关于本书
在宁静的埃文利村，年迈而拘谨的兄妹玛丽拉和马修·卡斯伯特决定收养一个孤儿男孩来帮忙干农活。这个经典故事讲述了一个孩子出乎意料的到来，打乱了他们井然有序的生活，并永远改变了他们的世界。这是一个温暖人心的故事，关于找到归属，以及一个生气勃勃的个性所带来的改变力量。
开篇
CHAPTER I. Mrs. Rachel Lynde Is Surprised
第一章 雷切尔·林德太太大吃一惊
MRS. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow,
雷切尔·林德太太就住在阿冯利的大路向下伸进一个小山谷的地方，
fringed with alders and ladies’ eardrops and traversed by a brook
那里四周长着桤木和吊钟花，还有一条小溪穿过，
that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place;
小溪的源头远在老卡斯伯特家那片地后面的树林里；
it was reputed to be an intricate,
据说，它在流经那片树林的上游时，是一条曲折复杂、
headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade;
奔流湍急的小溪，藏着一个个深潭和瀑布的幽暗秘密；
but by the time it reached Lynde’s Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream,
但等它流到林德山谷时，已经成了一条安静、规规矩矩的小溪，
for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde’s door without due regard for decency and decorum;
因为就连一条小溪也不能在流过雷切尔·林德太太的门前时，不对体面和礼节有应有的顾忌；
it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her window,
它大概意识到雷切尔太太正坐在她的窗前，
keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up,
目光锐利地盯着经过的一切，从小溪和孩子往上，无所不包，
and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest
而且只要她注意到任何古怪或不合常规的事情，她就绝不会罢休，
until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof.
直到她把其中的来龙去脉都打探清楚为止。
There are plenty of people, in Avonlea and out of it,
在阿冯利村内外，有很多人
who can attend closely to their neighbors’ business by dint of neglecting their own;
能靠忽略自己的事情来密切关注邻居们的事；
but Mrs. Rachel Lynde was one of those capable creatures
但雷切尔·林德太太是那种能干的人之一，
who can manage their own concerns and those of other folks into the bargain.
她们既能打理好自己的事情，还能顺带管好别人的事情。
She was a notable housewife; her work was always done and well done;
她是一个出色的家庭主妇；她的活儿总是干完了，而且干得很好；
she “ran” the Sewing Circle, helped run the Sunday-school,
她“主持”着缝纫会，帮着主持主日学校，
and was the strongest prop of the Church Aid Society and Foreign Missions Auxiliary.
还是教会援助协会和海外传教辅助会最有力的支柱。
Yet with all this Mrs. Rachel found abundant time to sit for hours at her kitchen window, knitting “cotton warp” quilts—
然而，尽管有这么多事，雷切尔太太还是有充裕的时间在厨房窗前一坐就是几个小时，编织“棉经线”被子——