よみうち英語Read the classics by typingNotes Scene 34: A Machine's Habits
You've finished this scene
Notes on this scene
Holmes startles Windibank by claiming that Hosmer can be found. He explains that typewriters acquire unique defects and points out two revealing features in the visitor’s letter: the letter e prints faintly, while the tail of each r is incomplete.
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
"On the contrary," said Holmes quietly; "I have every reason to believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel."
「それどころか」とホームズは静かに言った。「エンジェルさんを見つけられると信じるだけの十分な理由があります」
Mr. Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves. "I am delighted to hear it," he said.
ウィンディバンクさんは、びくりと大きく身を震わせ、手袋を落とした。「それはうれしいお話です」と彼は言った。
"It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has really quite as much individuality as a man's handwriting. Unless they are quite new, no two of them write exactly alike. Some letters get more worn than others, and some wear only on one side. Now, you remark in this note of yours, Mr. Windibank, that in every case there is some little slurring over of the 'e,' and a slight defect in the tail of the 'r.' There are fourteen other characteristics, but those are the more obvious."
「面白いことに」とホームズは述べた。「タイプライターには、人の筆跡に劣らぬ個性があるのです。まったくの新品でもなければ、どの二台もまるで同じようには打てません。ほかよりすり減る文字もあれば、片側だけすり減るものもあります。さて、ウィンディバンクさん、あなたのこの手紙では、どの箇所でもeに少しかすれがあり、rの末尾のはねにわずかな欠けがあるのがお分かりでしょう。ほかにも十四の特徴がありますが、特に分かりやすいのはこの二つです」
"We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office, and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing keenly at Holmes with his bright little eyes.
「うちの事務所の手紙はすべてこの機械で打ちますから、多少はすり減っているでしょうね」と来客は答え、その明るい小さな目で鋭くホームズを見た。