anne of the island-第27节

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color　was。　　His　legs　were　white　with　black　spots　on　them。

His　back　was　gray　with　a　huge　patch　of　yellow　on　one　side　and　a

black　patch　on　the　other。　　His　tail　was　yellow　with　a　gray　tip。

One　ear　was　black　and　one　yellow。　　A　black　patch　over　one　eye　gave

him　a　fearfully　rakish　look。　　In　reality　he　was　meek　and　inoffensive；

of　a　sociable　disposition。　　In　one　respect；　if　in　no　other；　Joseph

was　like　a　lily　of　the　field。　　He　toiled　not　neither　did　he　spin

or　catch　mice。　　Yet　Solomon　in　all　his　glory　slept　not　on　softer

cushions；　or　feasted　more　fully　on　fat　things。



Joseph　and　the　Sarah…cat　arrived　by　express　in　separate　boxes。

After　they　had　been　released　and　fed；　Joseph　selected　the　cushion

and　corner　which　appealed　to　him；　and　the　Sarah…cat　gravely　sat

herself　down　before　the　fire　and　proceeded　to　wash　her　face。　　She

was　a　large；　sleek；　gray…and…white　cat；　with　an　enormous　dignity

which　was　not　at　all　impaired　by　any　consciousness　of　her　plebian

origin。　　She　had　been　given　to　Aunt　Jamesina　by　her　washerwoman。



〃Her　name　was　Sarah；　so　my　husband　always　called　puss　the

Sarah…cat；〃　explained　Aunt　Jamesina。　　〃She　is　eight　years　old；

and　a　remarkable　mouser。　　Don't　worry；　Stella。　　The　Sarah…cat

NEVER　fights　and　Joseph　rarely。〃



〃They'll　have　to　fight　here　in　self…defense；〃　said　Stella。



At　this　juncture　Rusty　arrived　on　the　scene。　　He　bounded

joyously　half　way　across　the　room　before　he　saw　the　intruders。

Then　he　stopped　short；　his　tail　expanded　until　it　was　as　big　as

three　tails。　　The　fur　on　his　back　rose　up　in　a　defiant　arch；

Rusty　lowered　his　head；　uttered　a　fearful　shriek　of　hatred　and

defiance；　and　launched　himself　at　the　Sarah…cat。



The　stately　animal　had　stopped　washing　her　face　and　was　looking

at　him　curiously。　　She　met　his　onslaught　with　one　contemptuous

sweep　of　her　capable　paw。　　Rusty　went　rolling　helplessly　over　on

the　rug；　he　picked　himself　up　dazedly。　　What　sort　of　a　cat　was

this　who　had　boxed　his　ears？　　He　looked　dubiously　at　the　Sarah…cat。

Would　he　or　would　he　not？　　The　Sarah…cat　deliberately　turned　her

back　on　him　and　resumed　her　toilet　operations。　　Rusty　decided　that

he　would　not。　　He　never　did。　　From　that　time　on　the　Sarah…cat　ruled

the　roost。　　Rusty　never　again　interfered　with　her。



But　Joseph　rashly　sat　up　and　yawned。　　Rusty；　burning　to　avenge

his　disgrace；　swooped　down　upon　him。　　Joseph；　pacific　by　nature；

could　fight　upon　occasion　and　fight　well。　　The　result　was　a

series　of　drawn　battles。　　Every　day　Rusty　and　Joseph　fought　at

sight。　　Anne　took　Rusty's　part　and　detested　Joseph。　　Stella　was

in　despair。　　But　Aunt　Jamesina　only　laughed。



Let　them　fight　it　out；〃　she　said　tolerantly。　　〃They'll　make　friends

after　a　bit。　　Joseph　needs　some　exercise　　he　was　getting　too　fat。

And　Rusty　has　to　learn　he　isn't　the　only　cat　in　the　world。〃



Eventually　Joseph　and　Rusty　accepted　the　situation　and　from　sworn

enemies　became　sworn　friends。　　They　slept　on　the　same　cushion　with

their　paws　about　each　other；　and　gravely　washed　each　other's　faces。



〃We've　all　got　used　to　each　other；〃　said　Phil。　　〃And　I've　learned

how　to　wash　dishes　and　sweep　a　floor。〃



〃But　you　needn't　try　to　make　us　believe　you　can　chloroform　a　cat；〃

laughed　Anne。



〃It　was　all　the　fault　of　the　knothole；〃　protested　Phil。



〃It　was　a　good　thing　the　knothole　was　there；〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina

rather　severely。　　〃Kittens　HAVE　to　be　drowned；　I　admit；　or　the

world　would　be　overrun。　　But　no　decent；　grown…up　cat　should　be

done　to　death　　unless　he　sucks　eggs。〃



〃You　wouldn't　have　thought　Rusty　very　decent　if　you'd　seen　him　when

he　came　here；〃　said　Stella。　　〃He　positively　looked　like　the　Old　Nick。〃



〃I　don't　believe　Old　Nick　can　be　so　very；　ugly〃　said　Aunt　Jamesina

reflectively。　　〃He　wouldn't　do　so　much　harm　if　he　was。　　_I_　always

think　of　him　as　a　rather　handsome　gentleman。〃









Chapter　XVII



A　Letter　from　Davy





〃It's　beginning　to　snow；　girls；〃　said　Phil；　coming　in　one

November　evening；　〃and　there　are　the　loveliest　little　stars　and

crosses　all　over　the　garden　walk。　　I　never　noticed　before　what

exquisite　things　snowflakes　really　are。　　One　has　time　to　notice

things　like　that　in　the　simple　life。　　Bless　you　all　for　permitting

me　to　live　it。　　It's　really　delightful　to　feel　worried　because

butter　has　gone　up　five　cents　a　pound。〃



〃Has　it？〃　demanded　Stella；　who　kept　the　household　accounts。



〃It　has　　and　here's　your　butter。　　I'm　getting　quite　expert　at　marketing。

It's　better　fun　than　flirting；〃　concluded　Phil　gravely。



〃Everything　is　going　up　scandalously；〃　sighed　Stella。



〃Never　mind。　　Thank　goodness　air　and　salvation　are　still　free；〃

said　Aunt　Jamesina。



〃And　so　is　laughter；〃　added　Anne。　　〃There's　no　tax　on　it　yet

and　that　is　well；　because　you're　all　going　to　laugh　presently。

I'm　going　to　read　you　Davy's　letter。　　His　spelling　has　improved

immensely　this　past　year；　though　he　is　not　strong　on　apostrophes；

and　he　certainly　possesses　the　gift　of　writing　an　interesting　letter。

Listen　and　laugh；　before　we　settle　down　to　the　evening's　study…grind。〃



〃Dear　Anne；〃　ran　Davy's　letter；　〃I　take　my　pen　to　tell　you　that

we　are　all　pretty　well　and　hope　this　will　find　you　the　same。

It's　snowing　some　today　and　Marilla　says　the　old　woman　in　the　sky

is　shaking　her　feather　beds。　　Is　the　old　woman　in　the　sky　God's

wife；　Anne？　　I　want　to　know。



〃Mrs。　Lynde　has　been　real　sick　but　she　is　better　now。　　She　fell

down　the　cellar　stairs　last　week。　　When　she　fell　she　grabbed　hold

of　the　shelf　with　all　the　milk　pails　and　stewpans　on　it；　and　it

gave　way　and　went　down　with　her　and　made　a　splendid　crash。

Marilla　thought　it　was　an　earthquake　at　first。



One　of　the　stewpans　was　all　dinged　up　and　Mrs。　Lynde　straned　her　ribs。

The　doctor　came　and　gave　her　medicine　to　rub　on　her　ribs　but

she　didn't　under　stand　him　and　took　it　all　inside　instead。

The　doctor　said　it　was　a　wonder　it　dident　kill　her　but　it　dident

and　it　cured　her　ribs　and　Mrs。　Lynde　says　doctors　dont　know　much

anyhow。　　But　we　couldent　fix　up　the　stewpan。　　Marilla　had　to

throw　it　out。　　Thanksgiving　was　last　week。　　There　was　no　school

and　we　had　a　great　dinner。　　I　et　mince　pie　and　rost　turkey　and

frut　cake　and　donuts　and　cheese　and　jam　and　choklut　cake。

Marilla　said　I'd　die　but　I　dident。　　Dora　had　earake　after　it；

only　it　wasent　in　her　ears　it　was　in　her　stummick。　　I　dident

have　earake　anywhere。



〃Our　new　teacher　is　a　man。　　He　does　things　for　jokes。　　Last　week

he　made　all　us　third…class　boys　write　a　composishun　on　what　kind

of　a　wife　we'd　like　to　have　and　the　girls　on　what　kind　of　a

husband。　　He　laughed　fit　to　kill　when　he　read　them。　　This　was

mine。　　I　thought　youd　like　to　see　it。



〃‘The　kind　of　a　wife　I'd　like　to　Have。



〃‘She　must　have　good　manners　and　get　my　meals　on　time　and　do

what　I　tell　her　and　always　be　very　polite　to　me。　　She　must　be

fifteen　yers　old。　　She　must　be　good　to　the　poor　and　keep　her

house　tidy　and　be　good　tempered　and　go　to　church　regularly。

She　must　be　very　handsome　and　have　curly　hair。　　If　I　get　a　wife

that　is　just　what　I　like　Ill　be　an　awful　good　husband　to　her。

I　think　a　woman　ought　to　be　awful　good　to　her　husband。　　Some　poor

women　havent　any　husbands。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　‘THE　END。'〃





〃I　was　at　Mrs。　Isaac　Wrights　funeral　at　White　Sands　last　week。

The　husband　of　the　corpse　felt　real　sorry。　　Mrs。　Lynde　says

Mrs。　Wrights　grandfather　stole　a　sheep　but　Marilla　says　we　mustent

speak　ill　of　the　dead。　　Why　mustent　we；　Anne？　　I　want　to　know。

It's　pretty　safe；　ain't　it？



〃Mrs。　Lynde　was　awful　mad　the　other　day　because　I　asked　her　if

she　was　alive　in　Noah's　time。　　I　dident　mean　to　hurt　her　feelings。

I　just　wanted　to　know。　　Was　she；　Anne？



〃Mr。　Harrison　wanted　to　get　rid　of　his　dog。　　So　he　hunged　him

once　but　he　come　to　life　and　scooted　for　the　barn　while　Mr。

Harrison　was　digging　the　grave；　so　he　hunged　him　again　and　he

stayed　dead　that　time。　　Mr。　Harrison　has　a　new　man　working　for　him。

He's　awful　okward。　　Mr。　Harrison　says　he　is　left　handed　in　both

his　feet。　　Mr。　Barry's　hired　man　is　lazy。　　Mrs。　Barry　says　that

but　Mr。　Barry　says　he　aint　lazy　exactly　only　he　thinks　it　easier

to　pray　for　things　than　to　work　for　them。



〃Mrs。　Harmon　Andrews　prize　pig　that　she　talked　so　much　of　died

in　a　fit。　　Mrs。　Lynde　says　it　was　a　judgment　on　her　for　pride。

But　I　think　it　was　hard　on　the　pig。　　Milty　Boulter　has　been　sick。

The　doctor　gave　him　medicine　and　it　tasted　horrid。　　I　offered　to

take　it　for　him　for　a　quarter　but　the　Boulters　are　so　mean。

Milty　says　he'd　rather　take　it　himself　and　save　his　money。

I　asked　Mrs。　Boulter　how　a　person　would　go　about　catching　a　man　and

she　got　awful　mad　and　said　she　dident　know；　shed　never　chased　men。



〃The　A。V。I。S。　is　going　to　paint　the　hall　again。　　They're　tired

of　having　it　blue。



〃The　new　minister　was　here　to　tea　last　night。　　He　took　three

pieces　of　pie。



If　I　did　that　Mrs。　Ly