原文
Marilla asked no more questions. Anne gave herself up to a silent
rapture over the shore road and Marilla guided the sorrel abstractedly
while she pondered deeply. Pity was suddenly stirring in her heart for
the child. What a starved, unloved life she had had--a life of drudgery
and poverty and neglect; for Marilla was shrewd enough to read between
the lines of Anne's history and divine the truth. No wonder she had been
so delighted at the prospect of a real home. It was a pity she had to be
sent back. What if she, Marilla, should indulge Matthew's unaccountable
whim and let her stay? He was set on it; and the child seemed a nice,
teachable little thing.
"She's got too much to say," thought Marilla, "but she might be trained out of that. And there's nothing rude or slangy in what she does say. She's ladylike. It's likely her people were nice folks."
語彙など
- give oneself up to:〜にふける,浸る
- rapture:恍惚,歓喜
- sorrel]栗毛の動物
- abstractedly:ぼんやりと,上の空で
- ponder:思案する,〜を熟考する
- stir:動く,動き出す
- starved:飢えた,欠乏して
- drudgery:つまらない仕事,退屈な骨折れ仕事
- poverty:貧乏
- neglect:無視
- shrewd:明敏な
- between the lines:間接的に,推論によって
- divine:予言する
- delighted:喜んでいる
- prospect:見込み
- what if:もし〜だったらどうなるか
- indulge:願いを叶えてやる
- unaccountable:奇妙な,訳の分からない
- whim:気紛れ
- be set on:〜する気になっている
- teachable:素直な,教えやすい
- rude:無作法な
- slangy:俗語めいた
- ladylike:貴婦人らしい,上品な