『赤毛のアン』を読む(西洋の児童文学を読むB、2022/6/17)(その2)

福西です。

(その1)の続きです。

『英語で楽しむ赤毛のアン』(松本侑子/対訳・解説、the japan times出版)をガイド役に、以下の原文を読みました。

CHAPTER III. Marilla Cuthbert is Surprised

“Matthew Cuthbert, who’s that?” she ejaculated. “Where is the boy?”

“There wasn’t any boy,” said Matthew wretchedly. “There was only her.”

He nodded at the child, remembering that he had never even asked her name.

“No boy! But there must have been a boy,” insisted Marilla. “We sent word to Mrs. Spencer to bring a boy.”

“Well, she didn’t. She brought her. I asked the station-master. And I had to bring her home. She couldn’t be left there, no matter where the mistake had come in.”

“Well, this is a pretty piece of business!” ejaculated Marilla.

During this dialogue the child had remained silent, her eyes roving from one to the other, all the animation fading out of her face. Suddenly she seemed to grasp the full meaning of what had been said. Dropping her precious carpet-bag she sprang forward a step and clasped her hands.

“You don’t want me!” she cried. “You don’t want me because I’m not a boy!

ejaculate(とっさに叫ぶ)という単語が、マリラの様子として繰り返されています。

冒頭からタイトル回収、というわけですね。