Аня з Авонлеї
VIII. Marilla Adopts Twins
HetrottedobedientlyupstairswithAnne.
“WhenI’mgrownuptheveryfirstthingI’mgoingtodoisstayupALLnightjusttoseewhatitwouldbelike,”hetoldherconfidentially.
InafteryearsMarillaneverthoughtofthatfirstweekofthetwins’sojournatGreenGableswithoutashiver.Notthatitreallywassomuchworsethantheweeksthatfollowedit;butitseemedsobyreasonofitsnovelty.TherewasseldomawakingminuteofanydaywhenDavywasnotinmischiefordevisingit;buthisfirstnotableexploitoccurredtwodaysafterhisarrival,onSundaymorning...afine,warmday,ashazyandmildasSeptember.AnnedressedhimforchurchwhileMarillaattendedtoDora.Davyatfirstobjectedstronglytohavinghisfacewashed.
“Marillawashedityesterday...andMrs.Wigginsscouredmewithhardsoapthedayofthefuneral.That’senoughforoneweek.Idon’tseethegoodofbeingsoawfulclean.It’slotsmorecomfablebeingdirty.”
“PaulIrvingwasheshisfaceeverydayofhisownaccord,”saidAnneastutely.
DavyhadbeenaninmateofGreenGablesforlittleoverforty-eighthours;buthealreadyworshippedAnneandhatedPaulIrving,whomhehadheardAnnepraisingenthusiasticallythedayafterhisarrival.IfPaulIrvingwashedhisfaceeveryday,thatsettledit.He,DavyKeith,woulddoittoo,ifitkilledhim.Thesameconsiderationinducedhimtosubmitmeeklytotheotherdetailsofhistoilet,andhewasreallyahandsomelittleladwhenallwasdone.AnnefeltanalmostmaternalprideinhimassheledhimintotheoldCuthbertpew.
