原文
"That," she said, pointing to the picture--a rather vivid chromo
entitled, "Christ Blessing Little Children"--"and I was just imagining I
was one of them--that I was the little girl in the blue dress, standing
off by herself in the corner as if she didn't belong to anybody, like
me. She looks lonely and sad, don't you think? I guess she hadn't any
father or mother of her own. But she wanted to be blessed, too, so she
just crept shyly up on the outside of the crowd, hoping nobody would
notice her--except Him. I'm sure I know just how she felt. Her heart
must have beat and her hands must have got cold, like mine did when I
asked you if I could stay. She was afraid He mightn't notice her. But
it's likely He did, don't you think? I've been trying to imagine it all
out--her edging a little nearer all the time until she was quite close
to Him; and then He would look at her and put His hand on her hair and
oh, such a thrill of joy as would run over her! But I wish the artist
hadn't painted Him so sorrowful looking. All His pictures are like that,
if you've noticed. But I don't believe He could really have looked so
sad or the children would have been afraid of Him."
語彙など
- point to:〜を指し示す
- vivid:鮮やかな
- chromo:=chromolithograph(クロモ石版刷りの絵)
- entitle:表題をつける
- in the corner:隅に,隅の
- belong to:〜に属する,仲間である
- lonely:寂しい
- be bless:祝福される
- creep up on:〜にこっそり近づく
- shyly:恥ずかしそうに
- crowd:群集
- beat:打つ
- likely:ありそうな
- all out:すっかり
- edge:少しずつ進む
- all the time:ずっと
- thrill of joy:ワクワクするような喜び
- run over:〜の上を流れる
- sorrowful:悲しげな