Аня из Авонлеи
XXV. An Avonlea Scandal
Harrisoninhisworkingclothes,whichonFridayhadbeennotedforsundryrentsandtattersbutwhichwerenowneatlypatchedandbrushed.Hewassprucelyshavedandwhatlittlehairhehadwascarefullytrimmed.
“Sitdown,Anne,sitdown,”saidMr.HarrisoninatonebuttwodegreesremovedfromthatwhichAvonleapeopleusedatfunerals.“Emily’sgoneovertoCarmodywithRachelLynde...she’sstruckupalifelongfriendshipalreadywithRachelLynde.Beatsallhowcontrarywomenare.Well,Anne,myeasytimesareover...allover.It’sneatnessandtidinessformefortherestofmynaturallife,Isuppose.”
Mr.Harrisondidhisbesttospeakdolefully,butanirrepressibletwinkleinhiseyebetrayedhim.
“Mr.Harrison,youaregladyourwifeiscomeback,”criedAnne,shakingherfingerathim.“Youneedn’tpretendyou’renot,becauseIcanseeitplainly.”
Mr.Harrisonrelaxedintoasheepishsmile.
“Well...well...I’mgettingusedtoit,”heconceded.“Ican’tsayIwassorrytoseeEmily.Amanreallyneedssomeprotectioninacommunitylikethis,wherehecan’tplayagameofcheckerswithaneighborwithoutbeingaccusedofwantingtomarrythatneighbor’ssisterandhavingitputinthepaper.”
“NobodywouldhavesupposedyouwenttoseeIsabellaAndrewsifyouhadn’tpretendedtobeunmarried,”saidAnneseverely.
“Ididn’tpretendIwas.Ifanybody’dhaveaskedmeifIwasmarriedI’dhavesaidIwas.Buttheyjusttookitforgranted.Iwasn’tanxioustotalkaboutthematter...Iwasfeelingtoosoreoverit.
