Аня з Авонлеї
VII. The Pointing of Duty
DonNELLcalledattheschoolagainyesterdayandtoldmeshethoughtitHERdutytoinformmethatMrs.HarmonAndrewdidn’tapproveofmyreadingfairytalestothechildren,andthatMr.RogersonthoughtPrilliewasn’tcomingonfastenoughinarithmetic.IfPrilliewouldspendlesstimemakingeyesattheboysoverherslateshemightdobetter.IfeelquitesurethatJackGillisworksherclasssumsforher,thoughI’veneverbeenabletocatchhimred-handed.”
“HaveyousucceededinreconcilingMrs.DonNELL’shopefulsontohissaintlyname?”
“Yes,”laughedAnne,“butitwasreallyadifficulttask.Atfirst,whenIcalledhim‘St.Clair’hewouldnottaketheleastnoticeuntilI’dspokentwoorthreetimes;andthen,whentheotherboysnudgedhim,hewouldlookupwithsuchanaggrievedair,asifI’dcalledhimJohnorCharlieandhecouldn’tbeexpectedtoknowImeanthim.SoIkepthiminafterschoolonenightandtalkedkindlytohim.ItoldhimhismotherwishedmetocallhimSt.ClairandIcouldn’tgoagainstherwishes.Hesawitwhenitwasallexplainedout...he’sreallyaveryreasonablelittlefellow...andhesaidIcouldcallhimSt.Clairbutthathe’d‘lickthestuffing’outofanyoftheboysthattriedit.Ofcourse,Ihadtorebukehimagainforusingsuchshockinglanguage.SincethenIcallhimSt.ClairandtheboyscallhimJakeandallgoessmoothly.Heinformsmethathemeanstobeacarpenter,butMrs.DonNELLsaysIamtomakeacollegeprofessoroutofhim.
