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

"No boy! Where is he?” insisted Marilla. "We asked Mrs. Spencer to bring a boy.”

"Well, she didn't. She brought her. I asked the station-master. And I brought her home. She was alone there.”

"Well, well, well!” ejaculated Marilla.

During this dialogue the child remained silent. Her eyes roved from one to the other. Suddenly

she grasped the full meaning of Marilla's words. The girl dropped her precious carpet-bag and clasped her hands.

"You don't want me!” she cried. "You don't want me because I'm not a boy! I expected it.

Nobody ever did want me! Oh, what shall I do? I'll burst into tears!”

She did it. She sat down on a chair by the table, and continued to cry stormily. Marilla and Matthew looked at each other. Neither of them knew what to say or do. Finally Marilla said,

"Well, well, there's no need to cry so about it.”

"Yes, there is need!” The child raised her head quickly. She revealed her trembling lips. "You will cry, too, if you are an orphan and come to a place where nobody wants to see you because you aren't a boy!”

Something like a reluctant smile mellowed Marilla's grim expression.

"Well, don't cry anymore. We won't turn you out-of-doors[8 - turn you out-of-doors – выгнать тебя] tonight. You'll stay here until we investigate this affair. What's your name?”

The child hesitated for a moment.

"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.