解説　場面 25「地方紙の記事」

"The recent sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose name has been mentioned as the probable Liberal candidate for Mid-Devon at the next election, has cast a gloom over the county. Though Sir Charles had resided at Baskerville Hall for a comparatively short period his amiability of character and extreme generosity had won the affection and respect of all who had been brought into contact with him. In these days of nouveaux riches it is refreshing to find a case where the scion of an old county family which has fallen upon evil days is able to make his own fortune and to bring it back with him to restore the fallen grandeur of his line. Sir Charles, as is well known, made large sums of money in South African speculation. More wise than those who go on until the wheel turns against them, he realised his gains and returned to England with them. It is only two years since he took up his residence at Baskerville Hall, and it is common talk how large were those schemes of reconstruction and improvement which have been interrupted by his death. Being himself childless, it was his openly expressed desire that the whole countryside should, within his own lifetime, profit by his good fortune, and many will have personal reasons for bewailing his untimely end. His generous donations to local and county charities have been frequently chronicled in these columns.

「次の選挙でミッド・デヴォン選挙区の自由党候補となる可能性が取り沙汰されていたチャールズ・バスカヴィル卿の突然の逝去は、州全体を悲しみに沈めた。バスカヴィル館に住んだ期間は比較的短かったが、卿の温厚な人柄と並外れた寛大さは、接したすべての人々の愛情と尊敬を勝ち得ていた。成金の多い昨今、不遇に陥った地方の旧家の子孫が自ら財をなし、それを持ち帰って一族のかつての栄華を取り戻す例を見るのは、すがすがしいことである。周知のとおり、チャールズ卿は南アフリカでの投資によって多額の富を築いた。運が逆転するまで続ける者たちより賢明にも、卿は利益を現金に換え、それを携えてイングランドに帰った。バスカヴィル館に住まいを定めてわずか二年であるが、死によって中断された改築や改良の計画が、いかに大規模であったかは広く語られている。子供のなかった卿は、自分が生きているうちに、地方全体が自分の幸運の恩恵を受けられるようにしたいとの願いを公言していた。その早すぎる最期を、身近な理由から嘆く人も多いだろう。地元や州の慈善事業への寛大な寄付については、本紙でもたびたび報じてきた。