2 At Green Gables

And so the next morning Marilla said, 'Well, Anne, Matthewand I have decided¹ to keep you, only if you're a good girl, of course. Why,child, what's the matter? '

'I'm crying, 'sobbed² Anne, 'because I'm very happy! It'sbeautiful here! People say I'm very bad, but I'll try very hard to be good.Oh, thank you! Thank you! '

'Now stop crying, child, 'said Marilla a little crossly,'and listen. We're going to adopt³ you, and send you to school after the summerholidays. '

Anne stopped crying. 'Can I call you Aunt Marilla? I'venever had any family at all, so I'd really like to have an aunt. We couldimagine that you're my mother's sister. '

'I couldn't, 'answered Marilla firmly⁴.

'Don't you imagine things? 'asked Anne, surprised.

'No, I don't, 'Marilla replied. 'I do my housework, andlook after Matthew, and go to church on Sunday. There's no time for imaginingthings in this house. Just remember that, Anne. '

Anne was silent⁵ for a few minutes. Then she said, 'Marillamdo you think I'll find a best friend in Avonlea? Someone who reallyunderstands me and knows all my secrets. I've always wanted a friend likethat. '

'Our friends, the Barrys, have a daughter called Diana,who's eleven, like you But if you want to play with her, you'll have to bevery good. Mrs Barry is very careful about Diana's friends. '

'Diana! What a beautiful name! 'said Anne excitedly. 'Herhair isn't red, is it? I hope it isn't. 'She looked sadly⁶ at her red plaits.'I hate my hair. '

'Diana has dark hair. She's a good, clever girl. Try to belike her, Anne. '

When the two girls met, they knew at once that they wouldbe good friends. They often played together, in the fields, or by the river,or in the garden. In the morning Anne helped Marilla with the housework. Thenin the afternoon she played with Diana, or talked happily to Matthew while heworked on the farm. She soon knew and loved every flower, tree, and animal atGreen Gables.

The Cuthberts had another friend, Mrs Rachel Lynde. Sheliked to know everything that was happening in and around Avonlea. She wasvery interested in the Cuthberts'little or-phan girl, so one day she visitedMarilla.

'I was very surprised to hear about the child, 'she toldMar-illa. 'So you and Matthew have adopted⁷ her! '

'I'm surprised myself, 'answered Marilla with a smile. 'Butshe's a clever little thing, you know. And she's always dancing, or singing,or laughing. '

Mrs Lynde shook her head sadly. 'What a mistake, Marilla!You've never had any children yourself, so how can you look after her? '

Just then Anne ran in from the garden. She stoppedsudden-ly when she saw a stranger⁸ in the kitchen. Mrs Lynde looked at the thinlittle girl in the short dress, with her freckled⁹ face and red hair.

'Isn't she thin, Marilla? 'she said. 'Just look at thosefreckles! And hair as red as carrots! '

Anne's face went red. She ran up to Mrs Lynde.

'I hate you! 'she shouted angrily. 'I hate you! You're ahorrible, fat old woman! 'And she ran upstairs.

'Oh dear, oh dear! 'said Mrs Lynde. 'What a terrible child!You'll not have an easy time with her, Marilla. '

'You were rude to her, Rachel, 'Marilla replied, before shecould stop herself.

'Well! 'said Mrs Lynde. She got up and walked to the door.'I think this orphan¹⁰ is more important to you than I am. When I think how longwe've been friends…You'll have troublewith her, I can tell you. Well, I'm sorry for you, that's all. Goodbye. '

Marilla went upstairs to Anne's room. The child was lyingon her narrow¹¹ bed, sobbing¹² loudly.

'You mustn't get angry like that, Anne. Mrs Lynde is myfriend, and you were very rude to her. '

'She was rude to me! 'said Anne. 'She said I was thin andfreckled and red-haired. It was very unkind¹³! '

'I understand how you feel, 'said Marilla. 'But you must goto her and tell her you're sorry. '

'I can never do that, 'said Anne firmly.

'Then you must stay in your room and think about it. Youcan come out when you agree to say that you're sorry. '

Anne stayed in her room all the next day. Downstairs thehouse was very quiet without her. That evening, while Marilla was busy in thegarden, Matthew went up to Anne's room. The child was sitting sadly by thewindow.

'Anne, 'he said shyly, 'why don't you say you're sorry?Then you can come down, and we can all be happy. '

'I am sorry now, 'said Anne. 'I was very angry yesterday!But do you really want me to…'

'Yes, do, please. It's lonely downstairs without you. Butdon't tell Marilla I've talked to you. '

Marilla was pleased to hear that Anne was sorry. Later thatevening, when she and Anne were in Mrs Lynde's warm kitchen, Anne suddenlyfell on her knees.

'Oh Mrs Lynde, 'cried the little girl, 'I'm very sorry. Ican't tell you how sorry I am, so you must just imagine it. I am a bad girl!But please say you will forgive¹⁴ me. I'll be sad all my life if you don't ! '

'She's enjoying herself! 'thought Marilla, watching Anne'sface. 'She doesn't look sorry at all, but happy and excited! '

But Mrs Lynde said kindly¹⁵, 'Of course I forgive you. 'Andlater she said to Marilla, 'Perhaps you're right to keep her. She's a strangelittle thing, but I think I like her. '

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。”