解説　場面 153「帰り道へ」

But I was eager to get back to my charge. The melancholy of the moor, the death of the unfortunate pony, the weird sound which had been associated with the grim legend of the Baskervilles, all these things tinged my thoughts with sadness. Then on the top of these more or less vague impressions there had come the definite and distinct warning of Miss Stapleton, delivered with such intense earnestness that I could not doubt that some grave and deep reason lay behind it. I resisted all pressure to stay for lunch, and I set off at once upon my return journey, taking the grass-grown path by which we had come.

だが、私は自分が守る相手の所へ早く戻りたかった。荒れ地の物悲しさ、不幸な小馬の死、バスカヴィル家の不気味な伝説と結びつけられた異様な音。すべてが、私の考えを悲しみに染めていた。そうした多かれ少なかれ漠然とした印象に、ステイプルトン嬢の明確ではっきりした警告が重なった。あれほど切実で真剣に伝えられれば、背後に重大で深い理由があるのは疑えなかった。昼食に残るよう勧められても断り、来た時の草の小道をたどって、すぐ帰途についた。

It seems, however, that there must have been some short cut for those who knew it, for before I had reached the road I was astounded to see Miss Stapleton sitting upon a rock by the side of the track. Her face was beautifully flushed with her exertions and she held her hand to her side.

だが、知る者には近道があったらしい。車道に着く前、道端の岩にステイプルトン嬢が座っているのを見て、私は仰天した。走ったために顔は美しく紅潮し、脇腹に手を当てていた。

"I have run all the way in order to cut you off, Dr. Watson," said she. "I had not even time to put on my hat. I must not stop, or my brother may miss me. I wanted to say to you how sorry I am about the stupid mistake I made in thinking that you were Sir Henry. Please forget the words I said, which have no application whatever to you."

「先回りするため、ずっと走ってきました、ワトソン先生」と彼女は言った。「帽子をかぶる暇もありませんでした。長くはいられません。兄が私の不在に気づきます。あなたをヘンリー卿と思い込んだ、愚かな間違いをおわびしたかったのです。お話しした言葉は、先生には何の関わりもありませんから、どうぞ忘れてください」