Аня из Авонлеи
VI. All Sorts and Conditions of Men... and women
Thecommitteechosetheirroutesinprivateconclave.AnneandDianaweretoldofffortheNewbridgeroad,GilbertandFredfortheWhiteSandsroad,andJaneandGertiefortheCarmodyroad.
“Because,”explainedGilberttoAnne,astheywalkedhometogetherthroughtheHauntedWood,“thePyesalllivealongthatroadandtheywon’tgiveacentunlessoneofthemselvescanvassesthem.”
ThenextSaturdayAnneandDianastartedout.Theydrovetotheendoftheroadandcanvassedhomeward,callingfirstonthe“Andrewgirls.”
“IfCatherineisalonewemaygetsomething,”saidDiana,“butifElizaistherewewon’t.”
Elizawasthere...verymuchso...andlookedevengrimmerthanusual.MissElizawasoneofthosepeoplewhogiveyoutheimpressionthatlifeisindeedavaleoftears,andthatasmile,nevertospeakofalaugh,isawasteofnervousenergytrulyreprehensible.TheAndrewgirlshadbeen“girls”forfiftyoddyearsandseemedlikelytoremaingirlstotheendoftheirearthlypilgrimage.Catherine,itwassaid,hadnotentirelygivenuphope,butEliza,whowasbornapessimist,hadneverhadany.TheylivedinalittlebrownhousebuiltinasunnycornerscoopedoutofMarkAndrew’sbeechwoods.Elizacomplainedthatitwasterriblehotinsummer,butCatherinewaswonttosayitwaslovelyandwarminwinter.
Elizawassewingpatchwork,notbecauseitwasneededbutsimplyasaprotestagainstthefrivolouslaceCatherinewascrocheting.ElizalistenedwithafrownandCatherinewithasmile,asthegirlsexplainedtheirerrand.
