登陆注册
4281100000068

第68章

Miss Lavendar's Romance "I think I'll take a walk through to Echo Lodge this evening," said Anne, one Friday afternoon in December.

"It looks like snow," said Marilla dubiously.

"I'll be there before the snow comes and I mean to stay all night.

Diana can't go because she has company, and I'm sure Miss Lavendar will be looking for me tonight. It's a whole fortnight since I was there."Anne had paid many a visit to Echo Lodge since that October day.

Sometimes she and Diana drove around by the road; sometimes they walked through the woods. When Diana could not go Anne went alone.

Between her and Miss Lavendar had sprung up one of those fervent, helpful friendships possible only between a woman who has kept the freshness of youth in her heart and soul, and a girl whose imagination and intuition supplied the place of experience.

Anne had at last discovered a real "kindred spirit," while into the little lady's lonely, sequestered life of dreams Anne and Diana came with the wholesome joy and exhilaration of the outer existence, which Miss Lavendar, "the world forgetting, by the world forgot,"had long ceased to share; they brought an atmosphere of youth and reality to the little stone house. Charlotta the Fourth always greeted them with her very widest smile. . .and Charlotta's smiles WERE fearfully wide. . .loving them for the sake of her adored mistress as well as for their own. Never had there been such "high jinks" held in the little stone house as were held there that beautiful, late-lingering autumn, when November seemed October over again, and even December aped the sunshine and hazes of summer.

But on this particular day it seemed as if December had remembered that it was time for winter and had turned suddenly dull and brooding, with a windless hush predictive of coming snow.

Nevertheless, Anne keenly enjoyed her walk through the great gray maze of the beechlands; though alone she never found it lonely; her imagination peopled her path with merry companions, and with these she carried on a gay, pretended conversation that was wittier and more fascinating than conversations are apt to be in real life, where people sometimes fail most lamentably to talk up to the requirements. In a "make believe" assembly of choice spirits everybody says just the thing you want her to say and so gives you the chance to say just what YOU want to say. Attended by this invisible company, Anne traversed the woods and arrived at the fir lane just as broad, feathery flakes began to flutter down softly.

At the first bend she came upon Miss Lavendar, standing under a big, broad-branching fir. She wore a gown of warm, rich red, and her head and shoulders were wrapped in a silvery gray silk shawl.

"You look like the queen of the fir wood fairies," called Anne merrily.

"I thought you would come tonight, Anne," said Miss Lavendar, running forward. "And I'm doubly glad, for Charlotta the Fourth is away. Her mother is sick and she had to go home for the night.

I should have been very lonely if you hadn't come. . .even the dreams and the echoes wouldn't have been enough company. Oh, Anne, how pretty you are," she added suddenly, looking up at the tall, slim girl with the soft rose-flush of walking on her face. "How pretty and how young! It's so delightful to be seventeen, isn't it?

I do envy you," concluded Miss Lavendar candidly.

"But you are only seventeen at heart," smiled Anne.

"No, I'm old. . .or rather middle-aged, which is far worse,"sighed Miss Lavendar. "Sometimes I can pretend I'm not, but at other times I realize it. And I can't reconcile myself to it as most women seem to. I'm just as rebellious as I was when Idiscovered my first gray hair. Now, Anne, don't look as if you were trying to understand. Seventeen CAN'T understand. I'm going to pretend right away that I am seventeen too, and I can do it, now that you're here. You always bring youth in your hand like a gift.

We're going to have a jolly evening. Tea first. . .what do you want for tea? We'll have whatever you like. Do think of something nice and indigestible."There were sounds of riot and mirth in the little stone house that night. What with cooking and feasting and making candy and laughing and "pretending," it is quite true that Miss Lavendar and Anne comported themselves in a fashion entirely unsuited to the dignity of a spinster of forty-five and a sedate schoolma'am.

Then, when they were tired, they sat down on the rug before the grate in the parlor, lighted only by the soft fireshine and perfumed deliciously by Miss Lavendar's open rose-jar on the mantel.

The wind had risen and was sighing and wailing around the eaves and the snow was thudding softly against the windows, as if a hundred storm sprites were tapping for entrance.

"I'm so glad you're here, Anne," said Miss Lavendar, nibbling at her candy. "If you weren't I should be blue. . .very blue. . .

almost navy blue. Dreams and make-believes are all very well in the daytime and the sunshine, but when dark and storm come they fail to satisfy. One wants real things then. But you don't know this. . .seventeen never knows it. At seventeen dreams DO satisfy because you think the realities are waiting for you further on.

When I was seventeen, Anne, I didn't think forty-five would find me a white-haired little old maid with nothing but dreams to fill my life.""But you aren't an old maid," said Anne, smiling into Miss Lavendar's wistful woodbrown eyes. "Old maids are BORN. . .they don't BECOME.""Some are born old maids, some achieve old maidenhood, and some have old maidenhood thrust upon them," parodied Miss Lavendar whimsically.

同类推荐
  • 尚书大论

    尚书大论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 蒙河南刘大夫见示与

    蒙河南刘大夫见示与

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金匮要略方论

    金匮要略方论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • THE SON OF THE WOLF

    THE SON OF THE WOLF

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 福州府志万历本

    福州府志万历本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 创建名校的思考与实践(第三辑)

    创建名校的思考与实践(第三辑)

    射洪中学创建名校的思考与实践。射洪中学的办学思想是:“德才厚重、博贯兼容”。办学的主体教育思想是:“让学生喜欢,助学生成才;让老师喜欢,我们要成才。”这种办学思想要求整合传统和现代的先进教育思想,兼容古今中外优秀文化,师生德行上乘,才能足备;这种教育思想是将情感、智慧、行为三者整合起来的、师生互动的、有创新的教育思想。射洪中学教育思想的表述是简单的,但内容是丰富的。
  • 俠客行(下卷)(纯文字新修版)

    俠客行(下卷)(纯文字新修版)

    《侠客行》中最独特的一点,是女主角丁珰对待爱情的态度。她明知所爱的人是浮滑浪子,但仍然爱他,而不爱另一个外貌完全一样的正诚君子,说明了爱情和理智是两回事。《侠客行》主角石中坚是一个完全不识字、完全不通世情的人,反而能领略到上乘武功的真谛,而许许多多博学多才之士,反倒钻进了牛角尖中,走不出来。至巧不如拙,再蠢笨的人,也自有他的际遇,《侠客行》中表现的哲理至深。
  • 引爆商机:利己又利人的财富阶梯

    引爆商机:利己又利人的财富阶梯

    企业管理与生涯规划,这是专家学者常为我们献智的主题,但其中疏漏了一个环节,那就是他们引导企业与个人,应本着开辟财路的思想进行思考与行动,我们可称之“商机管理”。企业管理的途径有二:一日开源,二日节流。
  • 九天剑主

    九天剑主

    九天九地,魂者林立。强者立于九天,如璀璨星辰,弱者匍匐大地,似渺小蝼蚁。少年白夜意外开启神秘天魂,修无上魂术,御魂御剑,冲上九天,荡尽星辰,传奇由此开始
  • 景候佳音

    景候佳音

    林景琰不知道怎么做才能让顾佳音重新喜欢上他。顾佳音笑笑:“呵呵…我肚子里的孩子是谁的?”“佳音,我知道不是我的,你放心,我会把他当亲生一样的对待的!”男人信誓旦旦保证!“林景琰,你大爷,你让我怀孕了,你居然忘了!!”男人一愣一愣的:“是…我的吗?”顾佳音气呼呼的小脸大声怒吼:“当然是你的,不然是谁的!”林景琰抓了抓头:“我们睡过吗?我怎么不记得了?”“林景琰,你今晚睡书房!!”“老婆,不要啊,我不要睡书房!”不过,我和佳音到底什么时候睡过的??林景琰使劲挠了挠头。
  • 仙道神圣

    仙道神圣

    倘若…你真的只是一介凡人…你甘心放弃追求成仙之道吗?【可能没希望签约了,一怒发到十万字】
  • 一句话照亮一个世界

    一句话照亮一个世界

    改变一个人有时候就是一句话彷徨的时候, 这一句话让你豁然开朗;不知所措的时候,这一句话指一个支点,让阅读者时时心有磐石和灵犀。本书从畅销杂志中选文,智慧,励志,给人正能量,一篇文,一句话,如同一束光,照耀读者的心。
  • 豪门夺爱:妖孽前男友

    豪门夺爱:妖孽前男友

    遭遇男人背叛,不是每个人都会这么倒霉催,可她林冉冉就是其中一个。那个男人面对她,却毫无内疚之意,人前他客气地称她小林,绅士般地彬彬有礼,人后却像变了个人,对她百般调戏,张狂霸道:“既然只有你让我感觉舒服,那只好勉为其难地把你留在身边,不过别得意得太早,她做大,你只能做小!”面对她伤痛的泪水,他移开视线,表情狠绝得如同她就是那敝履,不爱她却不肯放了她!她咬紧牙关,暗暗下定了决心,终有一天,他会为他的所作所为付出代价!可是,为什么她的心底却在隐隐作痛……情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 祸害娱乐圈

    祸害娱乐圈

    他曾在高楼之上饮酒诗百篇他也曾于万军之中取上将首级这是一个在娱乐圈东一榔头西一棒子,让娱乐圈美(没)好的故事ps:君子和而不同,不喜勿喷。新书:《我跨界而来》已上传!!!
  • 大年奇案

    大年奇案

    那个乡下女人来公安局报案的时候,正值大年初一早晨八点钟。那天是吴征值班。吴征负荷着去年的倦怠看了那女人一眼,用目光问她大年初一你报什么案?那乡下女人说她的男人给一个专业户当雇工,除夕夜还未回家。她等了一夜,直到邻家响起了鞭炮声,仍不见丈夫回来。她惶惑地去了那个专业户的村落,那个专业户说她的丈夫已于昨天上午回了家,而且还拿了工钱。她说没见到,那专业户怀疑是她讹钱花,便给了她一百元钱。她拿着一百元钱就来报案。说着,那乡下女人从腰里掏出一沓儿钱,让吴征看。“你丈夫叫什么名字?”吴征问。“叫牛宗汉!”