解説　場面 183「道の先の動き」

With long bounds the huge black creature was leaping down the track, following hard upon the footsteps of our friend. So paralyzed were we by the apparition that we allowed him to pass before we had recovered our nerve. Then Holmes and I both fired together, and the creature gave a hideous howl, which showed that one at least had hit him. He did not pause, however, but bounded onward. Far away on the path we saw Sir Henry looking back, his face white in the moonlight, his hands raised in horror, glaring helplessly at the frightful thing which was hunting him down. But that cry of pain from the hound had blown all our fears to the winds. If he was vulnerable he was mortal, and if we could wound him we could kill him. Never have I seen a man run as Holmes ran that night. I am reckoned fleet of foot, but he outpaced me as much as I outpaced the little professional. In front of us as we flew up the track we heard scream after scream from Sir Henry and the deep roar of the hound. I was in time to see the beast spring upon its victim, hurl him to the ground, and worry at his throat. But the next instant Holmes had emptied five barrels of his revolver into the creature's flank. With a last howl of agony and a vicious snap in the air, it rolled upon its back, four feet pawing furiously, and then fell limp upon its side. I stooped, panting, and pressed my pistol to the dreadful, shimmering head, but it was useless to press the trigger. The giant hound was dead.

巨大な黒い怪物は大きく跳びはねながら小道を駆け下り、私たちの友人の足跡を激しく追っていた。私たちはその幻影にあまりにまひしたため、正気を取り戻す前にそれを通過させてしまった。それからホームズと私は同時に発砲し、怪物はおぞましい遠ぼえを上げた。少なくとも一発は命中したのだ。しかし怪物は立ち止まらず、そのまま跳びはねて前進した。遠くの小道ではサー・ヘンリーが振り返り、月光に顔を青白く照らされ、恐怖に両手を上げて、自分を狩り立てる恐ろしいものをなすすべもなく見つめていた。しかし猟犬が上げた苦痛の叫びは、私たちの恐怖をすっかり吹き飛ばした。傷つけられるなら死すべき存在であり、傷を負わせられるなら殺すこともできる。あの夜のホームズほど速く走る人間を、私は一度も見たことがない。私は足が速いと評判だが、私が小柄な職業探偵を引き離すのと同じほど、ホームズは私を引き離した。私たちが小道を飛ぶように駆け上がる間、前方からサー・ヘンリーの叫び声が次々と聞こえ、猟犬の低いほえ声が響いた。私はかろうじて、怪物が獲物へ跳びかかり、地面へ投げ倒し、その喉にかぶりつくのを見た。しかし次の瞬間、ホームズが回転式拳銃の五発を怪物の脇腹へたたき込んだ。怪物は最後の苦痛の遠ぼえを上げ、虚空へ凶暴にかみついた後、あお向けに転がって四本の足で激しく空をかき、やがて力が抜けて横倒しになった。私は息を切らしながら身をかがめ、恐ろしくきらめく頭へ拳銃を押し当てたが、引き金を引いても無駄だった。巨大な猟犬は死んでいた。