Аня из Авонлеи
XIV. A Danger Averted
“Thankyou,no,”saidAnnepolitely,butwithafine,needle-likedisdaininhervoicethatpiercedevenJudsonParker’snonetoosensitiveconsciousness.Hisfacereddenedandhetwitchedhisreinsangrily;butthenextsecondprudentialconsiderationscheckedhim.HelookeduneasilyatAnne,asshewalkedsteadilyon,glancingneithertotherightnortotheleft.HadsheheardCorcoran’sunmistakableofferandhisowntooplainacceptanceofit?ConfoundCorcoran!Ifhecouldn’tputhismeaningintolessdangerousphraseshe’dgetintotroublesomeoftheselong-come-shorts.Andconfoundredheadedschool-ma’amswithahabitofpoppingoutofbeechwoodswheretheyhadnobusinesstobe.IfAnnehadheard,JudsonParker,measuringhercorninhisownhalfbushel,asthecountrysayingwent,andcheatinghimselfthereby,assuchpeoplegenerallydo,believedthatshewouldtellitfarandwide.Now,JudsonParker,ashasbeenseen,wasnotoverlyregardfulofpublicopinion;buttobeknownashavingacceptedabribewouldbeanastything;andifiteverreachedIsaacSpencer’searsfarewellforevertoallhopeofwinningLouisaJanewithhercomfortableprospectsastheheiressofawell-to-dofarmer.JudsonParkerknewthatMr.Spencerlookedsomewhataskanceathimasitwas;hecouldnotaffordtotakeanyrisks.
“Ahem...Anne,I’vebeenwantingtoseeyouaboutthatlittlematterwewerediscussingtheotherday.I’vedecidednottoletmyfencestothatcompanyafterall.Asocietywithanaimlikeyoursoughttobeencouraged.”
Annethawedoutthemeresttrifle
