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

And I must say I like her myself – although I admit she has her faults. The house seems a different place already. She's a real bright little girl.”

"It's a great responsibility,” said Mrs. Rachel gloomily, "especially when you never had any experience with children. You don't know much about her or her real disposition. But I don't want to discourage you, Marilla.”

"I'm not discouraged,” was Marilla's dry response, "I suppose you want to see Anne. I'll call her in.”

Anne came in presently.

She certainly was an odd-looking little creature in the short tight wincey dress from the asylum, below which her thin legs seemed ungracefully long. Her freckles were more numerous and obtrusive than ever. The wind ruffled her hatless hair into disorder.

"Well, you are not beautiful, that's sure and certain,” was Mrs. Rachel Lynde's emphatic comment. "She's terrible skinny and homely, Marilla. Come here, child, and let me have a look at you. Did anyone ever see such freckles? And hair as red as carrots! Come here, child, I say.

”

Anne "came there,” but not exactly as Mrs. Rachel expected. Her face was scarlet with anger, her lips quivered.

"I hate you!” she cried. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! How dare you call me skinny and ugly? How dare you say I'm freckled and redheaded? You are a rude, impolite, unfeeling woman!”

"Anne!” exclaimed Marilla.

But Anne continued to face Mrs. Rachel undauntedly.

"How dare you say such things about me?” she repeated furiously.

"What about you? Will you like if someone says that you are fat and clumsy and probably haven't a spark of imagination in you? I don't care if I hurt your feelings! I hope I hurt them. You hurt mine worse than Mrs. Thomas' intoxicated husband! And I'll never forgive you for it, never, never!”

Stamp! Stamp!

"Anne go to your room and stay there until I come up,” said Marilla.

Anne burst into tears, rushed to the hall door, and slammed it.

"Well, I don't envy you, Marilla,” said Mrs. Rachel with unspeakable solemnity.

"Why did you said so about her looks, Rachel?” asked Marilla.

"Marilla Cuthbert, you don't mean to say that you excuse her?” demanded Mrs. Rachel indignantly.

"No,” said Marilla slowly, "I don't excuse her. She was very naughty and I'll talk to her about it. But you were too hard on her, Rachel.”

Mrs. Rachel got up with an air of offended dignity.