Аня з Авонлеї
XXV. An Avonlea Scandal
Ialwayss’posedpeoplehadtokeeponbeingmarriedoncethey’dbegun,butMiltysaysno,there’swaysofstoppingifyoucan’tagree.Miltysaysonewayisjusttostartoffandleaveyourwife,andthat’swhatMr.Harrisondid.MiltysaysMr.Harrisonlefthiswifebecauseshethrowedthingsathim...HARDthings...andArtySloanesaysitwasbecauseshewouldn’tlethimsmoke,andNedClaysaysitwas‘causesheneverletupscoldinghim.Iwouldn’tleaveMYwifeforanythinglikethat.I’djustputmyfootdownandsay,‘Mrs.Davy,you’vejustgottodowhat’llpleaseME‘causeI’maMAN.’THAT’DsettleherprettyquickIguess.ButAnnettaClaysaysSHEleftHIMbecausehewouldn’tscrapehisbootsatthedoorandshedoesn’tblameher.I’mgoingrightovertoMr.Harrison’sthisminutetoseewhatshe’slike.”
Davysoonreturned,somewhatcastdown.
“Mrs.Harrisonwasaway...she’sgonetoCarmodywithMrs.RachelLyndetogetnewpaperfortheparlor.AndMr.HarrisonsaidtotellAnnetogooverandseehim‘causehewantstohaveatalkwithher.Andsay,thefloorisscrubbed,andMr.Harrisonisshaved,thoughtherewasn’tanypreachingyesterday.”
TheHarrisonkitchenworeaveryunfamiliarlooktoAnne.Thefloorwasindeedscrubbedtoawonderfulpitchofpurityandsowaseveryarticleoffurnitureintheroom;thestovewaspolisheduntilshecouldseeherfaceinit;thewallswerewhitewashedandthewindowpanessparkledinthesunlight.BythetablesatMr.
