按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to look as bored and sophisticated as any Sophomore of them all。
No doubt it is rather dreadful to feel insignificant； but I think
it's better than to feel as big and awkward as I did as if I were
sprawled all over Redmond。 That's how I felt I suppose because
I was a good two inches taller than any one else in the crowd。
I wasn't afraid a Soph might walk over me； I was afraid they'd take
me for an elephant； or an overgrown sample of a potato…fed Islander。〃
〃I suppose the trouble is we can't forgive big Redmond for not
being little Queen's；〃 said Anne； gathering about her the shreds
of her old cheerful philosophy to cover her nakedness of spirit。
〃When we left Queen's we knew everybody and had a place of our own。
I suppose we have been unconsciously expecting to take life
up at Redmond just where we left off at Queen's； and now we feel
as if the ground had slipped from under our feet。 I'm thankful
that neither Mrs。 Lynde nor Mrs。 Elisha Wright know； or ever
will know； my state of mind at present。 They would exult in
saying ‘I told you so；' and be convinced it was the beginning of
the end。 Whereas it is just the end of the beginning。〃
〃Exactly。 That sounds more Anneish。 In a little while we'll be
acclimated and acquainted； and all will be well。 Anne； did you
notice the girl who stood alone just outside the door of the
coeds' dressing room all the morning the pretty one with the
brown eyes and crooked mouth？〃
〃Yes； I did。 I noticed her particularly because she seemed the
only creature there who LOOKED as lonely and friendless as I FELT。
I had YOU； but she had no one。〃
〃I think she felt pretty all…by…herselfish； too。 Several times I
saw her make a motion as if to cross over to us； but she never
did it too shy； I suppose。 I wished she would come。 If I hadn't
felt so much like the aforesaid elephant I'd have gone to her。
But I couldn't lumber across that big hall with all those boys
howling on the stairs。 She was the prettiest freshette I saw today；
but probably favor is deceitful and even beauty is vain on your
first day at Redmond；〃 concluded Priscilla with a laugh。
〃I'm going across to Old St。 John's after lunch；〃 said Anne。
〃I don't know that a graveyard is a very good place to go to get
cheered up； but it seems the only get…at…able place where there
are trees； and trees I must have。 I'll sit on one of those old
slabs and shut my eyes and imagine I'm in the Avonlea woods。〃
Anne did not do that； however； for she found enough of interest
in Old St。 John's to keep her eyes wide open。 They went in by
the entrance gates； past the simple； massive； stone arch
surmounted by the great lion of England。
〃‘And on Inkerman yet the wild bramble is gory；
And those bleak heights henceforth shall be famous in story；'〃
quoted Anne； looking at it with a thrill。 They found themselves
in a dim； cool； green place where winds were fond of purring。
Up and down the long grassy aisles they wandered； reading the
quaint； voluminous epitaphs； carved in an age that had more
leisure than our own。
〃‘Here lieth the body of Albert Crawford； Esq。；'〃 read Anne
from a worn； gray slab； 〃‘for many years Keeper of His Majesty's
Ordnance at Kingsport。 He served in the army till the peace of
1763； when he retired from bad health。 He was a brave officer；
the best of husbands； the best of fathers； the best of friends。
He died October 29th； 1792； aged 84 years。' There's an epitaph
for you； Prissy。 There is certainly some ‘scope for imagination'
in it。 How full such a life must have been of adventure！ And as
for his personal qualities； I'm sure human eulogy couldn't go
further。 I wonder if they told him he was all those best things
while he was alive。〃
〃Here's another；〃 said Priscilla。 〃Listen
‘To the memory of Alexander Ross； who died on the 22nd of September；
1840； aged 43 years。 This is raised as a tribute of affection by one
whom he served so faithfully for 27 years that he was regarded as a friend；
deserving the fullest confidence and attachment。' 〃
〃A very good epitaph；〃 commented Anne thoughtfully。 〃I wouldn't
wish a better。 We are all servants of some sort； and if the fact
that we are faithful can be truthfully inscribed on our tombstones
nothing more need be added。 Here's a sorrowful little gray stone；
Prissy ‘to the memory of a favorite child。' And here is another
‘erected to the memory of one who is buried elsewhere。' I wonder
where that unknown grave is。 Really； Pris； the graveyards of today
will never be as interesting as this。 You were right I shall
come here often。 I love it already。 I see we're not alone here
there's a girl down at the end of this avenue。〃
〃Yes； and I believe it's the very girl we saw at Redmond this morning。
I've been watching her for five minutes。 She has started to come up
the avenue exactly half a dozen times； and half a dozen times has she
turned and gone back。 Either she's dreadfully shy or she has got
something on her conscience。 Let's go and meet her。 It's easier
to get acquainted in a graveyard than at Redmond； I believe。〃
They walked down the long grassy arcade towards the stranger； who
was sitting on a gray slab under an enormous willow。 She was
certainly very pretty； with a vivid； irregular； bewitching type
of prettiness。 There was a gloss as of brown nuts on her
satin…smooth hair and a soft； ripe glow on her round cheeks。
Her eyes were big and brown and velvety； under oddly…pointed
black brows； and her crooked mouth was rose…red。 She wore a
smart brown suit； with two very modish little shoes peeping
from beneath it； and her hat of dull pink straw； wreathed with
golden…brown poppies； had the indefinable； unmistakable air
which pertains to the 〃creation〃 of an artist in millinery。
Priscilla had a sudden stinging consciousness that her own hat
had been trimmed by her village store milliner； and Anne wondered
uncomfortably if the blouse she had made herself； and which Mrs。
Lynde had fitted； looked VERY countrified and home…made besides
the stranger's smart attire。 For a moment both girls felt like
turning back。
But they had already stopped and turned towards the gray slab。
It was too late to retreat； for the brown…eyed girl had evidently
concluded that they were coming to speak to her。 Instantly she
sprang up and came forward with outstretched hand and a gay；
friendly smile in which there seemed not a shadow of either
shyness or burdened conscience。
〃Oh； I want to know who you two girls are；〃 she exclaimed eagerly。
〃I've been DYING to know。 I saw you at Redmond this morning。
Say； wasn't it AWFUL there？ For the time I wished I had stayed
home and got married。〃
Anne and Priscilla both broke into unconstrained laughter at this
unexpected conclusion。 The brown…eyed girl laughed； too。
〃I really did。 I COULD have； you know。 Come； let's all sit down
on this gravestone and get acqua