Аня из Авонлеи
XV. The Beginning of Vacation
“HeknowsIwon’tassociatewithhimifhedoesn’t.Heisreallyfullofwickedness,Ithink.”
“AndhasNorafoundoutabouttheGoldenLadyyet?”
“No;butIthinkshesuspects.I’malmostsureshewatchedmethelasttimeIwenttothecave.Idon’tmindifshefindsout...itisonlyforHERsakeIdon’twantherto...sothatherfeelingswon’tbehurt.ButifsheisDETERMINEDtohaveherfeelingshurtitcan’tbehelped.”
“IfIweretogototheshoresomenightwithyoudoyouthinkIcouldseeyourrockpeopletoo?”
Paulshookhisheadgravely.
“No,Idon’tthinkyoucouldseeMYrockpeople.I’mtheonlypersonwhocanseethem.Butyoucouldseerockpeopleofyourown.You’reoneofthekindthatcan.We’reboththatkind.YOUknow,teacher,”headded,squeezingherhandchummily.“Isn’titsplendidtobethatkind,teacher?”
“Splendid,”Anneagreed,grayshiningeyeslookingdownintoblueshiningones.AnneandPaulbothknew
“Howfairtherealm
Imaginationopenstotheview,”
andbothknewthewaytothathappyland.Theretheroseofjoybloomedimmortalbydaleandstream;cloudsneverdarkenedthesunnysky;sweetbellsneverjangledoutoftune;andkindredspiritsabounded.Theknowledgeofthatland’sgeography...“easto’thesun,westo’themoon”...ispricelesslore,nottobeboughtinanymarketplace.Itmustbethegiftofthegoodfairiesatbirthandtheyearscanneverdefaceitortakeitaway.Itisbettertopossessit,livinginagarret,thantobetheinhabitantofpalaceswithoutit.
