原文
"Well, when you can combine patriotism and fun, isn't it all right? Of
course it's real nice to be getting up a concert. We're going to have
six choruses and Diana is to sing a solo. I'm in two dialogues--'The
Society for the Suppression of Gossip' and 'The Fairy Queen.' The boys
are going to have a dialogue too. And I'm to have two recitations,
Marilla. I just tremble when I think of it, but it's a nice thrilly kind
of tremble. And we're to have a tableau at the last--'Faith, Hope and
Charity.' Diana and Ruby and I are to be in it, all draped in white with
flowing hair. I'm to be Hope, with my hands clasped--so--and my eyes
uplifted. I'm going to practice my recitations in the garret. Don't be
alarmed if you hear me groaning. I have to groan heartrendingly in one
of them, and it's really hard to get up a good artistic groan, Marilla.
Josie Pye is sulky because she didn't get the part she wanted in
the dialogue. She wanted to be the fairy queen. That would have been
ridiculous, for who ever heard of a fairy queen as fat as Josie? Fairy
queens must be slender. Jane Andrews is to be the queen and I am to be
one of her maids of honor. Josie says she thinks a red-haired fairy is
just as ridiculous as a fat one, but I do not let myself mind what Josie
says. I'm to have a wreath of white roses on my hair and Ruby Gillis
is going to lend me her slippers because I haven't any of my own. It's
necessary for fairies to have slippers, you know. You couldn't imagine
a fairy wearing boots, could you? Especially with copper toes? We are
going to decorate the hall with creeping spruce and fir mottoes with
pink tissue-paper roses in them. And we are all to march in two by two
after the audience is seated, while Emma White plays a march on the
organ. Oh, Marilla, I know you are not so enthusiastic about it as I am,
but don't you hope your little Anne will distinguish herself?"
語彙など
- combine:組み合わせる
- patriotism:愛国心
- get up:催す
- dialogue:対話劇
- recitation:朗読
- tremble:身震いする
- tableau:(幕を情景で分けた)場,劇的場面
- draped in white:白布で飾った
- clasp:握りしめる
- uplift:持ち上げる
- garret:屋根裏部屋
- groan:うめく
- heartrendingly:胸を引き裂くように
- get up:〜の準備をする
- artistic:芸術的な,巧みな
- sulky:不機嫌な
- fairy queen:妖精の女王
- ridiculous:ばかげた,おかしな
- slender:ほっそりした
- wreath:花輪,冠,花,花冠,輪状のもの
- copper:銅
- toe:つま先,先端
- creeping:這い回る
- spruce:トウヒ,マツ科トウヒ属の常緑高木
- motto:標語,題字
- two by two:二つずつ,二人ずつ
- distinguish oneself:目立つ,有名になる