Аня з Авонлеї
XVIII. An Adventure on the Tory Road
Thepoorfieldsjustseempitifultomeandthetreesseemtobestretchingouttheirhandspleadingforrain.Asformygarden,ithurtsmeeverytimeIgointoit.IsupposeIshouldn’tcomplainaboutagardenwhenthefarmers’cropsaresufferingso.Mr.Harrisonsayshispasturesaresoscorchedupthathispoorcowscanhardlygetabitetoeatandhefeelsguiltyofcrueltytoanimalseverytimehemeetstheireyes.”
AfterawearisomedrivethegirlsreachedSpencervaleandturneddownthe“Tory”Road...agreen,solitaryhighwaywherethestripsofgrassbetweenthewheeltracksboreevidencetolackoftravel.Alongmostofitsextentitwaslinedwiththick-setyoungsprucescrowdingdowntotheroadway,withhereandthereabreakwherethebackfieldofaSpencervalefarmcameouttothefenceoranexpanseofstumpswasaflamewithfireweedandgoldenrod.
“WhyisitcalledtheToryRoad?”askedAnne.
“Mr.Allansaysitisontheprincipleofcallingaplaceagrovebecausetherearenotreesinit,”saidDiana,“fornobodylivesalongtheroadexcepttheCoppgirlsandoldMartinBovyeratthefurtherend,whoisaLiberal.TheTorygovernmentrantheroadthroughwhentheywereinpowerjusttoshowtheyweredoingsomething.”
Diana’sfatherwasaLiberal,forwhichreasonsheandAnneneverdiscussedpolitics.GreenGablesfolkhadalwaysbeenConservatives.
FinallythegirlscametotheoldCopphomestead...aplaceofsuchexceedingexternalneatnessthatevenGreenGableswouldhavesufferedbycontrast.
