赤毛のアン 第三章

CHAPTER III. Marilla Cuthbert is Surprised(1)

原文
Marilla came briskly forward as Matthew opened the door. But when her eyes fell of the odd little figure in the stiff, ugly dress, with the long braids of red hair and the eager, luminous eyes, she stopped short in amazement.

"Matthew Cuthbert, who's that?" she ejaculated. "Where is the boy?"

"There wasn't any boy," said Matthew wretchedly. "There was only HER."

He nodded at the child, remembering that he had never even asked her name.

"No boy! But there MUST have been a boy," insisted Marilla. "We sent word to Mrs. Spencer to bring a boy."

"Well, she didn't. She brought HER. I asked the station-master. And I had to bring her home. She couldn't be left there, no matter where the mistake had come in."

"Well, this is a pretty piece of business!" ejaculated Marilla.

語彙など
  • briskly:足早に
  • odd:風変わりなこと
  • stiff:不自然な,ひどい
  • braid:三つ編み,お下げ髪
  • luminous:聡明な,輝く
  • stop short:ぴたりと止まる
  • ejaculate:急に叫ぶ
  • wretchedly:みじめに
  • nod at:〜の方を顎でしゃくって見せる
  • station master:駅長
  • pretty piece of business:とんでもないこと