解説　場面 26「フローラとの関係」

Lord St. Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. "We have been on a friendly footing for some years—I may say on a very friendly footing. She used to be at the Allegro. I have not treated her ungenerously, and she had no just cause of complaint against me, but you know what women are, Mr. Holmes. Flora was a dear little thing, but exceedingly hot-headed and devotedly attached to me. She wrote me dreadful letters when she heard that I was about to be married, and, to tell the truth, the reason why I had the marriage celebrated so quietly was that I feared lest there might be a scandal in the church. She came to Mr. Doran's door just after we returned, and she endeavoured to push her way in, uttering very abusive expressions towards my wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the possibility of something of the sort, and I had two police fellows there in private clothes, who soon pushed her out again. She was quiet when she saw that there was no good in making a row."

セント・サイモン卿は肩をすくめ、眉を上げた。「数年来、親しい間柄でした――きわめて親しい間柄だった、と言ってもよいでしょう。以前はアレグロ劇場にいました。私は彼女を薄情に扱ったことはなく、私に不満を訴える正当な理由はありません。しかし、女性というものはお分かりでしょう、ホームズさん。フローラはかわいらしい娘でしたが、ひどく短気で、私に一途に思いを寄せていました。私が結婚すると聞くと、恐ろしい手紙を何通も送ってきました。実を言えば、教会で騒ぎが起きるのを恐れたからこそ、式をあれほど内輪にしたのです。私たちが戻った直後、彼女はドラン氏の家の玄関に現れ、中へ押し入ろうとしました。妻に向けてひどい言葉を吐き、脅しさえしたのです。しかし私はそのような事態を予想し、私服の警官を二人置いていたので、すぐに彼女を外へ押し戻しました。騒ぎを続けても無駄だと分かると、彼女はおとなしくなりました」

"Did your wife hear all this?"

「奥様は、この騒ぎをすべて聞いたのですか？」