L M Montgomery Guided Reading: A Soul That Was Not At Home

Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in Prince Edward Island on November 30, 1874. She achieved international fame in her lifetime, putting Prince Edward Island and Canada on the world literary stage. Best known for her "Anne of Green Gables" books, she was also a prolific writer of short stories and poetry.

This collection features those stories.

This episode is called A Soul that was Not at Home.

All rights reserved. Individual use only. Copyright Neworld Books.
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Transcript

Welcome to sleep stories with Steph It is time to relax. And fully let go. There is nothing you need to be doing now. And know where you need to go. Close your eyes. And feel yourself sink into the support beneath you. And let all the worries of the day go. Drift away. This is your time. And your space. Take a deep breath in through your nose. And let it out with a long sigh. That's it! There is nothing you need to be doing now. And know where you need to go. Happy listening. A soul that was not at home. There was a very fine sunset on the night Paul and Miss Trevor first met. And she had lingered on the headland beyond Knowles Cove to delight in it. The West was splendid in daffodil and rose. Away to the north there was a mackerel sky of little fiery golden clouds. And across the water straight from Miss Trevor's feet, Ran a sparkling path of light to the sun, Whose rim had just touched the throbbing edge of the purple sea. Off to the left were softly swelling violet hills. And beyond the sand shore, Where little waves were crisping and silvering, There was a harbour where scores of slender masts were nodding against the gracious horizon. Miss Trevor sighed with sheer happiness in all the wonderful, Fleeting, Elusive loveliness of sky and sea. Then she turned to look back at Noel's cove, Dim and shadow in the gloom of the tall headlands, And she saw Paul. It did not occur to her he could be a shore boy. She knew the shore type too well. She thought his coming mysterious, For she was sure he had not come along the sand, And the tide was too high for him to have come past the other headland. Yet there he was, Sitting on a red sandstone boulder with his bare, Bronzed, Shapely little legs crossed in front of him and his hands clasped around his knees. He was not looking at Miss Trevor but at the sunset, Or rather it seemed as if he were looking through the sunset to still grander and more radiant splendours beyond, Of which things seen were only the pale reflections, Not worthy of attention from those who had the gift of further sight. Miss Trevor looked him over carefully with eyes that had seen a good many people, In many parts of the world, For more years than she found it altogether pleasant to acknowledge. She concluded he was quite the handsomest lad she'd ever seen. His hair was thick and wavy, Of a fine reddish chestnut, His brows were very straight and much darker, And his eyes were large and grey and meditative. His attire was a blue cotton shirt and a pair of scanty corduroy knickerbockers, But he wore it with such an unconscious air of purple and fine linen, That Miss Trevor was tricked into believing him much better dressed than he actually was. Presently he smiled dreamily and the smile completed her subjugation. It was not merely an affair of lip and eye, As on most smiles. But an illumination of his whole body, As if some lamp had suddenly burst into flame inside of him. Miss Trevor made up her mind. She must find out all about him. And as she stepped out from the shadows of the rocks into the vivid, Eerie light that was glowing all along the shore. . . The boy turned his head and looked at her. First with Surprise, Then with Inquiry. Then with admiration. Miss Trevor, In the white dress with lace scarf on her dark stately head, Was well worth admiring. She smiled at him and he smiled back. It was not quite up to his first smile, But at least it conveyed the subtly flattering impression it had been put on solely for her. I want to know your name and where you live and what you're looking at beyond the sunset. She sang. My name's Paul Hubert. I live over there. I can't tell just what I saw in the sunset, But. . . When I go home, I'm going to write it all in my false cat book. In her surprise over the second clause of his answer, Miss Trevor forgot to appreciate the last. Over there! According to his gesture, That was up at the head of Knolls Cove. There was a little grey house perched on the rocks, Looking like a large seashell, Cast up by the tide. Could this boy, Who looked as young prince he should, Live there? Perhaps there was a shore boy after all. Who lives with you? She asked. I know we like each other and I must ask questions. That's all that really matters. Have you a father or a mother? Are there any more of you? How long have you been yourself? Paul clasped his hands behind him and looked at her affectionately. I like the way you talk, " he said. I never knew anybody did talk like that, Except folks in books and my rock people. You're wrong, People. I'm eleven. I haven't any mother or father, They're dead. I live over there with Stephen Kane. Stephen's splendid. He plays the violin and takes me fishing in his boat. When I get bigger, He's going shares with me. I love him and my rock people. What do you mean, By your rock people? Asked Miss Trevor. She was enjoying herself hugely. This was the only child she'd ever met who talked as she wanted them to. Nor is one of them. Said Paul, The best one of all. I love her better than all the others because she came first. She lives round that point. She's got black hair, And she's got black eyes, And she knows all about the mermaids. You ought to hear the stories you can tell. There are twin sailors who don't live anywhere, They just sail all the time, But they often come ashore to talk to me. Then there's the youngest twin sailor who was sailing and sailed right into a moon glade. Her moonglazes attract the full moon makes on the water when it's rising from the sea. Well, He sailed along the moon glade until he came right up to the moon and there was a little golden door in it and he opened it and sailed right through. One day I found a big cave down the shore and I went in and after a while I found the golden lady of the cave. She's got golden hair right down to her feet and her dress is all glittering and glistening like gold. And she's got a golden harp and she plays on it all day long. I've never told Nora about the Golden Lady because I think it would hurt her feelings. It even hurts her feelings when I talk about the twin sailors. And I hate to hurt Nora's feelings because I love her best of all. Paul, How much of this is true? Gasps for Miss Trevor. Why none of it? " said Paul. I thought you'd know that! I'd be surprised if you wouldn't. I warned you there wasn't any of it true! I thought you were one of the kind that would know. How I am, " said Miss Trevor eagerly. I really would have known if I'd stopped to think. Anyway, It's getting late now, I must go back. Although I don't want to, But I'll come and see you again. Will you be here tomorrow afternoon? Paul nodded. Yes, I promised to meet the youngest twin sailor down at the striped rocks. But the day after will do just as well. That's the beauty of the rock people, You know. You can always depend on them to be there just when you want them. Paul was waiting on the Norse cove rocks for Miss Trevor the next afternoon. He was not alone. A tall man with a lined, Strong-featured face and a grey beard was with him. This man was clad in a rough suit and looked what he was, A longshore fisherman. But he had deep-set kindly eyes. And Miss Trevor liked his face. He moved off to one side when she came and stood there for a little, Apparently gazing out to sea. Then he walked up the cove and disappeared into his little grey house. Stephen came down to see if you were a suitable person for me to talk to. Said Paul gravely. He wouldn't have gone away and left us alone if he didn't. Stephen is very particular who he lets me associate with. Miss Trevor did not get a glimpse of the Fool's Cat book that day, Nor for many days after. Paul blushed all over his beautiful face whenever she mentioned it. I couldn't show you that. I've never even showed it to Stephen, He said uncomfortably. But Miss Trevor would not give the book up so easily. She came to the cove every day. And every day Paul seemed more delightful to her. He would tell her some new story of a wonderful adventure. He'd always take the precaution of assuring her beforehand it wasn't true. His world was like a prism separating every ray that fell upon it into rainbows. I loved you. Miss Trevor? He said one day. But I know you'll be going away before long, So I don't let me love you as much as I love Stephen and the Rock people. But you could. Pleaded Miss Trevor. You and I to go on being together every day. Paul considered in a charming way that he had. Of course I could love you better than the Twin Sailors and the Golden Lady. And perhaps as much as Stephen. But not as much as Nora. You see, She's always been there. I don't feel I could love anyone as much as Nora. One day when Stephen was out to the mackerel grounds, Paul took Miss Trevor into the little grey house and showed her his treasures. They're splendid, He said enthusiastically. Rare-shelled seaweeds. All sorts of stuff and this small shelf of books. Stephen brought with him all. Every time he goes into town to ship his mackerel, He brings me home a new book. Were you ever in town yourself? Asked Miss Trevor. Oh yes, It's a wonderful place. When I next meet the twin sailors. . . It was me that did the talking then. I had to tell them about all I saw and all that happened. Laura was ever so interested too. Would you like to always live in a town and have all the books you wanted and play with real girls and boys? " said Miss Trevor, Watching him closely. I don't know. Paul said doubtfully. I don't think I'd like it very well if Stephen and Nora weren't there too. But this new thought remained in his mind. And the next day he showed Miss Trevor the Fool's Cat book. I'm going to run around and talk to Nora while you read it. I'm afraid I've been neglecting her lately and I think that she feels it. Miss Trevor, Took the false cat book. Opened it up. And Reddit. It was made of several sheets of paper sewed together and encased in an oilcloth cover. Its writing was a round, Childish hand, Very neat. Sometimes it seemed impossible a child of 11 could have written these notes. But then an expression so boyish and naive came that Miss Trevor laughed out loud over it. As soon as she finished the book, She found Stephen Cain at her elbow. What do you think? Be safe. I think it's wonderful. Paul is a very clever child. I've often thought so, " said Stephen laconically. Then he thrust his hands into his pockets and gazed moodily out to sea. Is he any relation to you? Asked Miss Trevor. No, I expected to marry his mother once though. Said Stephen. She was a sure girl and very pretty. When she fell in love with a young fellow that came teaching up the harbour. And he with her, They got married and she went away. He was a good enough sort of chap. I know that now. But it was his mistake all the same. Rachel could not live away from the shore. She fretted and pined and it broke her heart. Finally, Her husband died and she came back. But it was far too late. She only lived a month. And then there was Paul, The baby of two years old. You've done a great deal for him, " said Miss Trevor. But I think he should have more than you can give him now. Maybe he should be sent to school. He never went to school. The harbour school was too far away. I told him to read and write and bought him all the books I could afford, But I can't do any more for him now. I can, " said Miss Trevor, And I want to. Will you give Paul to me, Mr Cain? You should have every advantage. I'm rich, You know. I can do a great deal for him. Stephen continued to gaze out to sea with an expressionless face. I've been expecting to hear you say something of the sort. But if you took Paul away, He'd grow to be a cleverer man and richer man, But would he be any better or happier? He's his mother's son. He loves the sea and its waves. Stephen refused to influence Paul by so much as a word. But Paul decided he would go after all. That night he sat off in bed choking with tears. And he slipped out of his bed very softly and dressed in the dark. He opened the little brown chest that Stephen had given him. It held his books and his treasures, But he took out only a pencil, A piece of paper and the Fool's Cap book. Dear Miss Trevor, I'm gonna have to go back home. Don't be frightened about me because I do know the way. But I've got to go. Don't be cross. I love you but I can't stay. I'm leaving my false cat book for you so you can keep it always. Then he blew out the light. Took his cap and went softly out. He was not at all frightened now. He knew the way home and the kind night was before him. The dawn was just breaking when he reached Knoll's Cove. He felt a sudden chill. That long weary walk. Had tired him out. Stephen, He cried, I come back. I had to, Stephen. Are you glad? When he walked through the door. I reckon I am, " said Stephen. Yeah, I reckon I am. I kinda hoped you would come back. You better go inside and get some breakfast. Paul's eyes were as radiant as the deepening dawn. He knew Stephen was glad and he knew there was nothing more to be said about it. They were back together, Just where they were before Miss Trevor came. Back in their perfect, Unmarred, Sufficient comradeship. And now, This morning. I must just run around and see Nora. Simple.