カラフル対訳小説　黒馬物語　20　ジョー・グリーン

Joe Green went on very well; he learned quickly, and was so attentive and careful that John began to trust him in many things;

ジョー・グリーンは 非常に順調に成長し、素早く学び、注意深く 徹底したため、ジョンは多くの事柄で彼を信頼し始めたのでございます.

but as I have said, he was small of his age, and it was seldom that he was allowed to exercise either Ginger or me;

しかし、既に申し上げた通り、彼は年齢的に小柄であり、ジンジャーも私も運動させられることは滅多になかったのでございます.

but it so happened one morning that John was out with Justice in the luggage cart, and the master wanted a note to be taken immediately to a gentleman’s house, about three miles distant, and sent his orders for Joe to saddle me and take it, adding the caution that he was to ride steadily.

ところがある朝、ジョンが荷車に乗ったジャスティスと共に外出していると、主人が約3マイル離れた紳士の邸宅へ直ちに便りを届けるよう命じ、ジョーに私に鞍をつけて便りを運ぶよう、さらに「必ず安定して乗れ」と注意を加えておられたのでございます.

The note was delivered, and we were quietly returning when we came to the brick‑field.

その便りは届けられ、我々は静かに帰路についていると、レンガ敷きの畑に差し掛かったのでございます.

Here we saw a cart heavily laden with bricks; the wheels had stuck fast in the stiff mud of some deep ruts, and the carter was flogging the two horses unmercifully.

そこで、レンガをたくさん積んだ馬車があり、車輪は深い轍の硬い泥に固く嵌り、御者が二頭の馬を情け容赦なく叩き続けながら叫んでいたのでございます.

Joe pulled up. It was a sad sight.

ジョーは馬車を止め、その光景は非常に悲惨でございました.

There were the two horses straining and struggling with all their might to drag the cart out, but they could not move it; the sweat streamed from their legs and flanks, their sides heaved, and every muscle was strained, while the man, fiercely pulling at the head of the fore horse, swore and lashed most brutally.

二頭の馬は全力で車を引き出そうと必死にもがいたが、動かすことができず、足や脇から汗が滝のように流れ、胴体が激しく上下し、すべての筋肉が緊張する中、御者は先頭の馬の頭を激しく引っ張り、激しい罵詈雑言と共に鞭を振るったのでございます.

“Hold hard,” said Joe; “don’t go on flogging the horses like that; the wheels are so stuck that they cannot move the cart.”

「しっかり掴め」とジョーは仰ぎ、「あんなふうに馬を叩くな。車輪はあまりに泥に嵌っており、馬車は動かないのだ」とお告げになりました.

The man took no heed, but went on lashing.

御者は全く耳を貸さず、なおも鞭を振るい続けたのでございます.

“Stop! pray stop!” said Joe. “I’ll help you to lighten the cart; they can’t move it now.”

「止まれ！　頼む、止まれ！」とジョーは叫び、「私が車を軽くするのを手伝おう。今は動かないのだ」とお告げになりました.

“Mind your own business, you impudent young rascal, and I’ll mind mine!”

「お前は自分のことに専念しろ、無礼な若造よ、私は私のことに専念する！」とジョーは毅然と言い放ったのでございます.

The man was in a towering passion and the worse for drink, and laid on the whip again.

その御者は激昂し、酒に酔い、再び鞭を振るい続けたのでございます.

Joe turned my head, and the next moment we were going at a round gallop toward the house of the master brick-maker.

ジョーは私の頭を向けさせ、その直後、我々は馬車が円を描くように全速力で、レンガ職人の邸宅へ向かって走り出したのでございます.

I cannot say if John would have approved of our pace, but Joe and I were both of one mind, and so angry that we could not have gone slower.

私は、ジョンが我々のペースを認めたか否かは分かりませぬが、ジョーと私共は心を一つにし、あまりにも激しく怒り、これ以上遅く走ることなど到底できなかったのでございます.

The house stood close by the roadside.

邸宅は道路沿いに近くに立っておりました.

Joe knocked at the door, and shouted, “Halloo! Is Mr. Clay at home?”

ジョーは扉を叩き、「ハロー！　クレイ氏は在宅か？」と叫んだのでございます.

The door was opened, and Mr. Clay himself came out.

扉は開かれ、クレイ氏自身が現れたのでございます.

“Halloo, young man! You seem in a hurry; any orders from the squire this morning?”

「ハロー、若者よ！　急いでいるようだが、今朝は領主から何か命じられたのか？」とクレイ氏が問いかけたのでございます.

“No, Mr. Clay, but there’s a fellow in your brick‑yard flogging two horses to death.

「いいえ、クレイ氏。しかし、貴殿のレンガ置き場で、一人の男が二頭の馬を激しく叩き、死に至らしめようとしております.

I told him to stop, and he wouldn’t; I said I’d help him to lighten the cart, and he wouldn’t; so I have come to tell you.

私は彼に止まるよう命じましたが聞き入れず、車を軽くする手助けをしようと申し上げましたが、やはり拒否されたので、あなたに知らせに参りました.

“Pray, sir, go.” Joe’s voice shook with excitement.

「どうか、先生、お進みください」と。ジョーの声は興奮で震えていたのでございます.

“Thank ye, my lad,” said the man, running in for his hat; then pausing for a moment, “Will you give evidence of what you saw if I should bring the fellow up before a magistrate?”

「ありがとう、坊や」と男は帽子を取りに走りながら仰ぎ、少し間をおいてから「もしその男を 裁判所に引き出すことになったら、君は見たことについて証言してくれるか？」と問われたのでございます.

“That I will,” said Joe, “and glad too.” The man was gone, and we were on our way home at a smart trot.

「もちろんです」とジョーは答え、「喜んで」と続けました。男は去り、我々は軽快な小走りで帰路についたのでございます.

“Why, what’s the matter with you, Joe? You look angry all over,” said John, as the boy flung himself from the saddle.

「さて、ジョー、どうしたのだ？　全身に怒りがにじんでいる」とジョンが問い、坊やは鞍から飛び降りたのでございます.

“I am angry all over, I can tell you,” said the boy, and then in hurried, excited words he told all that had happened.

「全身が怒っている、確かにそうだ」と坊やは言い、慌ただしく興奮した口調で起こった出来事を語り始めたのでございます.

“Right, Joe! you did right, my boy, whether the fellow gets a summons or not.

「その通りだ、ジョー！　君は正しいことをした、坊や。あの男が召喚状を受けるかどうかに関わらず」と.

Many folks would have ridden by and said it was not their business to interfere.

多くの者は通り過ぎ、「余計な干渉はするべきでない」と言ったことでしょう.

Now I say that with cruelty and oppression it is everybody’s business to interfere when they see it; you did right, my boy.”

しかし、今や私は、残酷さと圧制に対しては、誰もが干渉すべきだと申し、君は正しかったと締めくくったのでございます.

Joe was quite calm by this time, and proud that John approved of him, and cleaned out my feet and rubbed me down with a firmer hand than usual.

その頃にはジョーはすっかり落ち着き、ジョンに認められたことを誇りに思い、私の足をきれいにし、拭いて普段よりもしっかりとくださったのでございます.

They were just going home to dinner when the footman came down to the stable to say that Joe was wanted directly in master’s private room; there was a man brought up for ill‑using horses, and Joe’s evidence was wanted.

ちょうど夕餉の帰路につく時、召使いが厩舎に現れ、ジョーを主人の個室に直ちに呼ぶよう告げました；馬を酷使した男が連れて来られ、ジョーの証言が求められていたのでございます.

The boy flushed up to his forehead, and his eyes sparkled. “They shall have it,” said he.

坊やは顔を赤らめ、目が輝き、「彼らにはその報いがあるだろう」と宣言したのでございます.

“Put yourself a bit straight,” said John.

「姿勢を正せ」とジョンは諭すように仰ぎました.

Joe gave a pull at his necktie and a twitch at his jacket, and was off in a moment.

ジョーは自分のネクタイを引っ張り、ジャケットを小突くと、瞬く間に走り去ったのでございます.

Our master being one of the county magistrates, cases were often brought to him to settle, or say what should be done.

我が主人は郡裁判官の一人であり、しばしば事件を裁定するために事例が持ち込まれたのでございます.

In the stable we heard no more for some time, as it was the men’s dinner hour, but when Joe came next into the stable I saw he was in high spirits; he gave me a good‑natured slap, and said, “We won’t see such things done, will we, old fellow?”

厩舎内ではしばらく男性の夕餉の時間のため何も聞こえませんでしたが、その後ジョーが戻ると、非常に機嫌が良く、私に陽気に叩きながら「こんなことは二度と起こらぬだろう、だろうな、老友よ？」と申しました.

We heard afterward that he had given his evidence so clearly, and the horses were in such an exhausted state, bearing marks of such brutal usage, that the carter was committed to take his trial, and might possibly be sentenced to two or three months in prison.

後に、彼が極めて明瞭に証言したと聞かれ、馬たちは酷く疲弊し、残虐な扱いの痕跡を残していたため、御者は裁判にかけられ、2～3ヶ月の禁錮刑を宣告される可能性があると伝えられたのでございます.

It was wonderful what a change had come over Joe.

ジョーに起こった変化は実に驚嘆に値するものでございました.

John laughed, and said he had grown an inch taller in that week, and I believe he had.

ジョンは笑い、「あの一週間で君は一インチも背が伸びた」と仰り、実際そうであったと信じております.

He was just as kind and gentle as before, but there was more purpose and determination in all that he did—as if he had jumped at once from a boy into a man.

彼は以前と変わらず親切で温和でございましたが、その行動にはより明確な目的と決意が感じられ、まるで一瞬にして少年から大人へと成長したかのようでございました.