Энн из Зеленых Крыш. Уровень 1 / Anne of Green Gables

"Will you please call me Cordelia?” she said eagerly.

"Call you Cordelia? Is that your name?”

"No, it's not exactly my name, but I like it. Cordelia – it's such a perfectly elegant name.”

"I don't know what you mean. If Cordelia isn't your name, what is?”

"Anne Shirley,” said the girl, "but, oh, please call me Cordelia. Anne is such an unromantic name.”

"Unromantic fiddlesticks!” said the unsympathetic Marilla. "Anne is a real good plain sensible name. No need to be ashamed of it.”

"Oh, I'm not ashamed of it,” explained Anne, "only I like Cordelia better. I've always imagined that my name was Cordelia. When I was young I imagined it was Geraldine, but I like Cordelia better now. But if you call me Anne please call me Anne spelled with an E. It looks nicer. A-n-n looks dreadful, but A-n-n-e looks more distinguished.”

"Very well, then, Anne spelled with an E, can you explain us this mistake? We asked Mrs. Spencer to bring us a boy. Were there no boys at the asylum?”

"Oh, yes, there were many boys at the asylum. But Mrs. Spencer said distinctly that you wanted a girl about eleven years old. And the matron says she thinks I will do[9 - I will do – я подойду]… You don't know how delighted I was! I didn't sleep all last night for joy. Oh,” she added reproachfully to Matthew, "why didn't you tell me at the station that you didn't want me and leave me there?”

"I'll go out to put the mare in, Marilla,” said Matthew hastily. "Have tea ready when I come back.”

"Did Mrs. Spencer bring anybody over besides you?” continued Marilla.

"She brought Lily Jones for herself. Lily is only five years old and she is very beautiful.”

"We want a boy to help Matthew on the farm. A girl is useless to us. Take off your hat. I'll lay it and your bag on the hall table.”

Anne took off her hat meekly. Matthew came back presently and they sat down to supper. But Anne did not eat. In vain she nibbled at the bread and butter.

"You do not eat anything,” said Marilla sharply.

Anne sighed.

"I can't. I'm in the depths of despair. Have you ever been in the depths of despair?”

"In the depths of despair? Never,” responded Marilla.

"Weren't you? Well, did you ever try to imagine you were in the depths of despair?”

"No, I didn't.”

"Then I don't think you can understand what it's like. It's a very uncomfortable feeling indeed. When you try to eat but you can't swallow anything, not even a chocolate caramel. I had one chocolate caramel once two years ago and it was delicious. Everything is extremely nice, but still I cannot eat.”

"I guess she's tired,” said Matthew. "Put her to bed, Marilla.”

Marilla prepared a couch in the kitchen chamber for the boy. But for the girl? Marilla lighted a candle and told Anne to follow her. Anne took her hat and carpet-bag from the hall table. They entered the little gable chamber.

"I suppose you have a nightgown?” Marilla questioned.

Anne nodded.

"Yes, I have two. The matron of the asylum made them for me. They're fearfully skimpy. I hate skimpy night-dresses. But one can dream in them, that's one consolation.”

"Well, undress quickly and go to bed. I'll come back in a few minutes for the candle.”

Anne looked around her wistfully. The whitewashed walls were painfully bare. The floor was bare, too, except for a round braided mat in the middle. In one corner was the high, old-fashioned bed. In the other corner was the aforesaid three-corner table. Above it hung a little mirror. Between table and bed there was the window. With a sob Anne hastily discarded her garments, put on the skimpy nightgown and sprang into bed. She burrowed face downward into the pillow and pulled the blanket over her head.

Marilla came again and deliberately picked up Anne's clothes, placed them neatly on a prim yellow chair, then took up the candle and went over to the bed.

"Good night,” she said, a little awkwardly, but not unkindly.

Anne's white face and big eyes appeared over the bedclothes.

"How can you call it a good night when you know it must be the worst night in my life?” she said reproachfully.

Marilla went slowly down to the kitchen and proceeded to wash the dishes. Matthew was silent.

"Well,” Marilla said wrathfully, "one of us will drive over and see Mrs. Spencer tomorrow. This girl will go back to the asylum.”

"Yes, I suppose so,” said Matthew reluctantly.

"You suppose so! Don't you know it? Matthew Cuthbert, I believe that child bewitched you! I can see that you want to keep her.”

"Well now, she's interesting,” persisted Matthew.

"Oh, she can talk fast enough. And I don't like children who have so much to say. I don't want an orphan girl, that's all. There's something I don't understand about her. No, she will go back to where she came from.”

"Of course, Marilla,” said Matthew.

Chapter IV

Morning at Green Gables

Anne awoke and sat up in bed. She stared confusedly at the window. Her eyes glistened with delight. Oh, wasn't it beautiful? Wasn't it a lovely place? She wanted to stay here!

A huge cherry-tree grew outside. On both sides of the house was a big orchard, one of apple-trees and one of cherry-trees. In the garden below were lilac-trees purple with flowers. This place was lovely!

She noticed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's time to dress,” Marilla said curtly. "Get dressed[10 - get dressed – одевайся] and come downstairs.” said Marilla. "Breakfast is ready. Wash your face and comb your hair.”

Anne was downstairs in ten minutes' time.

"I'm very hungry this morning,” she announced. "The world doesn't seem such a wilderness as it did last night. I'm so glad it's a sunshiny morning. But I like rainy mornings, too. All sorts of mornings are interesting, don't you think?”

"Hold your tongue,” said Marilla. "You talk too much for a little girl.”

Anne held her tongue obediently. She ate mechanically. Her big eyes were fixed on the sky outside the window. This made Marilla more nervous than ever.

After the meal, Anne offered to wash the dishes.