原文
But suddenly, as her dilated, frightened eyes gazed out over the
audience, she saw Gilbert Blythe away at the back of the room, bending
forward with a smile on his face--a smile which seemed to Anne at once
triumphant and taunting. In reality it was nothing of the kind. Gilbert
was merely smiling with appreciation of the whole affair in general and
of the effect produced by Anne's slender white form and spiritual face
against a background of palms in particular. Josie Pye, whom he had
driven over, sat beside him, and her face certainly was both triumphant
and taunting. But Anne did not see Josie, and would not have cared if
she had. She drew a long breath and flung her head up proudly, courage
and determination tingling over her like an electric shock. She WOULD
NOT fail before Gilbert Blythe--he should never be able to laugh at her,
never, never! Her fright and nervousness vanished; and she began her
recitation, her clear, sweet voice reaching to the farthest corner of
the room without a tremor or a break. Self-possession was fully restored
to her, and in the reaction from that horrible moment of powerlessness
she recited as she had never done before. When she finished there were
bursts of honest applause. Anne, stepping back to her seat, blushing
with shyness and delight, found her hand vigorously clasped and shaken
by the stout lady in pink silk.
語彙など
- dilated:拡大した
- frightened:おびえた
- gaze out:外を見つめる
- audience:聴衆
- bend forward:身を乗り出す
- triumphant:勝ち誇った
- taunt:あざける,冷やかす
- in reality:実際には
- merely:ただ単に
- appreciation:好意的評価
- in general:一般的に言って,総じて
- slender:ほっそりした
- spiritual:崇高な
- palm:椰子,シュロ
- in particular:とりわけ
- care:気にかける
- draw a long breath:深く息を吸う
- flung up:上げる
- proudly:堂々と
- tingle:チクチクする
- electric shock:電撃
- fright:恐怖
- nervousness:緊張感
- vanish:消える
- recitation:朗読
- tremor:震え
- self-possession:沈着,冷静
- burst:爆発
- applause:拍手
- blush:顔を赤らめる
- vigorously:力強く
- clasp:握りしめる
- stout lady:でっぷりした婦人