Аня з Авонлеї
I. An Irate Neighbor
“Avonleaschoolwon’tbetheworseforalittlenewblood,”saidMarilladrily,“andifthisboyisanythinglikehisfatherhe’llbeallright.SteveIrvingwasthenicestboythatwaseverraisedintheseparts,thoughsomepeopledidcallhimproud.IshouldthinkMrs.Irvingwouldbeverygladtohavethechild.Shehasbeenverylonesomesinceherhusbanddied.”
“Oh,theboymaybewellenough,buthe’llbedifferentfromAvonleachildren,”saidMrs.Rachel,asifthatclinchedthematter.Mrs.Rachel’sopinionsconcerninganyperson,place,orthing,werealwayswarrantedtowear.“What’sthisIhearaboutyourgoingtostartupaVillageImprovementSociety,Anne?”
“IwasjusttalkingitoverwithsomeofthegirlsandboysatthelastDebatingClub,”saidAnne,flushing.“Theythoughtitwouldberathernice...andsodoMr.andMrs.Allan.Lotsofvillageshavethemnow.”
“Well,you’llgetintonoendofhotwaterifyoudo.Betterleaveitalone,Anne,that’swhat.Peopledon’tlikebeingimproved.”
“Oh,wearenotgoingtotrytoimprovethePEOPLE.ItisAvonleaitself.Therearelotsofthingswhichmightbedonetomakeitprettier.Forinstance,ifwecouldcoaxMr.LeviBoultertopulldownthatdreadfuloldhouseonhisupperfarmwouldn’tthatbeanimprovement?”
“Itcertainlywould,”admittedMrs.Rachel.“Thatoldruinhasbeenaneyesoretothesettlementforyears.ButifyouImproverscancoaxLeviBoultertodoanythingforthepublicthatheisn’ttobepaidfordoing,mayIbetheretoseeandheartheprocess,that’swhat
