よみうち英語Read the classics by typingNotes Scene 30: The Landlord
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Notes on this scene
Wilson questions people throughout the building, but none has heard of the League. The landlord also denies knowing either the organization or Duncan Ross. Only when Wilson describes the tenant of room four does the landlord recognize him as the red-haired man who rented the office.
Japanese in this scene
- という
- という connects quoted words, a name, or an idea to the noun that follows. Depending on context, it can mean “called,” “that,” or “the idea that.”
- と
- と after a complete statement can mark a quotation: “that….” It also means “with” between nouns, so the surrounding grammar matters.
- に
- に marks a target, destination, time, recipient, or resulting state. Its exact English equivalent depends on the predicate it accompanies.
- で
- で commonly marks the place of an action or the means used: “at; in; by; with.” It can also be the connective form of the copula だ.
Background
- Ground floor
- In British usage, the street-level floor is the ground floor; the first floor is one level above it. The accountant-landlord therefore occupies the lowest floor of the office building.
Full text: original English and Japanese translation
"I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything about it. Finally, I went to the landlord, who is an accountant living on the ground floor, and I asked him if he could tell me what had become of the Red-headed League. He said that he had never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan Ross was. He answered that the name was new to him.
「私はもう、呆然としてしまいましてね。どうしていいかわかりませんでした。それで近所の事務所を回って尋ねてみたんですが、どこも何も知らないようでした。しまいに、一階に住んでいる会計士の大家のところへ行って、赤毛組合がどうなったのか教えてもらえないかと尋ねました。ところが、そんな団体は聞いたこともないと言うんです。そこで、ダンカン・ロスさんとはどういう人かと尋ねました。初めて聞く名前だ、という答えでした。
"'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.'
「『ほら』と私は言いました。『四号室の紳士ですよ』
"'What, the red-headed man?'
「『なんだって、あの赤毛の男かね？』
"'Yes.'
「『ええ』