よみうち英語Read the classics by typingNotes Scene 32: A Sound at the Door
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Notes on this scene
Holmes says that the affair was never mysterious, though the law offers no suitable punishment for the person responsible. As Watson presses him for the man’s identity and motive, their appointed visitor arrives, interrupting the explanation before it can begin.
Japanese in this scene
- は
- は marks the topic of the sentence and can also contrast it with another topic. It is written ha but normally pronounced wa.
- が
- が marks the grammatical subject or introduces newly focused information. It can also connect clauses with a mild contrast.
- を
- を marks the direct object of a verb. With a movement verb, it can instead mark the route or place being crossed.
- に
- に can mark a destination, target, time, recipient, purpose, or resulting state. The predicate shows its role here.
Full text: original English and Japanese translation
"No, no, the mystery!" I cried.
「いや、いや、あの謎だよ」と私は声を上げた。
"Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. There was never any mystery in the matter, though, as I said yesterday, some of the details are of interest. The only drawback is that there is no law, I fear, that can touch the scoundrel."
「ああ、あれか。いま取り組んでいる塩のことかと思ったのだ。あの件に謎など、初めからなかったよ。もっとも、昨日言ったように、細部には面白いところがある。唯一の難点は、残念ながら、あの悪党を取り締まれる法律がないことだ」
"Who was he, then, and what was his object in deserting Miss Sutherland?"
「では、あの男は誰で、サザーランド嬢を置き去りにした目的は何だったのかい」
The question was hardly out of my mouth, and Holmes had not yet opened his lips to reply, when we heard a heavy footfall in the passage and a tap at the door.
私の口から問いが出たばかりで、ホームズが答えようと口を開く間もなく、廊下に重い足音がして、戸をたたく音が聞こえた。
"This is the girl's stepfather, Mr. James Windibank," said Holmes. "He has written to me to say that he would be here at six. Come in!"
「あの娘さんの継父、ジェームズ・ウィンディバンクさんだ」とホームズは言った。「六時にここへ来ると、手紙をよこしている。どうぞ」