Great Success『#17_カンタヴィルの幽霊』

今回のあらすじ

 オーティス一家の幽霊を恐れない反応に対して、幽霊は腹立たしさを感じた。しかしそれ以上に、自分が甲冑の重さに耐えられなかったことに、彼はひどく動揺した。昔はそれを身に着けることができたのだから。

The Canterville Ghost
Original and Japanese translation

He accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh, till the old vaulted roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo died away when a door opened, and Mrs. Otis came out in a light blue dressing-gown.

The Canterville Ghost

 彼はとても恐ろしい笑い方をしました。古いアーチ型の天井が震えるほど。
 しかし、その恐ろしい反響が消えないうちに扉が開いて、ミセスオーティスがライトブルーのガウンを身に着けて現れました。

“I am afraid you are far from well,” she said, “and have brought you a bottle of Doctor Dobell's tincture. If it is indigestion, you will find it a most excellent remedy.”

The Canterville Ghost

「調子が悪いのではありませんか。ドクタードーベルのチンキ剤を持ってきました。消化不良だとしたら、とてもよく効きますよ」

The ghost glared at her in fury, and began at once to make preparations for turning himself into a large black dog, an accomplishment for which he was justly renowned, and to which the family doctor always attributed idiocy of Lord Canterville's uncle, the Hon. Thomas Horton.

The Canterville Ghost

 幽霊は激怒して彼女を睨みつけ、すぐに巨大な黒い犬に姿を変える準備を始めました。

The sound of approaching footsteps, however, made him hesitate in his fell purpose, so he contented himself with becoming faintly phosphorescent, and vanished with a deep churchyard groan, just as the twins had come up to him.

The Canterville Ghost

 しかしながら、近づいてくる足音が幽霊の残忍な狙いを躊躇わせました。
 彼は弱弱しく光ることで満足し、うめき声をあげて姿を消しました。双子が現れたその瞬間に。

On reaching his room he entirely broke down, and became a prey to the most violent agitation.

The Canterville Ghost

 自室に到着すると、彼は崩れ落ちて、激しい動揺に見舞われました。

The vulgarity of the twins, and the gross materialism of Mrs. Otis, were naturally extremely annoying, but what really distressed him most was that he had been unable to wear the suit of mail.

The Canterville Ghost

 双子の下品な行為は極めて腹立たしい行為でした。
 しかし、彼を最も苦悩させたのは、甲冑を身に着けることができなかったことでした。

He had hoped that even modern Americans would be thrilled by the sight of a Spectre in armour, if for no more sensible reason, at least out of respect for their natural poet Longfellow, over whose graceful and attractive poetry he himself had whiled away many a weary hour when the Cantervilles were up in town.

The Canterville Ghost

 近代のアメリカ人たちでさえ甲冑姿の幽霊を見れば感動するだろうと彼は期待していました。カンタヴィル一族が不在の時に、幽霊が読んでいたロングフェローの詩では少なくともそう描かれていました。

Besides it was his own suit.

The Canterville Ghost

 そのうえ、それは彼の自前の甲冑でした。

He had worn it with great success at the Kenilworth tournament, and had been highly complimented on it by no less a person than the Virgin Queen herself.

The Canterville Ghost

 彼はケニルワーストーナメントでその甲冑を着こなして、エリザベス一世に褒められたことがありました。

Yet when he had put it on, he had been completely overpowered by the weight of the huge breastplate and steel casque, and had fallen heavily on the stone pavement, barking both his knees severely, and bruising the knuckles of his right hand.

The Canterville Ghost

 けれども、その甲冑を身に着けたとき、彼は胸当てと兜の重さに完全に押しつぶされました。そして石の床に激しく倒れて、両膝をすりむいて、右手のこぶしを傷つけました。

Reference : The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde(project gutenberg)
English – Japanese parallel text, handwriting-based foreign language learning