Scene 01 · Notes

Notes　Scene 1: A Telegram at Breakfast

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Notes on this scene

A telegram interrupts Watson's breakfast with his wife. Holmes has been summoned to investigate a tragedy in Boscombe Valley and asks Watson to join him for two days. The train leaves Paddington at eleven fifteen. Watson is interested, but the number of patients awaiting his attention makes him hesitate.

Japanese in this scene

空あけられるか
空ける means to make something free or available. 空けられる is its potential form: ‘can you free up?’ The final か makes Holmes's request a direct, familiar question.
同行どうこうしてくれればうれしい
The conditional 〜てくれれば presents an action done for the speaker: ‘if you would accompany me.’ Adding うれしい expresses the request through the pleasure it would give Holmes.
いるんだ
んだ is the conversational form of のだ. Watson uses it to explain his hesitation: the problem is that he has patients. いる is used for people and other living beings.

Full text: original English and Japanese translation

We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the maid brought in a telegram. It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran in this way:

ある朝、妻と二人で朝食の席に着いていると、女中が電報を持ってきた。シャーロック・ホームズからで、文面はこうだった。

"Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery perfect. Leave Paddington by the 11:15."

「二日ほど時間を空けられるか。ボスコム谷の惨劇に関して、イングランド西部から電報で呼ばれたところだ。同行してくれればうれしい。空気も景色も申し分なし。パディントンを十一時十五分の列車で出発する」

"What do you say, dear?" said my wife, looking across at me. "Will you go?"

「どうするの、あなた」と妻は向かいから私を見て言った。「行くの」

"I really don't know what to say. I have a fairly long list at present."

「どう答えたものか、本当に分からないよ。今は診る患者がかなり大勢いるんだ」

Japanese words in this scene (with English meanings; ☆ saves a word)

  • 惨劇（さんげき） — tragedy; tragic incidenthard
  • 女中（じょちゅう） — female domestic servant; maid
  • 電報（でんぽう） — telegram
  • 文面（ぶんめん） — wording; contents of a letter
  • 空ける（あける） — to free up; to empty
  • に関して（にかんして） — Concerning or regarding the preceding topic.
  • 呼ぶ（よぶ） — to summon; to call
  • 同行する（どうこうする） — to accompany; to go together

Next scene: Meeting at the Station

Watson's wife suggests that someone else could cover his work and that a change might do him good. There is little time before departure: if he is going, he must pack at once. Accustomed to travel, Watson prepares his bag and heads for the station. On the platform, Holmes is walking about in his long gray traveling cloak.

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