Scene 17 · Notes

Notes　Scene 17: Checking the Distances

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Notes on this scene

James confirms that the unidentified object had disappeared before he left to fetch help. He places it about twelve yards from both the body and the wood's edge. Someone removing it would therefore have been within twelve yards of him. James explains that his back was turned toward it, and the questioning ends.

Japanese in this scene

何なにだったかは言いえない: 何だったか embeds the question ‘what was it?’ inside a larger statement. は marks that question as the topic, and 言えない means ‘cannot say,’ leaving the object's identity uncertain.
どのくらい離はなれていましたか: どのくらい asks about an amount or degree. With 離れている, it asks how far apart things are. The past polite form places that distance in the circumstances James remembers.
背せを向むけていました: 背を向ける means to turn one's back toward something. The ていました form describes James's position during the relevant interval, explaining why he did not see whether someone removed the object.

Full text: original English and Japanese translation

"'Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help?'

『助けを呼びに行く前に、それがなくなったという意味ですか』

"'Yes, it was gone.'

『はい、なくなっていました』

"'You cannot say what it was?'

『何だったかは言えないのですね』

"'No, I had a feeling something was there.'

『はい、何かがあった気がするというだけです』

"'How far from the body?'

『遺体からどのくらい離れていましたか』

"'A dozen yards or so.'

『十二ヤードほどです』

"'And how far from the edge of the wood?'

『それでは、森の端からはどのくらいですか』

"'About the same.'

『同じくらいです』

"'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen yards of it?'

『すると、もし誰かが持ち去ったなら、あなたがそこから十二ヤード以内にいる間だったのですね』

"'Yes, but with my back towards it.'

『はい、ただ、私はそちらに背を向けていました』

"This concluded the examination of the witness."

これで証人への尋問は終わった」

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

呼ぶ（よぶ） — to summon; to call
なくなる — to disappear; to be gone
という — Introduces a name, quotation, or description of a noun.
いう — to say; to call; to mean
遺体（いたい） — body of a dead person; human remains
十二（じゅうに） — 12; Japanese numeral
ヤード — yard; unit of length
持ち去る（もちさる） — to carry away; to take away

Next scene: After the Statement

After finishing the article, Watson points out the coroner's stern view of the young man. The father's call, the unanswered question, and the dying words all enter their discussion. On the train, the two friends consider which parts of the testimony should carry the most weight. Eventually Holmes reaches away from the newspapers and turns to another book.

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