XIV A Danger Averted XIV Um perigo evitado XIV Önlenen Bir Tehlike

Anne, walking home from the post office one Friday evening, was joined by Mrs. Lynde, who was as usual cumbered with all the cares of church and state. Anne, qui rentrait de la poste un vendredi soir, a été rejointe par Mme Lynde, qui était comme d'habitude encombrée de tous les soucis de l'église et de l'État.

"I've just been down to Timothy Cotton's to see if I could get Alice Louise to help me for a few days," she said. "Je suis allée chez Timothy Cotton pour voir si Alice Louise pouvait m'aider pendant quelques jours", dit-elle. "I had her last week, for, though she's too slow to stop quick, she's better than nobody. "Je l'ai eue la semaine dernière, car, bien qu'elle soit trop lente pour s'arrêter rapidement, elle est meilleure que personne. But she's sick and can't come. Timothy's sitting there, too, coughing and complaining. Timothy est assis là, lui aussi, toussant et se plaignant. He's been dying for ten years and he'll go on dying for ten years more. That kind can't even die and have done with it . Ce genre de personne ne peut même pas mourir et en finir avec elle. they can't stick to anything, even to being sick, long enough to finish it. ils ne peuvent s'en tenir à quoi que ce soit, même à être malade, assez longtemps pour le finir. They're a terrible shiftless family and what is to become of them I don't know, but perhaps Providence does." C'est une famille terriblement négligente et je ne sais pas ce qu'elle va devenir, mais peut-être que la Providence le sait". Mrs. Lynde sighed as if she rather doubted the extent of Providential knowledge on the subject. Mme Lynde soupira comme si elle doutait de l'étendue des connaissances de la Providence sur le sujet.

"Marilla was in about her eyes again Tuesday, wasn't she? "Marilla était encore dans les yeux mardi, n'est-ce pas ? What did the specialist think of them?" she continued.

"He was much pleased," said Anne brightly. "He says there is a great improvement in them and he thinks the danger of her losing her sight completely is past. But he says she'll never be able to read much or do any fine hand-work again. How are your preparations for your bazaar coming on?" The Ladies' Aid Society was preparing for a fair and supper, and Mrs. Lynde was the head and front of the enterprise. "Pretty well . and that reminds me. Mrs. Allan thinks it would be nice to fix up a booth like an old-time kitchen and serve a supper of baked beans, doughnuts, pie, and so on. Mme Allan pense qu'il serait agréable d'aménager un stand comme une cuisine d'antan et de servir un dîner composé de fèves au lard, de beignets, de tartes, etc. We're collecting old-fashioned fixings everywhere. Mrs. Simon Fletcher is going to lend us her mother's braided rugs and Mrs. Levi Boulter some old chairs and Aunt Mary Shaw will lend us her cupboard with the glass doors. I suppose Marilla will let us have her brass candlesticks? Je suppose que Marilla nous laissera ses chandeliers en laiton ? And we want all the old dishes we can get. Mrs. Allan is specially set on having a real blue willow ware platter if we can find one. Mme Allan est spécialement déterminée à avoir un vrai plateau de saule bleu si nous pouvons en trouver un. But nobody seems to have one. Do you know where we could get one?" "Miss Josephine Barry has one. I'll write and ask her if she'll lend it for the occasion," said Anne. "Well, I wish you would. "Eh bien, j'aimerais que vous le fassiez. I guess we'll have the supper in about a fortnight's time. Uncle Abe Andrews is prophesying rain and storms for about that time; and that's a pretty sure sign we'll have fine weather." L'oncle Abe Andrews prédit de la pluie et des orages à peu près à cette période, ce qui est un signe assez sûr que nous aurons du beau temps." The said "Uncle Abe," it may be mentioned, was at least like other prophets in that he had small honor in his own country. Il convient de préciser que "l'oncle Abe" était au moins comme les autres prophètes en ce sens qu'il n'avait pas beaucoup d'honneur dans son propre pays. He was, in fact, considered in the light of a standing joke, for few of his weather predictions were ever fulfilled. Mr. Elisha Wright, who labored under the impression that he was a local wit, used to say that nobody in Avonlea ever thought of looking in the Charlottetown dailies for weather probabilities. M. Elisha Wright, qui travaillait avec l'impression d'être un esprit local, avait l'habitude de dire que personne à Avonlea n'avait jamais pensé à consulter les quotidiens de Charlottetown pour connaître les probabilités météorologiques. No; they just asked Uncle Abe what it was going to be tomorrow and expected the opposite. Nothing daunted, Uncle Abe kept on prophesying.

"We want to have the fair over before the election comes off," continued Mrs. Lynde, "for the candidates will be sure to come and spend lots of money. "Nous voulons que la foire soit terminée avant les élections", poursuit Mme Lynde, "car les candidats ne manqueront pas de venir et de dépenser beaucoup d'argent. The Tories are bribing right and left, so they might as well be given a chance to spend their money honestly for once." Les Tories corrompent à droite et à gauche, alors autant leur donner une chance de dépenser leur argent honnêtement pour une fois". Anne was a red-hot Conservative, out of loyalty to Matthew's memory, but she said nothing. She knew better than to get Mrs. Lynde started on politics. Elle savait qu'il ne fallait pas que Mme Lynde se lance dans la politique. She had a letter for Marilla, postmarked from a town in British Columbia.

"It's probably from the children's uncle," she said excitedly, when she got home. "C'est probablement l'oncle des enfants", dit-elle avec enthousiasme en rentrant à la maison. "Oh, Marilla, I wonder what he says about them." "The best plan might be to open it and see," said Marilla curtly. A close observer might have thought that she was excited also, but she would rather have died than show it.

Anne tore open the letter and glanced over the somewhat untidy and poorly written contents. Anne déchire la lettre et jette un coup d'œil sur le contenu quelque peu désordonné et mal écrit.

"He says he can't take the children this spring . he's been sick most of the winter and his wedding is put off. Il a été malade la majeure partie de l'hiver et son mariage est reporté. He wants to know if we can keep them till the fall and he'll try and take them then. We will, of course, won't we Marilla?" "I don't see that there is anything else for us to do," said Marilla rather grimly, although she felt a secret relief. "Je ne vois pas ce que nous pouvons faire d'autre", dit Marilla d'un ton plutôt sombre, bien qu'elle ressente un soulagement secret. "Anyhow they're not so much trouble as they were . "De toute façon, ils ne sont plus aussi gênants qu'ils l'étaient. or else we've got used to them. Davy has improved a great deal." "His MANNERS are certainly much better," said Anne cautiously, as if she were not prepared to say as much for his morals. « Ses MANIÈRES sont certainement bien meilleures », dit Anne prudemment, comme si elle n'était pas prête à en dire autant pour ses mœurs. Anne had come home from school the previous evening, to find Marilla away at an Aid meeting, Dora asleep on the kitchen sofa, and Davy in the sitting room closet, blissfully absorbing the contents of a jar of Marilla's famous yellow plum preserves . Anne était rentrée de l'école la veille au soir, pour trouver Marilla absente à une réunion de l'Aid, Dora endormie sur le canapé de la cuisine, et Davy dans le placard du salon, absorbant béatement le contenu d'un pot des célèbres conserves de prunes jaunes de Marilla... "company jam," Davy called it . which he had been forbidden to touch. He looked very guilty when Anne pounced on him and whisked him out of the closet. Il avait l'air très coupable quand Anne s'est jetée sur lui et l'a fait sortir du placard.

"Davy Keith, don't you know that it is very wrong of you to be eating that jam, when you were told never to meddle with anything in THAT closet?" "Davy Keith, ne sais-tu pas que tu as tort de manger cette confiture, alors qu'on t'a dit de ne jamais toucher à quoi que ce soit dans CETTE armoire ? "Yes, I knew it was wrong," admitted Davy uncomfortably, "but plum jam is awful nice, Anne. I just peeped in and it looked so good I thought I'd take just a weeny taste. I stuck my finger in . J'ai enfoncé mon doigt. ." Anne groaned . "and licked it clean. "et l'a léché propre. And it was so much gooder than I'd ever thought that I got a spoon and just SAILED IN." Et c'était tellement meilleur que je ne l'avais jamais imaginé que j'ai pris une cuillère et que j'ai foncé". Anne gave him such a serious lecture on the sin of stealing plum jam that Davy became conscience stricken and promised with repentant kisses never to do it again.

"Anyhow, there'll be plenty of jam in heaven, that's one comfort," he said complacently. Anne nipped a smile in the bud. Anne étouffa un sourire dans l'œuf.

"Perhaps there will . if we want it," she said, "But what makes you think so?" si nous le voulons", a-t-elle dit, "mais qu'est-ce qui vous fait penser cela ?" "Why, it's in the catechism," said Davy. "C'est dans le catéchisme", dit Davy. "Oh, no, there is nothing like THAT in the catechism, Davy." "But I tell you there is," persisted Davy. "It was in that question Marilla taught me last Sunday. 'Why should we love God?' It says, 'Because He makes preserves, and redeems us.' Il dit, 'Parce qu'Il fait des conserves, et nous rachète.' Preserves is just a holy way of saying jam." Les conserves sont juste une façon sacrée de dire confiture." "I must get a drink of water," said Anne hastily. When she came back it cost her some time and trouble to explain to Davy that a certain comma in the said catechism question made a great deal of difference in the meaning. Quand elle revint, il lui fallut du temps et de la peine pour expliquer à Davy qu'une certaine virgule dans ladite question de catéchisme faisait une grande différence dans le sens.

"Well, I thought it was too good to be true," he said at last, with a sigh of disappointed conviction. "And besides, I didn't see when He'd find time to make jam if it's one endless Sabbath day, as the hymn says. "Et puis, je ne voyais pas quand il trouverait le temps de faire de la confiture si c'est un jour de sabbat sans fin, comme le dit l'hymne. I don't believe I want to go to heaven. Won't there ever be any Saturdays in heaven, Anne?" N'y aura-t-il jamais de samedis au paradis, Anne ?" "Yes, Saturdays, and every other kind of beautiful days. And every day in heaven will be more beautiful than the one before it, Davy," assured Anne, who was rather glad that Marilla was not by to be shocked. Et chaque jour au ciel sera plus beau que le précédent, Davy", assura Anne, qui était plutôt contente que Marilla ne soit pas choquée. Marilla, it is needless to say, was bringing the twins up in the good old ways of theology and discouraged all fanciful speculations thereupon. Il est inutile de préciser que Marilla élevait les jumeaux dans les bonnes vieilles méthodes de la théologie et décourageait toute spéculation fantaisiste à ce sujet. Davy and Dora were taught a hymn, a catechism question, and two Bible verses every Sunday. Dora learned meekly and recited like a little machine, with perhaps as much understanding or interest as if she were one. Dora apprenait docilement et récitait comme une petite machine, avec peut-être autant de compréhension ou d'intérêt que si elle en était une. Davy, on the contrary, had a lively curiosity, and frequently asked questions which made Marilla tremble for his fate.

"Chester Sloane says we'll do nothing all the time in heaven but walk around in white dresses and play on harps; and he says he hopes he won't have to go till he's an old man, 'cause maybe he'll like it better then. "Chester Sloane dit que nous ne ferons rien d'autre au ciel que de nous promener en robes blanches et de jouer sur des harpes ; et il dit qu'il espère ne pas avoir à y aller avant d'être un vieil homme, parce qu'il l'aimera peut-être mieux à ce moment-là. And he thinks it will be horrid to wear dresses and I think so too. Il pense que ce sera horrible de porter des robes et je le pense aussi. Why can't men angels wear trousers, Anne? Chester Sloane is interested in those things, 'cause they're going to make a minister of him. Chester Sloane s'intéresse à ces choses, parce qu'ils vont faire de lui un ministre. He's got to be a minister 'cause his grandmother left the money to send him to college and he can't have it unless he is a minister. She thought a minister was such a 'spectable thing to have in a family. Chester says he doesn't mind much . Chester dit que ça ne le dérange pas beaucoup. though he'd rather be a blacksmith . but he's bound to have all the fun he can before he begins to be a minister, 'cause he doesn't expect to have much afterwards. I ain't going to be a minister. I'm going to be a storekeeper, like Mr. Blair, and keep heaps of candy and bananas. But I'd rather like going to your kind of a heaven if they'd let me play a mouth organ instead of a harp. Mais j'aimerais bien aller dans votre genre de paradis si on me laissait jouer de l'orgue à bouche au lieu de la harpe. Do you s'pose they would?" "Yes, I think they would if you wanted it," was all Anne could trust herself to say. "Oui, je pense qu'ils le feraient si vous le vouliez", fut tout ce qu'Anne put se permettre de dire. The A.V.I.S. L'AVIS met at Mr. Harmon Andrews' that evening and a full attendance had been requested, since important business was to be discussed. The A.V.I.S. was in a flourishing condition, and had already accomplished wonders. Early in the spring Mr. Major Spencer had redeemed his promise and had stumped, graded, and seeded down all the road front of his farm. A dozen other men, some prompted by a determination not to let a Spencer get ahead of them, others goaded into action by Improvers in their own households, had followed his example. Его примеру последовала дюжина других мужчин: одних побудила решимость не дать Спенсеру опередить себя, других подтолкнули к активным действиям Непроходимцы в их собственных семьях. The result was that there were long strips of smooth velvet turf where once had been unsightly undergrowth or brush. Il en résulte de longues bandes de gazon lisse et velouté là où se trouvaient auparavant des broussailles ou des sous-bois disgracieux. The farm fronts that had not been done looked so badly by contrast that their owners were secretly shamed into resolving to see what they could do another spring. Les façades de ferme qui n'avaient pas été faites avaient l'air si mal en revanche que leurs propriétaires ont été secrètement honteux de se résoudre à voir ce qu'ils pourraient faire un autre printemps. В отличие от них, фасады ферм, которые не были сделаны, выглядели настолько плохо, что их владельцы с тайным стыдом решили посмотреть, что они смогут сделать другой весной. The triangle of ground at the cross roads had also been cleared and seeded down, and Anne's bed of geraniums, unharmed by any marauding cow, was already set out in the center. Le triangle de terre du carrefour avait également été défriché et ensemencé, et la plate-bande de géraniums d'Anne, indemne de toute vache en maraude, était déjà disposée au centre. Altogether, the Improvers thought that they were getting on beautifully, even if Mr. Levi Boulter, tactfully approached by a carefully selected committee in regard to the old house on his upper farm, did bluntly tell them that he wasn't going to have it meddled with. Dans l'ensemble, les Improvers pensaient qu'ils s'en sortaient à merveille, même si M. Levi Boulter, approché avec tact par un comité soigneusement sélectionné au sujet de la vieille maison de sa ferme supérieure, leur a carrément dit qu'il n'avait pas l'intention de s'en mêler. В целом, по мнению импровизаторов, дела у них шли прекрасно, даже если мистер Леви Боултер, к которому тактично обратился тщательно подобранный комитет по поводу старого дома на его верхней ферме, прямо сказал им, что не намерен вмешиваться в это дело. At this especial meeting they intended to draw up a petition to the school trustees, humbly praying that a fence be put around the school grounds; and a plan was also to be discussed for planting a few ornamental trees by the church, if the funds of the society would permit of it . Lors de cette réunion spéciale, ils avaient l'intention de rédiger une pétition à l'intention des administrateurs de l'école, demandant humblement qu'une clôture soit installée autour de l'enceinte de l'école ; un plan devait également être discuté pour planter quelques arbres ornementaux près de l'église, si les fonds de la société le permettaient. for, as Anne said, there was no use in starting another subscription as long as the hall remained blue. The members were assembled in the Andrews' parlor and Jane was already on her feet to move the appointment of a committee which should find out and report on the price of said trees, when Gertie Pye swept in, pompadoured and frilled within an inch of her life. Les membres étaient réunis dans le salon des Andrews et Jane était déjà debout pour proposer la nomination d'un comité chargé de déterminer le prix de ces arbres et d'en faire un rapport, lorsque Gertie Pye fit son entrée, pomponnée et froufroutante à souhait. Члены клуба собрались в гостиной Эндрюсов, и Джейн уже поднялась на ноги, чтобы предложить назначить комитет, который должен выяснить и сообщить о цене деревьев, когда в зал ворвалась Герти Пай, напыщенная и с оборкой в дюйм от ее жизни. Gertie had a habit of being late . "to make her entrance more effective," spiteful people said. Gertie's entrance in this instance was certainly effective, for she paused dramatically on the middle of the floor, threw up her hands, rolled her eyes, and exclaimed, "I've just heard something perfectly awful. What DO you think? Mr. Judson Parker IS GOING TO RENT ALL THE ROAD FENCE OF HIS FARM TO A PATENT MEDICINE COMPANY TO PAINT ADVERTISEMENTS ON." M. Judson Parker va louer toute la clôture de sa ferme à une société de médicaments brevetés pour qu'elle y peigne des publicités". For once in her life Gertie Pye made all the sensation she desired. If she had thrown a bomb among the complacent Improvers she could hardly have made more.

"It CAN'T be true," said Anne blankly. "That's just what I said when I heard it first, don't you know," said Gertie, who was enjoying herself hugely. " I said it couldn't be true . that Judson Parker wouldn't have the HEART to do it, don't you know. But father met him this afternoon and asked him about it and he said it WAS true. Just fancy! Juste fantaisie! His farm is side-on to the Newbridge road and how perfectly awful it will look to see advertisements of pills and plasters all along it, don't you know?" The Improvers DID know, all too well. Even the least imaginative among them could picture the grotesque effect of half a mile of board fence adorned with such advertisements. All thought of church and school grounds vanished before this new danger. Toute idée d'église ou de cour d'école s'est évanouie devant ce nouveau danger. Parliamentary rules and regulations were forgotten, and Anne, in despair, gave up trying to keep minutes at all. Les règles et règlements parlementaires ont été oubliés et Anne, désespérée, a renoncé à tenir des procès-verbaux. Everybody talked at once and fearful was the hubbub.

"Oh, let us keep calm," implored Anne, who was the most excited of them all, "and try to think of some way of preventing him." "I don't know how you're going to prevent him," exclaimed Jane bitterly. "Everybody knows what Judson Parker is. He'd do ANYTHING for money. He hasn't a SPARK of public spirit or ANY sense of the beautiful." The prospect looked rather unpromising. Judson Parker and his sister were the only Parkers in Avonlea, so that no leverage could be exerted by family connections. Martha Parker was a lady of all too certain age who disapproved of young people in general and the Improvers in particular. Martha Parker est une dame d'un certain âge qui désapprouve les jeunes en général et les Improvers en particulier. Judson was a jovial, smooth-spoken man, so uniformly goodnatured and bland that it was surprising how few friends he had. Judson est un homme jovial, à la parole douce, si uniformément bon enfant et fade qu'il est surprenant de constater le peu d'amis qu'il a. Джадсон был веселым, гладкоречивым человеком, настолько одинаково добродушным и безвкусным, что было удивительно, как мало у него друзей. Perhaps he had got the better in too many business transactions. Peut-être avait-il pris le dessus dans trop de transactions commerciales. Возможно, он слишком часто брал верх в деловых операциях. which seldom makes for popularity. ce qui fait rarement la popularité. He was reputed to be very "sharp" and it was the general opinion that he "hadn't much principle." Он слыл очень "резким", и, по общему мнению, у него "не было особых принципов". "If Judson Parker has a chance to 'turn an honest penny,' as he says himself, he'll never lose it," declared Fred Wright. Если у Джадсона Паркера есть шанс "заработать честный пенни", как он сам говорит, он никогда его не упустит", - заявил Фред Райт. "Is there NOBODY who has any influence over him?" asked Anne despairingly.

"He goes to see Louisa Spencer at White Sands," suggested Carrie Sloane. "Perhaps she could coax him not to rent his fences." "Not she," said Gilbert emphatically. "I know Louisa Spencer well. She doesn't 'believe' in Village Improvement Societies, but she DOES believe in dollars and cents. She'd be more likely to urge Judson on than to dissuade him." "The only thing to do is to appoint a committee to wait on him and protest," said Julia Bell, "and you must send girls, for he'd hardly be civil to boys . La seule chose à faire est de nommer un comité pour l'attendre et protester", a dit Julia Bell, "et vous devez envoyer des filles, car il ne serait guère aimable avec les garçons...". but I won't go, so nobody need nominate me." mais je n'irai pas, donc personne n'a besoin de me nommer". "Better send Anne alone," said Oliver Sloane. "She can talk Judson over if anybody can." "Elle peut parler à Judson si quelqu'un peut le faire". Anne protested. She was willing to go and do the talking; but she must have others with her "for moral support." Diana and Jane were therefore appointed to support her morally and the Improvers broke up, buzzing like angry bees with indignation. Diana et Jane ont donc été désignées pour la soutenir moralement et les Improvers se sont séparés, bourdonnant d'indignation comme des abeilles en colère. Anne was so worried that she didn't sleep until nearly morning, and then she dreamed that the trustees had put a fence around the school and painted "Try Purple Pills" all over it. Anne était si inquiète qu'elle n'a pas dormi jusqu'au matin, puis elle a rêvé que les administrateurs avaient mis une clôture autour de l'école et peint "Try Purple Pills" (essayez les pilules violettes) sur toute la surface. The committee waited on Judson Parker the next afternoon. Anne pleaded eloquently against his nefarious design and Jane and Diana supported her morally and valiantly. Judson was sleek, suave, flattering; paid them several compliments of the delicacy of sunflowers; felt real bad to refuse such charming young ladies . Judson était élégant, suave, flatteur ; leur fit plusieurs compliments sur la délicatesse des tournesols ; Je me sentais vraiment mal de refuser des demoiselles aussi charmantes. but business was business; couldn't afford to let sentiment stand in the way these hard times. "But I'll tell what I WILL do," he said, with a twinkle in his light, full eyes. "Mais je vais vous dire ce que je VAIS faire", a-t-il dit, avec une étincelle dans ses yeux clairs et pleins. "I'll tell the agent he must use only handsome, tasty colors . "Je dirai à l'agent qu'il ne doit utiliser que de belles couleurs savoureuses . red and yellow and so on. I'll tell him he mustn't paint the ads BLUE on any account." The vanquished committee retired, thinking things not lawful to be uttered. Le comité des vaincus s'est retiré en pensant à des choses qu'il n'est pas licite de dire.

"We have done all we can do and must simply trust the rest to Providence," said Jane, with an unconscious imitation of Mrs. Lynde's tone and manner. "I wonder if Mr. Allan could do anything," reflected Diana. Anne shook her head.

"No, it's no use to worry Mr. Allan, especially now when the baby's so sick. "Non, cela ne sert à rien de s'inquiéter M. Allan, surtout maintenant que le bébé est si malade. Judson would slip away from him as smoothly as from us, although he HAS taken to going to church quite regularly just now. Judson s'éloignerait de lui aussi facilement que de nous, bien qu'il ait pris l'habitude d'aller à l'église assez régulièrement ces derniers temps. That is simply because Louisa Spencer's father is an elder and very particular about such things." "Judson Parker is the only man in Avonlea who would dream of renting his fences," said Jane indignantly. "Even Levi Boulter or Lorenzo White would never stoop to that, tightfisted as they are. They would have too much respect for public opinion." Public opinion was certainly down on Judson Parker when the facts became known, but that did not help matters much. L'opinion publique s'est certes montrée défavorable à Judson Parker lorsque les faits ont été connus, mais cela n'a pas beaucoup arrangé les choses. Judson chuckled to himself and defied it, and the Improvers were trying to reconcile themselves to the prospect of seeing the prettiest part of the Newbridge road defaced by advertisements, when Anne rose quietly at the president's call for reports of committees on the occasion of the next meeting of the Society, and announced that Mr. Judson Parker had instructed her to inform the Society that he was NOT going to rent his fences to the Patent Medicine Company. Judson s'est moqué de lui-même et l'a défié, et les Améliorateurs essayaient de se réconcilier avec la perspective de voir la plus belle partie de la route de Newbridge défigurée par des publicités, quand Anne s'est levée tranquillement à l'appel du président pour les rapports des comités à l'occasion de la prochaine réunion de la Société, et a annoncé que M. Judson Parker l'avait chargée d'informer la Société qu'il n'avait PAS l'intention de louer ses clôtures à la Société des médicaments brevetés. Jane and Diana stared as if they found it hard to believe their ears. Parliamentary etiquette, which was generally very strictly enforced in the A.V.I.S., forbade them giving instant vent to their curiosity, but after the Society adjourned Anne was besieged for explanations. L'étiquette parlementaire, généralement très strictement appliquée au sein de l'A.V.I.S., leur interdisait de donner immédiatement libre cours à leur curiosité, mais après l'ajournement de la Société, Anne fut assaillie d'explications. Anne had no explanation to give. Judson Parker had overtaken her on the road the preceding evening and told her that he had decided to humor the A.V.I.S. Judson Parker l'avait croisée sur la route la veille au soir et lui avait annoncé qu'il avait décidé de faire de l'humour avec l'A.V.I.S.. in its peculiar prejudice against patent medicine advertisements. dans son préjugé particulier à l'égard des publicités pour les médicaments brevetés. That was all Anne would say, then or ever afterwards, and it was the simple truth; but when Jane Andrews, on her way home, confided to Oliver Sloane her firm belief that there was more behind Judson Parker's mysterious change of heart than Anne Shirley had revealed, she spoke the truth also. C'est tout ce qu'Anne dira, à l'époque et par la suite, et c'est la simple vérité ; mais lorsque Jane Andrews, en rentrant chez elle, confie à Oliver Sloane sa ferme conviction qu'il y a plus derrière le mystérieux changement d'avis de Judson Parker que ce qu'Anne Shirley a révélé, elle dit aussi la vérité. Anne had been down to old Mrs. Irving's on the shore road the preceding evening and had come home by a short cut which led her first over the low-lying shore fields, and then through the beech wood below Robert Dickson's, by a little footpath that ran out to the main road just above the Lake of Shining Waters . Anne était descendue chez la vieille Mme Irving sur la route côtière la veille au soir et était rentrée chez elle par un raccourci qui l'avait conduite d'abord à travers les champs de la rive, puis à travers le bois de hêtres en dessous de chez Robert Dickson, par un petit sentier qui débouchait sur la route principale juste au-dessus du lac des Eaux brillantes. known to unimaginative people as Barry's pond. Two men were sitting in their buggies, reined off to the side of the road, just at the entrance of the path. Deux hommes sont assis dans leur charrette, attachés au bord de la route, juste à l'entrée du sentier. One was Judson Parker; the other was Jerry Corcoran, a Newbridge man against whom, as Mrs. Lynde would have told you in eloquent italics, nothing shady had ever been PROVED. L'un était Judson Parker ; l'autre était Jerry Corcoran, un homme de Newbridge contre lequel, comme Mme Lynde vous l'aurait dit en italiques éloquents, rien de louche n'avait jamais été PROUVÉ. He was an agent for agricultural implements and a prominent personage in matters political. Il était agent en matériel agricole et un personnage important dans le domaine politique. He had a finger . some people said ALL his fingers . in every political pie that was cooked; and as Canada was on the eve of a general election Jerry Corcoran had been a busy man for many weeks, canvassing the county in the interests of his party's candidate. Et comme le Canada était à la veille d'une élection générale, Jerry Corcoran avait été un homme très occupé pendant de nombreuses semaines, démarchant le comté dans l'intérêt du candidat de son parti. Just as Anne emerged from under the overhanging beech boughs she heard Corcoran say, "If you'll vote for Amesbury, Parker . Au moment où Anne émergeait de sous les branches de hêtre en surplomb, elle entendit Corcoran dire : "Si vous votez pour Amesbury, Parker...". well, I've a note for that pair of harrows you've got in the spring. J'ai une note pour la paire de herses que vous avez au printemps. I suppose you wouldn't object to having it back, eh?" "We . ll, since you put it in that way," drawled Judson with a grin, "I reckon I might as well do it. Et bien, puisque vous le dites ainsi," dit Judson avec un sourire, "je pense que je pourrais aussi bien le faire. A man must look out for his own interests in these hard times." Un homme doit veiller à ses propres intérêts en ces temps difficiles". Both saw Anne at this moment and conversation abruptly ceased. Anne bowed frostily and walked on, with her chin slightly more tilted than usual. Anne s'incline froidement et poursuit sa route, le menton un peu plus penché que d'habitude. Soon Judson Parker overtook her.

"Have a lift, Anne?" he inquired genially.

"Thank you, no," said Anne politely, but with a fine, needle-like disdain in her voice that pierced even Judson Parker's none too sensitive consciousness. "Merci, non", dit Anne poliment, mais avec dans sa voix un dédain fin, semblable à une aiguille, qui transperce même la conscience non trop sensible de Judson Parker. His face reddened and he twitched his reins angrily; but the next second prudential considerations checked him. Son visage rougit et il secoua ses rênes avec colère ; mais la seconde suivante, des considérations prudentes le mirent en échec. He looked uneasily at Anne, as she walked steadily on, glancing neither to the right nor to the left. Had she heard Corcoran's unmistakable offer and his own too plain acceptance of it? Avait-elle entendu l'offre sans équivoque de Corcoran et son acceptation trop évidente ? Confound Corcoran! Смутите Коркорана! If he couldn't put his meaning into less dangerous phrases he'd get into trouble some of these long-come-shorts. S'il ne pouvait pas exprimer ses idées dans des phrases moins dangereuses, il s'attirerait des ennuis. Если бы он не умел выражать свои мысли менее опасными фразами, то попал бы в беду, если бы не один из этих долговязых шортов. And confound redheaded school-ma'ams with a habit of popping out of beechwoods where they had no business to be. Et confondre les mères d'école rousses qui ont l'habitude de surgir des hêtres là où elles n'ont rien à faire. И сбить с толку рыжеволосых школьных мам, которые имеют привычку выскакивать из буковых лесов, где им не место. If Anne had heard, Judson Parker, measuring her corn in his own half bushel, as the country saying went, and cheating himself thereby, as such people generally do, believed that she would tell it far and wide. Si Anne l'avait appris, Judson Parker, mesurant son maïs en fonction de son propre demi-boisseau, comme on dit dans le pays, et se trompant ainsi lui-même, comme le font généralement les gens de ce genre, pensait qu'elle le raconterait loin à la ronde. Если Энн и слышала, то Джадсон Паркер, отмеряя ее кукурузу в свои полбушеля, как гласила деревенская поговорка, и обманывая себя таким образом, как обычно поступают такие люди, полагал, что она расскажет об этом далеко и широко. Now, Judson Parker, as has been seen, was not overly regardful of public opinion; but to be known as having accepted a bribe would be a nasty thing; and if it ever reached Isaac Spencer's ears farewell forever to all hope of winning Louisa Jane with her comfortable prospects as the heiress of a well-to-do farmer. Or, Judson Parker, comme on l'a vu, n'était pas très regardant sur l'opinion publique ; mais il serait désagréable de savoir qu'il a accepté un pot-de-vin ; et si cela parvenait aux oreilles d'Isaac Spencer, adieu à tout espoir de conquérir Louisa Jane avec ses perspectives confortables en tant qu'héritière d'un fermier aisé. Джадсон Паркер, как мы уже видели, не слишком заботился об общественном мнении, но прослыть принявшим взятку было бы неприятно, и если бы это дошло до ушей Айзека Спенсера, то навсегда распрощались бы все надежды на завоевание Луизы Джейн с ее удобными перспективами наследницы зажиточного фермера. Judson Parker knew that Mr. Spencer looked somewhat askance at him as it was; he could not afford to take any risks.

"Ahem . Anne, I've been wanting to see you about that little matter we were discussing the other day. I've decided not to let my fences to that company after all. A society with an aim like yours ought to be encouraged." Общество с такой целью, как у вас, должно поощряться". Anne thawed out the merest trifle. Anne a décongelé la moindre bagatelle. Энн оттаяла всего лишь на самую малость.

"Thank you," she said. "And . and . you needn't mention that little conversation of mine with Jerry." "I have no intention of mentioning it in any case," said Anne icily, for she would have seen every fence in Avonlea painted with advertisements before she would have stooped to bargain with a man who would sell his vote. "Je n'ai pas l'intention d'en parler de toute façon", dit Anne d'un ton glacial, car elle aurait vu toutes les clôtures d'Avonlea peintes avec des publicités avant de s'abaisser à marchander avec un homme qui vendrait son droit de vote. "Я ни в коем случае не намерена упоминать об этом", - ледяным тоном заявила Энн, которая готова была исписать объявлениями каждый забор в Авонлее, прежде чем опустилась бы до того, чтобы торговаться с человеком, который продает свой голос. "Just so . just so," agreed Judson, imagining that they understood each other beautifully. "I didn't suppose you would. Of course, I was only stringing Jerry . Bien sûr, je ne faisais qu'enchaîner Jerry . Конечно, я только нанизывал Джерри. he thinks he's so all-fired cute and smart. I've no intention of voting for Amesbury. I'm going to vote for Grant as I've always done . you'll see that when the election comes off. vous le verrez lorsque les élections auront lieu. I just led Jerry on to see if he would commit himself. J'ai simplement incité Jerry à s'engager pour voir s'il le ferait. And it's all right about the fence . you can tell the Improvers that." "It takes all sorts of people to make a world, as I've often heard, but I think there are some who could be spared," Anne told her reflection in the east gable mirror that night. "Il faut toutes sortes de personnes pour faire un monde, comme je l'ai souvent entendu dire, mais je pense qu'il y en a qui pourraient être épargnées", dit Anne à son reflet dans le miroir du pignon est ce soir-là. "Для создания мира, как я часто слышала, нужны самые разные люди, но, думаю, есть и те, кого можно было бы пощадить", - сказала Энн своему отражению в зеркале восточного фронтона в тот вечер. "I wouldn't have mentioned the disgraceful thing to a soul anyhow, so my conscience is clear on THAT score. "Je n'aurais de toute façon pas parlé de cette chose honteuse à qui que ce soit, j'ai donc la conscience tranquille sur ce point. I really don't know who or what is to be thanked for this. I did nothing to bring it about, and it's hard to believe that Providence ever works by means of the kind of politics men like Judson Parker and Jerry Corcoran have." Je n'ai rien fait pour cela, et il est difficile de croire que la Providence ait jamais travaillé avec le genre de politique que des hommes comme Judson Parker et Jerry Corcoran ont."