Anne was trying the effect of a white orchid9 in her hair. Roy Gardner had sent her white orchids10 for the reception, and she knew no other Redmond girl would have them that night—when Phil came in with admiring gaze.
“Anne, this is certainly your night for looking handsome. Nine nights out of ten I can easily outshine you. The tenth you blossom out suddenly into something that eclipses me altogether. How do you manage it?”
“It’s the dress, dear. Fine feathers.”
“‘Tisn’t. The last evening you flamed out into beauty you wore your old blue flannel11 shirtwaist that Mrs. Lynde made you. If Roy hadn’t already lost head and heart about you he certainly would tonight. But I don’t like orchids on you, Anne. No; it isn’t jealousy12. Orchids don’t seem to BELONG to you. They’re too exotic—too tropical—too insolent13. Don’t put them in your hair, anyway.”
“Well, I won’t. I admit I’m not fond of orchids myself. I don’t think they’re related to me. Roy doesn’t often send them—he knows I like flowers I can live with. Orchids are only things you can visit with.”
“Jonas sent me some dear pink rosebuds for the evening—but—he isn’t coming himself. He said he had to lead a prayer-meeting in the slums! I don’t believe he wanted to come. Anne, I’m horribly afraid Jonas doesn’t really care anything about me. And I’m trying to decide whether I’ll pine away and die, or go on and get my B.A. and be sensible and useful.”
“You couldn’t possibly be sensible and useful, Phil, so you’d better pine away and die,” said Anne cruelly.
“Heartless Anne!”
“Silly Phil! You know quite well that Jonas loves you.”
“But—he won’t TELL me so. And I can’t MAKE him. He LOOKS it, I’ll admit. But speak-to-me-only-with-thine-eyes isn’t a really reliable reason for embroidering doilies and hemstitching tablecloths14. I don’t want to begin such work until I’m really engaged. It would be tempting15 Fate.”
“Mr. Blake is afraid to ask you to marry him, Phil. He is poor and can’t offer you a home such as you’ve always had. You know that is the only reason he hasn’t spoken long ago.”
“I suppose so,” agreed Phil dolefully. “Well”—brightening up—“if he WON’T ask me to marry him I’ll ask him, that’s all. So it’s bound to come right. I won’t worry. By the way, Gilbert Blythe is going about constantly with Christine Stuart. Did you know?”
Anne was trying to fasten a little gold chain about her throat. She suddenly found the clasp difficult to manage. WHAT was the matter with it—or with her fingers?
“No,” she said carelessly. “Who is Christine Stuart?”
“Ronald Stuart’s sister. She’s in Kingsport this winter studying music. I haven’t seen her, but they say she’s very pretty and that Gilbert is quite crazy over her. How angry I was when you refused Gilbert, Anne. But Roy Gardner was foreordained for you. I can see that now. You were right, after all.”
Anne did not blush, as she usually did when the girls assumed that her eventual16 marriage to Roy Gardner was a settled thing. All at once she felt rather dull. Phil’s chatter17 seemed trivial and the reception a bore. She boxed poor Rusty’s ears.
“Get off that cushion instantly, you cat, you! Why don’t you stay down where you belong?”
Anne picked up her orchids and went downstairs, where Aunt Jamesina was presiding over a row of coats hung before the fire to warm. Roy Gardner was waiting for Anne and teasing the Sarah-cat while he waited. The Sarah-cat did not approve of him. She always turned her back on him. But everybody else at Patty’s Place liked him very much. Aunt Jamesina, carried away by his unfailing and deferential18 courtesy, and the pleading tones of his delightful19 voice, declared he was the nicest young man she ever knew, and that Anne was a very fortunate girl. Such remarks made Anne restive20. Roy’s wooing had certainly been as romantic as girlish heart could desire, but—she wished Aunt Jamesina and the girls would not take things so for granted. When Roy murmured a poetical21 compliment as he helped her on with her coat, she did not blush and thrill as usual; and he found her rather silent in their brief walk to Redmond. He thought she looked a little pale when she came out of the coeds’ dressing room; but as they entered the reception room her color and sparkle suddenly returned to her. She turned to Roy with her gayest expression. He smiled back at her with what Phil called “his deep, black, velvety22 smile.” Yet she really did not see Roy at all. She was acutely conscious that Gilbert was standing23 under the palms just across the room talking to a girl who must be Christine Stuart.
She was very handsome, in the stately style destined24 to become rather massive in middle life. A tall girl, with large dark-blue eyes, ivory outlines, and a gloss25 of darkness on her smooth hair.
“She looks just as I’ve always wanted to look,” thought Anne miserably26. “Rose-leaf complexion—starry violet eyes—raven hair—yes, she has them all. It’s a wonder her name isn’t Cordelia Fitzgerald into the bargain! But I don’t believe her figure is as good as mine, and her nose certainly isn’t.”
Anne felt a little comforted by this conclusion.
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1
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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embroidering
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| v.（在织物上）绣花( embroider的现在分词 )；刺绣；对…加以渲染（或修饰）；给…添枝加叶 | |
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3
rosebuds
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| 蔷薇花蕾，妙龄少女，初入社交界的少女( rosebud的名词复数 ) | |
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rosebud
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| n.蔷薇花蕾，妙龄少女 | |
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deft
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| adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手） | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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7
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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concoction
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| n.调配(物)；谎言 | |
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orchid
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| n.兰花，淡紫色 | |
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orchids
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| n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 ) | |
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11
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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tablecloths
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| n.桌布，台布( tablecloth的名词复数 ) | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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eventual
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| adj.最后的，结局的，最终的 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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18
deferential
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| adj. 敬意的，恭敬的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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22
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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23
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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24
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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25
gloss
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| n.光泽，光滑；虚饰；注释；vt.加光泽于；掩饰 | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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