeenduredinaman.
I’mperfectlywillingtoownupthatI’mgladIconsentedtokeepthechildandthatI’mgettingfondofher,butdon’tyourubitin,MatthewCuthbert.”
Share this article to
FINISH