原文
Valley Road prayer-meetings seemed to be essentially feminine. There
were thirty-two women present, two half-grown boys, and one solitary
man, beside the minister. Anne found herself studying this man. He was
not handsome or young or graceful; he had remarkably long legs--so
long that he had to keep them coiled up under his chair to dispose of
them--and he was stoop-shouldered. His hands were big, his hair wanted
barbering, and his moustache was unkempt. But Anne thought she liked his
face; it was kind and honest and tender; there was something else in it,
too--just what, Anne found it hard to define. She finally concluded that
this man had suffered and been strong, and it had been made manifest
in his face. There was a sort of patient, humorous endurance in his
expression which indicated that he would go to the stake if need be, but
would keep on looking pleasant until he really had to begin squirming.
語彙など
- prayer meeting:祈祷会
- feminine:女性の
- solitary:一人の
- remarkably:並外れて
- coil:ぐるぐる巻く
- dispose:処理する
- stoop-shouldered:猫背の
- barber:整髪をする
- unkempt:手入れのされていない
- tender:優しい
- manifest:明白な
- patient:忍耐強い
- humorous:面白味のある
- endurance:我慢強さ
- go to the stake:自分の信念に殉じる
- squirm:もがいて逃げる,身もだえする