“Anne, Mrs. Rachel says you went to church last Sunday with your hat rigged out ridiculous with roses and buttercups. What on earth put you up to such a caper1? A pretty-looking object you must have been!”
“Oh. I know pink and yellow aren’t becoming to me,” began Anne.
“Becoming fiddlesticks! It was putting flowers on your hat at all, no matter what color they were, that was ridiculous. You are the most aggravating2 child!”
“I don’t see why it’s any more ridiculous to wear flowers on your hat than on your dress,” protested Anne. “Lots of little girls there had bouquets3 pinned on their dresses. What’s the difference?”
“Don’t answer me back like that, Anne. It was very silly of you to do such a thing. Never let me catch you at such a trick again. Mrs. Rachel says she thought she would sink through the floor when she saw you come in all rigged out like that. She couldn’t get near enough to tell you to take them off till it was too late. She says people talked about it something dreadful. Of course they would think I had no better sense than to let you go decked out like that.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” said Anne, tears welling into her eyes. “I never thought you’d mind. The roses and buttercups were so sweet and pretty I thought they’d look lovely on my hat. Lots of the little girls had artificial flowers on their hats. I’m afraid I’m going to be a dreadful trial to you. Maybe you’d better send me back to the asylum6. That would be terrible; I don’t think I could endure it; most likely I would go into consumption; I’m so thin as it is, you see. But that would be better than being a trial to you.”
“Nonsense,” said Marilla, vexed7 at herself for having made the child cry. “I don’t want to send you back to the asylum, I’m sure. All I want is that you should behave like other little girls and not make yourself ridiculous. Don’t cry any more. I’ve got some news for you. Diana Barry came home this afternoon. I’m going up to see if I can borrow a skirt pattern from Mrs. Barry, and if you like you can come with me and get acquainted with Diana.”
Anne rose to her feet, with clasped hands, the tears still glistening8 on her cheeks; the dish towel she had been hemming9 slipped unheeded to the floor.
“Oh, Marilla, I’m frightened—now that it has come I’m actually frightened. What if she shouldn’t like me! It would be the most tragical10 disappointment of my life.”
“Now, don’t get into a fluster11. And I do wish you wouldn’t use such long words. It sounds so funny in a little girl. I guess Diana ‘ll like you well enough. It’s her mother you’ve got to reckon with. If she doesn’t like you it won’t matter how much Diana does. If she has heard about your outburst to Mrs. Lynde and going to church with buttercups round your hat I don’t know what she’ll think of you. You must be polite and well behaved, and don’t make any of your startling speeches. For pity’s sake, if the child isn’t actually trembling!”
Anne was trembling. Her face was pale and tense.
“Oh, Marilla, you’d be excited, too, if you were going to meet a little girl you hoped to be your bosom12 friend and whose mother mightn’t like you,” she said as she hastened to get her hat.
They went over to Orchard13 Slope by the short cut across the brook14 and up the firry hill grove15. Mrs. Barry came to the kitchen door in answer to Marilla’s knock. She was a tall black-eyed, black-haired woman, with a very resolute16 mouth. She had the reputation of being very strict with her children.
“How do you do, Marilla?” she said cordially. “Come in. And this is the little girl you have adopted, I suppose?”
“Yes, this is Anne Shirley,” said Marilla.
“Spelled with an E,” gasped17 Anne, who, tremulous and excited as she was, was determined18 there should be no misunderstanding on that important point.
“How are you?”
“I am well in body although considerable rumpled20 up in spirit, thank you ma’am,” said Anne gravely. Then aside to Marilla in an audible whisper, “There wasn’t anything startling in that, was there, Marilla?”
Diana was sitting on the sofa, reading a book which she dropped when the callers entered. She was a very pretty little girl, with her mother’s black eyes and hair, and rosy21 cheeks, and the merry expression which was her inheritance from her father.
“This is my little girl Diana,” said Mrs. Barry. “Diana, you might take Anne out into the garden and show her your flowers. It will be better for you than straining your eyes over that book. She reads entirely22 too much—” this to Marilla as the little girls went out—“and I can’t prevent her, for her father aids and abets23 her. She’s always poring over a book. I’m glad she has the prospect24 of a playmate—perhaps it will take her more out-of-doors.”
Outside in the garden, which was full of mellow25 sunset light streaming through the dark old firs to the west of it, stood Anne and Diana, gazing bashfully at each other over a clump26 of gorgeous tiger lilies.
The Barry garden was a bowery wilderness27 of flowers which would have delighted Anne’s heart at any time less fraught28 with destiny. It was encircled by huge old willows29 and tall firs, beneath which flourished flowers that loved the shade. Prim30, right-angled paths neatly31 bordered with clamshells, intersected it like moist red ribbons and in the beds between old-fashioned flowers ran riot. There were rosy bleeding-hearts and great splendid crimson32 peonies; white, fragrant33 narcissi and thorny34, sweet Scotch35 roses; pink and blue and white columbines and lilac-tinted Bouncing Bets; clumps36 of southernwood and ribbon grass and mint; purple Adam-and-Eve, daffodils, and masses of sweet clover white with its delicate, fragrant, feathery sprays; scarlet37 lightning that shot its fiery38 lances over prim white musk-flowers; a garden it was where sunshine lingered and bees hummed, and winds, beguiled39 into loitering, purred and rustled40.
“Oh, Diana,” said Anne at last, clasping her hands and speaking almost in a whisper, “oh, do you think you can like me a little—enough to be my bosom friend?”
“Why, I guess so,” she said frankly43. “I’m awfully44 glad you’ve come to live at Green Gables. It will be jolly to have somebody to play with. There isn’t any other girl who lives near enough to play with, and I’ve no sisters big enough.”
“Will you swear to be my friend forever and ever?” demanded Anne eagerly.
Diana looked shocked.
“Why it’s dreadfully wicked to swear,” she said rebukingly45.
“Oh no, not my kind of swearing. There are two kinds, you know.”
“I never heard of but one kind,” said Diana doubtfully.
“There really is another. Oh, it isn’t wicked at all. It just means vowing46 and promising47 solemnly.”
“Well, I don’t mind doing that,” agreed Diana, relieved. “How do you do it?”
“We must join hands—so,” said Anne gravely. “It ought to be over running water. We’ll just imagine this path is running water. I’ll repeat the oath first. I solemnly swear to be faithful to my bosom friend, Diana Barry, as long as the sun and moon shall endure. Now you say it and put my name in.”
“You’re a queer girl, Anne. I heard before that you were queer. But I believe I’m going to like you real well.”
When Marilla and Anne went home Diana went with them as far as the log bridge. The two little girls walked with their arms about each other. At the brook they parted with many promises to spend the next afternoon together.
“Well, did you find Diana a kindred spirit?” asked Marilla as they went up through the garden of Green Gables.
“Oh yes,” sighed Anne, blissfully unconscious of any sarcasm48 on Marilla’s part. “Oh Marilla, I’m the happiest girl on Prince Edward Island this very moment. I assure you I’ll say my prayers with a right good-will tonight. Diana and I are going to build a playhouse in Mr. William Bell’s birch grove tomorrow. Can I have those broken pieces of china that are out in the woodshed? Diana’s birthday is in February and mine is in March. Don’t you think that is a very strange coincidence? Diana is going to lend me a book to read. She says it’s perfectly49 splendid and tremendously exciting. She’s going to show me a place back in the woods where rice lilies grow. Don’t you think Diana has got very soulful eyes? I wish I had soulful eyes. Diana is going to teach me to sing a song called ‘Nelly in the Hazel Dell.’ She’s going to give me a picture to put up in my room; it’s a perfectly beautiful picture, she says—a lovely lady in a pale blue silk dress. A sewing-machine agent gave it to her. I wish I had something to give Diana. I’m an inch taller than Diana, but she is ever so much fatter; she says she’d like to be thin because it’s so much more graceful50, but I’m afraid she only said it to soothe51 my feelings. We’re going to the shore some day to gather shells. We have agreed to call the spring down by the log bridge the Dryad’s Bubble. Isn’t that a perfectly elegant name? I read a story once about a spring called that. A dryad is sort of a grown-up fairy, I think.”
“Well, all I hope is you won’t talk Diana to death,” said Marilla. “But remember this in all your planning, Anne. You’re not going to play all the time nor most of it. You’ll have your work to do and it’ll have to be done first.”
Anne’s cup of happiness was full, and Matthew caused it to overflow52. He had just got home from a trip to the store at Carmody, and he sheepishly produced a small parcel from his pocket and handed it to Anne, with a deprecatory look at Marilla.
“I heard you say you liked chocolate sweeties, so I got you some,” he said.
“Humph,” sniffed53 Marilla. “It’ll ruin her teeth and stomach. There, there, child, don’t look so dismal54. You can eat those, since Matthew has gone and got them. He’d better have brought you peppermints55. They’re wholesomer. Don’t sicken yourself eating all them at once now.”
“Oh, no, indeed, I won’t,” said Anne eagerly. “I’ll just eat one tonight, Marilla. And I can give Diana half of them, can’t I? The other half will taste twice as sweet to me if I give some to her. It’s delightful56 to think I have something to give her.”
“I will say it for the child,” said Marilla when Anne had gone to her gable, “she isn’t stingy. I’m glad, for of all faults I detest57 stinginess in a child. Dear me, it’s only three weeks since she came, and it seems as if she’d been here always. I can’t imagine the place without her. Now, don’t be looking I told-you-so, Matthew. That’s bad enough in a woman, but it isn’t to be endured in a man. I’m perfectly willing to own up that I’m glad I consented to keep the child and that I’m getting fond of her, but don’t you rub it in, Matthew Cuthbert.”
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1
caper
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| v.雀跃，欢蹦；n.雀跃，跳跃；续随子，刺山柑花蕾；嬉戏 | |
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aggravating
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| adj.恼人的，讨厌的 | |
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bouquets
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| n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 )；（酒的）芳香 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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7
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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8
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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9
hemming
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| 卷边 | |
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tragical
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| adj. 悲剧的, 悲剧性的 | |
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fluster
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| adj.慌乱，狼狈，混乱，激动 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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20
rumpled
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| v.弄皱，使凌乱( rumple的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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abets
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| v.教唆（犯罪）( abet的第三人称单数 )；煽动；怂恿；支持 | |
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24
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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25
mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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28
fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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30
prim
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| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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31
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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32
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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35
scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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36
clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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37
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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38
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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39
beguiled
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| v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
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40
rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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42
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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43
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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44
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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45
rebukingly
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46
vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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47
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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48
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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49
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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50
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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51
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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52
overflow
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| v.(使)外溢，(使)溢出；溢出，流出，漫出 | |
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53
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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54
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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55
peppermints
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| n.薄荷( peppermint的名词复数 )；薄荷糖 | |
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56
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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detest
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| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
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