Аня из Авонлеи
I. An Irate Neighbor
thethirdtime!Patiencehasceasedtobeavirtue,miss.Iwarnedyourauntthelasttimenottoletitoccuragain...andshe’sletit...she’sdoneit...whatdoesshemeanbyit,thatiswhatIwanttoknow.ThatiswhatI’mhereabout,miss.”
“Willyouexplainwhatthetroubleis?”askedAnne,inhermostdignifiedmanner.Shehadbeenpracticingitconsiderablyoflatetohaveitingoodworkingorderwhenschoolbegan;butithadnoapparenteffectontheirateJ.A.Harrison.
“Trouble,isit?Blessmysoul,troubleenough,Ishouldthink.Thetroubleis,miss,thatIfoundthatJerseycowofyouraunt’sinmyoatsagain,nothalfanhourago.Thethirdtime,markyou.IfoundherinlastTuesdayandIfoundherinyesterday.Icamehereandtoldyourauntnottoletitoccuragain.Shehasletitoccuragain.Where’syouraunt,miss?Ijustwanttoseeherforaminuteandgiveherapieceofmymind...apieceofJ.A.Harrison’smind,miss.”
“IfyoumeanMissMarillaCuthbert,sheisnotmyaunt,andshehasgonedowntoEastGraftontoseeadistantrelativeofherswhoisveryill,”saidAnne,withdueincreaseofdignityateveryword.“Iamverysorrythatmycowshouldhavebrokenintoyouroats...sheismycowandnotMissCuthbert’s...MatthewgavehertomethreeyearsagowhenshewasalittlecalfandheboughtherfromMr.Bell.”
“Sorry,miss!Sorryisn’tgoingtohelpmattersany.You’dbettergoandlookatthehavocthatanimalhasmadeinmyoats...trampledthemfromcentertocircumference,miss.