For a few minutes nobody spoke9. The girls were too nervous to find words, and neither the ancient ladies nor the china dogs seemed conversationally11 inclined. Anne glanced about the room. What a dear place it was! Another door opened out of it directly into the pine grove and the robins came boldly up on the very step. The floor was spotted12 with round, braided mats, such as Marilla made at Green Gables, but which were considered out of date everywhere else, even in Avonlea. And yet here they were on Spofford Avenue! A big, polished grandfather’s clock ticked loudly and solemnly in a corner. There were delightful13 little cupboards over the mantelpiece, behind whose glass doors gleamed quaint14 bits of china. The walls were hung with old prints and silhouettes15. In one corner the stairs went up, and at the first low turn was a long window with an inviting16 seat. It was all just as Anne had known it must be.
By this time the silence had grown too dreadful, and Priscilla nudged Anne to intimate that she must speak.
“We—we—saw by your sign that this house is to let,” said Anne faintly, addressing the older lady, who was evidently Miss Patty Spofford.
“Oh, yes,” said Miss Patty. “I intended to take that sign down today.”
“Then—then we are too late,” said Anne sorrowfully. “You’ve let it to some one else?”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” exclaimed Anne impulsively18. “I love this place so. I did hope we could have got it.”
Then did Miss Patty lay down her knitting, take off her specs, rub them, put them on again, and for the first time look at Anne as at a human being. The other lady followed her example so perfectly19 that she might as well have been a reflection in a mirror.
“You LOVE it,” said Miss Patty with emphasis. “Does that mean that you really LOVE it? Or that you merely like the looks of it? The girls nowadays indulge in such exaggerated statements that one never can tell what they DO mean. It wasn’t so in my young days. THEN a girl did not say she LOVED turnips20, in just the same tone as she might have said she loved her mother or her Savior.”
Anne’s conscience bore her up.
“I really do love it,” she said gently. “I’ve loved it ever since I saw it last fall. My two college chums and I want to keep house next year instead of boarding, so we are looking for a little place to rent; and when I saw that this house was to let I was so happy.”
“If you love it, you can have it,” said Miss Patty. “Maria and I decided today that we would not let it after all, because we did not like any of the people who have wanted it. We don’t HAVE to let it. We can afford to go to Europe even if we don’t let it. It would help us out, but not for gold will I let my home pass into the possession of such people as have come here and looked at it. YOU are different. I believe you do love it and will be good to it. You can have it.”
“If—if we can afford to pay what you ask for it,” hesitated Anne.
Miss Patty named the amount required. Anne and Priscilla looked at each other. Priscilla shook her head.
“I’m afraid we can’t afford quite so much,” said Anne, choking back her disappointment. “You see, we are only college girls and we are poor.”
“What were you thinking you could afford?” demanded Miss Patty, ceasing not to knit.
Anne named her amount. Miss Patty nodded gravely.
“That will do. As I told you, it is not strictly21 necessary that we should let it at all. We are not rich, but we have enough to go to Europe on. I have never been in Europe in my life, and never expected or wanted to go. But my niece there, Maria Spofford, has taken a fancy to go. Now, you know a young person like Maria can’t go globetrotting alone.”
“No—I—I suppose not,” murmured Anne, seeing that Miss Patty was quite solemnly in earnest.
“Of course not. So I have to go along to look after her. I expect to enjoy it, too; I’m seventy years old, but I’m not tired of living yet. I daresay I’d have gone to Europe before if the idea had occurred to me. We shall be away for two years, perhaps three. We sail in June and we shall send you the key, and leave all in order for you to take possession when you choose. We shall pack away a few things we prize especially, but all the rest will be left.”
“Will you leave the china dogs?” asked Anne timidly.
“Would you like me to?”
“Oh, indeed, yes. They are delightful.”
A pleased expression came into Miss Patty’s face.
“I think a great deal of those dogs,” she said proudly. “They are over a hundred years old, and they have sat on either side of this fireplace ever since my brother Aaron brought them from London fifty years ago. Spofford Avenue was called after my brother Aaron.”
“A fine man he was,” said Miss Maria, speaking for the first time. “Ah, you don’t see the like of him nowadays.”
“He was a good uncle to you, Maria,” said Miss Patty, with evident emotion. “You do well to remember him.”
“I shall always remember him,” said Miss Maria solemnly. “I can see him, this minute, standing22 there before that fire, with his hands under his coat-tails, beaming on us.”
Miss Maria took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes; but Miss Patty came resolutely back from the regions of sentiment to those of business.
“I shall leave the dogs where they are, if you will promise to be very careful of them,” she said. “Their names are Gog and Magog. Gog looks to the right and Magog to the left. And there’s just one thing more. You don’t object, I hope, to this house being called Patty’s Place?”
“No, indeed. We think that is one of the nicest things about it.”
“You have sense, I see,” said Miss Patty in a tone of great satisfaction. “Would you believe it? All the people who came here to rent the house wanted to know if they couldn’t take the name off the gate during their occupation of it. I told them roundly that the name went with the house. This has been Patty’s Place ever since my brother Aaron left it to me in his will, and Patty’s Place it shall remain until I die and Maria dies. After that happens the next possessor can call it any fool name he likes,” concluded Miss Patty, much as she might have said, “After that—the deluge23.” “And now, wouldn’t you like to go over the house and see it all before we consider the bargain made?”
Further exploration still further delighted the girls. Besides the big living-room, there was a kitchen and a small bedroom downstairs. Upstairs were three rooms, one large and two small. Anne took an especial fancy to one of the small ones, looking out into the big pines, and hoped it would be hers. It was papered in pale blue and had a little, old-timey toilet table with sconces for candles. There was a diamond-paned window with a seat under the blue muslin frills that would be a satisfying spot for studying or dreaming.
“It’s all so delicious that I know we are going to wake up and find it a fleeting24 vision of the night,” said Priscilla as they went away.
“Miss Patty and Miss Maria are hardly such stuff as dreams are made of,” laughed Anne. “Can you fancy them ‘globe-trotting’—especially in those shawls and caps?”
“I suppose they’ll take them off when they really begin to trot,” said Priscilla, “but I know they’ll take their knitting with them everywhere. They simply couldn’t be parted from it. They will walk about Westminster Abbey and knit, I feel sure. Meanwhile, Anne, we shall be living in Patty’s Place—and on Spofford Avenue. I feel like a millionairess even now.”
“I feel like one of the morning stars that sang for joy,” said Anne.
Phil Gordon crept into Thirty-eight, St. John’s, that night and flung herself on Anne’s bed.
“Girls, dear, I’m tired to death. I feel like the man without a country—or was it without a shadow? I forget which. Anyway, I’ve been packing up.”
“And I suppose you are worn out because you couldn’t decide which things to pack first, or where to put them,” laughed Priscilla.
“E-zackly. And when I had got everything jammed in somehow, and my landlady25 and her maid had both sat on it while I locked it, I discovered I had packed a whole lot of things I wanted for Convocation at the very bottom. I had to unlock the old thing and poke10 and dive into it for an hour before I fished out what I wanted. I would get hold of something that felt like what I was looking for, and I’d yank it up, and it would be something else. No, Anne, I did NOT swear.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“Well, you looked it. But I admit my thoughts verged26 on the profane27. And I have such a cold in the head—I can do nothing but sniffle, sigh and sneeze. Isn’t that alliterative agony for you? Queen Anne, do say something to cheer me up.”
“Remember that next Thursday night, you’ll be back in the land of Alec and Alonzo,” suggested Anne.
Phil shook her head dolefully.
“More alliteration28. No, I don’t want Alec and Alonzo when I have a cold in the head. But what has happened you two? Now that I look at you closely you seem all lighted up with an internal iridescence29. Why, you’re actually SHINING! What’s up?”
“We are going to live in Patty’s Place next winter,” said Anne triumphantly30. “Live, mark you, not board! We’ve rented it, and Stella Maynard is coming, and her aunt is going to keep house for us.”
Phil bounced up, wiped her nose, and fell on her knees before Anne.
“Girls—girls—let me come, too. Oh, I’ll be so good. If there’s no room for me I’ll sleep in the little doghouse in the orchard—I’ve seen it. Only let me come.”
“Get up, you goose.”
Anne and Priscilla looked at each other. Then Anne said slowly, “Phil dear, we’d love to have you. But we may as well speak plainly. I’m poor—Pris is poor—Stella Maynard is poor—our housekeeping will have to be very simple and our table plain. You’d have to live as we would. Now, you are rich and your boardinghouse fare attests32 the fact.”
“Oh, what do I care for that?” demanded Phil tragically33. “Better a dinner of herbs where your chums are than a stalled ox in a lonely boardinghouse. Don’t think I’m ALL stomach, girls. I’ll be willing to live on bread and water—with just a LEETLE jam—if you’ll let me come.”
“And then,” continued Anne, “there will be a good deal of work to be done. Stella’s aunt can’t do it all. We all expect to have our chores to do. Now, you—”
“Toil not, neither do I spin,” finished Philippa. “But I’ll learn to do things. You’ll only have to show me once. I CAN make my own bed to begin with. And remember that, though I can’t cook, I CAN keep my temper. That’s something. And I NEVER growl34 about the weather. That’s more. Oh, please, please! I never wanted anything so much in my life—and this floor is awfully35 hard.”
“There’s just one more thing,” said Priscilla resolutely. “You, Phil, as all Redmond knows, entertain callers almost every evening. Now, at Patty’s Place we can’t do that. We have decided that we shall be at home to our friends on Friday evenings only. If you come with us you’ll have to abide36 by that rule.”
“Well, you don’t think I’ll mind that, do you? Why, I’m glad of it. I knew I should have had some such rule myself, but I hadn’t enough decision to make it or stick to it. When I can shuffle37 off the responsibility on you it will be a real relief. If you won’t let me cast in my lot with you I’ll die of the disappointment and then I’ll come back and haunt you. I’ll camp on the very doorstep of Patty’s Place and you won’t be able to go out or come in without falling over my spook.”
“Well,” said Anne, “of course we can’t promise to take you until we’ve consulted with Stella; but I don’t think she’ll object, and, as far as we are concerned, you may come and glad welcome.”
“If you get tired of our simple life you can leave us, and no questions asked,” added Priscilla.
Phil sprang up, hugged them both jubilantly, and went on her way rejoicing.
“I hope things will go right,” said Priscilla soberly.
“We must MAKE them go right,” avowed39 Anne. “I think Phil will fit into our ‘appy little ‘ome very well.”
“Oh, Phil’s a dear to rattle40 round with and be chums. And, of course, the more there are of us the easier it will be on our slim purses. But how will she be to live with? You have to summer and winter with any one before you know if she’s LIVABLE or not.”
“Oh, well, we’ll all be put to the test, as far as that goes. And we must quit us like sensible folk, living and let live. Phil isn’t selfish, though she’s a little thoughtless, and I believe we will all get on beautifully in Patty’s Place.”
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1
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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robins
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| n.知更鸟，鸫( robin的名词复数 )；（签名者不分先后，以避免受责的）圆形签名抗议书（或请愿书） | |
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saucy
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| adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的 | |
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strutting
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| 加固，支撑物 | |
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placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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deities
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| n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明 | |
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9
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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10
poke
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| n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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11
conversationally
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| adv.会话地 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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13
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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15
silhouettes
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| 轮廓( silhouette的名词复数 )； （人的）体形； （事物的）形状； 剪影 | |
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16
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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17
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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18
impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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turnips
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| 芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表 | |
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21
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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24
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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25
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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verged
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| 接近，逼近（verge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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alliteration
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| n.（诗歌的）头韵 | |
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29
iridescence
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| n.彩虹色；放光彩；晕色；晕彩 | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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32
attests
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| v.证明( attest的第三人称单数 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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tragically
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| adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地 | |
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34
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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35
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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36
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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37
shuffle
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| n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走 | |
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38
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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39
avowed
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| adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
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40
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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