02-07-格林·盖布尔斯来的安妮 [3]
■ 2 在格林·盖布尔斯
第二天早上，玛丽拉说，“好吧，安妮，马修和我已经决定将你留下，当然，你必须听话。怎么了，孩子，发生什么事了？”
“我在哭，”安妮抽泣着说道，“因为我非常高兴！这里很漂亮！大家说我很淘气，但我会尽力做一个好孩子。哦，太感谢你们了！谢谢！”
玛丽拉有些不快地说：“别哭了，孩子。听着，我们将收养你，暑假后还要把你送到学校去。”
安妮停止了哭泣。“我能叫您玛丽拉姨妈吗？我从来没有过家，所以我特别想有一个姨妈。我们可以将您想像成我的姨妈。”
“我无法那样想像，”玛丽拉坚定地说。
“您从来也不幻想吗？”安妮惊讶地问道。
“不，从来不幻想。”玛丽拉回答。“我要做家务，照顾马修，周日还要去教堂。在这家里没有时间去幻想。记住这一点，安妮。”
安妮沉默了一会。然后说道：“玛丽拉，我在埃文利会找到一个最好的朋友吗？一个真正理解我，知道我所有秘密的朋友。我一直想要一个那样的朋友。”
“我们的朋友巴里家里有一个小姑娘叫戴安娜，她今年11岁，与你同岁。但是如果你想和她一起玩，就必须非常乖。巴里太太对戴安娜交什么样的朋友要求很严。”
“戴安娜！多好听的名字！”安妮兴奋地说。“她的头发不是红色的吧？我希望不是。”她伤心地看着她的红发辫。“我恨我的头发。”
“戴安娜长着黑色的头发。她是个聪明乖巧的姑娘。多向她学吧，安妮。”
两个小姑娘初次见面，立刻就知道她们会成为好朋友。她们经常在田野、小河边或花园里一起玩耍。早晨安妮帮助玛丽拉料理家务。下午和戴安娜一起玩，或者与在地里干活的马修高兴地聊天。很快她就认识并爱上了格林·盖布尔斯的每一种鲜花、树木和动物。
雷切尔·林德太太是卡斯伯特家的另一个朋友。她喜欢打听发生在埃文利村及其四周的一切事情。她对卡斯伯特家收养的小孤女很感兴趣，因此有一天她特意来拜访玛丽拉。
“听到小女孩的事我很吃惊，”她告诉玛丽拉。“那么你们已经收养她了！”
“我自己也很吃惊，”玛丽拉笑着答道。“但你知道，她是个小机灵鬼。总是唱啊、跳啊、笑啊。”
林德太太难过地摇摇头。“玛丽拉，你犯了一个大错误。你自己从没有过孩子，你怎么能照顾她呢？”
这时安妮从花园里跑进来。当她看到厨房里的陌生人时突然停了下来。林德太太看着这个穿着短小衣服的瘦弱女孩、她的红色头发和一张布满雀斑的脸。
“她多瘦啊，玛丽拉。”她说，“看她那些雀斑！还有像胡萝卜一样红的头发！”
安妮的脸红了。她跑向林德太太。
“我恨你！”她生气地喊道。“我恨你！你是个可怕的胖老太婆！”说完跑上楼去。
“天哪，天哪！”林德太太说道。“多可怕的孩子。你就甭想省心了，玛丽拉。”
“你对她太粗鲁了，雷切尔，”玛丽拉说道，话没说完，玛丽拉已经后悔了。
“好吧！”林德太太说。她站起身走到门边。“我想这孤儿对你来说比我重要。当我想到我们成为好朋友已经多年……这孩子会给你找麻烦的，我敢保证。好吧，我只想说我为你感到难过，再见吧。”
玛丽拉来到楼上安妮的房间里。孩子躺在她窄小的床上，正在大声地哭泣。
“你没必要那么生气，安妮。林德太太是我的好朋友，而且你对她太没礼貌了。”
“是她先对我失礼的！”安妮争辩道。“她说我瘦小枯干，还长着雀斑和红头发。这也太刻薄了！”
“我理解你的感受，”玛丽拉说道，“但你必须到林德太太家去向她道歉。”
“我不能那么做，”安妮斩钉截铁地回答。
“那么你只能呆在你的房间里好好想一想。直到你同意去道歉才能出来。”
第二天，安妮整日呆在自己的房间里。由于安妮不在，楼下的房间里非常安静。那天晚上，玛丽拉在花园里忙碌着，马修来到楼上安妮的房间。孩子正神情忧郁地坐在窗前。
“安妮，”他有些难为情地说道，“你为什么不肯道歉呢？那样你就可以下楼去，我们大家都可以高高兴兴的了。”
“我现在是后悔了，”安妮说，“昨天我太生气了！可您真想让我去……”
“是的，去道个歉吧。楼下没有你太冷清了。但别告诉玛丽拉我和你谈过。”
玛丽拉听到安妮愿意道歉非常高兴。那天晚上，当玛丽拉和安妮在林德太太温暖的厨房里时，安妮突然跪了下去。
“哦，林德太太，”小女孩抽泣着，“我非常对不起您。我说不出我有多后悔，所以只能请您想像一下。我是个坏女孩！但请您告诉我您会原谅我的。如果您不原谅我，我一辈子都会很难过的！”
“这孩子好像还挺喜欢这样做的！”玛丽拉看着安妮的表情暗想，“她看上去一点也不难过，倒是有一点高兴和兴奋！”
林德太太和蔼地说道：“我当然原谅你。”后来她对玛丽拉说：“也许你让她留下是对的。这小家伙有些特别，但我想我挺喜欢她。”
■ 3 At Avonlea school
When school started in September, Anne and Diana walked there and back together every day.
'What a beautiful day, 'Anne said happily one morning, as the two little girls walked across the fields. 'I'm very lucky to have you as my best friend, Diana. You are my best friend, aren't you
'
'Of course, Anne, 'replied Diana, taking Anne's hand. 'And just think, today you'll meet Gilbert Blythe. He's three years older than us, and very good-looking. He's just come back from holiday, and starts school today. '
'Oh, boys! 'said Anne. 'I'm not interested in them. '
But she did look at Gilbert when they arrived at school. He was a tall boy, with curly brown hair and a friendly smile.
'He is good-looking, 'Anne whispered to Diana, 'but why does he smile at me
He doesn't know me! '
Avonlea school was quiet that day. The teacher, Mr Phillips, was helping some of the older children at the back of the schoolroom. Anne was looking out of the window at the reds and yellows of the trees, and the silvery blue of the river. She was far away in the world of her imagination. But Gilbert wanted her to look at him. He whispered to her, but she did not move. He was surprised. Girls were usually very ready to look at him.
Suddenly he put his arm out, pulled her red plaits, and said in a loud whisper, 'Carrots! Carrots! '
Anne jumped up and looked angrily at Gilbert.
'You horrible boy! 'she cried. 'I hate you! 'And then she brought her heavy book down on Cilbert's head.
Mr Phillips heard the noise, and came slowly to the front of the schoolroom.
'Anne Shirley, why did you do that
'he asked. She stayed silent. Gilbert said, 'I'm sorry, Mr Phillips. I was rude to her. That's why she hit me. 'But the teacher did not listen to Gilbert.
'I cannot have bad children in my school, 'said Mr Phillips firmly, 'Anne, go and stand in front of the class. 'And there Anne stood for the rest of the day, a lonely little girl with a small white angry face.
'I hate Mr Phillips! 'she thought. 'And I'll never look at or speak to Gilbert Blythe again! '
The next day some of the school children were playing in a farmer's field in their lunch hour, so they were a little late for afternoon school. Anne ran into the classroom at the same time as the boys, just after the teacher.