Chapter 29
Snowflakes whirled cheerfully through the air in front of the window. Some birds hopped to and fro, among the boughs from a bare apple-tree. Some others sat puffed up on another tree and watched them play. Suddenly, a squirrel flitted over the snowy grass. It left cute tracks in the snow. It came abruptly, and suddenly, it was gone.
Her face leaned on her hands; Anne sat at her desk and watched this spectacle. She tried again to bring her thoughts to paper. But often, she disagreed with her thoughts. She thought of Gilbert and smiled.
It was 3 months after they were married and Anne had enjoyed every minute with him. But sometimes, Gilbert had to work very much. The hospital had a lot of work every day. A day with 12 hours wasn't rare. Every minute he wasn't here, Anne missed him. But she knew how much he loved his work. And if he had the chance to save the life of someone, he was working with his whole heart. In Anne's eyes, he was the best physician in the world. Briskly, her pen scurried over the paper. She had to record her thoughts before they slipped away.
Rusty was sleeping on a soft pillow next to the fireplace. The tomcat had adjusted to the small house in Halifax very well. He had marked out his district and he still had a rival. A big red tomcat was always fighting with him. But now it was too cold outside for even Rusty. Therefore he slept next to the fire instead, and warmed his coat.
Anne hadn't adjusted as well as Rusty. Of course, she was happy with Gilbert, but because of his work, he wasn't at home often. Hence, Anne sometimes felt lonely in the small house. The women in the neighbourhood were all older than Anne. Indeed, they were nice, but no kindred spirits. And Halifax was different from Hopetown. In Hopetown, she didn't have to walk a long way until she came to the woods. But in Halifax, it was a long way.
Anne tried to adjust, but it wasn't easy. She said nothing to Gilbert. She would make him happy. With a sigh, she sat down next to Rusty and stroked his coat. At once, the tomcat started to purr.
"I will learn to adjust, Rusty!"
Rusty mewed and closed his eyes again.
It was late when Gilbert came home. Anne looked up from a book and smiled.
"Hello Gil! How was your day?"
He kissed her and Anne noticed that he was upset about something.
"What is it?" She asked, concerned.
"It was a terrible day, Anne." He sat next to her and took her hand. "I couldn't help the little girl."
For some days, the doctors at the hospital had been fighting for the life of a five-year old girl. She had been very sick with scarlet fever.
"We lost the fight today, Anne." Gilbert explained tonelessly.
Immediately, Anne laid her arm round him. How terrible to lose such a little child.
"Gil, I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"
Silently, Gilbert shook his head. He had thought about it the whole day. Now, he was by his
Anne, his wonderful Anne, and here he would find comfort and diversion.
"How was your day?" He asked.
"Well, I tried to write. But somehow it isn't good enough." Anne sighed, smiling.
"Read it to me." Gilbert said, looking into her eyes.
Anne's heart throbbed: "Oh no, you will laugh at it."
"I will not. Please read it to me."
For a moment she said nothing. Should she really do it?
"Well, but please promise that you will not laugh."
"I promise!" He sealed the promise with a kiss.
Anne stood up and fetched some papers from her desk. Then she sat down on the sofa again. Gilbert stretched himself out on the sofa, his head on Anne's lap. He closed his eyes. Nervously, Anne played with a lock of hair. She gulped again and started to read. Her beautiful, clear voice filled the room. She read the poem she had written that afternoon. Silence filled the room when she had finished. Anne thought Gilbert had fallen asleep. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked deeply into hers.
"Anne, that was beautiful. I think you should try publishing some of your works."
"Really?" Anne asked insecurely.
"Of course," he smiled and sat up. "You have writing talent, my Anne." He took her face between his hands and Anne smiled, too.
"Thank you Gil." She whispered, and kissed him.
Snowflakes whirled cheerfully through the air in front of the window. Some birds hopped to and fro, among the boughs from a bare apple-tree. Some others sat puffed up on another tree and watched them play. Suddenly, a squirrel flitted over the snowy grass. It left cute tracks in the snow. It came abruptly, and suddenly, it was gone.
Her face leaned on her hands; Anne sat at her desk and watched this spectacle. She tried again to bring her thoughts to paper. But often, she disagreed with her thoughts. She thought of Gilbert and smiled.
It was 3 months after they were married and Anne had enjoyed every minute with him. But sometimes, Gilbert had to work very much. The hospital had a lot of work every day. A day with 12 hours wasn't rare. Every minute he wasn't here, Anne missed him. But she knew how much he loved his work. And if he had the chance to save the life of someone, he was working with his whole heart. In Anne's eyes, he was the best physician in the world. Briskly, her pen scurried over the paper. She had to record her thoughts before they slipped away.
Rusty was sleeping on a soft pillow next to the fireplace. The tomcat had adjusted to the small house in Halifax very well. He had marked out his district and he still had a rival. A big red tomcat was always fighting with him. But now it was too cold outside for even Rusty. Therefore he slept next to the fire instead, and warmed his coat.
Anne hadn't adjusted as well as Rusty. Of course, she was happy with Gilbert, but because of his work, he wasn't at home often. Hence, Anne sometimes felt lonely in the small house. The women in the neighbourhood were all older than Anne. Indeed, they were nice, but no kindred spirits. And Halifax was different from Hopetown. In Hopetown, she didn't have to walk a long way until she came to the woods. But in Halifax, it was a long way.
Anne tried to adjust, but it wasn't easy. She said nothing to Gilbert. She would make him happy. With a sigh, she sat down next to Rusty and stroked his coat. At once, the tomcat started to purr.
"I will learn to adjust, Rusty!"
Rusty mewed and closed his eyes again.
It was late when Gilbert came home. Anne looked up from a book and smiled.
"Hello Gil! How was your day?"
He kissed her and Anne noticed that he was upset about something.
"What is it?" She asked, concerned.
"It was a terrible day, Anne." He sat next to her and took her hand. "I couldn't help the little girl."
For some days, the doctors at the hospital had been fighting for the life of a five-year old girl. She had been very sick with scarlet fever.
"We lost the fight today, Anne." Gilbert explained tonelessly.
Immediately, Anne laid her arm round him. How terrible to lose such a little child.
"Gil, I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"
Silently, Gilbert shook his head. He had thought about it the whole day. Now, he was by his
Anne, his wonderful Anne, and here he would find comfort and diversion.
"How was your day?" He asked.
"Well, I tried to write. But somehow it isn't good enough." Anne sighed, smiling.
"Read it to me." Gilbert said, looking into her eyes.
Anne's heart throbbed: "Oh no, you will laugh at it."
"I will not. Please read it to me."
For a moment she said nothing. Should she really do it?
"Well, but please promise that you will not laugh."
"I promise!" He sealed the promise with a kiss.
Anne stood up and fetched some papers from her desk. Then she sat down on the sofa again. Gilbert stretched himself out on the sofa, his head on Anne's lap. He closed his eyes. Nervously, Anne played with a lock of hair. She gulped again and started to read. Her beautiful, clear voice filled the room. She read the poem she had written that afternoon. Silence filled the room when she had finished. Anne thought Gilbert had fallen asleep. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked deeply into hers.
"Anne, that was beautiful. I think you should try publishing some of your works."
"Really?" Anne asked insecurely.
"Of course," he smiled and sat up. "You have writing talent, my Anne." He took her face between his hands and Anne smiled, too.
"Thank you Gil." She whispered, and kissed him.
