English
Annehadtolivethroughmorethantwoweeks,asithappened.
Almostamonthhavingelapsedsincethelinimentcakeepisode,itwashightimeforhertogetintofreshtroubleofsomesort,littlemistakes,suchasabsentmindedlyemptyingapanofskimmilkintoabasketofyarnballsinthepantryinsteadofintothepigs’bucket,andwalkingcleanovertheedgeofthelogbridgeintothebrookwhilewrappedinimaginativereverie,notreallybeingworthcounting.
AweekaftertheteaatthemanseDianaBarrygaveaparty.
“Smallandselect,”AnneassuredMarilla.“Justthegirlsinourclass.”
Theyhadaverygoodtimeandnothinguntowardhappeneduntilaftertea,whentheyfoundthemselvesintheBarrygarden,alittletiredofalltheirgamesandripeforanyenticingformofmischiefwhichmightpresentitself.
Thispresentlytooktheformof“daring.”
DaringwasthefashionableamusementamongtheAvonleasmallfryjustthen.
Ithadbegunamongtheboys,butsoonspreadtothegirls,andallthesillythingsthatweredoneinAvonleathatsummerbecausethedoersthereofwere“dared”todothemwouldfillabookbythemselves.
FirstofallCarrieSloanedaredRubyGillistoclimbtoacertainpointinthehugeoldwillowtreebeforethefrontdoor;whichRubyGillis,albeitinmortaldreadofthefatgreencaterpillarswithwhichsaidtreewasinfestedandwiththefearofhermotherbeforehereyesifsheshouldtearhernewmuslindress,nimblydid,tothediscomfitureoftheaforesaidCarrieSloane.
ThenJosiePyedaredJaneAndrewstohoponherleftlegaroundthegardenwithoutstoppingonceorputtingherrightfoottotheground;whichJaneAndrewsgamelytriedtodo,butgaveoutatthethirdcornerandhadtoconfessherselfdefeated.
Josie’striumphbeingrathermorepronouncedthangoodtastepermitted,AnneShirleydaredhertowalkalongthetopoftheboardfencewhichboundedthegardentotheeast.
Now,to“walk”boardfencesrequiresmoreskillandsteadinessofheadandheelthanonemightsupposewhohasnevertriedit.
ButJosiePye,ifdeficientinsomequalitiesthatmakeforpopularity,hadatleastanaturalandinborngift,dulycultivated,forwalkingboardfences.
JosiewalkedtheBarryfencewithanairyunconcernwhichseemedtoimplythatalittlethinglikethatwasn’twortha“dare.”
Reluctantadmirationgreetedherexploit,formostoftheothergirlscouldappreciateit,havingsufferedmanythingsthemselvesintheireffortstowalkfences.
Josiedescendedfromherperch,flushedwithvictory,anddartedadefiantglanceatAnne.
Annetossedherredbraids.
“Idon’tthinkit’ssuchaverywonderfulthingtowalkalittle,low,boardfence,”shesaid.“IknewagirlinMarysvillewhocouldwalktheridgepoleofaroof.”
“Idon’tbelieveit,”saidJosieflatly.“Idon’tbelieveanybodycouldwalkaridgepole.YOUcouldn’t,anyhow.”
“Couldn’tI?”criedAnnerashly.
“ThenIdareyoutodoit,”saidJosiedefiantly.“IdareyoutoclimbupthereandwalktheridgepoleofMr.Barry’skitchenroof.”
Anneturnedpale,buttherewasclearlyonlyonethingtobedone.
Shewalkedtowardthehouse,wherealadderwasleaningagainstthekitchenroof.Allthefifth-classgirlssaid,“Oh!”partlyinexcitement,partlyindismay.
“Don’tyoudoit,Anne,”entreatedDiana.“You’llfalloffandbekilled.NevermindJosiePye.Itisn’tfairtodareanybodytodoanythingsodangerous.”
“Imustdoit.Myhonorisatstake,”saidAnnesolemnly.“Ishallwalkthatridgepole,Diana,orperishintheattempt.IfIamkilledyouaretohavemypearlbeadring.”
Anneclimbedtheladderamidbreathlesssilence,gainedtheridgepole,balancedherselfuprightlyonthatprecariousfooting,andstartedtowalkalongit,dizzilyconsciousthatshewasuncomfortablyhighupintheworldandthatwalkingridgepoleswasnotathinginwhichyourimaginationhelpedyououtmuch.
Nevertheless,shemanagedtotakeseveralstepsbeforethecatastrophecame.
Thensheswayed,lostherbalance,stumbled,staggered,andfell,slidingdownoverthesun-bakedroofandcrashingoffitthroughthetangleofVirginiacreeperbeneath—allbeforethedismayedcirclebelowcouldgiveasimultaneous,terrifiedshriek.
IfAnnehadtumbledofftheroofonthesideupwhichshehadascendedDianawouldprobablyhavefallenheirtothepearlbeadringthenandthere.
Fortunatelyshefellontheotherside,wheretheroofextendeddownovertheporchsonearlytothegroundthatafalltherefromwasamuchlessseriousthing.
Nevertheless,whenDianaandtheothergirlshadrushedfranticallyaroundthehouse—exceptRubyGillis,whoremainedasifrootedtothegroundandwentintohysterics—theyfoundAnnelyingallwhiteandlimpamongthewreckandruinoftheVirginiacreeper.
“Anne,areyoukilled?”shriekedDiana,throwingherselfonherkneesbesideherfriend.“Oh,Anne,dearAnne,speakjustonewordtomeandtellmeifyou’rekilled.”
Totheimmensereliefofallthegirls,andespeciallyofJosiePye,who,inspiteoflackofimagination,hadbeenseizedwithhorriblevisionsofafuturebrandedasthegirlwhowasthecauseofAnneShirley’searlyandtragicdeath,Annesatdizzilyupandanswereduncertainly:
“No,Diana,Iamnotkilled,butIthinkIamrenderedunconscious.”
“Where?”sobbedCarrieSloane.“Oh,where,Anne?”
BeforeAnnecouldanswerMrs.Barryappearedonthescene.
AtsightofherAnnetriedtoscrambletoherfeet,butsankbackagainwithasharplittlecryofpain.
“What’sthematter?Wherehaveyouhurtyourself?”demandedMrs.Barry.
“Myankle,”gaspedAnne.“Oh,Diana,pleasefindyourfatherandaskhimtotakemehome.IknowIcanneverwalkthere.
AndI’msureIcouldn’thopsofarononefootwhenJanecouldn’tevenhoparoundthegarden.”
MarillawasoutintheorchardpickingapanfulofsummerappleswhenshesawMr.Barrycomingoverthelogbridgeanduptheslope,withMrs.Barrybesidehimandawholeprocessionoflittlegirlstrailingafterhim.
InhisarmshecarriedAnne,whoseheadlaylimplyagainsthisshoulder.
AtthatmomentMarillahadarevelation.
InthesuddenstaboffearthatpiercedherveryheartsherealizedwhatAnnehadcometomeantoher.
ShewouldhaveadmittedthatshelikedAnne—nay,thatshewasveryfondofAnne.
ButnowsheknewasshehurriedwildlydowntheslopethatAnnewasdearertoherthananythingelseonearth.
“Mr.Barry,whathashappenedtoher?”shegasped,morewhiteandshakenthantheself-contained,sensibleMarillahadbeenformanyyears.
Anneherselfanswered,liftingherhead.
“Don’tbeveryfrightened,Marilla.IwaswalkingtheridgepoleandIfelloff.IexpectIhavesprainedmyankle.But,Marilla,Imighthavebrokenmyneck.Letuslookonthebrightsideofthings.”
“Imighthaveknownyou’dgoanddosomethingofthesortwhenIletyougotothatparty,”saidMarilla,sharpandshrewishinherveryrelief.
“Bringherinhere,Mr.Barry,andlayheronthesofa.
Mercyme,thechildhasgoneandfainted!”
Itwasquitetrue.Overcomebythepainofherinjury,Annehadonemoreofherwishesgrantedtoher.Shehadfainteddeadaway.
Matthew,hastilysummonedfromtheharvestfield,wasstraightwaydispatchedforthedoctor,whoinduetimecame,todiscoverthattheinjurywasmoreseriousthantheyhadsupposed.Anne’sanklewasbroken.
Thatnight,whenMarillawentuptotheeastgable,whereawhite-facedgirlwaslying,aplaintivevoicegreetedherfromthebed.
“Aren’tyouverysorryforme,Marilla?”
“Itwasyourownfault,”saidMarilla,twitchingdowntheblindandlightingalamp.
“Andthatisjustwhyyoushouldbesorryforme,”saidAnne,“becausethethoughtthatitisallmyownfaultiswhatmakesitsohard.
IfIcouldblameitonanybodyIwouldfeelsomuchbetter.
Butwhatwouldyouhavedone,Marilla,ifyouhadbeendaredtowalkaridgepole?”
“I’dhavestayedongoodfirmgroundandletthemdareaway.Suchabsurdity!”saidMarilla.
Annesighed.
“Butyouhavesuchstrengthofmind,Marilla.Ihaven’t.
IjustfeltthatIcouldn’tbearJosiePye’sscorn.
Shewouldhavecrowedovermeallmylife.
AndIthinkIhavebeenpunishedsomuchthatyouneedn’tbeverycrosswithme,Marilla.
It’snotabitnicetofaint,afterall.
Andthedoctorhurtmedreadfullywhenhewassettingmyankle.
Iwon’tbeabletogoaroundforsixorsevenweeksandI’llmissthenewladyteacher.
Shewon’tbenewanymorebythetimeI’mabletogotoschool.
AndGil—everybodywillgetaheadofmeinclass.Oh,Iamanafflictedmortal.
ButI’lltrytobearitallbravelyifonlyyouwon’tbecrosswithme,Marilla.”
“There,there,I’mnotcross,”saidMarilla.“You’reanunluckychild,there’snodoubtaboutthat;butasyousay,you’llhavethesufferingofit.Herenow,tryandeatsomesupper.”
“Isn’titfortunateI’vegotsuchanimagination?”saidAnne.
“Itwillhelpmethroughsplendidly,Iexpect.
Whatdopeoplewhohaven’tanyimaginationdowhentheybreaktheirbones,doyousuppose,Marilla?”
Annehadgoodreasontoblessherimaginationmanyatimeandoftduringthetedioussevenweeksthatfollowed.Butshewasnotsolelydependentonit.
ShehadmanyvisitorsandnotadaypassedwithoutoneormoreoftheschoolgirlsdroppingintobringherflowersandbooksandtellherallthehappeningsinthejuvenileworldofAvonlea.
“Everybodyhasbeensogoodandkind,Marilla,”sighedAnnehappily,onthedaywhenshecouldfirstlimpacrossthefloor.
“Itisn’tverypleasanttobelaidup;butthereisabrightsidetoit,Marilla.Youfindouthowmanyfriendsyouhave.
Why,evenSuperintendentBellcametoseeme,andhe’sreallyaveryfineman.
Notakindredspirit,ofcourse;butstillIlikehimandI’mawfullysorryIevercriticizedhisprayers.
Ibelievenowhereallydoesmeanthem,onlyhehasgotintothehabitofsayingthemasifhedidn’t.
Hecouldgetoverthatifhe’dtakealittletrouble.Igavehimagoodbroadhint.
ItoldhimhowhardItriedtomakemyownlittleprivateprayersinteresting.
Hetoldmeallaboutthetimehebrokehisanklewhenhewasaboy.
ItdoesseemsostrangetothinkofSuperintendentBelleverbeingaboy.
Evenmyimaginationhasitslimits,forIcan’timagineTHAT.
WhenItrytoimaginehimasaboyIseehimwithgraywhiskersandspectacles,justashelooksinSundayschool,onlysmall.
Now,it’ssoeasytoimagineMrs.Allanasalittlegirl.
Mrs.Allanhasbeentoseemefourteentimes.
Isn’tthatsomethingtobeproudof,Marilla?
Whenaminister’swifehassomanyclaimsonhertime!
Sheissuchacheerfulpersontohavevisityou,too.
Shenevertellsyouit’syourownfaultandshehopesyou’llbeabettergirlonaccountofit.
Mrs.Lyndealwaystoldmethatwhenshecametoseeme;andshesaiditinakindofwaythatmademefeelshemighthopeI’dbeabettergirlbutdidn’treallybelieveIwould.EvenJosiePyecametoseeme.
IreceivedheraspolitelyasIcould,becauseIthinkshewassorryshedaredmetowalkaridgepole.
IfIhadbeenkilledshewouldhadtocarryadarkburdenofremorseallherlife.Dianahasbeenafaithfulfriend.
She’sbeenovereverydaytocheermylonelypillow.
Butoh,IshallbesogladwhenIcangotoschoolforI’veheardsuchexcitingthingsaboutthenewteacher.
Thegirlsallthinksheisperfectlysweet.
Dianasaysshehastheloveliestfaircurlyhairandsuchfascinatingeyes.
Shedressesbeautifully,andhersleevepuffsarebiggerthananybodyelse’sinAvonlea.
EveryotherFridayafternoonshehasrecitationsandeverybodyhastosayapieceortakepartinadialogue.Oh,it’sjustglorioustothinkofit.
JosiePyesaysshehatesitbutthatisjustbecauseJosiehassolittleimagination.
DianaandRubyGillisandJaneAndrewsarepreparingadialogue,called‘AMorningVisit,’fornextFriday.
AndtheFridayafternoonstheydon’thaverecitationsMissStacytakesthemalltothewoodsfora‘field’dayandtheystudyfernsandflowersandbirds.
Andtheyhavephysicalcultureexerciseseverymorningandevening.
Mrs.Lyndesayssheneverheardofsuchgoingsonanditallcomesofhavingaladyteacher.
ButIthinkitmustbesplendidandIbelieveIshallfindthatMissStacyisakindredspirit.”
“There’sonethingplaintobeseen,Anne,”saidMarilla,“andthatisthatyourfallofftheBarryroofhasn’tinjuredyourtongueatall.”
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