原文
Anne picked up her orchids and went downstairs, where Aunt Jamesina was
presiding over a row of coats hung before the fire to warm. Roy Gardner
was waiting for Anne and teasing the Sarah-cat while he waited. The
Sarah-cat did not approve of him. She always turned her back on him.
But everybody else at Patty's Place liked him very much. Aunt Jamesina,
carried away by his unfailing and deferential courtesy, and the pleading
tones of his delightful voice, declared he was the nicest young man she
ever knew, and that Anne was a very fortunate girl. Such remarks made
Anne restive. Roy's wooing had certainly been as romantic as girlish
heart could desire, but--she wished Aunt Jamesina and the girls would
not take things so for granted. When Roy murmured a poetical compliment
as he helped her on with her coat, she did not blush and thrill as
usual; and he found her rather silent in their brief walk to Redmond.
He thought she looked a little pale when she came out of the coeds'
dressing room; but as they entered the reception room her color and
sparkle suddenly returned to her. She turned to Roy with her gayest
expression. He smiled back at her with what Phil called "his deep,
black, velvety smile." Yet she really did not see Roy at all. She was
acutely conscious that Gilbert was standing under the palms just across
the room talking to a girl who must be Christine Stuart.
語彙など
- pick up:手に取る
- orchid:ラン
- preside:取りしきる
- row:列
- tease:からかう
- approve:承認する
- turn one's back on:〜を無視する
- carry away:夢中にさせる
- unfailing:変わることのない
- deferential:うやうやしい
- courtesy:礼儀正しさ
- pleading:訴えるような
- tone:口調
- restive:イライラした
- wooing:求愛
- take ~ for granted:〜を当然と考える
- compliment:賛辞
- blush:赤面する
- as usual:いつものように
- coed:男女共学の
- sparkle:輝き
- gay:陽気な
- velvety:ビロードのような
- conscious:意識する
- palm:椰子,ヤシ