小説を読みながら、語彙を増やしましょう。
夏目漱石の小説『坊っちゃん』の原文と毛利八十太郎が英訳した “Botchan (Master Darling)” を併せて見ていきます。
【あらすじ】
赤シャツ（教頭）と野だいこ（画学の教師、吉川）から主人公は、生徒たちが彼の赴任を歓迎しているものの、いろいろな事情があってそう簡単にはうまくいかないと聞かされます。
●----------------------------------------------------------
"The students are all glad because you have come. So we want you do your best." Red Shirt this time started something quite alien to fishing. "I don't think they are," I said. "Yes; I don't mean it as flattery. They are, sure. Isn't it so, Mr. Yoshikawa?"
"I should say they are. They're crazy over it," said Clown with an unctuous smile. Strange that whatever Clown says, it makes me itching mad. "But, if you don't look out, there is danger," warned Red Shirt.
"I am fully prepared for all dangers," I replied. In fact, I had made up my mind either to get fired or to make all the students in the dormitory apologize to me.
"If you talk that way, that cuts everything out. Really, as a head teacher, I've been considering what is good for you, and wouldn't like you to mistake it."
"The head teacher is really your friend. And I'm doing what I can for you, though mighty little, because you and I are Yedo kids, and I would like to have you stay with us as long as possible and we can help each other." So said Clown and it sounded almost human. I would sooner hang myself than to get helped by Clown.
"And the students are all glad because you had come, but there are many circumstances," continued Red Shirt. "You may feel angry sometimes but be patient for the present, and I will never do anything to hurt your interests."
"You say 'many circumstances'; what are they?"
"They're rather complicated. Well, they'll be clear to you by and by. You'll understand them naturally without my talking them over. What do you say, Mr. Yoshikawa?"
"Yes, they're pretty complicated; hard to get them cleared up in a jiffy. But they'll become clear by-the-bye. Will be understood naturally without my explaining them," Clown echoed Red Shirt.
unctuous いやに気取った、きざな
itching たまらなく
in a jiffy すぐ
by-the-bye ここでは「徐々に（by and by）」の意味か？
夏目漱石による原文はこちら。
＊＊＊ 慣用句を覚えよう ＊＊＊
Hand（手）‐７
come to one's hand
手に入る、落手する、見つかる
try one's hand
（初めての試みとして）やってみる、腕試しをする
wash one's hands
手を洗う（「便所へ行く」の婉曲語）
with a heavy hand
圧制的に、無情に、不器用に、ぶざまに
with one hand [both hands] (tied) behind one's back [behind one]
（悪条件下でも）楽々と、苦もなく
with (an) open hand
気前よく
with clean hands
潔白で
with one's [someone's] (own) fair hand(s)
美しいお手で、お手ずから、わざわざ（…する）
【参考】
▽青空文庫
