Chapter 39 Chapter Thirty-Eight

The next day Marilla went into town and did not return home until evening.Anne also returned after sending Diana to Orchard Slope.As soon as she came in, she saw Marilla sitting at the kitchen table with her head propped on one hand.Seeing Marilla's listless look, Anne felt a chill run down her spine.Anne had never seen Marilla in such a feeble state. "Marilla, are you tired?" "Ah, yes." Marilla raised her head with difficulty. "But I'm not completely tired. I'm thinking about other things." "Have you asked an ophthalmologist to see it? What did he say?" Annie asked uneasily.

"I've seen it, and I checked my eyes thoroughly. The doctor said that I can't do anything that tires my eyes, such as reading books, doing needlework, etc. In addition, I have to be careful not to cry. I put on the glasses that the doctor gave me. , take care to protect your eyes, the condition will not continue to develop, and the headache will gradually get better. If you don’t listen to the doctor’s dissuasion and let the condition worsen, your eyes will lose sight after 6 months. Anne, What do you think should be done?" After hearing this, Annie was so frightened that she didn't speak for a long time. She didn't know what to say for a moment. After a while, she regained her courage and spoke intermittently.

"Marilla, you can't think about it all the time, it's not what the doctor wants. Be careful and you won't lose your eyesight altogether. Also, if you wear glasses, the headache will get better, too. How nice it would be." "There's nothing to hope for," said Marilla sadly. "Reading, doing needlework, if you can't do things with your eyes at all, then what is the joy of living? It would be better if your eyes can't see anything. It's better to die, and the doctor said you can't cry. So how can I vent my bad mood? "Well, it can't help anything, Anne, pour me some tea. I always have a feeling of exhaustion... I can't tell anyone about my eye problems, at least for a while, if everyone knows They will definitely come to our house to visit and greet me one after another, and I won’t be able to bear it.”

Anne sent Marilla to bed early as soon as she had finished her supper.Then, she herself returned to the east wing upstairs, sat quietly by the dark window, and shed tears with a heavy heart.When she returned home after the graduation ceremony, she was also sitting here. Compared with that time, her mood has changed so much.At that time, Annie's heart was full of hope and joy, as if she saw her rosy future.Now, Annie feels as if everything at that time was a very distant thing so many years ago. Annie calmed down a little when she went to bed.Anne secretly made up her mind to muster up the courage, face up to the reality, and fulfill her obligations and responsibilities.

A few days later, one afternoon, after talking with a guest Anne didn't know in the yard, Marilla slowly returned to the house.Later, Anne learned that the guest was John Sandra from Carmody.Judging from Marilla's face, she seemed to have discussed something important with Sandra. "Is he here for anything, Marilla?" Marilla sat down slowly by the window, looking at Anne, as if deliberately resisting the doctor's order, with tears streaming from her eyes. "He came from Carmody on hearing that I was going to sell Glen Gybrutz. Looks like he's going to buy it."

"What? You mean to sell Green Gybrutz?" Annie wondered if her ears had misheard. "Marilla, are you really going to sell Green Guy Bruce?" "Is there any other way? Things have come to this point. If my eyes are still good, I can still live here and hire an honest person to help with the work. But this road is If it doesn't work, maybe I won't be able to see at all in the end, let alone tending the farmland or orchard. "Although I never dreamed that I would sell my home one day, but the farmland will be barren, and in the end it will become a wasteland that no one wants to buy. All the money in the family is deposited in the bank. Well, just a few promissory notes that Marshall bought last fall. Rachel suggested that I sell the farm and find another place to live. I'm going to find a house near ours.

"Our current house is small in space and the building is outdated. Although it can't be sold for a good price, it is enough to maintain my life alone. Annie, thank you for winning the scholarship yourself, which will save you. I am only sorry. You, that is, the place where you came back from vacation is gone. Annie, what are you going to do in the future?" Marilla couldn't help crying again when she said this. "Green Gaybruzzi can't be sold," said Annie decisively. "Annie, I don't want to sell it. But you know, I can't live here by myself anyway, worrying, lonely, if this goes on, my head will be broken and my eyes will be blind ... and that's why I made this decision."

"Who told you to live alone, Marilla, I'll stay too, and I won't go to Redmond." "Not going to Redmond?" Marilla, covering her haggard face with her hands, raised her head and stared at Anne. "Why? What do you mean?" "That's what I just said. I don't want the scholarship. I made up my mind the night Marilla came back from town. You've raised me for so many years, and now that Marilla's in trouble, can I leave you alone? Does it matter? "I've thought a lot, and I've made plans. Marilla, listen to me. Mr. Barry proposed to rent our farm next year, so there is no problem with the farm. Besides, I have decided to be a teacher. Yabon The school here seems to be out of business. It is said that the council has decided to hire Gilbert Bryce. However, I can teach at the school at Carmody. This is my evening at Mr. Briar I heard about it in the store. Of course, it would be the most ideal if I could teach in the school in Yabanli. I can teach in Carmody. When the weather is good, I can go to school by horse-drawn carriage from home. In winter, every weekend I I will come back too. Marilla, I will read to you and make you happy, and I will never let you feel bored and lonely. You and I will live together in harmony and joy here."

Marilla listened to Anne's words as if in a dream. "Annie, you are doing this to make me happy. I know it very well. However, you have made such a big sacrifice for me. There is no need for it. I don't agree with it." Annie smiled after hearing this. "Don't take this matter to heart, there is no sacrifice or not. If you have no choice but to sell Green Gybrutz, that is the worst ending. I don't want to see this Things happen. I can't stand by when something happens here. Marilla, I've made up my mind not to go to Redmond for my studies, but to stay here as a teacher, and you don't have to worry about me. "

"But isn't it your long-cherished wish to continue your studies? Then..." "Now I am full of energy, but the goal has changed a little. In the future, I am determined to be a good teacher. I don't want to see Marilla's eyesight continue to deteriorate. I want to pass the university's correspondence lectures at home, You can also continue your studies. I have a full plan. This week, I have been thinking about this plan over and over again. This is the most comprehensive plan I think, and I think this can be regarded as my repayment to you. "When I graduated from Quinn College, my future was as wide and straight as a stretching road, and I could always look forward to it. Now, the road ahead has twists and turns. After the twists and turns, there will be more What, although I don't know, but I believe that there must be good opportunities waiting for me ahead.

"The twists and turns of the road are more attractive to me. What will the road ahead look like? Is it a hill, a canyon, a plain, a forest..." "Isn't it such a pity that you just gave up the opportunity for further study?" Marilla still couldn't let go of the hard-won scholarship. "Marilla, don't try to persuade me anymore. I'm already 16 and a half years old. Mrs. Linde said before that I'm very stubborn." Anne laughed as she said. "Marilla, I'm not giving sympathy. I hate giving sympathy. I don't think it's necessary. We all miss our sweetest Glyn Gaybruzzi, because only Glyn Gybruzzi can make us happy. Glyn Gybruzzi Gaybruzzi is the most important thing to us, so we absolutely cannot sell it." "Annie, you are a wonderful child." Marilla was finally persuaded. "I don't know why I seem to be resurrected. Really, work harder. You should be allowed to go to college, but it's too much for me. Forget it. But let's find another way to make up for it." .” The news that Annie decided to give up the chance to go to university and voluntarily stayed in her hometown to teach quickly spread in Yabanli, and people had different opinions on it.Most people thought that Anne had done something stupid in her decision, since the reason was not clear at all.Only Mrs. Alan understood Anne's decision.Anne, who showed her determination to Mrs. Alan and was praised by Mrs. Alan, shed tears of joy.Of course, Mrs. Lynde didn't see it the way the others did. One evening, as Anne and Marilla were sitting before the gate, enjoying the infinitely fragrant summer evening, Mrs. Lynde came. Mrs. Lynde sat down on the stone bench by the door, behind her in a flowerbed of pink and yellow trilliums. "Ah, I can sit down and rest, and I've been standing and talking all day. I can't stand my legs with a body weighing more than two hundred pounds. I really pray to God that I won't let me get fatter, Ma Rilla, you don't feel that way, do you? "It's good to hear that Anne has decided not to go to college. A girl, such a high education is enough. Girls and boys go to college together, learning Latin, Greek and other useless things. , stuffing your head full, how boring, alas!" "However, no matter what, I still want to learn Latin and Greek. If I can't go to university, I will study at Green Gablebrush." ​​Annie said with a smile. Mrs. Lynde threw up her hands in a shiver. "Oh, if you study like this, you will get tired sooner or later." "No. I think I will have enough energy when I get home at night. Of course, overwork is not acceptable. I plan to arrange my studies in a planned way. Winter nights are long, and I'm not interested in embroidery , so there will be plenty of time to study, you know, I'm going to teach at Carmody's school!" "Why don't I know, aren't you a teacher in Yabangli? The council seems to have approved Anne's application." "Mrs. Linde, hasn't the council decided to hire Gilbert Bryce?" Annie stood up in surprise. "Yes, it was. However, when you applied, Gilbert immediately went to the council. That night, the school held a council meeting, and Gilbert withdrew his application. He said he was willing to give up the opportunity. For Annie, he himself could go to White Sound to teach. "Obviously, Gilbert canceled the application for Anne's sake. He already knew why Anne wanted to stay and live with Marilla. This child is really kind, considerate and caring for others, and has a spirit of sacrifice. It was hard enough for him to teach at White Sound, because he couldn't get his room and board, and he had to save up for college tuition... Thomas told me these things when he came back, and I was very happy and grateful. move. " "I can't let Gilbert make such a big sacrifice for me, I can't accept his kindness." "It's too late now. Gilbert has already signed a contract with White Sand's board of directors. There is no point in submitting your resignation. Anne, you will definitely stay. In addition, from now on, Pa There won't be any Pai kids in the school either, it'll be fine as George is the youngest of the Pai's. Alas, the Arbonne School has had one or two of the Pai's every year for the last 20 years At school. It seems that the mission of the Pai family brothers is to make the teachers of this school uneasy. Hey, Mr. Barry's house is bright and straight, what is going on?" Anne smiled. "It was Diana who was signaling for me to come. We used to signal each other a lot when we were kids. I'll go first and see what's wrong with her looking for me?sorry. " After Annie finished speaking, she jumped and ran down the slope covered with clover like a goat, and disappeared in the maple bushes of the "ghost forest" after a while.Mrs. Linde squinted her eyes and kept staring at Annie's back. "This girl is still so childish." "However, she also has a lot of femininity." Marilla regained the smoothness of her previous speech for a while. That night, Mrs. Linde sighed while chatting with her husband Thomas: "The biggest feature of Marilla nowadays is that her speech is not as smooth as before, but she has also become smoother, alas." The next afternoon, Anne came to the small cemetery in Yabanli again.She laid flowers for Marshall's tomb, and watered the Scottish roses in front of the tomb, in peace.In the peaceful atmosphere, Anne stayed in front of the tomb until evening. The sun was already setting when Anne got up to leave.She climbed up the hillside from "Bibo Lake" and looked around, and Yabangli, rendered like a dream by the afterglow of the sun, appeared in front of her eyes. The breeze blows through the clover field, refreshing and pleasant, full of sweet aroma.Through the gaps in the farm forest, you can see the lights of Wanjia in the distance.On the other side, the rhythmic roar of the tide was heard continuously.To the west, the sky over a pool of clear springs is decorated with gorgeous sunset glow.Anne was deeply moved by the beauty of nature. Halfway up the mountain, I saw a tall young man whistling and walking towards the gate of Bryce Farm. Anne took a closer look and found that it was Gilbert.Gilbert also noticed Annie walking towards him, so he politely took off his hat, walked to Annie's side without a word, stopped, and held out his hand. "Gilbert, thank you for your sacrifice for me. You are so caring and considerate to me. I really don't know what to say..." Annie's face was flushed. Gilbert happily grabbed Anne's hand. "Annie, this is not about sacrifice and gratitude at all. For you, I am willing to do anything. Can we be friends again in the future? Can you forgive me for the past?" Annie smiled and wanted to pull her hand back, but Gilbert didn't intend to let go. "I don't care about that thing anymore. Last time, at the boat dock on the pond, I wanted to forgive you. I was so stubborn and confused. I... Let me be honest, since I was at the boat dock I've been feeling guilty and regretting what I've done since you saved me." Gilbert felt elated when he heard it. "From now on, let us get along well. Annie, in fact, we were destined to be good friends, but until now, we have been resisting the arrangement of fate. From now on, let us help each other and move forward hand in hand Right. You plan to continue your studies, I think so too, come on, let me take you home." As soon as Anne got home, Marilla looked into Anne's face and asked, "Who was that that came to the door with you? annie. " "Gilbert Bryce." Annie didn't expect her face to turn red after saying this. "Meet him on Barry's hill." "You stood at the door chatting for more than 30 minutes, so you have reconciled with Gilbert?" Marilla said, with a mocking smile on her face. "We have always been competitors before, but he said that from now on we should forget the past, face the future, and become friends. Marilla, did we really talk for more than 30 minutes? Why do I think it was only two or three minutes? Well. That’s fine, let’s take this as compensation for not talking to him for five years.” That night, Annie sat by the window for a long time, thinking a lot.The wind whistled softly in the cherry treetops, and the air was filled with a mint-like smell.On the maple branches at the sharp corners of the hollow, the stars blinked.Through the gap in the trees, the lights of Diana's room could be seen as usual. After returning from Quinn College, Annie sat in front of the window and meditated like this every night.Compared with the past, the mood tonight is particularly exciting and exciting.Anne felt that although the road before her was narrowed and twisted, it was still covered with flowers, full of fun and happiness.Studying hard and working hard will make people feel fulfilled, having like-minded partners will make people feel happy, and having great ambitions will make people strive for progress.These Anne have and possess one by one.No one can take away Anne's innate rich imagination and ideal dream world.No matter when, the road ahead is not straight and smooth. "With God's blessing[Note], everything in this world will be beautiful." Annie whispered softly.