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CHRONICLESOFAVONLEA1CHRONICLESOFAVONLEAbyL.M.MONTGOMERYTOTHEMEMORYOFMrs.WilliamA.Houston,ADEARFRIEND,WHOHASGONEBEYONDCHRONICLESOFAVONLEA2I.TheHurryingofLudovicAnneShirleywascurleduponthewindow-seatofTheodoraDix'ssitting-roomoneSaturdayevening,lookingdreamilyafaratsomefairstarlandbeyondthehillsofsunset.AnnewasvisitingforafortnightofhervacationatEchoLodge,whereMr.andMrs.StephenIrvingwerespendingthesummer,andsheoftenranovertotheoldDixhomesteadtochatforawhilewithTheodora.Theyhadhadtheirchatout,onthisparticularevening,andAnnewasgivingherselfovertothedelightofbuildinganair-castle.Sheleanedhershapelyhead,withitsbraidedcoronetofdarkredhair,againstthewindow-casing,andhergrayeyeswerelikethemoonlightgleamofshadowypools.ThenshesawLudovicSpeedcomingdownthelane.Hewasyetfarfromthehouse,fortheDixlanewasalongone,butLudoviccouldberecognizedasfarashecouldbeseen.NooneelseinMiddleGraftonhadsuchatall,gently-stooping,placidly-movingfigure.IneverykinkandturnofittherewasanindividualityallLudovic'sown.Annerousedherselffromherdreams,thinkingitwouldonlybetactfultotakeherdeparture.LudovicwascourtingTheodora.EveryoneinGraftonknewthat,or,ifanyonewereinignoranceofthefact,itwasnotbecausehehadnothadtimetofindout.LudovichadbeencomingdownthatlanetoseeTheodora,inthesameruminating,unhasteningfashion,forfifteenyears!WhenAnne,whowasslimandgirlishandromantic,rosetogo,Theodora,whowasplumpandmiddle-agedandpractical,said,withatwinkleinhereye:Thereisn'tanyhurry,child.Sitdownandhaveyourcallout.You'veseenLudoviccomingdownthelane,and,Isuppose,youthinkyou'llbeacrowd.Butyouwon't.Ludovicratherlikesathirdpersonaround,andsodoI.Itspursuptheconversationasitwere.Whenamanhasbeencomingtoseeyoustraightalong,twiceaweekforfifteenyears,yougetrathertalkedoutbyspells.TheodoraneverpretendedtobashfulnesswhereLudovicwasconcerned.ShewasnotatallshyofreferringtohimandhisdilatoryCHRONICLESOFAVONLEA3courtship.Indeed,itseemedtoamuseher.AnnesatdownagainandtogethertheywatchedLudoviccomingdownthelane,gazingcalmlyabouthimatthelushcloverfieldsandtheblueloopsoftheriverwindinginandoutofthemistyvalleybelow.AnnelookedatTheodora'splacid,finely-mouldedfaceandtriedtoimaginewhatsheherselfwouldfeellikeifsheweresittingthere,waitingforanelderlyloverwhohad,seemingly,takensolongtomakeuphismind.ButevenAnne'simaginationfailedherforthis.Anyway,shethought,impatiently,ifIwantedhimIthinkI'dfindsomewayofhurryinghimup.LudovicSPEED!Wasthereeversuchamisfitofaname?Suchanameforsuchamanisadelusionandasnare.PresentlyLudovicgottothehouse,butstoodsolongonthedoorstepinabrownstudy,gazingintothetangledgreenboskageofthecherryorchard,thatTheodorafinallywentandopenedthedoorbeforeheknocked.Asshebroughthimintothesitting-roomshemadeacomicalgrimaceatAnneoverhisshoulder.LudovicsmiledpleasantlyatAnne.Helikedher;shewastheonlyyounggirlheknew,forhegenerallyavoidedyounggirls--theymadehimfeelawkwardandoutofplace.ButAnnedidnotaffecthiminthisfashion.Shehadawayofgettingonwithallsortsofpeople,and,althoughtheyhadnotknownherverylong,bothLudovicandTheodoralookeduponherasanoldfriend.Ludovicwastallandsomewhatungainly,buthisunhesitatingplaciditygavehimtheappearanceofadignitythatdidnototherwisepertaintohim.Hehadadrooping,silky,brownmoustache,andalittlecurlytuftofimperial,--afashionwhichwasregardedaseccentricinGrafton,wheremenhadclean-shavenchinsorwentfull-bearded.Hiseyesweredreamyandpleasant,withatouchofmelancholyintheirbluedepths.HesatdowninthebigbulgyoldarmchairthathadbelongedtoTheodora'sfather.Ludovicalwayssatthere,andAnnedeclaredthatthechairhadcometolooklikehim.Theconversationsoongrewanimatedenough.Ludovicwasagoodtalkerwhenhehadsomebodytodrawhimout.Hewaswellread,andfrequentlysurprisedAnnebyhisshrewdcommentsonmenandmattersCHRONICLESOFAVONLEA4outintheworld,ofwhichonlythefaintechoesreachedDelandRiver.HehadalsoalikingforreligiousargumentswithTheodora,whodidnotcaremuchforpoliticsorthemakingofhistory,butwasavidofdoctrines,andreadeverythingpertainingthereto.WhentheconversationdriftedintoaneddyoffriendlywranglingbetweenLudovicandTheodoraoverChristianScience,Anneunderstoodthatherusefulnesswasendedforthetimebeing,andthatshewouldnotbemissed.It'sstartimeandgood-nighttime,shesaid,andwentawayquietly.Butshehadtostoptolaughwhenshewaswelloutofsightofthehouse,inagreenmeadowbestarredwiththewhiteandgoldofdaisies.Awind,odour-freighted,blewdaintilyacrossit.Anneleanedagainstawhitebirchtreeinthecornerandlaughedheartily,asshewasapttodowhenevershethoughtofLudovicandTheodora.Tohereageryouth,thiscourtshipoftheirsseemedaveryamusingthing.ShelikedLudovic,butallowedherselftobeprovokedwithhim.Thedear,big,irritatinggoose!shesaidaloud.Thereneverwassuchalovableidiotbefore.He'sjustlikethealligatorintheoldrhyme,whowouldn'tgoalong,andwouldn'tkeepstill,butjustkeptbobbingupanddown.Twoeveningslater,whenAnnewentovertotheDixplace,sheandTheodoradriftedintoaconversationaboutLudovic.Theodora,whowasthemostindustrioussoulalive,andhadamaniaforfancyworkintothebargain,wasbusyinghersmooth,plumpfingerswithaveryelaborateBattenburglacecentre-piece.Annewaslyingbackinalittlerocker,withherslim