Scene 44 · Notes

Notes　Scene 44: Across the Sea

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Notes on this scene

Holmes has confirmed that the captain and two mates are the ship’s only native-born Americans and were ashore the previous night. He plans to send the warning by faster mail and notify the police at the ship’s destination by telegraph.

Japanese in this scene

ている
The 〜ている form can show an action in progress, a continuing state, or the result of a completed action. The surrounding sentence decides which meaning applies.
のだ
のだ adds explanation or emphasis. In conversation it often appears as んだ.
それで
それで is used here as conjunction. In this context it means “so.”

Full text: original English and Japanese translation

"What will you do, then?"

「それで、どうするつもりだい」

"Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship. The others are Finns and Germans. I know, also, that they were all three away from the ship last night. I had it from the stevedore who has been loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-ship reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder."

「もう、私の手は彼に届いている。調べたところ、船内でアメリカ生まれなのは、彼と二人の航海士だけだ。ほかはフィンランド人とドイツ人だ。三人とも昨夜は船を離れていたことも分かっている。積み荷を積んでいた港湾労働者から聞いたのだ。やつらの帆船がサヴァンナへ着くころには、郵便船がこの手紙を運び終え、海底電信がサヴァンナの警察へ、この三人の紳士が殺人の容疑で、こちらから強く身柄を求められていることを知らせ終えているだろう」

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

  • のだ — the expectation is that ...; the reason is that ...; the fact is that ...; the explanation is that ...hard
  • ら — pluralizing suffix; or so; rough indicator of direction, location, amount, etc.; nominalizing suffixhard
  • 電信（でんしん） — (electric) telegraph; telegraphy; telegraphic communication; telegramhard
  • だい — Marks an informal question, often after a question word.
  • 私（わたし） — I; me
  • 彼（かれ） — he; him
  • 調べ（しらべ） — investigation; inspection; examination; tune
  • た — past-tense auxiliary

Next scene: Waiting for News

Holmes has completed his investigation and made his arrangements toward a distant port. All that remains is to wait for later news. Watson adds to his record what was eventually learned about the vessel they had followed. Across the stormy seasonal seas, what message will arrive? The narrative turns to its final report.

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