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】
下宿先のお婆さんの話でいろいろ学んだ主人公でしたが、赤シャツと山嵐のどちらが悪者かはまだわかりません。
●----------------------------------------------------------
Yes, everything seems to be known more than one cares. Judging by her way, this woman probably knows about my tempura and dango affairs. Here was a pot that would make peas rattle! The meaning of the Madonna, the relations between Porcupine and Red Shirt became clear and helped me a deal. Only what puzzled me was the uncertainty as to which of the two was wrong. A fellow simple-hearted like me could not tell which side he should help unless the matter was presented in black and white.
"Of Red Shirt and Porcupine, which is a better fellow?"
"What is Porcupine, Sir?"
"Porcupine means Hotta."
"Well, Hotta-san is physically strong, as strength goes, but Red Shirt-san is a Bachelor of Arts and has more ability. And Red Shirt-san is more gentle, as gentleness goes, but Hotta-san is more popular among the students."
"After all, which is better?"
"After all, the one who gets a bigger salary is greater, I suppose?"
There was no use of going on further in this way, and I closed the talk.
Two or three days after this, when I returned from the school, the old lady with a beaming smile, brought me a letter, saying, "Here you are Sir, at last. Take your time and enjoy it." I took it up and found it was from Kiyo. On the letter were two or three retransmission slips, and by these I saw the letter was sent from Yamashiro-ya to the Ikagins, then to the Haginos. Besides, it stayed at Yamashiro-ya for about one week; even letters seemed to stop in a hotel. I opened it, and it was a very long letter.
"When I received the letter from my Master Darling, I intended to write an answer at once. But I caught cold and was sick abed for about one week and the answer was delayed for which I beg your pardon. I am not well-used to writing or reading like girls in these days, and it required some efforts to get done even so poorly written a letter as this. I was going to ask my nephew to write it for me, but thought it inexcusable to my Master Darling when I should take special pains for myself. So I made a rough copy once, and then a clean copy. I finished the clean copy, in two days, but the rough copy took me four days. It may be difficult for you to read, but as I have written this letter with all my might, please read it to the end."
Here was a pot that would make peas rattle! 正確な訳語は不明（原文では「厄介（やっかい）な所だ」）
beaming にこやかな
retransmission slip 転送票
夏目漱石による原文はこちら。
＊＊＊ 慣用句を覚えよう ＊＊＊
Toe（つまさき）
dip one's toe(s) in
（新しいことを）やってみる、トライする
from top to toe
頭のてっぺんから足のつまさきまで、すっかり
go toe-to-toe with
…となぐり合う（直接対決する）
have it (away) on one's toes
のがれる、ずらかる
on one's toes
即応できる態勢で、待ち構えて、油断がない
stub one's toe
つまずいてつまさきを痛める（against, on）、へまをやる
toes up
死んで
tread [step] on someone's toes [corns]
人の感情を害する、人の権利を侵す
turn up one's toes (to the daisies)
ひっくり返る、死ぬ
【参考】
▽青空文庫
