VII The Pointing of Duty VII L'indication du devoir VII Apontamento do dever

Anne leaned back in her chair one mild October evening and sighed. She was sitting at a table covered with text books and exercises, but the closely written sheets of paper before her had no apparent connection with studies or school work. Elle est assise à une table couverte de manuels et d'exercices, mais les feuilles de papier étroitement écrites devant elle n'ont aucun rapport apparent avec les études ou le travail scolaire.

"What is the matter?" asked Gilbert, who had arrived at the open kitchen door just in time to hear the sigh.

Anne colored, and thrust her writing out of sight under some school compositions. Anne coloriait et cachait son écriture sous des compositions scolaires.

"Nothing very dreadful. I was just trying to write out some of my thoughts, as Professor Hamilton advised me, but I couldn't get them to please me. J'essayais simplement d'écrire certaines de mes pensées, comme me l'avait conseillé le professeur Hamilton, mais je n'arrivais pas à les faire m'agréer. They seem so still and foolish directly they're written down on white paper with black ink. Elles semblent si calmes et si insensées directement écrites sur du papier blanc avec de l'encre noire. Fancies are like shadows . Les fantaisies sont comme des ombres. you can't cage them, they're such wayward, dancing things. But perhaps I'll learn the secret some day if I keep on trying. I haven't a great many spare moments, you know. By the time I finish correcting school exercises and compositions, I don't always feel like writing any of my own." Quand j'ai fini de corriger les exercices et les compositions de l'école, je n'ai pas toujours envie d'écrire les miens". 学校の運動や作文を修正し終える頃には、私はいつも自分のものを書く気がしません。」 "You are getting on splendidly in school, Anne. "Tu t'en sors très bien à l'école, Anne. All the children like you," said Gilbert, sitting down on the stone step. "No, not all. Anthony Pye doesn't and WON'T like me. What is worse, he doesn't respect me . no, he doesn't. He simply holds me in contempt and I don't mind confessing to you that it worries me miserably. It isn't that he is so very bad . he is only rather mischievous, but no worse than some of the others. il est seulement assez espiègle, mais pas pire que d'autres. He seldom disobeys me; but he obeys with a scornful air of toleration as if it wasn't worthwhile disputing the point or he would . Il me désobéit rarement, mais il obéit avec un air de tolérance méprisante, comme si cela ne valait pas la peine de discuter, sinon il... and it has a bad effect on the others. I've tried every way to win him but I'm beginning to fear I never shall. I want to, for he's rather a cute little lad, if he IS a Pye, and I could like him if he'd let me." J'en ai envie, car c'est un joli petit garçon, s'il est un Pye, et je pourrais l'aimer s'il me laissait faire." "Probably it's merely the effect of what he hears at home." "Not altogether. Anthony is an independent little chap and makes up his own mind about things. He has always gone to men before and he says girl teachers are no good. Il s'est toujours adressé à des hommes auparavant et il dit que les filles enseignantes ne sont pas bonnes. Well, we'll see what patience and kindness will do. Nous verrons ce que la patience et la gentillesse donneront. I like overcoming difficulties and teaching is really very interesting work. Paul Irving makes up for all that is lacking in the others. Paul Irving compense tout ce qui manque aux autres. That child is a perfect darling, Gilbert, and a genius into the bargain. Cet enfant est un parfait chouchou, Gilbert, et un génie en plus. I'm persuaded the world will hear of him some day," concluded Anne in a tone of conviction. Je suis persuadée que le monde entendra parler de lui un jour", conclut Anne d'un ton convaincu. "I like teaching, too," said Gilbert. "J'aime aussi enseigner", a déclaré Gilbert. "It's good training, for one thing. Why, Anne, I've learned more in the weeks I've been teaching the young ideas of White Sands than I learned in all the years I went to school myself. Anne, j'ai plus appris pendant les semaines où j'ai enseigné aux jeunes de White Sands que pendant toutes les années où je suis allé à l'école. We all seem to be getting on pretty well. The Newbridge people like Jane, I hear; and I think White Sands is tolerably satisfied with your humble servant . all except Mr. Andrew Spencer. I met Mrs. Peter Blewett on my way home last night and she told me she thought it her duty to inform me that Mr. Spencer didn't approve of my methods." "Have you ever noticed," asked Anne reflectively, "that when people say it is their duty to tell you a certain thing you may prepare for something disagreeable? Why is it that they never seem to think it a duty to tell you the pleasant things they hear about you? Comment se fait-il qu'ils ne se sentent jamais obligés de vous dire les choses agréables qu'ils entendent à votre sujet ? Mrs. H. B. DonNELL called at the school again yesterday and told me she thought it HER duty to inform me that Mrs. Harmon Andrew didn't approve of my reading fairy tales to the children, and that Mr. Rogerson thought Prillie wasn't coming on fast enough in arithmetic. Mme H. B. DonNELL est revenue à l'école hier et m'a dit qu'elle pensait qu'il était de son devoir de m'informer que Mme Harmon Andrew n'approuvait pas que je lise des contes de fées aux enfants, et que M. Rogerson pensait que Prillie ne progressait pas assez vite en arithmétique. If Prillie would spend less time making eyes at the boys over her slate she might do better. Si Prillie passait moins de temps à regarder les garçons par-dessus son ardoise, elle s'en sortirait mieux. I feel quite sure that Jack Gillis works her class sums for her, though I've never been able to catch him red-handed." Je suis persuadé que Jack Gillis fait les comptes de sa classe pour elle, bien que je n'aie jamais pu le prendre en flagrant délit". "Have you succeeded in reconciling Mrs. DonNELL's hopeful son to his saintly name?" "Yes," laughed Anne, "but it was really a difficult task. At first, when I called him 'St. Clair' he would not take the least notice until I'd spoken two or three times; and then, when the other boys nudged him, he would look up with such an aggrieved air, as if I'd called him John or Charlie and he couldn't be expected to know I meant him. Clair", il n'y prêtait pas attention jusqu'à ce que j'aie parlé deux ou trois fois ; et alors, quand les autres garçons le poussaient, il levait les yeux d'un air si contrarié, comme si je l'avais appelé John ou Charlie et qu'il ne pouvait pas s'attendre à ce qu'il sache que je parlais de lui. クレア '彼は私が2、3回話をするまでは気づかないだろう。それから、他の男の子が彼を微笑ませたとき、彼は私が彼をジョンまたはチャーリーと呼んだようにそして私が彼を意味することを知ることが期待できなかったかのようにそのような憤慨した空気で見上げるだろう。 So I kept him in after school one night and talked kindly to him. I told him his mother wished me to call him St. Clair and I couldn't go against her wishes. Clair et moi ne pouvions pas aller à l'encontre de ses souhaits. He saw it when it was all explained out . Il l'a vu lorsque tout a été expliqué. he's really a very reasonable little fellow . and he said I could call him St. Clair but that he'd 'lick the stuffing' out of any of the boys that tried it. Clair mais qu'il "lécherait la peau" de tous les garçons qui essaieraient de le faire. Of course, I had to rebuke him again for using such shocking language. Since then I call him St. Clair and the boys call him Jake and all goes smoothly. He informs me that he means to be a carpenter, but Mrs. DonNELL says I am to make a college professor out of him." Il m'informe qu'il a l'intention de devenir charpentier, mais Mme DonNELL dit que je dois en faire un professeur d'université". The mention of college gave a new direction to Gilbert's thoughts, and they talked for a time of their plans and wishes . gravely, earnestly, hopefully, as youth loves to talk, while the future is yet an untrodden path full of wonderful possibilities. gravement, sérieusement, avec espoir, comme la jeunesse aime à parler, alors que l'avenir est encore un chemin inexploré et plein de possibilités merveilleuses.

Gilbert had finally made up his mind that he was going to be a doctor.

"It's a splendid profession," he said enthusiastically. "A fellow has to fight something all through life . "Un homme doit se battre contre quelque chose tout au long de sa vie. didn't somebody once define man as a fighting animal? Quelqu'un n'a-t-il pas un jour défini l'homme comme un animal de combat ? and I want to fight disease and pain and ignorance . which are all members one of another. qui sont tous membres les uns des autres. I want to do my share of honest, real work in the world, Anne . Je veux faire ma part de travail honnête et réel dans le monde, Anne . add a little to the sum of human knowledge that all the good men have been accumulating since it began. ajouter un peu à la somme des connaissances humaines que tous les hommes de bien ont accumulées depuis qu'elle existe. The folks who lived before me have done so much for me that I want to show my gratitude by doing something for the folks who will live after me. It seems to me that is the only way a fellow can get square with his obligations to the race." Il me semble que c'est la seule façon pour un homme de s'acquitter de ses obligations envers la course". "I'd like to add some beauty to life," said Anne dreamily. "J'aimerais ajouter un peu de beauté à la vie", dit Anne d'un air rêveur. "I don't exactly want to make people KNOW more . "Je ne veux pas vraiment que les gens sachent plus de choses. though I know that IS the noblest ambition . but I'd love to make them have a pleasanter time because of me . mais j'aimerais leur faire passer un moment plus agréable grâce à moi. to have some little joy or happy thought that would never have existed if I hadn't been born." "I think you're fulfilling that ambition every day," said Gilbert admiringly. And he was right. Anne was one of the children of light by birthright. Anne fait partie des enfants de lumière par droit de naissance. After she had passed through a life with a smile or a word thrown across it like a gleam of sunshine the owner of that life saw it, for the time being at least, as hopeful and lovely and of good report. Après avoir traversé une vie avec un sourire ou un mot lancé comme une lueur de soleil, le propriétaire de cette vie la voyait, pour le moment du moins, comme pleine d'espoir, belle et de bon augure.

Finally Gilbert rose regretfully. Finalement, Gilbert se lève à regret.

"Well, I must run up to MacPhersons'. Moody Spurgeon came home from Queen's today for Sunday and he was to bring me out a book Professor Boyd is lending me." Moody Spurgeon est rentré de Queen's aujourd'hui pour le dimanche et il devait m'apporter un livre que le professeur Boyd me prête". "And I must get Marilla's tea. She went to see Mrs. Keith this evening and she will soon be back." Anne had tea ready when Marilla came home; the fire was crackling cheerily, a vase of frost-bleached ferns and ruby-red maple leaves adorned the table, and delectable odors of ham and toast pervaded the air. But Marilla sank into her chair with a deep sigh.

"Are your eyes troubling you? Does your head ache?" queried Anne anxiously.

"No. I'm only tired . and worried. It's about Mary and those children Mary is worse . she can't last much longer. And as for the

twins, I don't know what is to become of them." "Hasn't their uncle been heard from?" "Yes, Mary had a letter from him. He's working in a lumber camp and 'shacking it,' whatever that means. Il travaille dans un camp de bûcherons et s'y installe, peu importe ce que cela signifie. Anyway, he says he can't possibly take the children till the spring. He expects to be married then and will have a home to take them to; but he says she must get some of the neighbors to keep them for the winter. Il s'attend à être marié à ce moment-là et à avoir une maison où les emmener ; mais il dit qu'elle doit demander à des voisins de les garder pour l'hiver. She says she can't bear to ask any of them. Elle dit qu'elle ne peut pas supporter de demander à l'un d'entre eux. Mary never got on any too well with the East Grafton people and that's a fact. Mary ne s'est jamais très bien entendue avec les habitants d'East Grafton, c'est un fait. And the long and short of it is, Anne, that I'm sure Mary wants me to take those children . she didn't say so but she LOOKED it." "Oh!" Anne clasped her hands, all athrill with excitement. "And of course you will, Marilla, won't you?" "I haven't made up my mind," said Marilla rather tartly. "Je n'ai pas encore pris ma décision", dit Marilla d'un ton plutôt acerbe. "I don't rush into things in your headlong way, Anne. "Je ne me précipite pas dans les choses à votre manière, Anne. Third cousinship is a pretty slim claim. Le cousinage au troisième degré est une revendication plutôt mince. And it will be a fearful responsibility to have two children of six years to look after . twins, at that." Marilla had an idea that twins were just twice as bad as single children. Marilla avait l'idée que les jumeaux étaient deux fois plus mauvais que les enfants uniques.

"Twins are very interesting . at least one pair of them," said Anne. au moins une paire d'entre eux", a déclaré Anne. "It's only when there are two or three pairs that it gets monotonous. "Ce n'est que lorsqu'il y a deux ou trois paires que cela devient monotone. And I think it would be real nice for you to have something to amuse you when I'm away in school." "I don't reckon there'd be much amusement in it . more worry and bother than anything else, I should say. It wouldn't be so risky if they were even as old as you were when I took you. Ce ne serait pas si risqué s'ils avaient l'âge que tu avais quand je t'ai pris. I wouldn't mind Dora so much . Dora ne me dérangerait pas tant que ça. she seems good and quiet. But that Davy is a limb." Mais ce Davy est un membre". Anne was fond of children and her heart yearned over the Keith twins. Anne aimait les enfants et son cœur s'est emballé pour les jumeaux Keith. The remembrance of her own neglected childhood was very vivid with her still. She knew that Marilla's only vulnerable point was her stern devotion to what she believed to be her duty, and Anne skillfully marshalled her arguments along this line. Elle savait que le seul point vulnérable de Marilla était son dévouement à ce qu'elle croyait être son devoir, et Anne a habilement rassemblé ses arguments sur ce point. "If Davy is naughty it's all the more reason why he should have good training, isn't it, Marilla? If we don't take them we don't know who will, nor what kind of influences may surround them. Si nous ne les prenons pas, nous ne savons pas qui le fera, ni quels types d'influences peuvent les entourer. Suppose Mrs. Keith's next door neighbors, the Sprotts, were to take them. Mrs. Lynde says Henry Sprott is the most profane man that ever lived and you can't believe a word his children say. Mme Lynde dit que Henry Sprott est l'homme le plus grossier qui ait jamais existé et qu'il ne faut pas croire un mot de ce que disent ses enfants. Wouldn't it be dreadful to have the twins learn anything like that? Or suppose they went to the Wiggins'. Mrs. Lynde says that Mr. Wiggins sells everything off the place that can be sold and brings his family up on skim milk. Mme Lynde dit que M. Wiggins vend tout ce qui peut être vendu et qu'il nourrit sa famille avec du lait écrémé. You wouldn't like your relations to be starved, even if they were only third cousins, would you? It seems to me, Marilla, that it is our duty to take them." "I suppose it is," assented Marilla gloomily. "I daresay I'll tell Mary I'll take them. "J'ose dire que je dirai à Mary que je les prends. You needn't look so delighted, Anne. It will mean a good deal of extra work for you. I can't sew a stitch on account of my eyes, so you'll have to see to the making and mending of their clothes. And you don't like sewing." "I hate it," said Anne calmly, "but if you are willing to take those children from a sense of duty surely I can do their sewing from a sense of duty. It does people good to have to do things they don't like . in moderation."