English
Annehadher“good”summerandenjoyeditwholeheartedly.
SheandDianafairlylivedoutdoors,revelinginallthedelightsthatLover’sLaneandtheDryad’sBubbleandWillowmereandVictoriaIslandafforded.
MarillaofferednoobjectionstoAnne’sgypsyings.
TheSpencervaledoctorwhohadcomethenightMinnieMayhadthecroupmetAnneatthehouseofapatientoneafternoonearlyinvacation,lookedheroversharply,screweduphismouth,shookhishead,andsentamessagetoMarillaCuthbertbyanotherperson.Itwas:
“Keepthatredheadedgirlofyoursintheopenairallsummeranddon’tletherreadbooksuntilshegetsmorespringintoherstep.”
ThismessagefrightenedMarillawholesomely.
ShereadAnne’sdeathwarrantbyconsumptioninitunlessitwasscrupulouslyobeyed.
Asaresult,Annehadthegoldensummerofherlifeasfarasfreedomandfrolicwent.
Shewalked,rowed,berried,anddreamedtoherheart’scontent;andwhenSeptembercameshewasbright-eyedandalert,withastepthatwouldhavesatisfiedtheSpencervaledoctorandaheartfullofambitionandzestoncemore.
“Ifeeljustlikestudyingwithmightandmain,”shedeclaredasshebroughtherbooksdownfromtheattic.
“Oh,yougoodoldfriends,I’mgladtoseeyourhonestfacesoncemore—yes,evenyou,geometry.
I’vehadaperfectlybeautifulsummer,Marilla,andnowI’mrejoicingasastrongmantorunarace,asMr.AllansaidlastSunday.
Doesn’tMr.Allanpreachmagnificentsermons?
Mrs.Lyndesaysheisimprovingeverydayandthefirstthingweknowsomecitychurchwillgobblehimupandthenwe’llbeleftandhavetoturntoandbreakinanothergreenpreacher.
ButIdon’tseetheuseofmeetingtroublehalfway,doyou,Marilla?
IthinkitwouldbebetterjusttoenjoyMr.Allanwhilewehavehim.
IfIwereamanIthinkI’dbeaminister.
Theycanhavesuchaninfluenceforgood,iftheirtheologyissound;anditmustbethrillingtopreachsplendidsermonsandstiryourhearers’hearts.Whycan’twomenbeministers,Marilla?
IaskedMrs.Lyndethatandshewasshockedandsaiditwouldbeascandalousthing.
ShesaidtheremightbefemaleministersintheStatesandshebelievedtherewas,butthankgoodnesswehadn’tgottothatstageinCanadayetandshehopedweneverwould.ButIdon’tseewhy.
Ithinkwomenwouldmakesplendidministers.
Whenthereisasocialtobegotuporachurchteaoranythingelsetoraisemoneythewomenhavetoturntoanddothework.
I’msureMrs.LyndecanprayeverybitaswellasSuperintendentBellandI’venodoubtshecouldpreachtoowithalittlepractice.”
“Yes,Ibelieveshecould,”saidMarilladryly.“Shedoesplentyofunofficialpreachingasitis.NobodyhasmuchofachancetogowronginAvonleawithRacheltooverseethem.”
“Marilla,”saidAnneinaburstofconfidence,“Iwanttotellyousomethingandaskyouwhatyouthinkaboutit.
Ithasworriedmeterribly—onSundayafternoons,thatis,whenIthinkspeciallyaboutsuchmatters.
Idoreallywanttobegood;andwhenI’mwithyouorMrs.AllanorMissStacyIwantitmorethaneverandIwanttodojustwhatwouldpleaseyouandwhatyouwouldapproveof.
ButmostlywhenI’mwithMrs.LyndeIfeeldesperatelywickedandasifIwantedtogoanddotheverythingshetellsmeIoughtn’ttodo.Ifeelirresistiblytemptedtodoit.
Now,whatdoyouthinkisthereasonIfeellikethat?
Doyouthinkit’sbecauseI’mreallybadandunregenerate?”
Marillalookeddubiousforamoment.Thenshelaughed.
“IfyouareIguessIamtoo,Anne,forRacheloftenhasthatveryeffectonme.
Isometimesthinkshe’dhavemoreofaninfluenceforgood,asyousayyourself,ifshedidn’tkeepnaggingpeopletodoright.
Thereshouldhavebeenaspecialcommandmentagainstnagging.Butthere,Ishouldn’ttalkso.
RachelisagoodChristianwomanandshemeanswell.
Thereisn’takindersoulinAvonleaandshenevershirkshershareofwork.”
“I’mverygladyoufeelthesame,”saidAnnedecidedly.“It’ssoencouraging.
Ishan’tworrysomuchoverthatafterthis.
ButIdaresaythere’llbeotherthingstoworryme.
Theykeepcomingupnewallthetime—thingstoperplexyou,youknow.
Yousettleonequestionandthere’sanotherrightafter.
Therearesomanythingstobethoughtoveranddecidedwhenyou’rebeginningtogrowup.
Itkeepsmebusyallthetimethinkingthemoveranddecidingwhatisright.
It’saseriousthingtogrowup,isn’tit,Marilla?
ButwhenIhavesuchgoodfriendsasyouandMatthewandMrs.AllanandMissStacyIoughttogrowupsuccessfully,andI’msureitwillbemyownfaultifIdon’t.
Ifeelit’sagreatresponsibilitybecauseIhaveonlytheonechance.
IfIdon’tgrowuprightIcan’tgobackandbeginoveragain.
I’vegrowntwoinchesthissummer,Marilla.Mr.GillismeasuredmeatRuby’sparty.
I’msogladyoumademynewdresseslonger.
Thatdark-greenoneissoprettyanditwassweetofyoutoputontheflounce.
OfcourseIknowitwasn’treallynecessary,butflouncesaresostylishthisfallandJosiePyehasflouncesonallherdresses.
IknowI’llbeabletostudybetterbecauseofmine.
Ishallhavesuchacomfortablefeelingdeepdowninmymindaboutthatflounce.”
“It’sworthsomethingtohavethat,”admittedMarilla.
MissStacycamebacktoAvonleaschoolandfoundallherpupilseagerforworkoncemore.
EspeciallydidtheQueen’sclassgirduptheirloinsforthefray,forattheendofthecomingyear,dimlyshadowingtheirpathwayalready,loomedupthatfatefulthingknownas“theEntrance,”atthethoughtofwhichoneandallfelttheirheartssinkintotheirveryshoes.Supposetheydidnotpass!
ThatthoughtwasdoomedtohauntAnnethroughthewakinghoursofthatwinter,Sundayafternoonsinclusive,tothealmostentireexclusionofmoralandtheologicalproblems.
WhenAnnehadbaddreamsshefoundherselfstaringmiserablyatpasslistsoftheEntranceexams,whereGilbertBlythe’snamewasblazonedatthetopandinwhichhersdidnotappearatall.
Butitwasajolly,busy,happyswift-flyingwinter.
Schoolworkwasasinteresting,classrivalryasabsorbing,asofyore.
Newworldsofthought,feeling,andambition,fresh,fascinatingfieldsofunexploredknowledgeseemedtobeopeningoutbeforeAnne’seagereyes.
"Hillspeepedo'erhillandAlpsonAlpsarose."
MuchofallthiswasduetoMissStacy’stactful,careful,broadmindedguidance.
SheledherclasstothinkandexploreanddiscoverforthemselvesandencouragedstrayingfromtheoldbeatenpathstoadegreethatquiteshockedMrs.Lyndeandtheschooltrustees,whoviewedallinnovationsonestablishedmethodsratherdubiously.
ApartfromherstudiesAnneexpandedsocially,forMarilla,mindfuloftheSpencervaledoctor’sdictum,nolongervetoedoccasionaloutings.
TheDebatingClubflourishedandgaveseveralconcerts;therewereoneortwopartiesalmostvergingongrown-upaffairs;thereweresleighdrivesandskatingfrolicsgalore.
BetweentimesAnnegrew,shootingupsorapidlythatMarillawasastonishedoneday,whentheywerestandingsidebyside,tofindthegirlwastallerthanherself.
“Why,Anne,howyou’vegrown!”shesaid,almostunbelievingly.Asighfollowedonthewords.
MarillafeltaqueerregretoverAnne’sinches.
Thechildshehadlearnedtolovehadvanishedsomehowandherewasthistall,serious-eyedgirloffifteen,withthethoughtfulbrowsandtheproudlypoisedlittlehead,inherplace.
Marillalovedthegirlasmuchasshehadlovedthechild,butshewasconsciousofaqueersorrowfulsenseofloss.
Andthatnight,whenAnnehadgonetoprayermeetingwithDiana,Marillasataloneinthewintrytwilightandindulgedintheweaknessofacry.
Matthew,cominginwithalantern,caughtheratitandgazedatherinsuchconsternationthatMarillahadtolaughthroughhertears.
“IwasthinkingaboutAnne,”sheexplained.“She’sgottobesuchabiggirl—andshe’llprobablybeawayfromusnextwinter.I’llmissherterrible.”
“She’llbeabletocomehomeoften,”comfortedMatthew,towhomAnnewasasyetandalwayswouldbethelittle,eagergirlhehadbroughthomefromBrightRiveronthatJuneeveningfouryearsbefore.
“ThebranchrailroadwillbebuilttoCarmodybythattime.”
“Itwon’tbethesamethingashavingherhereallthetime,”sighedMarillagloomily,determinedtoenjoyherluxuryofgriefuncomforted.“Butthere—mencan’tunderstandthesethings!”
TherewereotherchangesinAnnenolessrealthanthephysicalchange.Foronething,shebecamemuchquieter.
Perhapsshethoughtallthemoreanddreamedasmuchasever,butshecertainlytalkedless.
Marillanoticedandcommentedonthisalso.
“Youdon’tchatterhalfasmuchasyouusedto,Anne,norusehalfasmanybigwords.Whathascomeoveryou?”
Annecoloredandlaughedalittle,asshedroppedherbookandlookeddreamilyoutofthewindow,wherebigfatredbudswereburstingoutonthecreeperinresponsetothelureofthespringsunshine.
“Idon’tknow—Idon’twanttotalkasmuch,”shesaid,dentingherchinthoughtfullywithherforefinger.
“It’snicertothinkdear,prettythoughtsandkeeptheminone’sheart,liketreasures.
Idon’tliketohavethemlaughedatorwonderedover.
AndsomehowIdon’twanttousebigwordsanymore.
It’salmostapity,isn’tit,nowthatI’mreallygrowingbigenoughtosaythemifIdidwantto.
It’sfuntobealmostgrownupinsomeways,butit’snotthekindoffunIexpected,Marilla.
There’ssomuchtolearnanddoandthinkthatthereisn’ttimeforbigwords.
Besides,MissStacysaystheshortonesaremuchstrongerandbetter.
Shemakesuswriteallouressaysassimplyaspossible.Itwashardatfirst.
IwassousedtocrowdinginallthefinebigwordsIcouldthinkof—andIthoughtofanynumberofthem.
ButI’vegotusedtoitnowandIseeit’ssomuchbetter.”
“Whathasbecomeofyourstoryclub?Ihaven’theardyouspeakofitforalongtime.”
“Thestoryclubisn’tinexistenceanylonger.
Wehadn’ttimeforit—andanyhowIthinkwehadgottiredofit.
Itwassillytobewritingaboutloveandmurderandelopementsandmysteries.
MissStacysometimeshasuswriteastoryfortrainingincomposition,butshewon’tletuswriteanythingbutwhatmighthappeninAvonleainourownlives,andshecriticizesitverysharplyandmakesuscriticizeourowntoo.
IneverthoughtmycompositionshadsomanyfaultsuntilIbegantolookforthemmyself.
IfeltsoashamedIwantedtogiveupaltogether,butMissStacysaidIcouldlearntowritewellifIonlytrainedmyselftobemyownseverestcritic.AndsoIamtryingto.”
“You’veonlytwomoremonthsbeforetheEntrance,”saidMarilla.“Doyouthinkyou’llbeabletogetthrough?”
Anneshivered.
“Idon’tknow.SometimesIthinkI’llbeallright—andthenIgethorriblyafraid.
We’vestudiedhardandMissStacyhasdrilledusthoroughly,butwemayn’tgetthroughforallthat.We’veeachgotastumblingblock.
Mineisgeometryofcourse,andJane’sisLatin,andRubyandCharlie’sisalgebra,andJosie’sisarithmetic.
MoodySpurgeonsayshefeelsitinhisbonesthatheisgoingtofailinEnglishhistory.
MissStacyisgoingtogiveusexaminationsinJunejustashardaswe’llhaveattheEntranceandmarkusjustasstrictly,sowe’llhavesomeidea.Iwishitwasallover,Marilla.Ithauntsme.
SometimesIwakeupinthenightandwonderwhatI’lldoifIdon’tpass.”
“Why,gotoschoolnextyearandtryagain,”saidMarillaunconcernedly.
“Oh,Idon’tbelieveI’dhavetheheartforit.
Itwouldbesuchadisgracetofail,especiallyifGil—iftheotherspassed.
AndIgetsonervousinanexaminationthatI’mlikelytomakeamessofit.IwishIhadnerveslikeJaneAndrews.Nothingrattlesher.”
Annesighedand,dragginghereyesfromthewitcheriesofthespringworld,thebeckoningdayofbreezeandblue,andthegreenthingsupspringinginthegarden,buriedherselfresolutelyinherbook.
Therewouldbeothersprings,butifshedidnotsucceedinpassingtheEntrance,Annefeltconvincedthatshewouldneverrecoversufficientlytoenjoythem.
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