English
SpringhadcomeoncemoretoGreenGables—thebeautifulcapricious,reluctantCanadianspring,lingeringalongthroughAprilandMayinasuccessionofsweet,fresh,chillydays,withpinksunsetsandmiraclesofresurrectionandgrowth.
ThemaplesinLover’sLanewereredbuddedandlittlecurlyfernspusheduparoundtheDryad’sBubble.
Awayupinthebarrens,behindMr.SilasSloane’splace,theMayflowersblossomedout,pinkandwhitestarsofsweetnessundertheirbrownleaves.
Alltheschoolgirlsandboyshadonegoldenafternoongatheringthem,cominghomeintheclear,echoingtwilightwitharmsandbasketsfulloffloweryspoil.
“I’msosorryforpeoplewholiveinlandswheretherearenoMayflowers,”saidAnne.
“Dianasaysperhapstheyhavesomethingbetter,buttherecouldn’tbeanythingbetterthanMayflowers,couldthere,Marilla?
AndDianasaysiftheydon’tknowwhattheyareliketheydon’tmissthem.
ButIthinkthatisthesaddestthingofall.
IthinkitwouldbeTRAGIC,Marilla,nottoknowwhatMayflowersarelikeandNOTtomissthem.
DoyouknowwhatIthinkMayflowersare,Marilla?
Ithinktheymustbethesoulsoftheflowersthatdiedlastsummerandthisistheirheaven.
Butwehadasplendidtimetoday,Marilla.
Wehadourlunchdowninabigmossyhollowbyanoldwell—suchaROMANTICspot.
CharlieSloanedaredArtyGillistojumpoverit,andArtydidbecausehewouldn’ttakeadare.Nobodywouldinschool.ItisveryFASHIONABLEtodare.
Mr.PhillipsgavealltheMayflowershefoundtoPrissyAndrewsandIheardhimtosay‘sweetstothesweet.’
Hegotthatoutofabook,Iknow;butitshowshehassomeimagination.
IwasofferedsomeMayflowerstoo,butIrejectedthemwithscorn.
Ican’ttellyoutheperson’snamebecauseIhavevowednevertoletitcrossmylips.
WemadewreathsoftheMayflowersandputthemonourhats;andwhenthetimecametogohomewemarchedinprocessiondowntheroad,twobytwo,withourbouquetsandwreaths,singing‘MyHomeontheHill.’Oh,itwassothrilling,Marilla.
AllMr.SilasSloane’sfolksrushedouttoseeusandeverybodywemetontheroadstoppedandstaredafterus.Wemadearealsensation.”
“Notmuchwonder!Suchsillydoings!”wasMarilla’sresponse.
AftertheMayflowerscametheviolets,andVioletValewasempurpledwiththem.Annewalkedthroughitonherwaytoschoolwithreverentstepsandworshipingeyes,asifshetrodonholyground.
“Somehow,”shetoldDiana,“whenI’mgoingthroughhereIdon’treallycarewhetherGil—whetheranybodygetsaheadofmeinclassornot.
ButwhenI’mupinschoolit’salldifferentandIcareasmuchasever.
There’ssuchalotofdifferentAnnesinme.
IsometimesthinkthatiswhyI’msuchatroublesomeperson.
IfIwasjusttheoneAnneitwouldbeeversomuchmorecomfortable,butthenitwouldn’tbehalfsointeresting.”
OneJuneevening,whentheorchardswerepinkblossomedagain,whenthefrogsweresingingsilverlysweetinthemarshesabouttheheadoftheLakeofShiningWaters,andtheairwasfullofthesavorofcloverfieldsandbalsamicfirwoods,Annewassittingbyhergablewindow.
Shehadbeenstudyingherlessons,butithadgrowntoodarktoseethebook,soshehadfallenintowide-eyedreverie,lookingoutpasttheboughsoftheSnowQueen,oncemorebestarredwithitstuftsofblossom.
Inallessentialrespectsthelittlegablechamberwasunchanged.
Thewallswereaswhite,thepincushionashard,thechairsasstifflyandyellowlyuprightasever.
Yetthewholecharacteroftheroomwasaltered.
Itwasfullofanewvital,pulsingpersonalitythatseemedtopervadeitandtobequiteindependentofschoolgirlbooksanddressesandribbons,andevenofthecrackedbluejugfullofappleblossomsonthetable.
Itwasasifallthedreams,sleepingandwaking,ofitsvividoccupanthadtakenavisiblealthoughunmaterialformandhadtapestriedthebareroomwithsplendidfilmytissuesofrainbowandmoonshine.
PresentlyMarillacamebrisklyinwithsomeofAnne’sfreshlyironedschoolaprons.
Shehungthemoverachairandsatdownwithashortsigh.
Shehadhadoneofherheadachesthatafternoon,andalthoughthepainhadgoneshefeltweakand“tuckeredout,”assheexpressedit.
Annelookedatherwitheyeslimpidwithsympathy.
“IdotrulywishIcouldhavehadtheheadacheinyourplace,Marilla.Iwouldhaveendureditjoyfullyforyoursake.”
“Iguessyoudidyourpartinattendingtotheworkandlettingmerest,”saidMarilla.
“Youseemtohavegotonfairlywellandmadefewermistakesthanusual.
Ofcourseitwasn’texactlynecessarytostarchMatthew’shandkerchiefs!
Andmostpeoplewhentheyputapieintheoventowarmupfordinnertakeitoutandeatitwhenitgetshotinsteadofleavingittobeburnedtoacrisp.
Butthatdoesn’tseemtobeyourwayevidently.”
HeadachesalwaysleftMarillasomewhatsarcastic.
“Oh,I’msosorry,”saidAnnepenitently.
“IneverthoughtaboutthatpiefromthemomentIputitintheoventillnow,althoughIfeltINSTINCTIVELYthattherewassomethingmissingonthedinnertable.
Iwasfirmlyresolved,whenyouleftmeinchargethismorning,nottoimagineanything,butkeepmythoughtsonfacts.
IdidprettywelluntilIputthepiein,andthenanirresistibletemptationcametometoimagineIwasanenchantedprincessshutupinalonelytowerwithahandsomeknightridingtomyrescueonacoal-blacksteed.
SothatishowIcametoforgetthepie.
Ididn’tknowIstarchedthehandkerchiefs.
AllthetimeIwasironingIwastryingtothinkofanameforanewislandDianaandIhavediscoveredupthebrook.It’sthemostravishingspot,Marilla.
Therearetwomapletreesonitandthebrookflowsrightaroundit.
AtlastitstruckmethatitwouldbesplendidtocallitVictoriaIslandbecausewefounditontheQueen’sbirthday.BothDianaandIareveryloyal.
ButI’msorryaboutthatpieandthehandkerchiefs.
Iwantedtobeextragoodtodaybecauseit’sananniversary.
Doyourememberwhathappenedthisdaylastyear,Marilla?”
“No,Ican’tthinkofanythingspecial.”
“Oh,Marilla,itwasthedayIcametoGreenGables.Ishallneverforgetit.Itwastheturningpointinmylife.
Ofcourseitwouldn’tseemsoimportanttoyou.
I’vebeenhereforayearandI’vebeensohappy.
Ofcourse,I’vehadmytroubles,butonecanlivedowntroubles.Areyousorryyoukeptme,Marilla?”
“No,Ican’tsayI’msorry,”saidMarilla,whosometimeswonderedhowshecouldhavelivedbeforeAnnecametoGreenGables,“no,notexactlysorry.
Ifyou’vefinishedyourlessons,Anne,IwantyoutorunoverandaskMrs.Barryifshe’lllendmeDiana’sapronpattern.”
“Oh—it’s—it’stoodark,”criedAnne.
“Toodark?Why,it’sonlytwilight.Andgoodnessknowsyou’vegoneoveroftenenoughafterdark.”
“I’llgooverearlyinthemorning,”saidAnneeagerly.“I’llgetupatsunriseandgoover,Marilla.”
“Whathasgotintoyourheadnow,AnneShirley?Iwantthatpatterntocutoutyournewapronthisevening.Goatonceandbesmarttoo.”
“I’llhavetogoaroundbytheroad,then,”saidAnne,takingupherhatreluctantly.
“Gobytheroadandwastehalfanhour!I’dliketocatchyou!”
“Ican’tgothroughtheHauntedWood,Marilla,”criedAnnedesperately.
Marillastared.
“TheHauntedWood!Areyoucrazy?WhatunderthecanopyistheHauntedWood?”
“Thesprucewoodoverthebrook,”saidAnneinawhisper.
“Fiddlesticks!Thereisnosuchthingasahauntedwoodanywhere.Whohasbeentellingyousuchstuff?”
“Nobody,”confessedAnne.“DianaandIjustimaginedthewoodwashaunted.
Alltheplacesaroundhereareso—so—COMMONPLACE.
Wejustgotthisupforourownamusement.WebeganitinApril.
Ahauntedwoodissoveryromantic,Marilla.
Wechosethesprucegrovebecauseit’ssogloomy.
Oh,wehaveimaginedthemostharrowingthings.
There’sawhiteladywalksalongthebrookjustaboutthistimeofthenightandwringsherhandsandutterswailingcries.
Sheappearswhenthereistobeadeathinthefamily.
AndtheghostofalittlemurderedchildhauntsthecornerupbyIdlewild;itcreepsupbehindyouandlaysitscoldfingersonyourhand—so.
Oh,Marilla,itgivesmeashuddertothinkofit.
Andthere’saheadlessmanstalksupanddownthepathandskeletonsgloweratyoubetweentheboughs.
Oh,Marilla,Iwouldn’tgothroughtheHauntedWoodafterdarknowforanything.
I’dbesurethatwhitethingswouldreachoutfrombehindthetreesandgrabme.”listenedindumbamazement.
“AnneShirley,doyoumeantotellmeyoubelieveallthatwickednonsenseofyourownimagination?”“NotbelieveEXACTLY,”falteredAnne.
“Atleast,Idon’tbelieveitindaylight.
Butafterdark,Marilla,it’sdifferent.Thatiswhenghostswalk.”
“Dideveranyonehearthelike!”ejaculatedMarilla,whohadlistenedindumbamazement.“AnneShirley,doyoumeantotellmeyoubelieveallthatwickednonsenseofyourownimagination?”
“NotbelieveEXACTLY,”falteredAnne.“Atleast,Idon’tbelieveitindaylight.Butafterdark,Marilla,it’sdifferent.Thatiswhenghostswalk.”
“Therearenosuchthingsasghosts,Anne.”
“Oh,butthereare,Marilla,”criedAnneeagerly.“Iknowpeoplewhohaveseenthem.Andtheyarerespectablepeople.
CharlieSloanesaysthathisgrandmothersawhisgrandfatherdrivinghomethecowsonenightafterhe’dbeenburiedforayear.
YouknowCharlieSloane’sgrandmotherwouldn’ttellastoryforanything.She’saveryreligiouswoman.
AndMrs.Thomas’sfatherwaspursuedhomeonenightbyalamboffirewithitsheadcutoffhangingbyastripofskin.
Hesaidheknewitwasthespiritofhisbrotherandthatitwasawarninghewoulddiewithinninedays.
Hedidn’t,buthediedtwoyearsafter,soyouseeitwasreallytrue.AndRubyGillissays—”
“AnneShirley,”interruptedMarillafirmly,“Ineverwanttohearyoutalkinginthisfashionagain.
I’vehadmydoubtsaboutthatimaginationofyoursrightalong,andifthisisgoingtobetheoutcomeofit,Iwon’tcountenanceanysuchdoings.
You’llgorightovertoBarry’s,andyou’llgothroughthatsprucegrove,justforalessonandawarningtoyou.
Andneverletmehearawordoutofyourheadabouthauntedwoodsagain.”
Annemightpleadandcryassheliked—anddid,forherterrorwasveryreal.
Herimaginationhadrunawaywithherandsheheldthesprucegroveinmortaldreadafternightfall.ButMarillawasinexorable.
Shemarchedtheshrinkingghost-seerdowntothespringandorderedhertoproceedstraightawayoverthebridgeandintotheduskyretreatsofwailingladiesandheadlessspectersbeyond.
“Oh,Marilla,howcanyoubesocruel?”sobbedAnne.“Whatwouldyoufeellikeifawhitethingdidsnatchmeupandcarrymeoff?”
“I’llriskit,”saidMarillaunfeelingly.“YouknowIalwaysmeanwhatIsay.I’llcureyouofimaginingghostsintoplaces.March,now.”
Annemarched.Thatis,shestumbledoverthebridgeandwentshudderingupthehorribledimpathbeyond.Anneneverforgotthatwalk.
Bitterlydidsherepentthelicenseshehadgiventoherimagination.
Thegoblinsofherfancylurkedineveryshadowabouther,reachingouttheircold,fleshlesshandstograsptheterrifiedsmallgirlwhohadcalledthemintobeing.
Awhitestripofbirchbarkblowingupfromthehollowoverthebrownfloorofthegrovemadeherheartstandstill.
Thelong-drawnwailoftwooldboughsrubbingagainsteachotherbroughtouttheperspirationinbeadsonherforehead.
Theswoopofbatsinthedarknessoverherwasasthewingsofunearthlycreatures.
WhenshereachedMr.WilliamBell’sfieldshefledacrossitasifpursuedbyanarmyofwhitethings,andarrivedattheBarrykitchendoorsooutofbreaththatshecouldhardlygaspoutherrequestfortheapronpattern.
Dianawasawaysothatshehadnoexcusetolinger.
Thedreadfulreturnjourneyhadtobefaced.
Annewentbackoveritwithshuteyes,preferringtotaketheriskofdashingherbrainsoutamongtheboughstothatofseeingawhitething.
Whenshefinallystumbledoverthelogbridgeshedrewonelongshiveringbreathofrelief.
“Well,sonothingcaughtyou?”saidMarillaunsympathetically.
“Oh,Mar—Marilla,”chatteredAnne,“I’llb-b-becontt-tentedwithc-c-commonplaceplacesafterthis.”
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