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her to burst into tears every moment。 She gives you the impression
that life to her is indeed a vale of tears； and that a smile； never
to speak of a laugh； is a frivolity truly reprehensible。 She has a
worse opinion of me than Aunt Jamesina； and she doesn't love me hard
to atone for it； as Aunty J。 does； either。
〃Miss Maria Grimsby sits cati…corner from me。 The first day I
came I remarked to Miss Maria that it looked a little like rain
and Miss Maria laughed。 I said the road from the station was
very pretty and Miss Maria laughed。 I said there seemed to be
a few mosquitoes left yet and Miss Maria laughed。 I said that
Prospect Point was as beautiful as ever and Miss Maria laughed。
If I were to say to Miss Maria； ‘My father has hanged himself；
my mother has taken poison； my brother is in the penitentiary；
and I am in the last stages of consumption；' Miss Maria would laugh。
She can't help it she was born so； but is very sad and awful。
〃The fifth old lady is Mrs。 Grant。 She is a sweet old thing；
but she never says anything but good of anybody and so she is a
very uninteresting conversationalist。
〃And now for Jonas； Anne。
〃That first day I came I saw a young man sitting opposite me at
the table； smiling at me as if he had known me from my cradle。
I knew； for Uncle Mark had told me； that his name was Jonas Blake；
that he was a Theological Student from St。 Columbia； and that he had
taken charge of the Point Prospect Mission Church for the summer。
〃He is a very ugly young man really； the ugliest young man
I've ever seen。 He has a big； loose…jointed figure with absurdly
long legs。 His hair is tow…color and lank； his eyes are green；
and his mouth is big； and his ears but I never think about his
ears if I can help it。
〃He has a lovely voice if you shut your eyes he is adorable
and he certainly has a beautiful soul and disposition。
〃We were good chums right way。 Of course he is a graduate of
Redmond； and that is a link between us。 We fished and boated
together； and we walked on the sands by moonlight。 He didn't
look so homely by moonlight and oh； he was nice。 Niceness fairly
exhaled from him。 The old ladies except Mrs。 Grant don't
approve of Jonas； because he laughs and jokes and because he
evidently likes the society of frivolous me better than theirs。
〃Somehow； Anne； I don't want him to think me frivolous。 This is
ridiculous。 Why should I care what a tow…haired person called
Jonas； whom I never saw before thinks of me？
〃Last Sunday Jonas preached in the village church。 I went；
of course； but I couldn't realize that Jonas was going to preach。
The fact that he was a minister or going to be one persisted
in seeming a huge joke to me。
〃Well； Jonas preached。 And； by the time he had preached ten
minutes； I felt so small and insignificant that I thought I must
be invisible to the naked eye。 Jonas never said a word about
women and he never looked at me。 But I realized then and there
what a pitiful； frivilous； small…souled little butterfly I was；
and how horribly different I must be from Jonas' ideal woman。
SHE would be grand and strong and noble。 He was so earnest
and tender and true。 He was everything a minister ought to be。
I wondered how I could ever have thought him ugly but he
really is！ with those inspired eyes and that intellectual
brow which the roughly…falling hair hid on week days。
〃It was a splendid sermon and I could have listened to it forever；
and it made me feel utterly wretched。 Oh； I wish I was like YOU； Anne。
〃He caught up with me on the road home； and grinned as cheerfully
as usual。 But his grin could never deceive me again。 I had seen
the REAL Jonas。 I wondered if he could ever see the REAL PHIL
whom NOBODY； not even you； Anne； has ever seen yet。
〃‘Jonas；' I said I forgot to call him Mr。 Blake。 Wasn't it dreadful？
But there are times when things like that don't matter ‘Jonas； you
were born to be a minister。 You COULDN'T be anything else。'
〃‘No； I couldn't；' he said soberly。 ‘I tried to be something
else for a long time I didn't want to be a minister。 But I
came to see at last that it was the work given me to do and
God helping me； I shall try to do it。'
〃His voice was low and reverent。 I thought that he would do his
work and do it well and nobly； and happy the woman fitted by
nature and training to help him do it。 SHE would be no feather；
blown about by every fickle wind of fancy。 SHE would always know
what hat to put on。 Probably she would have only one。 Ministers
never have much money。 But she wouldn't mind having one hat or
none at all； because she would have Jonas。
〃Anne Shirley； don't you dare to say or hint or think that I've
fallen in love with Mr。 Blake。 Could I care for a lank； poor；
ugly theologue named Jonas？ As Uncle Mark says； ‘It's impossible；
and what's more it's improbable。'
Good night；
PHIL。〃
〃P。S。 It is impossible but I am horribly afraid it's true。
I'm happy and wretched and scared。 HE can NEVER care for me；
I know。 Do you think I could ever develop into a passable
minister's wife； Anne？ And WOULD they expect me to lead
in prayer？ P G。〃
Chapter XXV
Enter Prince Charming
〃I'm contrasting the claims of indoors and out；〃 said Anne； looking
from the window of Patty's Place to the distant pines of the park。
〃I've an afternoon to spend in sweet doing nothing； Aunt Jimsie。
Shall I spend it here where there is a cosy fire； a plateful of
delicious russets； three purring and harmonious cats； and two
impeccable china dogs with green noses？ Or shall I go to the park；
where there is the lure of gray woods and of gray water lapping
on the harbor rocks？〃
〃If I was as young as you； I'd decide in favor of the park；〃 said
Aunt Jamesina； tickling Joseph's yellow ear with a knitting needle。
〃I thought that you claimed to be as young as any of us； Aunty；〃
teased Anne。
〃Yes； in my soul。 But I'll admit my legs aren't as young as yours。
You go and get some fresh air； Anne。 You look pale lately。〃
〃I think I'll go to the park；〃 said Anne restlessly。 〃I don't
feel like tame domestic joys today。 I want to feel alone and
free and wild。 The park will be empty； for every one will be at
the football match。〃
〃Why didn't you go to it？〃
〃‘Nobody axed me； sir； she said' at least； nobody but that
horrid little Dan Ranger。 I wouldn't go anywhere with him；
but rather than hurt his poor little tender feelings I said I
wasn't going to the game at all。 I don't mind。 I'm not in
the mood for football today somehow。〃
〃You go and get some fresh air；〃 repeated Aunt Jamesina； 〃but take
your umbrella； for I believe it's going to rain。 I've rheumatism
in my leg。〃
〃Only old people should have rheumatism； Aunty。〃