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】
氷水の代金を返そうと山嵐を待ち構えている主人公は、赤シャツ（教頭）から前日の山嵐についての陰口を口止めされ、どうか騒動を起こさないようにと頼まれます。
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I had been thinking of paying that one sen and a half as soon as I entered the room, and had brought the coppers to the school grasped in my hand. My hands get easily sweaty, and when I opened my hand, I found them wet. Thinking that Porcupine might say something if wet coins were given him, I placed them upon my desk, and cooled them by blowing in them. Then Red Shirt came to me and said he was sorry to detain me yesterday, thought I have been annoyed. I told him I was not annoyed at all, only I was hungry. Thereupon Red Shirt put his elbows upon the desk, brought his sauce-pan-like face close to my nose, and said; "Say, keep dark what I told you yesterday in the boat. You haven't told it anybody, have you?" He seems quite a nervous fellow as becoming one who talks in a feminish voice. It was certain that I had not told it to anybody, but as I was in the mood to tell it and had already one sen and a half in my hand, I would be a little rattled if a gag was put on me. To the devil with Red Shirt! Although he had not mentioned the name "Porcupine," he had given me such pointers as to put me wise as to who the objective was, and now he requested me not to blow the gaff!--it was an irresponsibility least to be expected from a head teacher. In the ordinary run of things, he should step into the thick of the fight between Porcupine and me, and side with me with all his colors flying. By so doing, he might be worthy the position of the head teacher, and vindicate the principle of wearing red shirts.
I told the head teacher that I had not divulged the secret to anybody but was going to fight it out with Porcupine. Red Shirt was greatly perturbed, and stuttered out; "Say, don't do anything so rash as that. I don't remember having stated anything plainly to you about Mr. Hotta....... if you start a scrimmage here, I'll be greatly embarrassed." And he asked the strangely outlandish question if I had come to the school to start trouble? Of course not, I said, the school would not stand for my making trouble and pay me salary for it. Red Shirt then, perspiring, begged me to keep the secret as mere reference and never mention it. "All right, then," I assured him, "this robs me shy, but since you're so afraid of it, I'll keep it all to myself." "Are you sure?" repeated Red Shirt. There was no limit to his womanishness. If Red Shirt was typical of Bachelors of Arts, I did not see much in them. He appeared composed after having requested me to do something self-contradictory and wanting logic, and on top of that suspects my sincerity.
keep dark （事を）秘しておく
gag 口止め
blow the gaff 密告する、秘密をばらす
thick of the fight 争いの真ん中
with frying colors 見事に、立派に、堂々と
vindicate 正当化する
be perturbed 動揺した、狼狽した
stutter 口ごもる、どもりながら言う
scrimmage 乱闘、小競り合い
outlandish 奇怪な、異様な
self-contradictory 自己矛盾の
夏目漱石による原文はこちら。
＊＊＊ 慣用句を覚えよう ＊＊＊
Breast/Chest（胸部）
beat one's breast [chest]
（胸を打って）怒る（悲しむ）、得意そうに弁じたてる
make a clean breast of it [the whole thing]
すっかり白状する（打ち明ける）
past the breast
乳離れして
get ... off one's chest
（問題・悩みを）打ち明けて胸のつかえ（心の重荷）を下ろす
have ... on one's chest
…が気にかかる
play [keep, hold] one's cards close to one's [the] chest
隠し立てする、自分の手の内を明かさない
puff one's chest out
胸を張る
chest thumping
（胸をたたく）大見え、大言壮語
【参考】
▽青空文庫
