Аня с острова Принца Эдуарда

Anne’s First Proposal

           WhenJanehadgonehomestillwithahintoffrostinvoiceandmannerbecauseAnnehaddeclinedsoungratefullyanddecidedlythehonorofanalliancewiththeHouseofAndrewsAnneretreatedtotheporchroom,shutthedoor,andhadherlaughoutatlast.

           “IfIcouldonlysharethejokewithsomeone!”shethought.“ButIcan’t.DianaistheonlyoneI’dwanttotell,and,evenifIhadn’tswornsecrecytoJane,Ican’ttellDianathingsnow.ShetellseverythingtoFredIknowshedoes.Well,I’vehadmyfirstproposal.IsupposeditwouldcomesomedaybutIcertainlyneverthoughtitwouldbebyproxy.It’sawfullyfunnyandyetthere’sastinginit,too,somehow.”

           Anneknewquitewellwhereinthestingconsisted,thoughshedidnotputitintowords.Shehadhadhersecretdreamsofthefirsttimesomeoneshouldaskherthegreatquestion.Andithad,inthosedreams,alwaysbeenveryromanticandbeautiful:andthe“someone”wastobeveryhandsomeanddark-eyedanddistinguished-lookingandeloquent,whetherhewerePrinceCharmingtobeenrapturedwith“yes,”oronetowhomaregretful,beautifullyworded,buthopelessrefusalmustbegiven.Ifthelatter,therefusalwastobeexpressedsodelicatelythatitwouldbenextbestthingtoacceptance,andhewouldgoaway,afterkissingherhand,assuringherofhisunalterable,life-longdevotion.Anditwouldalwaysbeabeautifulmemory,tobeproudofandalittlesadabout,also.

           Andnow,thisthrillingexperiencehadturnedouttobemerelygrotesque

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