原文
Anne, by dint of talking over her shoulder to the girls and occasionally
passing a sop of civility to Billy--who grinned and chuckled and never
could think of any reply until it was too late--contrived to enjoy the
drive in spite of all. It was a night for enjoyment. The road was full
of buggies, all bound for the hotel, and laughter, silver clear, echoed
and reechoed along it. When they reached the hotel it was a blaze of
light from top to bottom. They were met by the ladies of the concert
committee, one of whom took Anne off to the performers' dressing room
which was filled with the members of a Charlottetown Symphony Club,
among whom Anne felt suddenly shy and frightened and countrified. Her
dress, which, in the east gable, had seemed so dainty and pretty, now
seemed simple and plain--too simple and plain, she thought, among all
the silks and laces that glistened and rustled around her. What were her
pearl beads compared to the diamonds of the big, handsome lady near her?
And how poor her one wee white rose must look beside all the hothouse
flowers the others wore! Anne laid her hat and jacket away, and shrank
miserably into a corner. She wished herself back in the white room at
Green Gables.
語彙など
- by dint of:〜の力で,〜によって
- occasionally:時たま
- sop:譲歩
- civility:礼儀
- grin:ニャッと笑う,にっこり笑う
- chuckle:くすくすと笑う
- reply:返事,応答
- contrive to:どうにかして〜する
- in spite of:〜にもかかわらず
- buggy:バギー,一頭立て軽装馬車
- bound for:〜行きの
- silver:澄んだ
- echo:(音が)こだまする
- blaze:炎
- committee:委員会
- countrified:田舎じみた,粗野な
- dainty:優美な,上品な
- glisten:きらめく
- rustle:衣擦れの音をさせる,サラサラと鳴る
- pearl:真珠の
- beads:ネックレス
- compared to:〜と比べると
- wee:小さい,ちっぽけな
- beside:〜のそばで
- hothouse:温室栽培の
- jacket:ジャケット,上着
- shrink:縮まる,尻込みする
- miserably:惨めに