The other boys were puzzled and annoyed by her obvious interest in him, for they knew Charles was too shy to hitch two consecutive words together, and politeness was being severely strained to conceal their growing rage.

别的小伙子显然被她对查尔斯的这种偏爱所激怒，而且给弄得糊里糊涂，因为他们知道查尔斯为人那么羞怯，一口气说不出两个字、一句的话来，可是出于礼貌，他们不得不强压着心头的怒火。