"Montgomery, Lucy Maud - Anne Of Green Gables" - читать интересную книгу автора (Montgomery Lucy Maud)

was sweet with the breath of many apple orchards and the meadows sloped
away in the distance to horizon mists of pearl and purple; while

"The little birds sang as if it were
The one day of summer in all the year."

Matthew enjoyed the drive after his own fashion, except during the
moments when he met women and had to nod to themfor in Prince Edward
island you are supposed to nod to all and sundry you meet on the road
whether you know them or not.
Matthew dreaded all women except Marilla and Mrs. Rachel; he had an
uncomfortable feeling that the mysterious creatures were secretly laughing
at him. He may have been quite right in thinking so, for he was an
odd-looking personage, with an ungainly figure and long iron-gray hair
that touched his stooping shoulders, and a full, soft brown beard which he
had worn ever since he was twenty. In fact, he had looked at twenty very
much as he looked at sixty, lacking a little grayness.
When he reached Bright River there was no sign of any train; he
thought he was too early, so he tied his horse in the yard of the small
Bright River hotel and went over to the station house. The long platform
was almost deserted; the only living creature in sight being a girl who
was sitting on a pile of shingles at the extreme end. Matthew, barely
noting that it WAS a girl, sidled past her as quickly as possible without
looking at her. Had he looked he could hardly have failed to notice the
tense rigidity and expectation of her attitude and expression. She was
sitting there waiting for something or somebody and, since sitting and
waiting was the only thing to do just then, she sat and waited with all
her might and main.
Matthew encountered the stationmaster locking up the ticket office
preparatory to going home for supper, and asked him if the five-thirty
train would soon be along.
"The five-thirty train has been in and gone half an hour ago,"
answered that brisk official. "But there was a passenger dropped off for
you-a little girl. She's sitting out there on the shingles. I asked her to
go into the ladies' waiting room, but she informed me gravely that she
preferred to stay outside. `There was more scope for imagination,' she
said. She's a case, I should say."
"I'm not expecting a girl," said Matthew blankly. "It's a boy I've
come for. He should be here. Mrs. Alexander Spencer was to bring him over
from Nova Scotia for me."
The stationmaster whistled.
"Guess there's some mistake," he said. "Mrs. Spencer came off the
train with that girl and gave her into my charge. Said you and your sister
were adopting her from an orphan asylum and that you would be along for
her presently. That's all I know about it-and I haven't got any more
orphans concealed hereabouts."
"I don't understand," said Matthew helplessly, wishing that Marilla
was at hand to cope with the situation.
"Well, you'd better question the girl," said the stationmaster
carelessly. "I dare say she'll be able to explainshe's got a tongue of her