よみうち英語Read the classics by typingNotes Scene 31: The Footpath
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Notes on this scene
Holmes observes that building work seems to be under way at the estate and identifies the house as their destination. The driver points out the village and the manor, explains a shorter footpath, and indicates a woman walking along it. Holmes shades his eyes with one hand and studies the distant figure.
Japanese in this scene
- こんにちは
- こんにちは is the daytime greeting Holmes uses when he and Watson meet Helen near the estate, marking their friendly arrival.
- おそらくストーナーさんだろう
- おそらく combines with だろう to show Holmes making a probable identification from a distance: the woman is likely Miss Stoner.
- がたがた
- がたがた imitates the rattling noise of the two-wheeled carriage as it travels back toward Leatherhead after dropping them off.
- 建築家として、あるいは何か用向きがあって
- あるいは joins two alternative explanations they want the driver to believe: they came as architects, or on some other business.
Background
- stile
- A stile is a set of steps over a fence that lets walkers pass while keeping livestock in. It is common where a public footpath crosses private fields.
Full text: original English and Japanese translation
"There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is where we are going."
「あそこでは建築工事が行われているようだ。私たちが行くのはあそこだ」とホームズは言った。
"There's the village," said the driver, pointing to a cluster of roofs some distance to the left; "but if you want to get to the house, you'll find it shorter to get over this stile, and so by the footpath over the fields. There it is, where the lady is walking."
「村はあれでがすが」と御者は、少し離れた左手に集まった屋根を指さして言った。「お屋敷へ行きなさるなら、この踏み段を越えて、野原の小道を行きなさるのが近道でがす。ほれ、あすこでがす、ご婦人が歩いておいでのところでがす」
"And the lady, I fancy, is Miss Stoner," observed Holmes, shading his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest."
「そして、あの女性は、おそらくストーナーさんだろう」とホームズは、目の上に手をかざしながら言った。「そう、きみの言うとおりにしたほうがよさそうだ」
We got off, paid our fare, and the trap rattled back on its way to Leatherhead.
私たちは馬車を降り、料金を払い、二輪馬車はがたがたとレザーヘッドへ戻っていった。
"I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile, "that this fellow should think we had come here as architects, or on some definite business. It may stop his gossip. Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as our word."
「こうしておくのがよいと思ってね」と、踏み段を登りながらホームズは言った。「あの男には、私たちが建築家として、あるいは何か用向きがあってここへ来たと思わせておけばいい。そうすれば、おしゃべりを封じられるかもしれない。こんにちは、ストーナーさん。ご覧のとおり、約束は守りましたよ」