よみうち英語Read the classics by typingNotes Scene 8: The Day and Hour
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Notes on this scene
Whitney recognizes Watson but is badly shaken and has lost all sense of time. He asks the hour and even the day, insisting it must still be Wednesday when Watson tells him it is Friday night. Watson watches him struggle with the truth.
Japanese in this scene
- 水曜日だと思っていたのに
- 〜と思っていた reports Whitney's mistaken belief. Sentence-final のに conveys his shocked contrast with the actual Friday.
- 甲高い声で泣き始めた
- The verb stem plus 始めた marks the onset of an action: Whitney suddenly begins to cry in a shrill voice.
- この二日間、きみを待っている
- 〜ている presents Kate's waiting as continuing through the present, and この二日間 states its duration.
- 恥ずかしいと思わなくてはいけない
- 〜なくてはいけない expresses what Whitney ought to do: Watson tells him he should be ashamed.
Full text: original English and Japanese translation
"My God! It's Watson," said he. He was in a pitiable state of reaction, with every nerve in a twitter. "I say, Watson, what o'clock is it?"
「なんてことだ。ワトソンじゃないか」と彼は言った。薬の反動で、全身の神経が震えるような、気の毒な状態だった。「おい、ワトソン、今何時だ」
"Nearly eleven."
「もうすぐ十一時だよ」
"Of what day?"
「何曜日の」
"Of Friday, June 19th."
「六月十九日、金曜日のだ」
"Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What d'you want to frighten a chap for?" He sank his face onto his arms and began to sob in a high treble key.
「そんなばかな。水曜日だと思っていたのに。今日は水曜日だ。どうして人を脅かすんだ」彼は両腕に顔を伏せ、甲高い声で泣き始めた。
"I tell you that it is Friday, man. Your wife has been waiting this two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!"
「いいかい、金曜日なんだ。奥さんはこの二日間、きみを待っているんだよ。恥ずかしいと思わなくてはいけない」