Аня из Авонлеи
XV. The Beginning of Vacation
becauseIcan’tgotohergravetoputitthere.Butdon’tyouthinkshe’llknowallaboutit,justthesame?”
“Yes,Iamsureshewill,Paul.”
“Yousee,teacher,it’sjustthreeyearstodaysincemylittlemotherdied.It’ssuchalong,longtimebutithurtsjustasmuchasever...andImissherjustasmuchasever.SometimesitseemstomethatIjustcan’tbearit,ithurtsso.”
Paul’svoicequiveredandhisliptrembled.Helookeddownathisroses,hopingthathisteacherwouldnotnoticethetearsinhiseyes.
“Andyet,”saidAnne,verysoftly,“youwouldn’twantittostophurting
...youwouldn’twanttoforgetyourlittlemotherevenifyoucould.”
“No,indeed,Iwouldn’t...that’sjustthewayIfeel.You’resogoodatunderstanding,teacher.Nobodyelseunderstandssowell...notevengrandma,althoughshe’ssogoodtome.Fatherunderstoodprettywell,butstillIcouldn’ttalkmuchtohimaboutmother,becauseitmadehimfeelsobad.WhenheputhishandoverhisfaceIalwaysknewitwastimetostop.Poorfather,hemustbedreadfullylonesomewithoutme;butyouseehehasnobodybutahousekeepernowandhethinkshousekeepersarenogoodtobringuplittleboys,especiallywhenhehastobeawayfromhomesomuchonbusiness.Grandmothersarebetter,nexttomothers.Someday,whenI’mbroughtup,I’llgobacktofatherandwe’renevergoingtobepartedagain.”
PaulhadtalkedsomuchtoAnneabouthismotherandfatherthatshefeltasifshehadknownthem.
