よみうち英語Read the classics by typingNotes Scene 40: The Return to Town
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Notes on this scene
Holmes plans to speak with Moran and possibly write a short letter before returning for lunch. He asks his companions to walk ahead to the carriage. When they set off for Ross, he still has the stone collected in the wood. He offers it to Lestrade as the murder weapon, although Lestrade sees no marks on it.
Japanese in this scene
- ことによると
- ‘Possibly’ or ‘perhaps.’ This set expression introduces a possibility, here writing a brief letter. It is more tentative than announcing that the letter will certainly be written.
- 歩いていたまえ
- 歩いてい is 歩いて followed by the stem い of いる, expressing continued walking. The separate ending たまえ gives a familiar, somewhat authoritative instruction. In this scene, Holmes tells his companions to keep walking while he attends to his business.
- これで行われた
- で marks the instrument or means: the murder was committed ‘with this.’ 行われた is passive, so the sentence identifies the means while leaving the person who acted unexpressed.
Full text: original English and Japanese translation
"It has been a case of considerable interest," he remarked, returning to his natural manner. "I fancy that this grey house on the right must be the lodge. I think that I will go in and have a word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done that, we may drive back to our luncheon. You may walk to the cab, and I shall be with you presently."
「なかなか興味深い事件だった」と、彼はいつもの様子に戻って言った。「右手のあの灰色の家が、門番の家だろう。入ってモランと一言話し、ことによると、短い手紙を書こうと思う。それが済んだら、昼食を食べに馬車で戻ってもよいだろう。きみたちは馬車まで歩いていたまえ。すぐに追いつくよ」
It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove back into Ross, Holmes still carrying with him the stone which he had picked up in the wood.
十分ほどして私たちは馬車へ戻り、ロスへ向けて走り出した。ホームズはまだ、林で拾った石を持っていた。
"This may interest you, Lestrade," he remarked, holding it out. "The murder was done with it."
「これはきみも興味を引かれるだろう、レストレード」と、彼は石を差し出して言った。「殺人はこれで行われたのだ」
"I see no marks."
「跡は何も見えないが」