Anne of Green Gables L. M. Montgomery (distant reading .TXT) š
- Author: L. M. Montgomery
Book online Ā«Anne of Green Gables L. M. Montgomery (distant reading .TXT) šĀ». Author L. M. Montgomery
āIād love to call you Aunt Marilla,ā said Anne wistfully. āIāve never had an aunt or any relation at allā ānot even a grandmother. It would make me feel as if I really belonged to you. Canāt I call you Aunt Marilla?ā
āNo. Iām not your aunt and I donāt believe in calling people names that donāt belong to them.ā
āBut we could imagine you were my aunt.ā
āI couldnāt,ā said Marilla grimly.
āDo you never imagine things different from what they really are?ā asked Anne wide-eyed.
āNo.ā
āOh!ā Anne drew a long breath. āOh, Missā āMarilla, how much you miss!ā
āI donāt believe in imagining things different from what they really are,ā retorted Marilla. āWhen the Lord puts us in certain circumstances He doesnāt mean for us to imagine them away. And that reminds me. Go into the sitting room, Anneā ābe sure your feet are clean and donāt let any flies inā āand bring me out the illustrated card thatās on the mantelpiece. The Lordās Prayer is on it and youāll devote your spare time this afternoon to learning it off by heart. Thereās to be no more of such praying as I heard last night.ā
āI suppose I was very awkward,ā said Anne apologetically, ābut then, you see, Iād never had any practice. You couldnāt really expect a person to pray very well the first time she tried, could you? I thought out a splendid prayer after I went to bed, just as I promised you I would. It was nearly as long as a ministerās and so poetical. But would you believe it? I couldnāt remember one word when I woke up this morning. And Iām afraid Iāll never be able to think out another one as good. Somehow, things never are so good when theyāre thought out a second time. Have you ever noticed that?ā
āHere is something for you to notice, Anne. When I tell you to do a thing I want you to obey me at once and not stand stock-still and discourse about it. Just you go and do as I bid you.ā
Anne promptly departed for the sitting-room across the hall; she failed to return; after waiting ten minutes Marilla laid down her knitting and marched after her with a grim expression. She found Anne standing motionless before a picture hanging on the wall between the two windows, with her eyes a-star with dreams. The white and green light strained through apple trees and clustering vines outside fell over the rapt little figure with a half-unearthly radiance.
āAnne, whatever are you thinking of?ā demanded Marilla sharply.
Anne came back to earth with a start.
āThat,ā she said, pointing to the pictureā āa rather vivid chromo entitled, āChrist Blessing Little Childrenāā āāand I was just imagining I was one of themā āthat I was the little girl in the blue dress, standing off by herself in the corner as if she didnāt belong to anybody, like me. She looks lonely and sad, donāt you think? I guess she hadnāt any father or mother of her own. But she wanted to be blessed, too, so she just crept shyly up on the outside of the crowd, hoping nobody would notice herā āexcept Him. Iām sure I know just how she felt. Her heart must have beat and her hands must have got cold, like mine did when I asked you if I could stay. She was afraid He mightnāt notice her. But itās likely He did, donāt you think? Iāve been trying to imagine it all outā āher edging a little nearer all the time until she was quite close to Him; and then He would look at her and put His hand on her hair and oh, such a thrill of joy as would run over her! But I wish the artist hadnāt painted Him so sorrowful looking. All His pictures are like that, if youāve noticed. But I donāt believe He could really have looked so sad or the children would have been afraid of Him.ā
āAnne,ā said Marilla, wondering why she had not broken into this speech long before, āyou shouldnāt talk that way. Itās irreverentā āpositively irreverent.ā
Anneās eyes marveled.
āWhy, I felt just as reverent as could be. Iām sure I didnāt mean to be irreverent.ā
āWell I donāt suppose you didā ābut it doesnāt sound right to talk so familiarly about such things. And another thing, Anne, when I send you after something youāre to bring it at once and not fall into mooning and imagining before pictures. Remember that. Take that card and come right to the kitchen. Now, sit down in the corner and learn that prayer off by heart.ā
Anne set the card up against the jugful of apple blossoms she had brought in to decorate the dinner-tableā āMarilla had eyed that decoration askance, but had said nothingā āpropped her chin on her hands, and fell to studying it intently for several silent minutes.
āI like this,ā she announced at length. āItās beautiful. Iāve heard it beforeā āI heard the superintendent of the asylum Sunday school say it over once. But I didnāt like it then. He had such a cracked voice and he prayed it so mournfully. I really felt sure he thought praying was a disagreeable duty. This isnāt poetry, but it makes me feel just the same way poetry does. āOur Father who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name.ā That is just like a line of music. Oh, Iām so glad you thought of making me learn this, Missā āMarilla.ā
āWell, learn it and hold your tongue,ā said Marilla shortly.
Anne tipped the vase of apple blossoms near enough to bestow a soft kiss on a pink-cupped bud, and then studied diligently for some moments longer.
āMarilla,ā she demanded presently, ādo you think that I shall ever have a bosom friend in Avonlea?ā
āAā āa what kind of friend?ā
āA bosom friendā āan intimate friend, you knowā āa really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul. Iāve dreamed of meeting her all my life. I never really supposed I would, but so many of my loveliest dreams have come true all at once
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