It was now quite dark ; the stars had begun to shine out over the shorn harvest fields , and Chester had not come . Across the lane Cynthia White had pulled down her blind , in despair of out-watching Thyra , and had lighted a lamp . Lively shadows of little girl-shapes passed and repassed on the pale oblong of light . They made Thyra conscious of her exceeding loneliness . She had just decided that she would walk down the lane and wait for Chester on the bridge , when a thunderous knock came at the east kitchen door . She recognized August Vorst 's knock and lighted a lamp in no great haste , for she did not like him . He was a gossip and Thyra hated gossip , in man or woman . But August was privileged . She carried the lamp in her hand , when she went to the door , and its upward-striking light gave her face a ghastly appearance . She did not mean to ask August in , but he pushed past her cheerfully , not waiting to be invited . He was a midget of a man , lame of foot and hunched of back , with a white , boyish face , despite his middle age and deep-set , malicious black eyes . He pulled a crumpled newspaper from his pocket and handed it to Thyra . He was the unofficial mail-carrier of Avonlea . Most of the people gave him a trifle for bringing their letters and papers from the office . He earned small sums in various other ways , and so contrived to keep the life in his stunted body . There was always venom in August 's gossip . It was said that he made more mischief in Avonlea in a day than was made otherwise in a year , but people tolerated him by reason of his infirmity . To be sure , it was the tolerance they gave to inferior creatures , and August felt this . Perhaps it accounted for a good deal of his malignity . He hated most those who were kindest to him , and , of these , Thyra Carewe above all .
He hated XXXXX , too , as he hated strong , shapely creatures .
Avonlea Carewe Chester Thyra Vorst White girl-shapes malignity midget year