よみうち英語Read the classics by typingNotes Scene 57: In Pitch Darkness
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Notes on this scene
The waiting men disappear into absolute darkness. Watson keeps his revolver ready behind a crate. Holmes explains that the single escape route passes through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square, and Jones confirms that police officers are stationed at the front door to block it.
Japanese in this scene
- ていた
- The 〜ていた form is the past of 〜ている. It describes an action that was in progress or a state that continued at the time being discussed.
- ような
- ような links a comparison or example to a following noun: “like; such as.” It is the noun-modifying form corresponding to ように.
- しか
- しか appears with a negative predicate and means “only; nothing but.” Even though the English meaning is positive, the Japanese sentence must remain negative.
- は
- は marks the topic of a sentence and can also set up a contrast with another item.
Background
- Dark lantern
- A dark lantern had a sliding shutter that blocked its light without extinguishing the flame. Police and watchmen could carry it at night and reveal the beam only when needed.
Full text: original English and Japanese translation
I placed my revolver, cocked, upon the top of the wooden case behind which I crouched. Holmes shot the slide across the front of his lantern and left us in pitch darkness—such an absolute darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot metal remained to assure us that the light was still there, ready to flash out at a moment's notice. To me, with my nerves worked up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and subduing in the sudden gloom, and in the cold dank air of the vault.
私は撃鉄を起こした拳銃を、身をかがめて隠れた木箱の上に置いた。ホームズがランタンの前の遮光板をさっと閉めると、私たちは真っ暗闇の中に取り残された――これまで味わったことのない、まったくの暗闇だった。熱くなった金属のにおいが残っていて、明かりがまだそこにあり、いつでもぱっと照らし出せることを私たちに知らせていた。期待に神経が張りつめていた私には、急に訪れた闇にも、地下室の冷たくじめじめした空気にも、何か気を滅入らせ、押しつぶすようなものが感じられた。
"They have but one retreat," whispered Holmes. "That is back through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square. I hope that you have done what I asked you, Jones?"
「連中の逃げ道はひとつしかない」とホームズがささやいた。「家の中を抜けて、サックス・コバーグ・スクエアへ戻る道だ。頼んでおいたことは済ませてくれただろうね、ジョーンズ？」
"I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door."
「表の戸口には、警部を一人と巡査を二人待たせてありますな」