Notes　Scene 36: The Bell-Pull

"Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the tassel actually lying upon the pillow.

「あの呼び鈴はどこにつながっているのです？」と彼はついに、ベッドのそばに垂れ下がった太い呼び鈴の紐、その房が枕の上にまで届いているものを指さして尋ねた。

"It goes to the housekeeper's room."

「家政婦の部屋につながっています」

"It looks newer than the other things?"

「ほかの物より新しいようですね？」

"Yes, it was only put there a couple of years ago."

「ええ、ほんの二年ほど前に付けられたものです」

"Your sister asked for it, I suppose?"

「お姉さんが頼んだのでしょうね？」

"No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we wanted for ourselves."

「いいえ、姉が使ったという話は聞いたことがありません。ほしいものはいつも自分たちで手に入れておりましたから」

"Indeed, it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bell-pull there. You will excuse me for a few minutes while I satisfy myself as to this floor." He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining minutely the cracks between the boards. Then he did the same with the wood-work with which the chamber was panelled. Finally he walked over to the bed and spent some time in staring at it and in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the bell-rope in his hand and gave it a brisk tug.

「なるほど、これほど立派な呼び鈴の紐を、そこに付ける必要はなさそうですね。少しのあいだ失礼しますよ。この床を確かめておきたいのでね」彼は拡大鏡を手にうつ伏せに身を投げ出し、すばやく前後に這いながら、床板の隙間を細かく調べた。次に、部屋に張られた木の壁板も同じように調べた。やがてベッドのところへ歩み寄り、しばらくそれをじっと見つめ、壁を上から下まで目でたどった。最後に、呼び鈴の紐を手に取り、勢いよくぐいと引いた。