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

I helped look after the children – there were four of them. Then Mr. Thomas fell under a train, and his mother offered to take Mrs. Thomas and the children, but she didn't want me. Then Mrs. Hammond took me. I lived with her in a little house among the stumps. It was a very lonesome place. Mrs. Hammond had eight children. She had twins three times. I lived with Mrs. Hammond for over two years, and then Mr. Hammond died. Mrs. Hammond divided her children among her relatives and went to the States.

I went to the asylum at Hopeton, because nobody wanted to take me. I was there four months until Mrs. Spencer came.”

"Did you ever go to school?” demanded Marilla.

"Not much. I went a little the last year I stayed with Mrs. Thomas. And of course I went while I was at the asylum. I can read pretty well and I know many pieces of poetry by heart[13 - by heart – наизусть].”

"Were those women – Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Hammond – good to you?” asked Marilla.

"Oh,” faltered Anne. "They wanted to be. But it's hard to have a drunken husband, you see and many children, don't you think?”

"Poor child!” thought Marilla. It was a pity to send her back.

Chapter VI

Marilla Makes Up Her Mind[14 - makes up her mind – принимает решение]

Mrs. Spencer lived in a big yellow house at White Sands Cove, and she came to the door with surprise.

"Dear, dear![15 - Dear, dear! – Боже мой!]” she exclaimed, "I'm glad to see you.

How are you, Anne?”

"I'm well, thank you,” said Anne smilelessly.

"I suppose we'll stay a little,” said Marilla, "but I promised Matthew to be home early. The fact is, Mrs. Spencer, there is a queer mistake somewhere. We asked you, Matthew and I, to bring us a boy from the asylum. We told your brother Robert to tell you we wanted a boy ten or eleven years old.”

"Marilla Cuthbert, you don't say so!” said Mrs.

Spencer in distress. "Why, Robert sent his daughter Nancy and she said you wanted a girl – didn't she, Flora Jane?” asked she her daughter.

"She certainly did, Miss Cuthbert,” Flora Jane nodded earnestly.

"I'm dreadful sorry,” said Mrs. Spencer. "It's too bad; but it certainly wasn't my fault, you see, Miss Cuthbert. I thought I followed your instructions. Nancy is terrible.”

"It was our own fault,” said Marilla resignedly.