3 At Avonlea school

When school started in September, Anne and Diana walkedthere and back together every day.

'What a beautiful day, 'Anne said¹ happily² one morning, asthe two little girls walked across⁴ the fields⁶. 'I'm very lucky⁷ to have you asmy best friend, Diana. You are my best friend, aren't you? '

'Of course⁸, Anne, 'replied⁹ Diana, taking Anne's hand. 'Andjust think, today you'll meet Gilbert Blythe. He's three years older than us,and very good-looking¹⁰. He's just come back from holiday, and starts schooltoday. '

'Oh, boys! 'said Anne. 'I'm not interested¹¹ in them. '

But she did¹² look at Gilbert when they arrived at school. Hewas a tall boy, with curly¹⁴ brown hair and a friendly¹⁵ smile.

'He is good-looking, 'Anne whispered¹⁶ to Diana, 'but whydoes he smile at me? He doesn't know me! '

Avonlea school was¹³ quiet that day. The teacher, MrPhillips, was helping¹⁸ some of the older children at the back of theschoolroom. Anne was looking out of the window at the reds and yellows of thetrees, and the silvery blue of the river. She was far away in the world of herimagination. But Gilbert wanted her to look at him. He whispered to her, butshe did not move. He was surprised²⁰. Girls were usually very ready to look athim.

Suddenly²¹ he put his arm out, pulled²² her red plaits, andsaid in a loud whisper¹⁷, 'Carrots! Carrots! '

Anne jumped up and looked angrily at Gilbert.

'You horrible²³ boy! 'she cried. 'I hate²⁴ you! 'And then shebrought her heavy book down on Cilbert's head.

Mr Phillips heard the noise, and came²⁵ slowly²⁶ to the frontof the schoolroom.

'Anne Shirley, why did you do that? 'he asked. She stayedsilent. Gilbert said, 'I'm sorry, Mr Phillips. I was rude²⁷ to her. That's whyshe hit me. 'But the teacher did not listen to Gilbert.

'I cannot have bad children in my school, 'said Mr Phillipsfirmly, 'Anne, go and stand in front of the class. 'And there Anne stood²⁹ forthe rest of the day, a lonely³⁰ little girl with a small white angry face.

'I hate Mr Phillips! 'she thought³¹. 'And I'll never look ator speak to Gilbert Blythe again! '

The next day some of the school children were playing in afarmer's field⁵ in their lunch hour, so they were a little late for afternoonschool. Anne ran³² into the classroom at the same time as³ the boys, just afterthe teacher.

'You're late, Anne, 'said Mr Phillips. 'You won't sit withDiana today. I see that you enjoy being³³ with the boys very much, so go and sitnext to Gilbert this afternoon. '

Anne's face went white. 'He can't mean it! 'she thought.

'Did you hear me, Anne? 'asked Mr Phillips.

'Yes sir, 'said Anne and moved slowly to Gilbert's desk.There she sat³⁴ down and put her head on the desk, with her arms over it.

'This is the end, 'she was thinking³⁵. 'I wasn't the onlyper-son who was late. And he's sent me to sit with a boy! And that boy isGilbert Blythe! '

The rest of the day went very slowly for Anne. When it wastime to leave, she went to her desk, next to Diana's, and took³⁶ all her books,pens and pencils with her.

'What are you doing, Anne? 'asked Diana.

'I'm not coming back to school, 'replied Anne firmly²⁸.

'Oh! But Anne…we'rereading a new book next week…and we'replaying a new game on Monday, and… It'llbe very exciting! And you'll miss it, Anne! '

But Anne was not interested. 'I'm sorry, Diana, 'was heronly answer.

That evening Marilla ran round to Rachel Lynde's house.'Rachel, please help me! Anne says she won't go back to school. What am Igoing to say to her? '

Mrs Lynde already³⁷ knew about Anne's troubles³⁸ at school, andshe was always very pleased³⁹ when people asked her to help. She smiled and satback comfortably⁴⁰.

'I've had⁴¹ ten children myself⁴², so I know all about them,'she said. 'Anne can stay at home for a while⁴³. She'll want to go back toschool again soon, I'm sure. '

So Anne stayed at home, and only saw⁴⁴ Diana in the evenings.She was a child who felt very strongly. She hated⁴⁵ Gilbert Blythe, but shereally loved Diana.

One evening Marilla found⁴⁶ Anne crying in the kitchen.'What's the matter, child? 'she asked in surprise.

'I love Diana very much, 'sobbed⁴⁷ Anne. 'I can't livewith-out her, Marilla! But what will happen when she marries⁴⁸? I hate herhusband already! I can imagine⁴⁹ her in the church⁵⁰ in her long white dress…andthen she'll go away! And I'll nev-er see her again! '

Marilla turned away to hide⁵¹ her smiling face. What astrange, funny child Anne was! Marilla tried not to laugh, but she couldn'tstop herself⁵².

'You and your imagination¹⁹, Anne Shirley! 'she cried, andshe laughed and laughed.

Mrs Lynde was right, of course. After a few⁵³ days Annede-cided to go back to school. All the children were pleased to see her again,but she did not speak to Gilbert Blythe.

3 在埃文利学校

九月，学校开学了，安妮和戴安娜每天一起步行上下学。

一天清晨，当两个小姑娘穿过田野的时候，安妮感叹道：“多美的一天啊！戴安娜，我有你这样一位好朋友真幸运。你是我最好的朋友，不是吗？”

“当然了，安妮。”戴安娜握住安妮的手回答道。“想想看，今天你就要见到吉尔伯特•布莱思了。他比我们大3岁，长得很帅。今天他刚刚度完假回学校上学。”

“男孩！”安妮说道。“我对他们不感兴趣。”

但当她们到达学校的时候，安妮还是打量了吉尔伯特一下。他是个长着鬈曲的棕色头发的高个男孩，脸上挂着友善的微笑。

“他长得是帅，”安妮小声对戴安娜说，“但他为什么冲我笑？他根本不认识我！”

埃文利学校那天非常平静。学校的教师，菲利普斯先生在教室后面辅导一些大孩子。安妮欣赏着窗外红黄相间的树木和波光粼粼的蓝色小河。她已经被自己的幻想带到了遥远的地方。但吉尔伯特希望她看着自己。他对她低语，但她一动不动。他很惊讶。女孩们通常都很愿意看他。

他忽然伸出手去，拽住她的红色发辫，一边轻声叫着，“胡萝卜！胡萝卜！”

安妮从座位上跳起来瞪着吉尔伯特。

“讨厌鬼！我恨你！”她一边叫，一边用重重的课本打了他脑袋一下。

菲利普斯先生听到了这边的动静，缓缓地从教室后面走了过来。

“安妮•雪利，你为什么那样做？”他问道。安妮一言不发。吉尔伯特答道：“我很抱歉，菲利普斯先生。是我对她无礼，所以她打我。”但老师没有听吉尔伯特的解释。

“我不能让坏孩子留在学校里，”菲利普斯先生斩钉截铁地说。“安妮，去站在全班同学的面前。”那天安妮就一直孤零零地站在那儿，一张小脸气得煞白。

“我恨菲利普斯先生！”她想。“我再也不理吉尔伯特•布莱思了！”

第二天午饭的时候，一些学生在一个农夫的田里玩耍，因此下午上课时他们迟到了一会儿。安妮和男生们一起跟在老师的后面进了教室。

“你迟到了，安妮，”菲利普斯先生说。“今天你不能和戴安娜坐在一起。我发现你很喜欢和男孩子们一起，今天下午你去和吉尔伯特坐在一起吧。”

安妮的脸变白了。“他不会是当真的！”她想。

“你听见我说的话了吗，安妮？”菲利普斯先生问道。

“是的，先生，”安妮边回答边慢慢地挪到了吉尔伯特的书桌旁。她坐下来，头埋在手臂里趴在书桌上。

安妮想：“这下全完了。我不是惟一一个迟到的学生。可他竟然让我坐在一个男孩旁边！而这男孩竟是吉尔伯特•布莱思！”

对于安妮来说，那天过得很慢。等到了放学的时候，她回到了戴安娜旁边，从自己的课桌里取出了课本、钢笔和铅笔。

“你干什么，安妮？”戴安娜问道。

“我不会再回学校里来了，”安妮坚定地回答。

“噢！可是安妮……下周我们就要读一本新书……星期一我们还要玩一个新游戏，还有……在学校里会很有趣！你会错过这些的，安妮！”

但安妮对戴安娜所说的都不感兴趣。只是回答道：“对不起，戴安娜。”

那天晚上，玛丽拉来到了雷切尔•林德家里。“雷切尔，请帮助我！安妮说她不肯再回学校了。我该怎么说服她？”

林德太太已经听说了安妮在学校的麻烦，她总是很高兴有人请她帮忙。她微笑着靠在舒适的椅背上。

“我自己有10个孩子，所以我对孩子很了解，”她说。“可以让安妮先在家里呆一段时间。很快她就会想回到学校去的，我敢肯定。”

这样安妮就留在家里，每天晚上才能见到戴安娜。她是个爱憎分明的孩子。她恨吉尔伯特•布莱思，而又确实喜欢戴安娜。

一天晚上，玛丽拉发现安妮在厨房里哭泣。“怎么了，孩子？”她惊讶地问道。

“我非常喜欢戴安娜，”安妮抽泣着说。“我的生活中不能没有她，玛丽拉！但如果她结婚会怎么样？我已经开始恨她的丈夫了！我可以想像到戴安娜穿着长长的婚纱在教堂里……然后她就要走了！我就再也见不到她了！”

玛丽拉转过身去偷偷地笑。安妮真是个既奇怪又有趣的孩子！玛丽拉尽力想止住笑，但还是忍不住。

“你和你的幻想，安妮•雪利”她大声说，说完笑个不停。

当然，林德太太说的是对的。几天后，安妮决定回到学校去。看到她回来所有的孩子都很高兴，但安妮还是不理睬吉尔伯特•布莱思。