原文
Mrs. Rachel would have liked to stay until Matthew came home with his
imported orphan. But reflecting that it would be a good two hours at
least before his arrival she concluded to go up the road to Robert
Bell's and tell the news. It would certainly make a sensation second
to none, and Mrs. Rachel dearly loved to make a sensation. So she took
herself away, somewhat to Marilla's relief, for the latter felt
her doubts and fears reviving under the influence of Mrs. Rachel's
pessimism.
"Well, of all things that ever were or will be!" ejaculated Mrs. Rachel when she was safely out in the lane. "It does really seem as if I must be dreaming. Well, I'm sorry for that poor young one and no mistake. Matthew and Marilla don't know anything about children and they'll expect him to be wiser and steadier that his own grandfather, if so be's he ever had a grandfather, which is doubtful. It seems uncanny to think of a child at Green Gables somehow; there's never been one there, for Matthew and Marilla were grown up when the new house was built--if they ever WERE children, which is hard to believe when one looks at them. I wouldn't be in that orphan's shoes for anything. My, but I pity him, that's what."
So said Mrs. Rachel to the wild rose bushes out of the fulness of her heart; but if she could have seen the child who was waiting patiently at the Bright River station at that very moment her pity would have been still deeper and more profound.
語彙など
- import:運び込む,持ち込む
- orphan:孤児
- reflect:思案する,踏まえる
- good:十分な,たっぷりの
- make a sensation:センセーションを起こす
- second to none:及ぶものがない
- dearly:心から
- take oneself away:去る
- somewhat:いくらか,少々
- to one's relief:ホッとしたことには
- revive:復活させる
- under the influence of:〜の影響を受けて
- pessimism:悲観主義
- ejaculate:急に叫ぶ
- lane:小道
- steady:しっかりした,着実な
- if so be's = if so be as = if so be thatの方言(いずれも古語:もし〜なら）
- uncanny:異様な,気味の悪い
- somehow:どういうわけか
- in someone's shoes:(人)と同様の境遇に身を置いて
- for anything:どんなことがあっても
- my:軽い狼狽・驚き
- bush:低木の茂み
- fulness of the heart:= fullness of the heart,真情
- patiently:辛抱強く
- profound:心の底から
It does really seem as if I must be dreaming.
as ifの文にmustを使うことに違和感を感じましたが、検索してみるとかなりありますね。
they'll expect him to be wiser and steadier that his own grandfatherのthatはthanと見るべきなんでしょう。