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】
自分を弁護する発言をした山嵐から宿直中の外出をとがめられ、それについて素直にあやまった主人公はまた他の職員に笑われます。
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After a while, Porcupine again stood up, and said. "I forgot to mention just now, so I wish to add. The teacher on night duty that night seems to have gone to the hot springs during his duty hours, and I think it a blunder. It is a matter of serious misconduct to take the advantage of being in sole charge of the school, to slip out to a hot springs. The bad behavior of the students is one thing; this blunder is another, and I wish the principal to call attention of the responsible person to that matter."
A strange fellow! No sooner had he backed me up than he began talking me down. I knew the other night watch went out during his duty hours, and thought it was a custom, so I went as far out as to the hot springs without considering the situation seriously. But when it was pointed out like this, I realised that I had been wrong. Thereupon I rose again and said; "I really went to the hot springs. It was wrong and I apologize." Then all again laughed. Whatever I say, they laugh. What a lot of boobs! See if you fellows can make a clean breast of your own fault like this! You fellows laugh because you can't talk straight.
After that the principal said that since it appeared that there will be no more opinions, he will consider the matter well and administer what he may deem a proper punishment. I may here add the result of the meeting. The students in the dormitory were given one week's confinement, and in addition to that, apologized to me. If they had not apologized, I intended to resign and go straight home, but as it was it finally resulted in a bigger and still worse affair, of which more later. The principal then at the meeting said something to the effect that the manners of the students should be directed rightly by the teachers' influence, and as the first step, no teacher should patronize, if possible, the shops where edibles and drinks were served, excepting, however, in case of farewell party or such social gatherings. He said he would like no teacher to go singly to eating houses of lower kind--for instance, noodle-house or dango shop.... And again all laughed. Clown looked at Porcupine, said "tempura" and winked his eyes, but Porcupine regarded him in silence. Good!
blunder 大失敗、へま
misconduct 不行跡、職権乱用
boob 俗物、無教養者
make a clean breast of すっかり白状する
confinement 幽閉、禁固（原文では禁足（外出禁止））
夏目漱石による原文はこちら。
＊＊＊ 慣用句を覚えよう ＊＊＊
Leg（脚）－２
give someone a leg up
支援する
give someone a little leg
人をだます、人にうそをつく
hang a leg
ぐずぐずする、しりごみする
have a leg up on ...
…より先行する、…に関してさい先のよいスタートをきる
have legs
（船･馬･競走者が）快速だ（との評がある）、忍耐強い
have no legs
（ゴルフなどで）球足が伸びない
have the legs of ...
…より速く走る（走れる）
keep one's legs
倒れずにいる、立ち続ける
kick up one's legs
はめをはずす、ふざけまわる
not have a [have no] leg to stand on
よって立つべき基礎を欠く、（議論が）成り立たない、論拠を欠く、無一物である
on one's [its] last legs
死に（つぶれ）かかって、疲れ[困り]はてて
【参考】
▽青空文庫
