解説　場面 204「便りの経緯」

"He found a way out of his difficulties through the chance that Sir Charles, who had conceived a friendship for him, made him the minister of his charity in the case of this unfortunate woman, Mrs. Laura Lyons. By representing himself as a single man he acquired complete influence over her, and he gave her to understand that in the event of her obtaining a divorce from her husband he would marry her. His plans were suddenly brought to a head by his knowledge that Sir Charles was about to leave the Hall on the advice of Dr. Mortimer, with whose opinion he himself pretended to coincide. He must act at once, or his victim might get beyond his power. He therefore put pressure upon Mrs. Lyons to write this letter, imploring the old man to give her an interview on the evening before his departure for London. He then, by a specious argument, prevented her from going, and so had the chance for which he had waited.

「ところが偶然、サー・チャールズが彼に友情を抱き、この不運な女性ローラ・ライオンズ夫人への慈善の仲介役を任せたことで、彼は窮地を抜け出す道を見つけた。独身だと偽って彼女を完全に支配し、夫と離婚できれば自分が結婚すると信じ込ませた。サー・チャールズがモーティマー博士の助言で館を離れようとしていると知り、彼の計画は突然、実行を迫られた。彼自身も博士の意見に賛成するふりをしていた。すぐに行動しなければ、獲物は手の届かないところへ行ってしまうかもしれない。そこでライオンズ夫人に圧力をかけ、ロンドンへ出発する前夜に面会してほしいと老人へ懇願する手紙を書かせた。そのうえで、もっともらしい理屈をつけて彼女が行くのを止め、こうして待ち望んでいた機会を得た。