Аня из Авонлеи
XIX. Just a Happy Day
“Ithoughtthemoutinthefirgroveonenight,”hesaiddreamily.“OfcourseIdidn’tBELIEVEthembutITHOUGHTthem.YOUknow,teacher.AndthenIwantedtotellthemtosomebodyandtherewasnobodybutMaryJoe.MaryJoewasinthepantrysettingbreadandIsatdownonthebenchbesideherandIsaid,‘MaryJoe,doyouknowwhatIthink?Ithinktheeveningstarisalighthouseonthelandwherethefairiesdwell.’AndMaryJoesaid,‘Well,yousaredequeerone.Dareain’tnosuchtingasfairies.’Iwasverymuchprovoked.Ofcourse,Iknewtherearenofairies;butthatneedn’tpreventmythinkingthereis.Youknow,teacher.ButItriedagainquitepatiently.Isaid,‘Wellthen,MaryJoe,doyouknowwhatIthink?Ithinkanangelwalksovertheworldafterthesunsets...agreat,tall,whiteangel,withsilveryfoldedwings...andsingstheflowersandbirdstosleep.Childrencanhearhimiftheyknowhowtolisten.’ThenMaryJoeheldupherhandsalloverflourandsaid,‘Well,yousaredequeerleetleboy.Yousmakemefeelscare.’Andshereallydidlookedscared.Iwentoutthenandwhisperedtherestofmythoughtstothegarden.Therewasalittlebirchtreeinthegardenanditdied.Grandmasaysthesaltspraykilledit;butIthinkthedryadbelongingtoitwasafoolishdryadwhowanderedawaytoseetheworldandgotlost.Andthelittletreewassolonelyitdiedofabrokenheart.”
“Andwhenthepoor,foolishlittledryadgetstiredoftheworldandcomesbacktohertreeHERheartwillbreak,”saidAnne.
