牧師館の子供達は、マーサ伯母さんが病気の間に家を綺麗にしようと思い立ちました。

"I hope it will be fine to-morrow," said Una, fired with enthusiasm. "Oh, Faith, it will be splendid to be all cleaned up and like other people."

"I hope Aunt Martha's misery will last over to-morrow," said Faith. "If it doesn't we won't get a single thing done."

Faith's amiable wish was fulfilled. The next day found Aunt Martha still unable to rise. Carl, too, was still sick and easily prevailed on to stay in bed.

The world was full of summer sunshine after the rain. It was a peerless day for house-cleaning and Faith and Una went gaily to work.

"We'll clean the dining-room and the parlour," said Faith. "It wouldn't do to meddle with the study, and it doesn't matter much about the upstairs. The first thing is to take everything out."

　　　misery  n.　苦痛、苦しみ

　　　ａmiable  adj.  気立ての優しい

　　　　　　Ex.　an amiable person  好意的な人

     prevail on to  説き伏せて〜させる

　　 peerless  adj.  比類のない、無比の

　　 meddle  vi. いじくり回す

　　　　　　Ex. I don't want you to meddle with my camera.

                ぼくのカメラをいじくり回してもらいたくないな。　　

ユナに懇願され、ミスコーネリアはメアリを引き取るかどうか旦那様に相談します。

 AndSHALL we take this Mary-creature, Marshall?"

"Yes, take her," said Marshall laconically.

"Just like a man," said his wife, despairingly."  'Take her'--as　if that was all.  There are a hundred things to be considered,
believe ME."

"Take her--and we'll consider them afterwards, Cornelia," said her husband.

In the end Miss Cornelia did take her and went up to announce her decision to the Ingleside people first.

"Splendid!" said Anne delightedly. "I've been hoping you would do that very thing, Miss Cornelia. I want that poor child to get a good home. I was a homeless little orphan just like her once."

"I don't think this Mary-creature is or ever will be much like you," retorted Miss Cornelia gloomily. "She's a cat of another colour. But she's also a human being with an immortal soul to save. I've got a shorter catechism and a small tooth comb and I'm going to do my duty by her, now that I've set my hand to the plough, believe me."

   laconically  adv.  簡潔に

   １．I don't think this Mary-creature is much like you .  2.　I don't think this Mary-creature willl be much like you. の二つの文章がorで繋がっています。つまり、メアリって（生き物）子はあなた（アン） みたいじゃないし、（これからも）あなたのようには決してならないと思いますがね。。。という意味になります。

   retort　vt.　言い返す。

　　　　Ex.　"It's no business of yours,"he retorted. 

              「それは君の知ったことではない」と彼は切り替えして言った。

   catechism  n.  教理問答

　 do my duty by her 　彼女に本文を尽くす

ミス・コーネリアはメアリが大きな鱈を手にリラを追いかけているありさまを見た翌日、牧師館に出かけ、メアリに問いただします。

Miss Cornelia descended upon the manse the next day and cross-questioned Mary, who, being a young person of considerable discernment and astuteness, told her story simple and truthfully, with an entire absence of complaint or bravado. Miss Cornelia was more favourably impressed than she had expected to be, but deemed it her duty to be severe.

"Do you think," she said sternly, "that you showed your gratitude to this family, who have been far too kind to you, by insulting and chasing one of their little friends as you did yesterday?"

"Say, it was rotten mean of me," admitted Mary easily. "I dunno what possessed me. That old codfish seemed to come in so blamed handy. But I was awful sorry--I cried last night after I went to bed about it, honest I did.

　　　descend  vi.  （突然）〜に押しかけていく

　　　　　Ex.　His whole family descended on me.

                彼の家族全員が私の所へ押しかけてきた。

　　　cross-question  vt.  詰問する。

　　　discernment  n.  洞察力

　　　astuteness  n.  抜け目のなさ

　　　bravado  n.  から威張り

　　　　　Ex.  with bravado  虚勢をはって

　　　it was rotten mean of me  私はとても悪かったわ。

メアリはリラをからかう妙案を思いつき、巨大な乾し魚をもってリラに飛びかかります。 かわいそうなリラはスーザンから牧師さんへあげるように頼まれた選りすぐりのイチゴの入った籠をとりおとし逃げ出しました。

Mary had a diabolical inspiration. She flew to the "flake" and seized the largest fish there--a huge, flat thing, nearly as big as herself. With a whoop she swooped down on the terrified Rilla, brandishing her weird missile. Rilla's courage gave way.  With a shriek she dropped her basket and fled. The beautiful berries, which Susan had so tenderly selected for the minister, rolled in a rosy torrent over the dusty road and were trodden on by the flying feet of pursuer and pursued. 

　　　diabolical  adj.  極楽非道の、ひどい

　　　flake  n.  魚乾し棚

　　　whoop  n.  ”うわっ”という叫び声

　　　swoop  vi.  飛びかかる

　　　　　　Ex.　The hawk swooped down on its prey. 

　　　　　　　　　タカは獲物をめがけてサーッと舞い降りた。

　　　brandish　ｖi.　振り回す

　　　give way 崩れる

　　　　　　Ex.　His conviction gave way.  彼の確信は崩れ去った。

　　　shriek  n.  悲鳴、かん高い叫び声

　　　　　　Ex. give a shriek of pain  痛くて悲鳴をあげる。

メアリはあたいにとっては、平手打ちなんか撫でられてるようなものよ。と話します。

"A spanking doesn't amount to anything," said Mary contemptuously. "If my folks had just spanked me I'd have thought they were petting me. Well, it ain't a fair world. I wouldn't mind taking my share of wallopings but I've had a darn sight too many."

"※It isn't right to say that word, Mary," said Una reproachfully. "You promised me you wouldn't say it."

"G'way," responded Mary. "If you knew some of the words I COULD say if I liked you wouldn't make such a fuss over darn. And you know very well I hain't ever told any lies since I come here."

"What about all those ghosts you said you saw?" asked Faith.

Mary blushed.

"That was diff'runt," she said defiantly.

　　　contemptuously  adv.  軽蔑して

　　　walloping  n.  ひどく打つこと。

　　　darn＝damn　adj.（俗語）ひどい　Ex.　a damn lie  ひどいうそ

　　　　※darnは汚い言葉なので、 言っちゃいけないととユナはメアリに言っています。

　　　fuss  n.  無用な騒ぎ 

　　　　　Ex.　make a fuss about nothing  つまらぬことに騒ぎ立てる。

　　　defiantly  adv.  反抗的に