原文
"Well, this is a pretty kettle of fish," she said wrathfully. "This is
what comes of sending word instead of going ourselves. Richard Spencer's
folks have twisted that message somehow. One of us will have to drive
over and see Mrs. Spencer tomorrow, that's certain. This girl will have
to be sent back to the asylum."
"Yes, I suppose so," said Matthew reluctantly.
"You SUPPOSE so! Don't you know it?"
"Well now, she's a real nice little thing, Marilla. It's kind of a pity to send her back when she's so set on staying here."
"Matthew Cuthbert, you don't mean to say you think we ought to keep her!"
Marilla's astonishment could not have been greater if Matthew had expressed a predilection for standing on his head.
"Well, now, no, I suppose not--not exactly," stammered Matthew, uncomfortably driven into a corner for his precise meaning. "I suppose--we could hardly be expected to keep her."
語彙など
- pretty kettle of fish:厄介な立場
- wrathfully:憤然と
- come of:〜の結果として生じる
- instead of:〜の代わりに
- twist:ひねる,ねじる
- somehow:どういうわけか
- asylum:孤児院
- reluctantly:しぶしぶ
- kind of:多少
- be set on:〜する気になっている
- astonishment:驚き
- express:述べる
- predilection:偏愛,偏好
- stand on one's head:頭で逆立ちする
- stammer:どもる
- uncomfortably:気詰まりで,心地悪く
- drive into a corner:苦境に追い込む
- precise:ぴったりの,ちょうどその