Аня из Авонлеи
V. A Full-fledged Schoolma’am
ThreepallidlittlegirlscrowdedintooneseatwerecertainlyCottons;andtherewasnodoubtthatthesmallbeautywiththelongbrowncurlsandhazeleyes,whowascastingcoquettishlooksatJackGillsovertheedgeofherTestament,wasPrillieRogerson,whosefatherhadrecentlymarriedasecondwifeandbroughtPrilliehomefromhergrandmother’sinGrafton.Atall,awkwardgirlinabackseat,whoseemedtohavetoomanyfeetandhands,Annecouldnotplaceatall,butlaterondiscoveredthathernamewasBarbaraShawandthatshehadcometolivewithanAvonleaaunt.ShewasalsotofindthatifBarbaraevermanagedtowalkdowntheaislewithoutfallingoverherownorsomebodyelse’sfeettheAvonleascholarswrotetheunusualfactupontheporchwalltocommemorateit.
ButwhenAnne’seyesmetthoseoftheboyatthefrontdeskfacingherown,aqueerlittlethrillwentoverher,asifshehadfoundhergenius.SheknewthismustbePaulIrvingandthatMrs.RachelLyndehadbeenrightforoncewhensheprophesiedthathewouldbeunliketheAvonleachildren.Morethanthat,Annerealizedthathewasunlikeotherchildrenanywhere,andthattherewasasoulsubtlyakintoherowngazingatheroutoftheverydarkblueeyesthatwerewatchinghersointently.
SheknewPaulwastenbuthelookednomorethaneight.Hehadthemostbeautifullittlefaceshehadeverseeninachild...featuresofexquisitedelicacyandrefinement,framedinahaloofchestnutcurls.
