原文
At half past two Mr. and Mrs. Irving left, and everybody went to Bright
River to see them off on the afternoon train. As Miss Lavendar . . . I
beg her pardon, Mrs. Irving . . . stepped from the door of her old home
Gilbert and the girls threw the rice and Charlotta the Fourth hurled an
old shoe with such excellent aim that she struck Mr. Allan squarely on
the head. But it was reserved for Paul to give the prettiest send-off.
He popped out of the porch ringing furiously a huge old brass dinner
bell which had adorned the dining room mantel. Paul's only motive was to
make a joyful noise; but as the clangor died away, from point and curve
and hill across the river came the chime of "fairy wedding bells,"
ringing clearly, sweetly, faintly and more faint, as if Miss Lavendar's
beloved echoes were bidding her greeting and farewell. And so, amid this
benediction of sweet sounds, Miss Lavendar drove away from the old life
of dreams and make-believes to a fuller life of realities in the busy
world beyond.
語彙など
- see off:見送る
- beg someone's pardon:(人)に謝罪する
- hurl:投げる
- aim:狙い,照準
- squarely:真っ正面に
- reserve:〜を取っておく
- send-off:見送り
- pop:飛び出る
- ring:打ち鳴らす
- brass:真ちゅう
- dinner bell:ディナーベル,食事を知らせる鐘
- adorn:飾る
- mantel:炉棚
- motive:動機
- clangor:カチンカチン
- die away:消えてゆく
- point:先端部
- curve:湾曲部
- chime:チャイム
- fairy:妖精の
- wedding bell:結婚式の鐘
- faintly:かすかに
- beloved:最愛の
- echo:エコー
- bid farewell:いとまを告げる
- amid:〜に囲まれて
- benediction:祝福
- make-believe:架空の,作り事の