Аня из Авонлеи
XIV. A Danger Averted
TheToriesarebribingrightandleft,sotheymightaswellbegivenachancetospendtheirmoneyhonestlyforonce.”
Annewasared-hotConservative,outofloyaltytoMatthew’smemory,butshesaidnothing.SheknewbetterthantogetMrs.Lyndestartedonpolitics.ShehadaletterforMarilla,postmarkedfromatowninBritishColumbia.
“It’sprobablyfromthechildren’suncle,”shesaidexcitedly,whenshegothome.“Oh,Marilla,Iwonderwhathesaysaboutthem.”
“Thebestplanmightbetoopenitandsee,”saidMarillacurtly.Acloseobservermighthavethoughtthatshewasexcitedalso,butshewouldratherhavediedthanshowit.
Annetoreopentheletterandglancedoverthesomewhatuntidyandpoorlywrittencontents.
“Hesayshecan’ttakethechildrenthisspring...he’sbeensickmostofthewinterandhisweddingisputoff.Hewantstoknowifwecankeepthemtillthefallandhe’lltryandtakethemthen.Wewill,ofcourse,won’tweMarilla?”
“Idon’tseethatthereisanythingelseforustodo,”saidMarillarathergrimly,althoughshefeltasecretrelief.“Anyhowthey’renotsomuchtroubleastheywere...orelsewe’vegotusedtothem.Davyhasimprovedagreatdeal.”
“HisMANNERSarecertainlymuchbetter,”saidAnnecautiously,asifshewerenotpreparedtosayasmuchforhismorals.
Annehadcomehomefromschoolthepreviousevening,tofindMarillaawayatanAidmeeting,Doraasleeponthekitchensofa,andDavyinthesittingroomcloset,blissfullyabsorbingthecontentsofajarofMarilla’sfamousyellowplumpreserves...
