原文
Anne's hungry guests, however, did not seem to think anything was
lacking and they ate the simple viands with apparent enjoyment. But
after the first few moments Anne thought no more of what was or was
not on her bill of fare. Mrs. Morgan's appearance might be somewhat
disappointing, as even her loyal worshippers had been forced to admit to
each other; but she proved to be a delightful conversationalist. She had
traveled extensively and was an excellent storyteller. She had seen
much of men and women, and crystalized her experiences into witty little
sentences and epigrams which made her hearers feel as if they were
listening to one of the people in clever books. But under all her
sparkle there was a strongly felt undercurrent of true, womanly sympathy
and kindheartedness which won affection as easily as her brilliancy
won admiration. Nor did she monopolize the conversation. She could draw
others out as skillfully and fully as she could talk herself, and Anne
and Diana found themselves chattering freely to her. Mrs. Pendexter said
little; she merely smiled with her lovely eyes and lips, and ate chicken
and fruit cake and preserves with such exquisite grace that she conveyed
the impression of dining on ambrosia and honeydew. But then, as Anne
said to Diana later on, anybody so divinely beautiful as Mrs. Pendexter
didn't need to talk; it was enough for her just to LOOK.
語彙など
- lack:欠けている
- viand:ごちそう,種々の食物
- apparent:明らかな
- bill of fare:メニュー,献立表
- appearance:出現,外観
- worshipper:崇拝者
- prove:〜と判明する
- conversationalist:話し上手
- extensively:広範囲に
- crystalize:crystallize(具体化する)
- witty:気の利いた,機知に富んだ
- epigram:短くて人の胸を突く言葉,警句
- sparkle:きらめき
- undercurrent:底流
- sympathy:同情,共感
- kindheartedness:心の優しさ
- affection:好意
- brilliancy:輝き
- monopolize the conversation:話をひとり占めする
- skillfully:巧みに
- chatter:しゃべる
- exquisite:この上なく素晴らしい
- grace:品のよさ,優美
- convey:伝える
- dine on:〜のごちそうになる
- ambrosia:神々の食物,美味
- honeydew:甘露,蜜
- later on:後で
- divinely:神々しく