原文
"Well, we've been thinking about it for some time--all winter in fact,"
returned Marilla. "Mrs. Alexander Spencer was up here one day before
Christmas and she said she was going to get a little girl from the
asylum over in Hopeton in the spring. Her cousin lives there and Mrs.
Spencer has visited here and knows all about it. So Matthew and I have
talked it over off and on ever since. We thought we'd get a boy. Matthew
is getting up in years, you know--he's sixty--and he isn't so spry as he
once was. His heart troubles him a good deal. And you know how desperate
hard it's got to be to get hired help. There's never anybody to be had
but those stupid, half-grown little French boys; and as soon as you do
get one broke into your ways and taught something he's up and off to the
lobster canneries or the States. At first Matthew suggested getting a
Home boy. But I said 'no' flat to that. 'They may be all right--I'm not
saying they're not--but no London street Arabs for me,' I said. 'Give
me a native born at least. There'll be a risk, no matter who we get. But
I'll feel easier in my mind and sleep sounder at nights if we get a born
Canadian.' So in the end we decided to ask Mrs. Spencer to pick us out
one when she went over to get her little girl. We heard last week she
was going, so we sent her word by Richard Spencer's folks at Carmody
to bring us a smart, likely boy of about ten or eleven. We decided that
would be the best age--old enough to be of some use in doing chores
right off and young enough to be trained up proper. We mean to give him
a good home and schooling. We had a telegram from Mrs. Alexander Spencer
today--the mail-man brought it from the station--saying they were coming
on the five-thirty train tonight. So Matthew went to Bright River to
meet him. Mrs. Spencer will drop him off there. Of course she goes on to
White Sands station herself."
語彙など
- be up here:ここに来る
- asylum:孤児院
- talk over:〜について相談する
- off and on:時々,時折
- ever since:その後ずっと,それ以来
- up in years:年を取っている
- spry:元気な
- trouble:悩ます
- a good deal:ずいぶん
- desperate:絶望的に（方言）
- hired:雇い入れの
- has got to = has to
- bloke:男,野郎(brokeよりblokeではないかと推測)
- ways:しきたり、慣わし
- up and:突然〜する(up and offで突然去る）
- lobster:ロブスター
- cannery:缶詰工場
- States:アメリカ合衆国
- home boy:同郷人
- flat:きっぱりと
- street Arab:宿無し子,浮浪児
- pick out:見つけ出す
- likely:有望な
- be of use:役に立つ
- chore:雑用
- right off:すぐに
- train up:育て上げる
- proper:=properlyでしょう
- telegram:電報
- drop off:途中で降ろす
There's never anybody to be had but those stupid, half-grown little French boys
= We never have anybody but those stupid, half-grown little French boys