Аня з Авонлеї
XXII. Odds and Ends
“IneverknewherverywellbutIlikedherasfarasIdidknowher.Somefolksthoughtherpeculiareventhen.DAVY,ifeverIcatchyouatsuchatrickagainyou’llbemadetowaitforyourmealstilleveryoneelseisdone,liketheFrench.”
MostconversationsbetweenAnneandMarillainthepresenceofthetwins,werepunctuatedbytheserebukesDavy-ward.Inthisinstance,Davy,sadtorelate,notbeingabletoscoopupthelastdropsofhissyrupwithhisspoon,hadsolvedthedifficultybyliftinghisplateinbothhandsandapplyinghissmallpinktonguetoit.Annelookedathimwithsuchhorrifiedeyesthatthelittlesinnerturnedredandsaid,halfshamefacedly,halfdefiantly,
“Thereain’tanywastedthatway.”
“Peoplewhoaredifferentfromotherpeoplearealwayscalledpeculiar,”saidAnne.“AndMissLavendariscertainlydifferent,thoughit’shardtosayjustwherethedifferencecomesin.Perhapsitisbecausesheisoneofthosepeoplewhonevergrowold.”
“Onemightaswellgrowoldwhenallyourgenerationdo,”saidMarilla,ratherrecklessofherpronouns.“Ifyoudon’t,youdon’tfitinanywhere.FarasIcanlearnLavendarLewishasjustdroppedoutofeverything.She’slivedinthatoutofthewayplaceuntileverybodyhasforgottenher.ThatstonehouseisoneoftheoldestontheIsland.OldMr.LewisbuiltiteightyyearsagowhenhecameoutfromEngland.Davy,stopjogglingDora’selbow.Oh,Isawyou!Youneedn’ttrytolookinnocent.Whatdoesmakeyoubehavesothismorning?”
“MaybeIgotoutofthewrongsideofthebed,”suggestedDavy.
