English
Anne’shomesicknessworeoff,greatlyhelpedinthewearingbyherweekendvisitshome.
AslongastheopenweatherlastedtheAvonleastudentswentouttoCarmodyonthenewbranchrailwayeveryFridaynight.
DianaandseveralotherAvonleayoungfolksweregenerallyonhandtomeetthemandtheyallwalkedovertoAvonleainamerryparty.
AnnethoughtthoseFridayeveninggypsyingsovertheautumnalhillsinthecrispgoldenair,withthehomelightsofAvonleatwinklingbeyond,werethebestanddearesthoursinthewholeweek.
GilbertBlythenearlyalwayswalkedwithRubyGillisandcarriedhersatchelforher.
Rubywasaveryhandsomeyounglady,nowthinkingherselfquiteasgrownupasshereallywas;sheworeherskirtsaslongashermotherwouldletheranddidherhairupintown,thoughshehadtotakeitdownwhenshewenthome.
Shehadlarge,bright-blueeyes,abrilliantcomplexion,andaplumpshowyfigure.
Shelaughedagreatdeal,wascheerfulandgood-tempered,andenjoyedthepleasantthingsoflifefrankly.
“ButIshouldn’tthinkshewasthesortofgirlGilbertwouldlike,”whisperedJanetoAnne.
Annedidnotthinksoeither,butshewouldnothavesaidsofortheAveryscholarship.
Shecouldnothelpthinking,too,thatitwouldbeverypleasanttohavesuchafriendasGilberttojestandchatterwithandexchangeideasaboutbooksandstudiesandambitions.
Gilberthadambitions,sheknew,andRubyGillisdidnotseemthesortofpersonwithwhomsuchcouldbeprofitablydiscussed.
TherewasnosillysentimentinAnne’sideasconcerningGilbert.
Boysweretoher,whenshethoughtaboutthematall,merelypossiblegoodcomrades.
IfsheandGilberthadbeenfriendsshewouldnothavecaredhowmanyotherfriendshehadnorwithwhomhewalked.
Shehadageniusforfriendship;girlfriendsshehadinplenty;butshehadavagueconsciousnessthatmasculinefriendshipmightalsobeagoodthingtoroundoutone’sconceptionsofcompanionshipandfurnishbroaderstandpointsofjudgmentandcomparison.
NotthatAnnecouldhaveputherfeelingsonthematterintojustsuchcleardefinition.
ButshethoughtthatifGilberthadeverwalkedhomewithherfromthetrain,overthecrispfieldsandalongthefernybyways,theymighthavehadmanyandmerryandinterestingconversationsaboutthenewworldthatwasopeningaroundthemandtheirhopesandambitionstherein.
Gilbertwasacleveryoungfellow,withhisownthoughtsaboutthingsandadeterminationtogetthebestoutoflifeandputthebestintoit.
RubyGillistoldJaneAndrewsthatshedidn’tunderstandhalfthethingsGilbertBlythesaid;hetalkedjustlikeAnneShirleydidwhenshehadathoughtfulfitonandforherpartshedidn’tthinkitanyfuntobebotheringaboutbooksandthatsortofthingwhenyoudidn’thaveto.
FrankStockleyhadlotsmoredashandgo,butthenhewasn’thalfasgood-lookingasGilbertandshereallycouldn’tdecidewhichshelikedbest!
IntheAcademyAnnegraduallydrewalittlecircleoffriendsabouther,thoughtful,imaginative,ambitiousstudentslikeherself.
Withthe“rose-red”girl,StellaMaynard,andthe“dreamgirl,”PriscillaGrant,shesoonbecameintimate,findingthelatterpalespiritual-lookingmaidentobefulltothebrimofmischiefandpranksandfun,whilethevivid,black-eyedStellahadaheartfulofwistfuldreamsandfancies,asaerialandrainbow-likeasAnne’sown.
AftertheChristmasholidaystheAvonleastudentsgaveupgoinghomeonFridaysandsettleddowntohardwork.
BythistimealltheQueen’sscholarshadgravitatedintotheirownplacesintheranksandthevariousclasseshadassumeddistinctandsettledshadingsofindividuality.
Certainfactshadbecomegenerallyaccepted.
Itwasadmittedthatthemedalcontestantshadpracticallynarroweddowntothree—GilbertBlythe,AnneShirley,andLewisWilson;theAveryscholarshipwasmoredoubtful,anyoneofacertainsixbeingapossiblewinner.
Thebronzemedalformathematicswasconsideredasgoodaswonbyafat,funnylittleup-countryboywithabumpyforeheadandapatchedcoat.
RubyGilliswasthehandsomestgirloftheyearattheAcademy;intheSecondYearclassesStellaMaynardcarriedoffthepalmforbeauty,withsmallbutcriticalminorityinfavorofAnneShirley.
EthelMarrwasadmittedbyallcompetentjudgestohavethemoststylishmodesofhair-dressing,andJaneAndrews—plain,plodding,conscientiousJane—carriedoffthehonorsinthedomesticsciencecourse.
EvenJosiePyeattainedacertainpreeminenceasthesharpest-tonguedyoungladyinattendanceatQueen’s.
SoitmaybefairlystatedthatMissStacy’soldpupil’sheldtheirowninthewiderarenaoftheacademicalcourse.
Anneworkedhardandsteadily.HerrivalrywithGilbertwasasintenseasithadeverbeeninAvonleaschool,althoughitwasnotknownintheclassatlarge,butsomehowthebitternesshadgoneoutofit.
AnnenolongerwishedtowinforthesakeofdefeatingGilbert;rather,fortheproudconsciousnessofawell-wonvictoryoveraworthyfoeman.
Itwouldbeworthwhiletowin,butshenolongerthoughtlifewouldbeinsupportableifshedidnot.
Inspiteoflessonsthestudentsfoundopportunitiesforpleasanttimes.
AnnespentmanyofhersparehoursatBeechwoodandgenerallyateherSundaydinnersthereandwenttochurchwithMissBarry.
Thelatterwas,assheadmitted,growingold,butherblackeyeswerenotdimnorthevigorofhertongueintheleastabated.
ButsheneversharpenedthelatteronAnne,whocontinuedtobeaprimefavoritewiththecriticaloldlady.
“ThatAnne-girlimprovesallthetime,”shesaid.
“Igettiredofothergirls—thereissuchaprovokingandeternalsamenessaboutthem.
Annehasasmanyshadesasarainbowandeveryshadeistheprettiestwhileitlasts.
Idon’tknowthatsheisasamusingasshewaswhenshewasachild,butshemakesmeloveherandIlikepeoplewhomakemelovethem.
Itsavesmesomuchtroubleinmakingmyselflovethem.”
Then,almostbeforeanybodyrealizedit,springhadcome;outinAvonleatheMayflowerswerepeepingpinklyoutontheserebarrenswheresnow-wreathslingered;andthe“mistofgreen”wasonthewoodsandinthevalleys.
ButinCharlottetownharassedQueen’sstudentsthoughtandtalkedonlyofexaminations.
“Itdoesn’tseempossiblethatthetermisnearlyover,”saidAnne.
“Why,lastfallitseemedsolongtolookforwardto—awholewinterofstudiesandclasses.
Andhereweare,withtheexamsloomingupnextweek.
Girls,sometimesIfeelasifthoseexamsmeanteverything,butwhenIlookatthebigbudsswellingonthosechestnuttreesandthemistyblueairattheendofthestreetstheydon’tseemhalfsoimportant.”
JaneandRubyandJosie,whohaddroppedin,didnottakethisviewofit.
Tothemthecomingexaminationswereconstantlyveryimportantindeed—farmoreimportantthanchestnutbudsorMaytimehazes.
ItwasallverywellforAnne,whowassureofpassingatleast,tohavehermomentsofbelittlingthem,butwhenyourwholefuturedependedonthem—asthegirlstrulythoughttheirsdid—youcouldnotregardthemphilosophically.
“I’velostsevenpoundsinthelasttwoweeks,”sighedJane.“It’snousetosaydon’tworry.IWILLworry.
Worryinghelpsyousome—itseemsasifyouweredoingsomethingwhenyou’reworrying.
ItwouldbedreadfulifIfailedtogetmylicenseaftergoingtoQueen’sallwinterandspendingsomuchmoney.”
“Idon’tcare,”saidJosiePye.“IfIdon’tpassthisyearI’mcomingbacknext.Myfathercanaffordtosendme.
Anne,FrankStockleysaysthatProfessorTremainesaidGilbertBlythewassuretogetthemedalandthatEmilyClaywouldlikelywintheAveryscholarship.”
“Thatmaymakemefeelbadlytomorrow,Josie,”laughedAnne,“butjustnowIhonestlyfeelthataslongasIknowthevioletsarecomingoutallpurpledowninthehollowbelowGreenGablesandthatlittlefernsarepokingtheirheadsupinLovers’Lane,it’snotagreatdealofdifferencewhetherIwintheAveryornot.
I’vedonemybestandIbegintounderstandwhatismeantbythe‘joyofthestrife.’
Nexttotryingandwinning,thebestthingistryingandfailing.Girls,don’ttalkaboutexams!
Lookatthatarchofpalegreenskyoverthosehousesandpicturetoyourselfwhatitmustlooklikeoverthepurply-darkbeech-woodsbackofAvonlea.”
“Whatareyougoingtowearforcommencement,Jane?”askedRubypractically.
JaneandJosiebothansweredatonceandthechatterdriftedintoasideeddyoffashions.
ButAnne,withherelbowsonthewindowsill,hersoftcheeklaidagainstherclaspedhands,andhereyesfilledwithvisions,lookedoutunheedinglyacrosscityroofandspiretothatgloriousdomeofsunsetskyandwoveherdreamsofapossiblefuturefromthegoldentissueofyouth’sownoptimism.
AlltheBeyondwasherswithitspossibilitieslurkingrosilyintheoncomingyears—eachyeararoseofpromisetobewovenintoanimmortalchaplet.
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