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から主人公は、うらなり(英語教師)の婚約者である「マドンナ」を赤シャツ(教頭)が横取りしようとしていることを知ります。
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"The father of Professor Koga died last year,--up to that time they had money and shares in a bank and were well off,--but since then things have grown worse, I don't know why. Professor Koga was too good-natured, in short, and was cheated, I presume. The wedding was delayed by one thing or another and there appeared the head teacher who fell in love with the Madonna head over heels and wanted to marry her."
"Red Shirt? He ought be hanged. I thought that shirt was not an ordinary kind of shirt. Well?"
"The head-teacher proposed marriage through a go-between, but the Toyamas could not give a definite answer at once on account of their relations with the Kogas. They replied that they would consider the matter or something like that. Then Red Shirt-san worked up some ways and started visiting the Toyamas and has finally won the heart of the Miss. Red Shirt-san is bad, but so is Miss Toyama; they all talk bad of them. She had agreed to be married to Professor Koga and changed her mind because a Bachelor of Arts began courting her,--why, that would be an offense to the God of To-day."
"Of course. Not only of To-day but also of tomorrow and the day after; in fact, of time without end."
"So Hotta-san a friend of Koga-san, felt sorry for him and went to the head teacher to remonstrate with him. But Red Shirt-san said that he had no intention of taking away anybody who is promised to another. He may get married if the engagement is broken, he said, but at present he was only being acquainted with the Toyamas and he saw nothing wrong in his visiting the Toyamas. Hotta-san couldn't do anything and returned. Since then they say Red Shirt-san and Hotta-san are on bad terms."
"You do know many things, I should say. How did you get such details? I'm much impressed."
"The town is so small that I can know everything."
well off 富裕で
work up (計画などを)作る、進ませる
God of To-day 今日様(その日を守る神の意味で太陽のこと。お天道さまともいう。)
remonstrate with 忠告する、いさめる
夏目漱石による原文は
こちら。
*** 慣用句を覚えよう ***
Heel(かかと)‐3
hard [close, hot] on someone's [something's] heels
人(事)のすぐあとに続いて
One pair of heels is often worth two pairs of hands.
(諺)かかと2つで手の4つ分(逃げるが勝ち)
out at (the) heel(s)
靴のかかとがすりきれて、みすぼらしい
show one's heels
show a clean pair of heels
take to one's heels
尻に帆かけて逃げ出す、さっさと(すたこら)逃げる
tread on the heels of
…のすぐあとについて行く(やって来る)
turn on one's heel
(突然)くるりと向きを変える、きびすを返す、急に立ち去る
turn up one's heels
死ぬ
under someone's heel
人に支配されて, 屈服して
【参考】
▽
青空文庫