解説　場面 3「戸口の騒ぎ」

"Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. I think that I recognise the symptoms. Ha! did I not tell you?" As he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and pulled at our bell until the whole house resounded with the clanging.

「そうだ。おそらく専門家として私に相談しに来るのだろう。症状に覚えがあるよ。ほら！ 言ったとおりだろう？」ホームズが言うそばから、男はぜいぜいと息を切らして私たちの戸口へ駆け込み、家全体に金属音が響き渡るほど激しく呼び鈴を引いた。

A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, still gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and pity. For a while he could not get his words out, but swayed his body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the extreme limits of his reason. Then, suddenly springing to his feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sitting beside him, patted his hand and chatted with him in the easy, soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ.

それからほんの数分後、彼はまだ息を弾ませ、身振りを続けたまま私たちの部屋にいたが、両目には悲しみと絶望の色があまりに濃く固まっていたため、私たちの笑みはたちまち恐怖と同情に変わった。しばらく彼は言葉を絞り出せず、理性の限界まで追い詰められた者のように身体を揺らし、髪をかきむしった。それから突然立ち上がると、たいへんな力で頭を壁に打ちつけたので、私たちは二人とも彼に飛びかかり、部屋の中央へ引き離した。シャーロック・ホームズは彼を肘掛け椅子へ押し戻し、そばに座って手を軽くたたき、使い慣れた穏やかでなだめる調子で話しかけた。