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。
