解説　場面 34「廊下へ出る」

Very stealthily we heard it pass along until it died away in the distance. Then the baronet gently opened his door and we set out in pursuit. Already our man had gone round the gallery and the corridor was all in darkness. Softly we stole along until we had come into the other wing. We were just in time to catch a glimpse of the tall, black-bearded figure, his shoulders rounded as he tiptoed down the passage. Then he passed through the same door as before, and the light of the candle framed it in the darkness and shot one single yellow beam across the gloom of the corridor. We shuffled cautiously towards it, trying every plank before we dared to put our whole weight upon it. We had taken the precaution of leaving our boots behind us, but, even so, the old boards snapped and creaked beneath our tread. Sometimes it seemed impossible that he should fail to hear our approach. However, the man is fortunately rather deaf, and he was entirely preoccupied in that which he was doing. When at last we reached the door and peeped through we found him crouching at the window, candle in hand, his white, intent face pressed against the pane, exactly as I had seen him two nights before.

忍びやかな足音が通り過ぎ、遠くで消えるまで聞いていた。それから準男爵がそっと扉を開け、われわれはあとを追った。男はすでに回廊を回っていて、廊下はすっかり暗かった。われわれは静かに忍び歩き、反対側の棟へ入った。背の高い黒ひげの人影が、肩を丸めて通路をつま先立ちで進むのを、辛うじてちらりと見られた。それから前と同じ扉を通ると、ろうそくの光が闇の中にその輪郭を描き、廊下の薄暗がりを、一筋の黄色い光が横切った。われわれは、体重をすべてかける前に板を一枚ずつ確かめながら、用心深くそちらへすり足で進んだ。念のため靴を置いてきていたが、それでも古い板は、踏むたびにぱちぱち、ぎしぎしと鳴った。近づく音が聞こえずに済むはずはないと思えるときもあった。だが幸い、男はかなり耳が遠いうえ、自分のしていることにすっかり気を取られていた。ついに扉にたどり着いてのぞくと、男は窓のそばで身をかがめ、手にろうそくを持ち、真剣な青白い顔を窓ガラスへ押し付けていた。二晩前に見たのと、まったく同じだった。