原文
"But, oh, Marilla, I really felt that I had tasted the bitterness of
death, as Mr. Allan said in his sermon last Sunday, when I saw Diana go
out alone," she said mournfully that night. "I thought how splendid it
would have been if Diana had only been going to study for the Entrance,
too. But we can't have things perfect in this imperfect world, as Mrs.
Lynde says. Mrs. Lynde isn't exactly a comforting person sometimes, but
there's no doubt she says a great many very true things. And I think the
Queen's class is going to be extremely interesting. Jane and Ruby
are just going to study to be teachers. That is the height of their
ambition. Ruby says she will only teach for two years after she gets
through, and then she intends to be married. Jane says she will devote
her whole life to teaching, and never, never marry, because you are paid
a salary for teaching, but a husband won't pay you anything, and growls
if you ask for a share in the egg and butter money. I expect Jane speaks
from mournful experience, for Mrs. Lynde says that her father is a
perfect old crank, and meaner than second skimmings. Josie Pye says she
is just going to college for education's sake, because she won't have to
earn her own living; she says of course it is different with orphans who
are living on charity--THEY have to hustle. Moody Spurgeon is going to
be a minister. Mrs. Lynde says he couldn't be anything else with a name
like that to live up to. I hope it isn't wicked of me, Marilla, but
really the thought of Moody Spurgeon being a minister makes me laugh.
He's such a funny-looking boy with that big fat face, and his little
blue eyes, and his ears sticking out like flaps. But perhaps he will
be more intellectual looking when he grows up. Charlie Sloane says he's
going to go into politics and be a member of Parliament, but Mrs. Lynde
says he'll never succeed at that, because the Sloanes are all honest
people, and it's only rascals that get on in politics nowadays."
語彙など
- taste:味わう
- bitterness:苦痛
- sermon:説教
- mournfully:悲しげに
- splendid:素晴らしい
- comforting:慰めとなる
- ambition:野心
- get through:終了する
- devote:〜を捧げる
- growl:不平を言う,怒鳴る
- share:分け前
- butter and egg money:money that a farm woman earns. (Farm women would often sell butter and eggs for extra money that would be stashed away for an emergency.)
- mournful:悲しげな
- crank:変人
- mean:けちな
- skimming:上澄み
- for one's sake:〜のために
- earn one's own living:自分で生計を立てる
- live on charity:施しを受けて生きる
- hustle:精を出す
- minister:牧師
- live up to:(期待)に沿う
- wicked:意地の悪い
- funny looking:変な格好の
- fat:太った
- stick out:突き出る
- flap:垂れ蓋,皮膚弁
- intellectual:知的な
- politics:政界
- parliament:議会
- rascal:悪党
- get on:成功する
- nowadays:近ごろ