Text Source: Thomas hardy, Life’s little ironies: A set of tales with some colloquial sketches entitled A few crusted characters, With a map of Wessex , Macmillan and Co., London 1925 (First Collected Edition 1894), p.125-148

TO PLEASE HIS WIFE

妻を喜ばすために

I

THE interior of St. James’s Church, in Havenpool [1] Town, was slowly darkening under the close clouds of a winter afternoon. It was Sunday: service had just ended, the face of the parson in the pulpit was buried in his hands, and the congregation, with a cheerful sigh of release, were rising from their knees to depart.

ヘイヴンブール・タウンのセント・ジェイムズ教會の内部は，冬の午後の重い雲の下に，緩くりと暗くなって行った。時は日曜日，禮拝が丁度終り，説教壇の牧師は顔を兩手に埋め，ほっと一息ついた會衆は退出しようと拝跪から立ち上がったところであつた。

    For the moment the stillness was so complete that the surging of the sea could be heard outside the harbour-bar. Then it was broken by the footsteps of the clerk going towards the west door to open it in the usual manner for the exit of the assembly. Before, however, he had reached the doorway, the latch was lifted from without [2], and the dark figure of a man in a sailor’s garb appeared against the light.

    暫時，辺りは全く静寂であったので，打ち寄せる浪の音が沙洲のほうから聞える程であった。その時，静寂は，會衆を退場させるために，いつもの様に西側の扉を開けに行く役僧の足音に破られた。ところが彼がまだ戸口に達する前に，ラッチが外からはづされ，海員服を着た男の黑い姿が，外の明かりを背にして現れた。

    The clerk stepped aside, the sailor closed the door gently behind him, and advanced up the nave [3] till he stood at the chancel-step. The parson looked up from the private little prayer which, after so many for the parish, he quite fairly took for himself, rose to his feet, and stared at the intruder.

    役僧が傍へ退くと，船乘りは静に後を閉め，身廊をずっと進んで，内陣の階段の脇に立つた。牧師は教區の人達の為に多くの祈禱を捧げた後に，自分自身のための小さな祈りを終へて顔を舉げたところで，立上ると，この闖入者を凝視した。

    ‘I beg your pardon, sir,’ said the sailor, addres sing the minister in a voice distinctly audible to all the congregation. ‘I have come here to offer thanks for my narrow escape from shipwreck. I am given to understand that it is a proper thing to do, if you have no objection ?’

    「御免下さい，牧師様，」と船乘りは，會衆全員にもはつきり聞える様な聲で，牧師に向って言った。「私は難船を危く逃れた御禮を捧げたいと思って参りました。さうするのが適切と承知してゐますので，貴殿に御異存がなければ?」

    The parson, after a moment’s pause, said hesitatingly, ‘I have no objection; certainly. It is usual to mention any such wish before service, so that the proper words may be used in the General Thanksgiving. But, if you wish, we can read from the form for use after a storm at sea.’

    ‘Ay, sure; I ain’t particular,’ said the sailor.

    牧師は一瞬の沈黙の後，躊躇ひながら言った，「私に異存はありません，勿論。斯うした御希望は，禮拜の前に申出られるのが通常です。さすれば，一般の感謝祈禱の時に相應な言葉を用いますから。でも，御望みなら，海の荒れた後に用いる定型（文）の中から讀んで上げてることが可能です。」

    「はい，私に特別のこと（希望）はありません，」と，船乘りは言った。

    The clerk thereupon directed the sailor to the page in the prayer-book where the collect of thanksgiving would be found, and the rector began reading it, the sailor kneeling where he stood, and repeating it after him word by word in a distinct voice. The people, who had remained agape and motionless at the proceeding, mechanically knelt down likewise; but they continued to regard the isolated form of the sailor who, in the precise middle of the chancel-step, remained fixed on his knees, facing the east, his hat beside him, his hands joined, and he quite unconscious of his appearance in their regard.

    そこで役僧は感謝の短禱（collect）の載ってゐる祈藤書のある頁を船乘りに教へ，牧師がそれを讀み始めると，船乘りは立つて居た場所に跪き，牧師の言葉を一語一語はつきりした聲で繰返した。この成行きを呆氣に取られ，身動きせずに見てゐた人達も，同様に跪き，獨り離れた船乘りの姿を見續けてゐたが，當人は内陣の階段の丁度眞中に跪いた儘。東を向いて，帽子を傍に，合掌，他人に見られてゐるのに全く氣付かずにゐた。

    When his thanksgiving had come to an end he rose; the people rose also, and all went out of church together. As soon as the sailor emerged, so that the remaining daylight fell upon his face, old inhabitants began to recognize him as no other than Shadrach Jolliffe, a young man who had not been seen at Havenpool for several years. A son of the town, his parents had died when he was quite young, on which account he had early gone to sea, in the Newfoundland trade.

    感謝の祈りが終ると，彼も，人達も立ち上って，皆一緒に教會堂を出て行った。船乘りが外へ出て，残りの晝光彼のの顔に當ると古い住民達は，彼が数年もヘィヴンプールｓで見かけなかつた若者，シェィドラック・ジョリフに外ならないと氣付いた。この町で生れ，若い時に兩親に死なれたので，早くから海に出て，ニューファウンドランド貿易に携わってゐたのである。

    He talked with this and that townsman as he walked, - informing them that, since leaving his native place years before, he had become captain and owner of a small coasting-ketch, which had providentially been saved from the gale as well as himself. Presently he drew near to two girls who were going out of the churchyard in front of him; they had been sitting in the nave at his entry, and had watched his doings with deep interest, afterwards discussing him as they moved out of church together. One was a slight and gentle creature, the other a tall, large-framed, deliberative girl. Captain Jolliffe regarded the loose curls of their hair, their backs and shoulders, down to their heels, for some time.

    彼は歩きながら町の誰彼と話を交し，数年前に生地を離れて以来，或る小さな沿海貿易船の船長兼と持主を兼ねたこと，その船は，そして彼自身も幸運にも暴風から助かつたこと傳へた。彼は，目前を，教會の境内を出て行く二人の少女に近づいた。彼女等らは，身廊に坐して彼の動作を興味深く見詰めてゐて，その後，教會を一緒に出ながら彼について話し合ってゐた。一人は細身で温和しい風采，もう一人は背の高い大柄な，落ち着いた少女であった。ジョリフ船長は二人の髪の脹な捲毛，脊中から肩から，下の踵の方まで眺めてゐた。

    ‘Who may them two maids be?’ he whispered to his neighbour.

    ‘The little one is Emily Hanning; the tall one Joanna Phippard.’

    ‘Ah! I recollect ’em now, to be sure.’

    He advanced to their elbow, and genially stole a gaze at them.

‘Emily, you don’t know me?’ said the sailor, turning his beaming brown eyes on her.

    ‘I think I do, Mr. Jolliffe,’ said Emily shyly.

    The other girl looked straight at him with her dark eyes.

    ‘The face of Miss Joanna I don’t call to mind so well,’ he continued. ‘But I know her beginnings and kindred.’

    「あの二人の娘さんは誰でせうか?」と彼は傍の人に囁いた。

    「小さいのはエミリー・ハニング，背の高い方はジョアンナ・フィパードです。」

    「あゝ，私は彼女らを思い出しました，確かに。」

彼は彼女らの傍まで進み，彼女らをそっと眺めた。

    「エミリーさん，僕を憶えてないかい?」と，船乘りは輝く鳶色の眼を彼女に向けて言った。

    「憶えてゐるような氣がします，ジョリフさん，」とエミリーは羞んで言った。

    もう一人の乙女は黑い瞳で彼を直視した。

    「ミス・ジョアンナの顔はよく思い出せないが」と，彼は言葉を續けた。「でも，御幼少の頃のことや御家族は知つてゐます。」

    They walked and talked together, Jolliffe narrating particulars of his late narrow escape, till they reached the corner of Sloop Lane, in which Emily Hanning dwelt, when, with a nod and smile, she left them. Soon the sailor parted also from Joanna, and, having no especial errand or appointment, turned back towards Emily’s house. She lived with her father, who called himself an accountant, the daughter, however, keeping a little stationery-shop as a supplemental provision for the gaps of his somewhat uncertain business. On entering Jolliffe found father and daughter about to begin tea.

    ‘O, I didn’t know it was tea-time,’ he said. ‘Ay, I’ll have a cup with much pleasure.’

    彼らは一緒に歩きながら語り合い，ジョリフが取分け最近難を逃れたことを物語るうち，エミリー・ハニングの住むスループ小路の角まで來ると，彼女は微笑んで會釋をして別れた。間もなく船乘りはジョアンナとも別れたが，別にこれといふ用向も約束もないので，エミリーの家の方へ引返した。彼女は會計士を名乘る父と一緒に暮してゐたが，父の餘り當にならない仕事の不足を補ふべく，小さな文房具店を營んでゐた。ジョリフが入り，父娘がお茶を始めようとしてゐるのを見た。

    「やあ，おティータイムとは知りませんでした。」と彼は言った。「私は喜んで一杯頂戴しませう。」

    He remained to tea and long afterwards, telling more tales of his seafaring life. Several neighbours called to listen, and were asked to come in. Somehow Emily Hanning lost her heart to the sailor that Sunday night, and in the course of a week or two there was a tender understanding between them.

    彼はティーの席に留り，長居をして，自分の船乘り生活の話を更に話した。數人の隣人も聴きに來て，中に招かれた。何故かエミリー・ハニングは，その日曜の夜，その船乘りに心を奪はれ，一二週間經過する間に，彼らの間には微妙な了解が生じた。

    One moonlight evening in the next month Shadrach was ascending out of the town by the long straight road eastward, to an elevated suburb where the more fashionable houses stood—if anything near this ancient port could be called fashionable—when he saw a figure before him whom, from her manner of glancing back, he took to be Emily. But, on coming up, he found she was Joanna Phippard. He gave a gallant greeting, and walked beside her.

    ‘Go along,’ she said, ‘or Emily will be jealous!’

    He seemed not to like the suggestion, and remained.

    翌月の或る月明の宵，シェイドラックは町を出て長い眞直ぐな道を東へ上って――假に此の古い港付近にも洒落たと言へるものがあるとすれば――洒落た家々の立つ小高い郊外に至り，目前に後ろを一瞥する姿からエミリーと判断される人影を見た。然し追いついて見ると，それはジョアンナ・フィパードであった。彼は慇懃に挨拶し，彼女の傍らを歩いた。

    「お先にどうぞ。」と彼女は言った。「さもないとエミリーが妬むでせう。」。

    彼はこの指圖が餘り氣に入らないとみえ，（彼女の傍らに）留まった。

    What was said and what was done on that walk never could be clearly recollected by Shadrach; but in some way or other Joanna contrived to wean him away from her gentler and younger rival. From that week onwards, Jolliffe was seen more and more in the wake of Joanna Phippard and less in the company of Emily; and it was soon rumoured about the quay that old Jolliffe’s son, who had come home from sea, was going to be married to the former young woman, to the great disappointment of the latter.

    この歩行中に何を言い何をしたかシェイドラックは少しもはっきりと思い出せないが，ジョアンナは何んな方法でか，自分よりも上品で若い競争者から，彼を引離そうと企てた。その週以降，ジョリフはジョアンナ・フィパードの跡を追ふのが多く見られ，エミリーと一緒に居るのを見られることは少なく，間もなく，ジョリフ老の海から歸つた倅は前者（ジョアンナ）と結婚するであらうから，後者（エミリー）は大變な失望してゐるといふ噂が港付近に立つた。

    Just after this report had gone about, Joanna dressed herself for a walk one morning, and started for Emily’s house in the little cross-street. Intelligence of the deep sorrow of her friend on account of the loss of Shadrach had reached her ears also, and her conscience reproached her for winning him away.

    此の報告が廣まると，ジョアンナは或る朝散歩の身なりをして，狭い横丁にあるエミリーの家へ出掛けた。シェイドラックを失った爲に彼女の友達が深く嘆いてゐるという報道は自分の耳にも入ってゐて，男を横取りしたことが彼女の良心を咎めてゐた。

    Joanna was not altogether satisfied with the sailor. She liked his attentions, and she coveted the dignity of matrimony; but she had never been deeply in love with Jolliffe. For one thing, she was ambitious, and socially his position was hardly so good as her own, and there was always the chance of an attractive woman mating considerably above her. It had long been in her mind that she would not strongly object to give him back again to Emily if her friend felt so very badly about him. To this end she had written a letter of renunciation to Shadrach, which letter she carried in her hand, intending to send it if personal observation of Emily convinced her that her friend was suffering.

    ジョアンナは此の船乘りに心から満足してはゐなかった。彼女は彼の気配りが氣に入ったし，結婚の尊厳を渇望してゐたが，ジョリフを深く愛してはゐなかつた。一つには，彼女は望みが高く，社會的に彼の地位は自分程ではなく，魅力的な女性には，かなり上位（の男性と）結ばれるチャンスもあった。彼女の心の中には，若し彼女の友達（エミリー）が彼を酷く惡く感じてゐるのなら，彼をエミリーに返すことに強い異存はないであらうという思いが久しくあった。そのため，彼女はシェイドラックへの絶縁状を書き，その手紙を手にして，若し自分でエメリーを観察して，彼女が失意してゐることが確かめられたら，それ（手紙）を発送する積りであった。

    Joanna entered Sloop Lane and stepped down into the stationery-shop, which was below the pavement level. Emily’s father was never at home at this hour of the day, and it seemed as though Emily were not at home either, for the visitor could make nobody hear. Customers came so seldom hither [4] that a five minutes’ absence of the proprietor counted for little. Joanna waited in the little shop, where Emily had tastefully set out—as women can—articles in themselves of slight value, so as to obscure the meagreness of the stock-in-trade; till she saw a figure pausing without the window apparently absorbed in the contemplation of the sixpenny books, packets of paper, and prints hung on a string. It was Captain Shadrach Jolliffe, peering in to ascertain if Emily were there alone. Moved by an impulse of reluctance to meet him in a spot which breathed of Emily, Joanna slipped through the door that communicated with the parlour at the back. She had frequently done so before, for in her friendship with Emily she had the freedom of the house without ceremony.

    ジョアンナはスループ・レーンに入って，舗道より低いレベルにある文房具店へ降りて行った。エミリーの父親は，此の時刻には何時も家に居たことは無く，誰も返事も聞かれなかったので，エメリーも在宅ではないと思はれた。顧客は滅多に此処に來ないので，店主の五分位の留守は大したことで無かつた。ジョアンナは，エミリーが――女のよくやる樣に――仕入品の貧弱さを暈すためために，値打のない商品を體裁好く飾りつけて置いたた小さな店の中で待つてゐたが，やがて窓の外で，六ペンス本，紙の包み，紐に吊したプリントなどに見入ってゐる振をして，立ってゐる人影を見た。それはシェィドラック船長で，エミリーが一人でゐるかどうか確めるために覗き込んでゐた。エミリーの匂ひのする場所で彼に逢ひ度く無いといふ直情にかられて，ジョアンナは店の裏側の居間に通ずるドアからすり拔けた。彼女は，エミリーとの仲で，前にも度々エミリーの家の中で構ひなく自由に動き回ったことがあった。

    Jolliffe entered the shop. Through the thin blind which screened the glass partition she could see that he was disappointed at not finding Emily there. He was about to go out again, when Emily’s form darkened the doorway, hastening home from some errand. At sight of Jolliffe she started back as if she would have gone out again.

    ジョリフは店へ入った。仕切ガラスに掛けた薄いブラインドを通して，エミリーがそこにゐないので彼が落胆してゐるのを見て取った。彼が外に出ようとしたとき，何かの用事から急いで歸ったエミリーの姿が戸口を暗くした。彼女はジョリフを見るなり，また外へ出るかのやうに後退りした。

    ‘Don’t run away, Emily; don’t!’ said he. ‘What can make ye[5] afraid ?’

    ‘I’m not afraid, Captain Jolliffe. Only—only I saw you all of a sudden, and—it made me jump!’ Her voice showed that her heart had jumped even more than the rest of her. ‘I just called as I was passing,’ he said.

    ‘For some paper?’ She hastened behind the counter.

    ‘No, no, Emily; why do ye [6] get behind there? Why not stay by me? You seem to hate me.’

    ‘I don’t hate you. How can I?’.

    ‘Then come out, so that we can talk like Christians. [7]’

    「逃げなくてもいいではありませんか，エミリー。さうでせう。」と彼は言った。「何故怖がるんですか?」

    「怖がりやしません，ジョリフ船長。唯――唯，あまり唐突に貴方を見たので，それで――吃驚したんです!」。彼女女の聲は彼女の心臓が彼女の他の部分より驚いていたことを表はした。

    「通りがかりに一寸訪ねただけです」と彼は云つた。

    「何か紙でも（御入用）?」と，彼女はは急いでカウンターの後へ行った。

    「いや，いや，エミリー。何故そんな後ろへ行くんですか? 何故僕の傍に居ないんですか? 貴女は僕が嫌いと見える。」

    「私は貴方が嫌いではありません。何うしてそんなことが?」

    「では出ていらっしゃい，人並みに穏やかに話しませう。」

    Emily obeyed with a fitful laugh, till she stood again beside him in the open part of the shop.

    ‘There’s a dear,’ he said.

    ‘You mustn’t say that, Captain Jolliffe; because the words belong to somebody else.’

    "Ah! I know what you mean. But, Emily, upon my life I didn’t know till this morning that you cared one bit about me, or I should not have done as I have done. I have the best of feelings for Joanna, but I know that from the beginning she hasn’t cared for me more than in a friendly way; and I see now the one I ought to have asked to be my wife. You know, Emily, when a man comes home from sea after a long voyage he’s as blind as a bat—he can’t see who’s who in women. They are all alike to him, beautiful creatures, and he takes the first that comes easy, without thinking if she loves him, or if he might not soon love another better than her. From the first I inclined to you most, but you were so backward and shy that I thought you didn’t want me to bother ’ee, and so I went to Joanna.’

    ‘Don’t say any more, Mr. Jolliffe, don’t!’ said she, choking. You are going to marry Joanna next month, and it is wrong to—to—’

    ‘O, Emily, my darling!’ he cried, and clasped her little figure in his arms before she was aware.

    エミリーは咄嗟に笑って，それに従ひ，店の中の廣い所で彼の傍に立った。

    「いい子だね，」と彼は云った。

    「そんなこと仰言ひますな，ジョリフ船長。だって，その言葉は誰か別のひとに属するものでせう。」

    「あゝ，貴方の言ふ意味は分ってゐるよ。だが，エミリー，本當を云ふと，僕は貴女が少しでも僕を氣に掛けてゐるとは，今朝まで知らなかった。でなければ，僕がしたやうなことをする筈がなかった。僕はジョアンナに此の上ない好意を持ってゐる。だが，始めから彼女が僕を友達以上に氣に掛けてゐないことは分ってゐる。そして，今僕は妻になるやう頼むべきひとを見てゐる。ねえ，エメリー，永い航海のあと海から歸った男は，蝙蝠同然に盲目だ――女性の誰彼が見えない。女性たちは皆同じ，美しい人に見へ，最初に容易に來たひとを手に入れて，彼女が彼を愛するか，彼が間もなく彼女よりも良いひとを愛するかも知れないことを考へもしない。最初から僕は貴女に傾いてゐたが，貴女は內氣で恥しがりだったから，僕に煩はされ度くないと思って，ジョアンナの方へ行ったんだ。」

    「それ以上仰言らないで，ジョリフさん，何も!」と彼女は咽びながら言った。「貴方は來月ジョアンナさんと結婚なさるでしょう，こんなこと――こんなこと（仰ること）――間違ひです。」

「あゝ，私の可愛いエメリー，」彼は叫ぶと，彼女が氣付かぬうちに，その小さな躰を兩腕で抱き締めた。

    Joanna, behind the curtain, turned pale, tried to withdraw her eyes, but could not.

    ‘It is only you I love as a man ought to love the woman he is going to marry; and I know this from what Joanna has said, that she will willingly let me off! She wants to marry higher I know, and only said “Yes” to me out of kindness. A fine, tall girl like her isn’t the sort for a plain sailor’s wife: you be the best suited for that.’

    ジョアンナはカーテンの後で眞蒼になり，眼を背けやうとしたが，それが出來なかった。

    「男として結婚しようと愛すべき女性は貴女だけだ。僕はこれを，ジョアンナが喜んで僕を手放すだらうと言ったことから知ってゐる。彼女は，僕の知るところ，もっと良い結婚を望んでゐて，親切心から「イエス」と言った。彼女のやうに立派で背の高い娘は，平凡な船乘りの妻となる類ではない。貴女が最も似つかはしい。」

    He kissed her and kissed her again, her flexible form quivering in the agitation of his embrace.

    ‘I wonder—are you sure—Joanna is going to break off with you? O, are you sure? Because—’

    ‘I know she would not wish to make us miserable. She will release me.’

    ‘O, I hope—I hope she will! Don’t stay any longer, Captain Jolliffe!’

    He lingered, however, till a customer came for a penny stick of sealing-wax, and then he withdrew. Green envy had overspread Joanna at the scene. She looked about for a way of escape. To get out without Emily’s knowledge of her visit was indispensable. She crept from the parlour into the passage, and thence to the front [8] door of the house, where she let herself noiselessly into the street.

    彼は彼女に接吻し，また接吻した，たほやかな彼女の躰は，抱擁にかき亂れて顫へた。

    「さうでせうか――確かですか――ジョアンナは貴方と別れるかしら? あゝ，確かですか? 何故なら――」

    「僕は，彼女が我々を惨めにしようと望まないであらうと識ってゐる。彼女は僕を開放してくれるだらう。」

    「あゝ，彼女がさうする一さうすると期待します。でも，これ以上此処に留まらないで，ジョリフ船長!」

    彼は然し愚圖々々し，顧客が一ペンスの封臘を買ひに來たので，やつと立ち去った。この光景に，激しい（緑色の）な嫉妬がジョアンナ（の体中）に漲った。彼女は逃げ道を求めて辺りを見回した。彼女が來たことをエメリーに悟られずに外に出ることが不可欠である。彼女はそっと居間から廊下に，そこから家の裏口に至り，立てずに往來へ出た。

    The sight of that caress had reversed all her resolutions. She could not let Shadrach go. Reaching home she burnt the letter, and told her mother that if Captain Jolliffe called she was too unwell to see him.

    あの可愛いがる光景は，彼女の決心すべてを覆した。シェイドラックを手離すことは出來ない。家へ歸ると，件の手紙を焼き，若しジョリフ船長が訪ねて訪ねて來たら，氣分が悪くて會へない（と云って呉れ）と母に言った。

    Shadrach, however, did not call. He sent her a note expressing in simple language the state of his feelings; and asked to be allowed to take advantage of the hints she had given him that her affection, too, was little more than friendly, by cancelling the engagement.    

    だが，シェイドラックは訪ねて來ず，唯簡單な言葉で彼の心の状態を述べた手紙を送って，彼女が，彼女の気持ちは友情以上でないと仄めかしたのを利用して，婚約を取り消して欲しいとの意を表明した。

    Looking out upon the harbour and the island beyond he waited and waited in his lodgings for an answer that did not come. The suspense grew to be so intolerable that after dark he went up the High Street. He could not resist calling at Joanna’s to learn his fate.

    港や彼方の島影を眺めながら，彼は宿で來もしない返事を待ちに待った。不安が耐えられないほど募り，暗くなつてから，ハイ・ストリートを上った。彼は，自分の運命を知るためにジョアンナの家を訪ねないではゐられなかった。

    Her mother said her daughter was too unwell to see him, and to his questioning admitted that it was in consequence of a letter received from himself, which had distressed her deeply.

    ‘You know what it was about, perhaps, Mrs. Phippard ?’ he said.

    彼女の母親は，娘は氣分が悪くて會へない由，彼の質問には，彼女を深く惱ませたのは彼から受取った手紙との所爲であると言った。

    「それ（手紙）が何に就いてのものか御存知でせうね，ミセス・フィパード?」と彼は言った。

    Mrs. Phippard owned that she did, adding that it put them in a very painful position. Thereupon Shadrach, fearing that he had been guilty of an enormity, explained that if his letter had pained Joanna it must be owing to a misunderstanding, since he had thought it would be a relief to her. If otherwise, he would hold himself bound by his word, and she was to think of the letter as never having been written.

    ミセス・フィパードは知ってゐると認め，それが彼女らに大變な苦痛を齎したと付け加へた。そこでシェイドラックは彼に途方もない罪があると懼れ，若し彼の手紙がジョアンナを痛めたなら，それは誤解によるものである，何故ならその手紙は彼女の氣を晴らすと思ったからであると説明した。もしさうでなければ，自分の言を守る義務があり，齒の女が左様な手紙が書かれなかったと思って貰ひたいと言った。

    Next morning he received an oral message from the young woman, asking him to fetch her home from a meeting that evening. This he did, and while walking from the Town Hall to her door, with her hand in his arm, she said:

    ‘It is all the same as before between us, isn’t it, Shadrach? Your letter was sent in mistake?’

    ‘It is all the same as before,’ he answered, ‘if you say it must be.’

    ‘I wish it to be,’ she murmured, with hard lineaments, as she thought of Emily.

    翌朝彼はその若い女から，その晚會が濟んだら迎へに來て呉れといふ傳言を受取った。彼はそのやうにし，タウンホールから彼女の家の戸口まで彼女に腕を貸して歩くうちに，彼女は云った。

    「私たちの中は全て前の通りですよね，シェイドラック? 貴方の手紙は誤って送られたのですね?」

    「全て前の通りです。」彼は答えた。「さうあるべきと貴女が言ふなら。」

    「さう望みます。」と彼女はエメリーを思ひつつ，固い顔立ちで呟いた。

    Shadrach was a religious and scrupulous man, who respected his word as his life. Shortly afterwards the wedding took place, Jolliffe having conveyed to Emily as gently as possible the error he had fallen into when estimating Joanna’s mood as one of indifference.

II

    A month after the marriage Joanna’s mother died, and the couple were obliged to turn their attention to very practical matters. Now that she was left without a parent, Joanna could not bear the notion of her husband going to sea again, but the question was, What could he do at home? They finally decided to take on [9] a grocer’s shop in High Street, the goodwill and stock of which were waiting to be disposed of at that time. Shadrach knew nothing of shopkeeping, and Joanna very little, but they hoped to learn.

    結婚後一ヶ月經って，ジョアンナの母が死んだので，夫婦は極めて家計的な事にも氣を使はなければならなくなつた。両親に死なれた今，ジョアンナは，夫が再び海へ出るといふ考へにも堪えられなかったが，問題は，彼が家にゐて何ができるかといふことだった。結局，彼らは，ハイ・ストリートの或る食料品店で，営業権と在庫品が，丁度その時，賣りに出されてゐるのを，引受けることに決めた。シェイドラックは店の經營に就いては何も知らず，ジョアンナも少ししか知らなかったが，彼らは角習ひ覺える積りだつた。

    To the management of this grocery business they now devoted all their energies, and continued to conduct it for many succeeding years, without great success. Two sons were born to them, whom their mother loved to idolatry, although she had never passionately loved her husband; and she lavished upon them all her forethought and care. But the shop did not thrive, and the large dreams she had entertained of her sons’ education and career became attenuated [10] in the face of realities. Their schooling was of the plainest, but, being by the sea, they grew alert in all such nautical arts and enterprises as were attractive to their age.

    此の食料品店の經營に彼らは全勢力を注ぎ，何うにか切り廻して行くことにして，引續く何年かそれをやったが，大した成功は収められなかった。二人の息子が生れ，母親は彼らを盲目的に可愛がったが，夫を熱愛したことはなく，二人の息子に，ありとあらゆる配慮と心遣ひを惜みなく注いだ。しかし，店は繁昌せず，彼女が息子達の教育や生涯に就いて抱いた大きな夢は，現實を前にして，薄れた。彼らの学校教育は平凡なもので，海沿いのこととて，彼らは同年配の子供が惹かれる航海術や事業に關心を膨らませた。

    The great interest of the Jolliffes’ married life, outside their own immediate household, had lain in the marriage of Emily. By one of those odd chances which lead those that lurk in unexpected corners to be discovered, while the obvious are passed by, the gentle girl had been seen and loved by a thriving merchant of the town, a widower, some years older than herself, though still in the prime of life. At first Emily had declared that she never, never could marry any one; but Mr. Lester had quietly persevered, and had at last won her reluctant assent. Two children also were the fruits of this union, and, as they grew and prospered, Emily declared that she had never supposed that she could live to be so happy.

    ジョリフ夫妻の結婚生活における大きな關心は，彼等自身の家のこと以外では，エミリーの結婚にあつた。目につき易いものは素通りされ，思いがけない片隅に潜んでゐるものが却って見付けられるといった奇縁で，その優しい娘（エメリー）は，町の工面のよい商人で，數歳年上だが，未だ働き盛りの鰥夫に見初められた。初め，エメリーは誰とも結婚しないと言ってゐたが，ミスター・レスターは静かに根氣よく待って，遂には彼女の氣の進まぬ承諾を勝ち得た。結婚の實として，これまた二人の子供が生れ，すくすく育ったので，エミリーは斯くも幸になれるとは決して想像しなかったと明言した。

    The worthy merchant’s home, one of those large, substantial brick mansions frequently jammed up in old fashioned towns, faced directly on the High Street, nearly opposite to the grocery shop of the Jolliffes, and it now became the pain of Joanna to behold the woman whose place she had usurped out of pure covetousness, looking down from her position of comparative wealth upon the humble shop window with its dusty sugar-loaves, heaps of raisins, and canisters of tea, over which it was her own lot to preside. The business having so dwindled, Joanna was obliged to serve in the shop herself, and it galled and mortified her that Emily Lester, sitting in her large drawing-room over the way, could witness her own dancings up and down behind the counter at the beck and call of wretched twopenny customers, whose patronage she was driven to welcome gladly: persons to whom she was compelled to be civil in the street, while Emily was bounding along with her children and her governess, and conversing with the genteelest people of the town and neighbourhood. This was what she had gained by not letting Shadrach Jolliffe, whom she had so faintly loved, carry his affection elsewhere.

    此の立派な商人の家は，古い町に屡々割り込んで建つ大きなどっしりした煉瓦造りの邸宅で，ハイ・ストリートに直面し，ジョリフ家の食料品店の殆んど眞向ひにあるので，ジョアンナは，自分の純な強欲のために，その位置を奪って仕舞つた女が，今では比較的裕福な地位から，自分の管理する埃まみれの棒砂糖，乾葡萄の山，茶の罐などを置いた粗末な陳列窓を見下してゐるのを目撃することが，苦痛となった。商賣が振はないので，ジョアンナは自ら店で働くことを余儀なくされ， 2セントばかりの買物に來る貧乏な客の言ひなりに，カウンターの後を跳び回る，そんな客の贔屓を喜んで迎へなければならず，通りでも愛想良くせねばならない，それ（左様な有様）をエミリー・レスターが向ひの大きな居間から見ることができるのが，腹立たしくも惱ましくもあったが，それにひきかへエミリーはと云へば子供達や女家庭教師を連れて闊歩し，町内や近郊の最も身分の良い人達と會話してゐる。これは，大して愛しもしないシェイドラック・ジョリフに，彼の愛情を他へ移させまいとして，かち得た結果であった。

    Shadrach was a good and honest man, and he had been faithful to her in heart and in deed. Time had clipped the wings of his love for Emily in his devotion to the mother of his boys: he had quite lived down that impulsive earlier fancy, and Emily had become in his regard nothing more than a friend. It was the same with Emily’s feelings for him. Possibly, had she found the least cause for jealousy, Joanna would almost have been better satisfied. It was in the absolute acquiescence of Emily and Shadrach in the results she herself had contrived that her discontent found nourishment [11].

    シェイドラックは人の善い正直者で，心でも行動でも彼女に忠實であった。彼の子供の母親に獻身する中に，時の經過は彼のエミリーに対する愛の翼を切り落とされ，彼は衝動的な若いときの氣紛れを全く忘れ去り，エミリーは彼の目には單なる友達となった。彼に對するエミリーの氣持も同じであった。多分，彼女が嫉妬する理由が少しでもあったなら，ジョアンナは幾らか満足したことだらうが。彼女の不満の募るのは，彼女の企んだ結果に，エミリーとシェイドラックが絶対的に盲従したことにある。

    Shadrach was not endowed with the narrow shrewdness necessary for developing a retail business in the face of many competitors. Did a customer inquire if the grocer could really recommend the wondrous substitute for eggs which a persevering bagman had forced into his stock, he would answer that when you did not put eggs into a pudding it was difficult to taste them there’; and when he was asked if his ‘real Mocha coffee’ was real Mocha, he would say grimly, ‘as understood in small shops.’ [12]

    シエィドラックは多くの競争者を向ふに廻して，小賣の商賣を發展させるに必要な，拔け目のない敏腕を本來持つてゐなかつた。執拗な行商人が彼の店に押付けた素晴らしい卵代替品を，「貴方は本當に推獎しますか」と客が訊けば，「プディングの中に卵を入れなければ，それを賞味するのは難かしいね」と答へ，また，「本場モカ珈琲」は本物のモカ珈琲かと訊ねられると，「小さな店では，そう理解されてゐますね」と苦々しく言った。

    One summer day, when the big brick house opposite was reflecting the oppressive sun’s heat into the shop, and nobody was present but husband and wife, Joanna looked across at Emily’s door, where a wealthy visitor’s carriage had drawn up. Traces of patronage had been visible in Emily’s manner of late.

    或る夏の日，向ひの大きな練瓦建ての家が太陽の熱を店の中まで反射させ，店に夫婦以外に他に誰も居なかつた時のこと，ジョアンナが筋向ひのエミリー家の戸口を眺めると，そこには裕福な客の馬車が横着けになってゐた。最近のエミリーの仕草には，贔屓にしてやらうといふ形跡が見える。

    ‘Shadrach, the truth is, you are not a business-man,’ his wife sadly murmured. You were not brought up to shopkeeping, and it is impossible for a man to make a fortune at an occupation he has jumped into, as you did into this.’

    「シェイドラック，本當のところ，貴方は商賣人ぢやないね」と妻は悲しさうに呟いた。「貴方は店商ひに育てられたのではなく，貴方がしたやうに，急に飛び込んだ職業で財を成すのは不可能ですね。」

    Jolliffe agreed with her, in this as in everything else. ‘Not that I care a rope’s end about making a fortune,’ he said cheerfully. ‘I am happy enough, and we can rub on [13] somehow.’

    She looked again at the great house through the screen of bottled pickles.

    ‘Rub on—yes,’ she said bitterly. ‘But see how well off Emmy Lester is, who used to be so poor! Her boys will go to College, no doubt; and think of yours-obliged to go to the Parish School!’

    ジョリフは，他の全てのことでもさうだが，これに同意した。「僕はロープの片端に氣を掛けながら財の形成について考へたことがない。」と彼は言った。「僕は十分に幸せであり，我々は何とか生活できてゐる。」

    彼女は瓶詰のピクルスの隙間から大邸宅を再び見た。

    「何とか生活できてるって，」彼女は苦々しさうに言った。「でもエミー・レスターの裕福なのを御覧なさい，元はあんなに貧乏だったのに! あの人の息子達はカレッジ（大學）に行くでせう，屹度。それにあなたの息子達が余儀なく教區学校に通ってゐることを考へて下さい!」

    Shadrach’s thoughts had flown to Emily.

    ‘Nobody,’ he said good-humouredly, ‘ever did Emily a better turn than you did, Joanna, when you warned her off me and put an end to that little simpering nonsense between us, so as to leave it in her power to say “Aye" to Lester when he came along.’

    シェイドラックの想ひはエミリーの方へ馳せてゐた。

    シェイドラックの想ひはエミリーの方へ馳せてゐた。「誰も，」彼は機嫌良く言った。「貴女がした以上にエミリーのために良い役回りをしまかった。貴女がエミリーに僕から離れるように告げ，僕たちの間の馬鹿々々しいナンセンスに終止符を打った時に。その結果，レスターがやってきたとき，エメリーが「はい」という力が彼女に残された。」

    This almost maddened her.

    Don’t speak of bygones!’ she implored, in stern sadness. ‘But think, for the boys’ and my sake, if not for your own, what are we to do to get richer?

    ‘Well,’ he said, becoming serious, ‘to tell the truth, I have always felt myself unfit for this business, though I’ve never liked to say so. I seem to want more room for sprawling; a more open space to strike out in than here among friends and neighbours. I could get rich as well as any man, if I tried my own way.’

    ‘I wish you would! What is your way?’

    ‘To go to sea again.’

    この言は彼女を今にも氣が違ひさうにさせた。

    「過ぎたことは言はないで!」と，彼女は酷く悲しんで哀願した。「しかし，子供達や私のために考へて下さい，貴方のためでなく，私達がより裕福になるために何をなすべきかを?」

    「さうだなあ。」と彼は眞面目になって言つた，「本當は，僕は此の商賣には向かないと始終思っいた，さうは言いたくなかったが。僕は友達や近所の人達に囲まれた此処よりも，手足を伸して活躍できるオープンな場所が欲しいと思ふ。僕は自分のやり方でなら，誰とも同じようにリッチになれるかも知れない。」

「さうして欲しいわ！ 貴方のやり方は何？

「また海に行く。」

    She had been the very one to keep him at home, hating the semi-widowed existence of sailors’ wives. But her ambition checked her instincts now, and she said:

    Do you think success really lies that way?’

    ‘I am sure it lies in no other.’

‘Do you want to go, Shadrach?’

    ‘Not for the pleasure of it, I can tell ’ee. There’s no such pleasure at sea, Joanna, as I can find in my back parlour here. To speak honest, I have no love for the brine. [14] I never had much. But if it comes to a question of a fortune for you and the lads, it is another thing. That’s the only way to it for one born and bred a seafarer as I.’

    ‘Would it take long to earn ?’

    ‘Well, that depends; perhaps not.’

    彼女こそ，船乘りの妻達の半ば寡婦のやうな存在を嫌って，彼を家に留めた張本人であつた。しかし彼女の野心は彼女の本能を抑圧し，彼女はかう云つた。

    「そのやり方でに本當に成功できると思ひますか?」

    「外に無いことは確かだ。」

    「行きたいんですか，シェイドラック?」

    「それが面白いためではない。此の奥の居間で見つけられるやうな楽しいことは海にはない，ジョアンナ。正直な所，僕は海が好きでない。今までも大して。だが貴女や子供達のための財産の問題になると，話は別だ。僕のやうに船乘として生れ育った者には，これが唯一の道だ。」

    「儲けるには永くかゝるの?」

    「まあ，場合に依る。多分永くはない。」

    The next morning Shadrach pulled from a chest of drawers the nautical jacket he had worn during the first months of his return, brushed out the moths, donned it, and walked down to the quay. The port still did a fair business in the Newfoundland trade, though not so much as formerly.

    翌朝シエィドラックは，箪笥の中から海から歸った當時幾ヶ月か着てゐた航海服を引摺り出し，衣蛾をブラシで拂つて，それを着込み，埠頭の方へ歩いて行った。港は以前程盛んではないが，ニューファウンドランド貿易で可なりのビジネスをやってゐた。

    It was not long after this that he invested all he possessed in purchasing a part-ownership in a brig, of which he was appointed captain. A few months were passed in coast-trading, during which interval Shadrach wore off the land-rust that had accumulated upon him in his grocery phase; and in the spring the brig sailed for Newfoundland.

    その後間もなく，彼は自分の在金全部を投資して，或るブリッグ船の共有權を買ひ，其の船長に任命された。數ヶ月は沿海貿易で過ぎが，その期間にシェィドラックは，食料品店時代に身に付いた陸の錆を落し，春になると， そのブリッグ船はニューファウンドランドへ向けて出帆した。

    Joanna lived on at home with her sons, who were now growing up into strong lads, and occupying themselves in various ways about the harbour and quay.

    ‘Never mind, let them work a little,’ their fond mother said to herself. ‘Our necessities compel it now, but when Shadrach comes home they will be only seventeen and eighteen, and they shall be removed from the port, and their education thoroughly taken in hand by a tutor; and with the money they’ll have they will perhaps be as near to gentlemen as Emmy Lester’s precious two, with their algebra and their Latin!’

    ジョアンナは家で息子達と暮してゐたが，その息子達は丈夫な若者になって，港や埠頭のあたりで色々な仕事に就いてゐた。

    「構はない，少し働かせて置きませう」と彼らに甘い母は自分に言った。「私達の窮乏は今はそれを強いてゐるが，シェイドラックが歸ってくる時，彼らは未だ十七と十八だ，そしたら二人は港から移して，彼らの教育はすっかり家庭教師の手にかけよう。そして入ってくるであらうお金でもつて，代數や羅典語を習って，彼等はエミー・レスターの大切な二人の子供とに近い紳士になるでせう!」

    The date for Shadrach’s return drew near and arrived, and he did not appear. Joanna was assured that there was no cause for anxiety, sailing-ships being so uncertain in their coming; which assurance proved to be well grounded, for late one wet evening, about a month after the calculated time, the ship was announced as at hand, [15] and presently the slip-slop step of Shadrach as the sailor sounded in the passage, and he entered. The boys had gone out and had missed him, and Joanna was sitting alone.

    シェイドラックの歸る日が近づき，その日が來たが，彼は姿を見せなかった。ジョアンナは，帆船の到着は不確實だから，氣に懸けることはないと信じた。此の確信は十分根據のあることが分った。何故なら，計算された日から約一ヶ月遅れた或る雨の晩遅く，船が近くまで来てゐるといふ報告があり，現に船乘りとしてのシェイドラックのとぼとぼした足音が通路に聞え，彼が入つて來た。子供達は外出してゐて逢へなかつたが，ジョアンナが獨り待ってゐた。

    As soon as the first emotion of reunion between the couple had passed, Jolliffe explained the delay as owing to a small speculative contract, which had produced good results.’

    ‘I was determined not to disappoint ‘ee,’ he said; ‘and I think you’ll own that I haven’t!’

    夫婦再會の最初の情緒が過ぎ去ると，ジョリフは，歸りが遅れたのは或る小さな投機的な請負仕事のためで，それは上手くいつた由をジョリフは説明した。

    「僕は貴女を落膽させまいと思ったんだ，」と彼は言った。「そして，僕が落胆させなかったと，貴方が認めると思ふ!」

    With this he pulled out an enormous canvas bag, full and rotund [16] as the money-bag of the giant whom Jack slew, untied it, and shook the contents out into her lap as she sat in her low chair by the fire. A mass of sovereigns and guineas (there were guineas on the earth in those days) fell into her lap with a sudden thud, weighing down her gown to the floor.

    かう言って，彼は，昔ジャックが殺したといふ巨人の金袋のやうに，一杯詰まって丸く膨れた途方もなく大きなキャンバス地の袋を取り出し，口を解き，中味を爐邊の低い椅子に坐ってゐる妻の膝に振り出した。夥しいソヴァレン金貨やギニー金貨（常時はギニー金貨が此の世にあった）が突然づしりと音を立てて彼女の膝に落ちて，彼女のガウンはその重みで床まで垂れ下った。

‘There!’ said Shadrach complacently. ‘I told ’ee, dear, I’d do it; and have I done it or no ?’

    Somehow her face, after the first excitement of possession, did not retain its glory.

    ‘It is a lot of gold, indeed,’ she said. ‘And—is this all ?

    ‘All? Why, dear Joanna, do you know you can count to three hundred in that heap? It is a fortune!’

    ‘Yes—yes. A fortune—judged by sea; but judged by land—’

    「ほら!」とシエィドラックは得意さうに言った。「やると言ったらう，お前。で，やったじゃないか，さうでないか?」

    何故か彼女の顔は，最初に所有した興奮が過ぎると，輝きを留めてゐなかった。

    「隨分澤山な金貨ですわ，本當に」と女は言った。「で，これで全部ですか?」

    「全部かって? ジョアンナ，その一山で三百ポンド數へることができる。ひと財産だぜ!」

    「えゝ。ひと財産です，海で判断すれば。でも陸で判断すれば」

    However, she banished considerations of the money for the nonce. [17] Soon the boys came in, and next Sunday Shadrach returned thanks to God ― this time by the more ordinary channel of the italics in the General Thanksgiving. But a few days after, when the question of investing the money arose, he remarked that she did not seem so satisfied as he had hoped.

    ‘Well you see, Shadrach,’ she answered, ‘we count by hundreds; they count by thousands’ (nodding towards the other side of the street). ‘They have set up [18] a carriage-and-pair since you left.’

    ‘O, have they?’

    ‘My dear Shadrach, you don’t know how the world moves. However, we’ll do the best we can with it. But they are rich, and we are poor still!’

    然し，彼女は暫く金のことを考へるのを止めた。間もなく子供達が歸つて來た，そして次の日曜に，シエドラックは神に感謝を捧げた――此の度は一般感謝祈禱の中にあるイタリック體の文句を讀んで貰ふといふ普通な道を取って。しかし數日經って，この金を投資する問題が起った時，貴女は彼が期待した程には満足してみないやうに見えるね，と彼は言った。

    「さうでせう，シェイドラック，」と彼女は答へた，「私達は百で算へるのに，あの人達は千で算へます。」（と往來の向ふ側を顎で指しながら)。「彼らは，貴方が（海へ）行ってから，二頭立馬車を使ひ始めましたよ。」

    「あゝ，さうかね?」

    「ねえ，シェイドラック，貴方は世間が何う動いてゐるか知らない。しかし，私達は，そのお金で出来るだけのことをしませう。けれども彼らはお金持で，私達は依然として貧乏です!」

    The greater part of a year was desultorily spent. She moved sadly about the house and shop, and the boys were still occupying themselves in and around the harbour.

    ‘Joanna,’ he said, one day, ‘I see by your movements that it is not enough.’

    ‘It is not enough,’ said she. ‘My boys will have to live by steering the ships that the Lesters own; and I was once above her!’

    一年の大半は取り留めもなく過ぎた。彼女は悲しさうに家と店先を動き回り，子供達もまだ港の中やその邊りで働いてゐた。

    「ジョアンナ，」と彼は或る日言った。「貴女の行動から，あれでは十分でないと見える。」

    「あれでは十分ぢゃありません，」と彼女は言った。「私の子供達は，レスター家の所有する船の舵取りをして生活せねばならなくなるでせう。昔は私は彼女より上であったのに!」

    Jolliffe was not an argumentative man, and he only murmured that he thought he would make another voyage. He meditated for several days, and coming home from the quay one afternoon said suddenly:

    ‘I could do it for ’ee, dear, in one more trip, for certain, if—if—’

    ‘Do what, Shadrach?’

    ‘Enable ’ee to count by thousands instead of hundreds.’

    ‘If what ?’

    ‘If I might take the boys.’

    She turned pale.

    ‘Don’t say that, Shadrach,’ she answered hastily.’

    ‘Why?’

    ‘I don’t like to hear it! There’s danger at sea. I want them to be something genteel, and no danger to them. I couldn’t let them risk their lives at sea. O, I couldn’t ever, ever!’

    ‘Very well, dear, it shan’t be done.’

Next day, after a silence, she asked a question:

‘If they were to go with you it would make a great deal of difference, I suppose, to the profit?’

     ‘Twould [19] treble what I should get from the venture [20] single-handed. Under my eye they would be as good as two more of myself.’

    Later on she said: ‘Tell me more about this.’

    ‘Well, the boys are almost as clever as master-mariners in handling a craft, upon my life! There isn’t a more cranky place in the Northern Seas than about the sandbanks of this harbour, and they’ve practised here from their infancy. And they are so steady. I couldn’t get their steadiness and their trustworthiness in half a dozen men twice their age.’

    ‘And is it very dangerous at sea; now, too, there are rumours of war?’ she asked uneasily.

    ‘O, well, there be risks. Still...’

    ジョリフは議論好な男ではなく，もう一航海やつてみようと思ってゐるとだけ，呟いた。彼は四五日黙考し，或る日の午後，埠頭から戻って來ると，不意に言った。

    「もう一航海やれば，吃度，お前のためにそれを出來かも知れない，唯，唯」

    「何をするの，シェイドラック?」

    「百でなく千で算へること。」

    「唯って?」

    「唯，子供達を連れて行って良ければ。」彼女は眞蒼になった。

「それを聞きたくない！ 海には危險がある。私は彼らを少し上品にしてやりたく，危険にさせ度くない。海で生命を賭けさせたくない。えゝ，とても，とても!」

    「さうかい，それは止めにしよう。」

    翌日，無言のあとに，彼女は尋ねた。

    「若し彼らが貴方と一緒に行くとしたら，儲けに大きな差があるかと想像しますが?」

    「僕一人の手で得るものの三倍になるだらう。僕の下で，彼らは僕の二人分余計にやるであらう。」

    後で彼女は言った，「それについてもつと詳しく話して下さい。」

    「さうだなあ，子供達は船を操ることにかけては船長達と同じくらい上手だ，本當に! 北海には，此の港の沙洲の邊りのやうな危い場所はない，それに彼らは子供の時から此處で稽古してゐる。彼らは中々堅實である。彼らの２倍年とつた者が半ダースあっても，息子たち並の堅実さと信頼性を得られないでらう。」

    「で，海は甚だ危ない，今は，また，戰爭の噂もあるではありませんか？」彼女は心配さうに尋ねた。

    「あゝ，そりや，危險もある。でも......」

    The idea grew and magnified, and the mother’s heart was crushed and stifled by it. Emmy was growing too patronizing; it could not be borne. Shadrach’s wife could not help nagging him about their comparative poverty. The young men, amiable as their father, when spoken to on the subject of a voyage of enterprise, were quite willing to embark; and though they, like their father, had no great love for the sea, they became quite enthusiastic when the proposal was detailed.

    此の見解は嵩じて増大し，母親の胸は圧せられ息苦しくもした。エミーは餘りにお高く止まるやうになり，それが堪へられなかった。シェイドラックの妻は，自分達が比較的に貧乏なことを愚痴られずにはゐられなかった。父親同様に優しい若者達は，航海の事業の話を聞かされると，進んで船に乘らうと言った。彼らは父親同様に大して海が好きではなかつたが，計畫の詳細が示されると，すっかり乘氣になった。

    Everything now hung upon their mother’s assent. She withheld it long, but at last gave the word: the young men might accompany their father. Shadrach was unusually cheerful about it: Heaven had preserved him hitherto, and he had uttered his thanks. God would not forsake those who were faithful to him.

    萬事は今や母親の承諾一つに係ってゐた。彼女は永く返事を差控へてゐたが，遂には若者達が父親に随いて行ってもよいとの言を與へた。

    シェィドラックは此の事で常になく元氣であつた。神はこれまで自分守って下さった，そして彼は神に感謝を捧げた。神は信ずる者を見捨ることはあるまい。

    All that the Jolliffes possessed in the world was put into the enterprise. The grocery stock was pared down to the least that possibly could afford a bare sustenance to Joanna during the absence, which was to last through the usual ‘New-f’nland spell.’ How she would endure the weary time she hardly knew, for the boys had been with her formerly; but she nerved herself for the trial.

    ジョリフ家がこの世に所有してゐたものは全て此の事業に注ぎ込まれた。食料品店のストックは，「ニューファウンドランド行の期間」の留守中，ジョアンナの生活が辛うじて支へられるだけの最小限度に切り詰められた。此の侘びしい間を何うして耐へられるか，彼女には殆んど分らなかった，何故なら前のときは子供と一緒だったから。だが彼女はこの試錬に耐へようと奮起した。

    The ship was laden with boots and shoes, ready-made clothing, fishing-tackle, butter, cheese, cordage, sailcloth, and many other commodities; and was to bring back oil, furs, skins, fish, cranberries, and what else came to hand. But much trading to other ports was to be undertaken between the voyages out and homeward, and thereby much money made.

    船にはブーツ，靴，既製服，漁撈索具，バター，チーズ，縄類，その他の日用品が積み込まれた。そして油，毛皮，皮革，魚類，クランベリー，その他何でも手に入るものを持帰ることになってゐた。だが，往復の航海の間に，他の港との貿易も多く行って，大いに儲ける手筈であつた。

III

    The brig sailed on a Monday morning in spring; but Joanna did not witness its departure. She could not bear the sight that she had been the means of bringing about. Knowing this, her husband told her overnight that they were to sail some time before noon next day; hence when, awakening at five the next morning, she heard them bustling about downstairs, she did not hasten to descend, but lay trying to nerve herself for the parting, imagining they would leave about nine, as her husband had done on his previous voyage. When she did descend she beheld words chalked upon the sloping face of the bureau; but no husband or sons. In the hastily-scrawled [21] lines Shadrach said they had gone off thus not to pain her by a leave-taking; and the sons had chalked under his words: ‘Good-bye, mother!’

    ブリッグ船は，春の或る月曜の朝出帆したが，ジョアンナはその船出を見送らなかつた。彼女は，自分が原因で齎された此の光景を見るに忍びなかったのである。これを知って，夫はその前夜，明日正午少し前に出帆する筈だと話しておいた。それ故，翌朝五時に目を覺まし，彼等が階下で忙しく立働いてゐる音が聞えても，彼女は急いで降りて行かず，別れに弱氣を出すまいと横になり，前回夫が出かけた時のやうに，９時頃發つであらうと想像した。彼女が降りて行ったとき，机の斜面にチョークで書かれた言葉を見たが，夫も息子達も居なかった。走り書きの文句に，シェイドラックは，別れを告げて彼女を苦しめまいと，かうして出かけたことを述べ，その言葉の下に，息子達が「さやうなら，お母さん!」とチョークで書いた。

    She rushed to the quay, and looked down the harbour towards the blue rim of the sea, but she could only see the masts and bulging sails of the Joanna; no human figures. ‘’Tis I have sent them!’ she said wildly, and burst into tears. In the house the chalked ‘Good-bye’ nearly broke her heart. But when she had re-entered the front room, and looked across at Emily’s, a gleam of triumph lit her thin face at her anticipated release from the thraldom of subservience.

    彼女は埠頭に駈けつけて，港から遙か沖の青い水平線の彼方を眺めたが，彼女は「ジョアンナ號」の檣と風を孕んだ帆のみを見，人の影は見なかつた。「私が行かせたんだ!」と彼女は荒々しく言ひ，泣きくづれた。家に戻ると，チョークで書かれた「さやうなら」が，彼女の胸を張り裂けんばかりにした。だが，再び表側の部屋に入って往來越しにエミリーの家を見ると，卑屈な身分から解放されるといふの豫想に，一脈の勝利の光が痩せた彼女に顔を照らした。

    To do Emily Lester justice, her assumption of superiority was mainly a figment of Joanna’s brain. That the circumstances of the merchant’s wife were more luxurious than Joanna’s, the former could not conceal; though whenever the two met, which was not very often now, Emily endeavoured to subdue the difference by every means in her power.

    エミリー・レスターに就いて公平に言へば，彼女が優越感をひけらかすといふ假説はジョアンナの惱内の虚構であった。エメリーの商人の妻といふ環境がジョアンナに比べて贅澤であることは隠せなかったが，今は稀ではあったが，二人が會ふときは何時でも，エミリーはできる限り身分の違ひを抑へた。

    The first summer lapsed away; and Joanna meagrely maintained herself by the shop, which now consisted of little more than a window and a counter. Emily was, in truth, her only large customer; and Mrs. Lester’s kindly readiness to buy anything and everything without questioning the quality had a sting of bitterness in it, for it was the uncritical attitude of a patron, and almost of a donor. The long dreary winter moved on; the face of the bureau had been turned to the wall to protect the chalked words of farewell, for Joanna could never bring herself to rub them out; and she often glanced at them with wet eyes. Emily’s handsome boys came home for the Christmas holidays; the University was talked of for them; and still Joanna subsisted [22] as it were with held breath, like a person submerged. Only one summer more, and the ‘spell’ would end. Towards the close of the time Emily called on her quondam friend. She had heard that Joanna began to feel anxious; she had received no letter from husband or sons for some months. Emily’s silks rustled arrogantly when, in response to Joanna’s almost dumb invitation, she squeezed through the opening of the counter and into the parlour behind the shop.

    最初の夏が過ぎ，今では飾窓とカウンターくらいからなる店で，ジョアンナは細々と自分を維持してゐた。實のところ，エミリーが自分の唯一の上顧客であつたが，ミセス・レスターが品質を問はず，何でも彼でも親切に買ってくれるのには，針で刺される辛い想いがした。と云ふのは，それが保護者の無批判的態度であり，殆んど贈與者の態度であったからである。長い陰鬱な冬が續いた。チョークで書かれた別れの言葉を，彼女は消す氣になれないので，それを保護するために，机の表面は壁の方に向けられてあった。そして彼女はそれを涙に濡れた眼で，屡々瞥見した。エミリーの立派な息子達は，クリスマスの休みに家に歸つて來て，彼らのために，大學のことが話された。ジョアンナは，水に潜った人の様に息を殺して暮してゐた。もう一夏過ぎれば，「期間」も濟むのだ。その時の終りが近づいた頃，エミリーは以前の友達を訪ねた。彼女は，ジョアンナが何ヶ月も夫または息子達から手紙を受取らず，心配に思い出したと聞いたからである。ジョアンナの殆んど無言の迎へに應じて，カウンターの入口から體を押し込んで，裏の居間に入って行くとき，エミリーの絹の着物が傲然と衣擦れの音を立てた。

    ‘You are all success, and I am all the other way!’ said Joanna.

    ‘But why do you think so ?’ said Emily. ‘They are to bring back a fortune, I hear.’

    ‘Ah! will they come? The doubt is more than a woman can bear. All three in one ship—think of that! And I have not heard of them for months!’

    ‘But the time is not up. You should not meet misfortune half-way [23]’

    ‘Nothing will repay me for the grief of their absence!’

    ‘Then why did you let them go ? You were doing fairly well.’

    ‘I made them go!’ she said, turning vehemently upon Emily. ‘And I’ll tell you why! I could not bear that we should be only muddling on [24], and you so rich and thriving![25] Now I have told you, and you may hate me if you will!’

    ‘I shall never hate you, Joanna.’

    And she proved the truth of her words afterwards. The end of autumn came, and the brig should have been in port; but nothing like the Joanna appeared in the channel between the sands. It was now really time to be uneasy. Joanna Jolliffe sat by the fire, and every gust of wind caused her a cold thrill. She had always feared and detested the sea; to her it was a treacherous, restless, slimy creature, glorying in the griefs of women. ‘Still,’ she said, ‘they must come!’

    「貴女は隨分な御成功なのに，私はまるでその反對で!」とジョアンナが言った。

    「でも，何うしてさう御考へにるの? 彼らが一財産持って御歸りになると伺ってゐますが。」

    「ああ! 歸つて來るでせうか? その心配は，女の身にはとても耐へられません。三人共一艘の船に乘って――まあ察して下さい! それにもう幾月も彼らについて何も聞いてゐません!」

    「でもまだ期限が來てないでせう。中途で不幸だなんだと心配すべきでありませんわ。」

    「彼らがゐないこの遣瀬なさは，何も償へませんわ!」

    「では，何うして彼等を行かせたの? まあまあやってゐたではあませんか」

    「私が行かせたのです!」と言ふと，激しくエミリーの方へ向き直った。「何うしてだか御話しませう! 私達は何とか暮して行ける丈なのに，貴女は金持で繁栄してゐるもの！ お話しましたから，憎みたければ私を憎んで下さい。」

    「私は決して貴女を憎みませんわ，ジョアンナ。」

    彼女は自分の言葉が眞實であることを證明した。秋の終り，ブリッグ船が入港してゐる筈なのに，沙洲の間の水路には，ジョアンナ號らしきものが現れなかった。今や，本當に心配する時になった。ジョアンナ・ジョリフは爐邊の傍に坐り，一陣の風は，毎度，彼女をぞつとさせた。彼女は常に海を怖れ嫌ってゐて，彼女にとって海は信頼できぬ，動揺止まぬ，捉え難い，女の悲嘆を誇りにする存在であった。「でも，彼らは來るに相違ない。」と彼女は言った。

    She recalled to her mind that Shadrach had said before starting that if they returned safe and sound, with success crowning their enterprise, he would go as he had gone after his shipwreck, and kneel with his sons in the church, and offer sincere thanks for their deliverance. She went to church regularly morning and afternoon, and sat in the most forward pew, nearest the chancel-step. Her eyes were mostly fixed on that step, where Shadrach had knelt in the bloom of his young manhood: she knew to an inch the spot which his knees had pressed twenty winters before; his outline as he had knelt, his hat on the step beside him. God was good. Surely her husband must kneel there again: a son on each side as he had said; George just here, Jim just there. By long watching the spot as she worshipped it became as if she saw the three returned ones there kneeling; the two slim outlines of her boys, the more bulky form between them; their hands clasped, their heads shaped against the eastern wall. The fancy grew almost to an hallucination: she could never turn her worn eyes to the step without seeing them there.

    彼女は，シェイドラックが出發前に，若し事業が首尾よく成功して，無事に達者で戻ってきたら，前の難破の後に行つた様に，息子達と一緒に教會で跪き，救はれたことに心からの感謝を捧げる積りだと言ったのを想ひ出した。彼女は朝に夕に決まって教會へ通ひ，内陣の階段に一番近い最前列の席に坐つた。彼女の眼は大抵，シエイドラックが血氣盛りの若者の頃に跪いたあの踏段に注がれてゐた。20年前の冬，彼が脆まづいたその場所を，寸分違はず覺えてゐる。帽子を傍の階段に置いて，跪いたあの姿を。神は至善にまします。夫は吃度またあの場所に跪くに違ひない，彼が言った通り息子を兩側に一人づつ，ジョージは此處に，ジムは彼處にと置いて。禮拜しながら長くその場所を見詰めてゐると，恰も戻ってきた三人が其處に見える樣な氣がした。子供達の細身の二つの姿，その間にがつしりした姿が，各々合掌して，頭を東の壁に向けて。この想像は，殆んど幻影ともなった。疲れ眼を階段に向ける度に，其處に三人の姿が見えた。

    Nevertheless they did not come. Heaven was merciful, but it was not yet pleased to relieve her soul. This was her purgation [26] for the sin of making them the slaves of her ambition. But it became more than purgation soon, and her mood approached despair. Months had passed since the brig had been due, but it had not returned.

    それにも拘らず，彼等は來ない。神は恵み深かけれど，まだ彼女の魂を救はせ給はぬ。これは彼女が彼等を自分の野心の奴隷とした贖罪のためであつた。然しそれは間もなく贖罪以上のものとなり，彼女の氣分は絶望に近づいた。ブリッグ船は，着く豫定から幾月か過ぎたが，戻って來なかつた。

    Joanna was always hearing or seeing evidences of their arrival. When on the hill behind the port, whence a view of the open Channel could be obtained, she felt sure that a little speck on the horizon, breaking the eternally level waste of waters [27] southward, was the truck of the Joanna’s mainmast. Or when indoors, a shout or excitement of any kind at the corner of the Town Cellar, where the High Street joined the Quay, caused her to spring to her feet and cry: ‘’Tis they!’

    ジョアンナはいつも，彼等の歸着の證を見たり聞いたりしてゐた。廣い海峽を眺望できる港の後の丘の上で，彼女は果てしなく平らな大海原を破って南へ向って進む水平線上の小さな斑點が確かにジョアンナ號の主檣の木冠に違ひないと感じた。或ひは，室内では，ハイ・ストリートと埠頭通りが交差するタウン・セラーの角で聞える何かの歡聲や響動きが，彼女を跳び立たせ，「これは彼等だ!」と叫ばせた。

    But it was not. The visionary forms knelt every Sunday afternoon on the chancel-step, but not the real. Her shop had, as it were, eaten itself hollow. In the apathy which had resulted from her loneliness and grief she had ceased to take in the smallest supplies, and thus had sent away her last customer.

    しかしさうではなかつた。幻の姿が，毎日曜の午後，内陣の階段に跪いたが，現實の姿でなかった。彼女の店は，前にさうであったやうに，自らを喰い盡して空洞になった。彼女の孤獨と悲歎に起因する無關心の中で，彼女は僅かの仕入れを止め，最後の客を追ひ拂った。

    In this strait [28] Emily Lester tried by every means in her power to aid the afflicted woman; but she met with constant repulses.

    ‘I don’t like you! I can’t bear to see you!’ Joanna would whisper hoarsely when Emily came to her and made advances.

    ‘But I want to help and soothe you, Joanna,’ Emily would say.

    ‘You are a lady, with a rich husband and fine sons! What can you want with a bereaved crone [29] like me!’ ‘Joanna, I want this: I want you to come and live in my house, and not stay alone in this dismal place any longer.’

    ‘And suppose they come and don’t find me at home? You wish to separate me and mine! No, I’ll stay here. I don’t like you, and I can’t thank you, whatever kindness you do me!’

    此の窮境に，エミリー・レスターは苦惱してゐる女をできる限りの方法で助けやうとしたが，何時も拒否に遭った。

    「私は貴女が嫌ひです! 私は貴女を見るのに耐えられない！」エミリーが來て，（援助を）申し入れる，ジョアンナは嗄れ聲でかう言った。

    「でも私は貴女を助け，慰めたいのです，ジョアンナ，」とエミリーは言った。

「貴女はお金持の夫や立派な息子達を持つた淑女です! 私のやうな取遺されて枯れた老女に何を求めるんですか!」

    「ジョアンナ，私は貴女に私の家に來て一緒に暮して戴くことを望みます，こんな陰氣な場所にこれ以上留まるのは止めて。」

    「若し彼等が來て，私が家に居なかったら? 貴女は私と私の者を引裂きたいんでせう！ いいえ，私は此處に留まります。私は貴女が好きでありません，何んな親切をしてくれても，感謝できなません!」

    However, as time went on Joanna could not afford to pay the rent of the shop and house without an income. She was assured that all hope of the return of Shadrach and his sons was vain, and she reluctantly consented to accept the asylum of the Lesters’ house. Here she was allotted a room of her own on the second floor, and went and came as she chose, without contact with the family. Her hair greyed and whitened, deep lines channeled her forehead, and her form grew gaunt and stooping. But she still expected the lost ones, and when she met Emily on the staircase she would say morosely: ‘I know why you’ve got me here! They’ll come, and be disappointed at not finding me at home, and perhaps go away again; and then you’ll be revenged for my taking Shadrach away from ’ee!’

    然し時が經つにつれ，ジョアンナは收入が無く，店と住居の家賃が拂へなくなった。彼女は，シエィドラックと息子達が戻るといふ希望が全く空しいことが確實になったので，厭々ながら，レスター家の庇護を受けることを承諾した。此處で，彼女は三階に自分の一部屋を宛がはれ，家族とは交渉なく，好きなやうにに出入りしてゐた。彼女の髪は灰色に，そして白くなり，額には深い皺が寄り，容姿は痩せ細り，猫背になった。然し彼女は尚失った者達（の歸還）を待ち，そして階段でエミリーに逢ふと，憮然と言った。「貴女が何故私を此處に連れて來たか，私は知ってゐます! 彼等が來たとき，私が家にゐないのに失望して，彼等は多分また行って仕舞でせう，それで貴女は，私が嘗てシエィドラックを横取りしたことに仕返しができるでせう!」

    Emily Lester bore these reproaches from the grief-stricken soul. She was sure—all the people of Havenpool were sure—that Shadrach and his sons could not return. [30] For years the vessel had been given up as lost. Nevertheless, when awakened at night by any noise, Joanna would rise from bed and glance at the shop opposite by the light from the flickering lamp, to make sure it was not they.

    エミリー・レスターは，悲しみに打たれた魂からのかうした言咎を我慢した。ヘヴンプールの全ての人々が，シェイドラックと息子達は歸ってこられないと思ってゐるのを，彼女も確信した。もう幾年も，船は失はれたものと諦められてゐた。それにも拘らず，夜何かの騒音で目が覺めると，ジョアンナは寝床から起上って，明滅する街燈の光で向ひ側の店を眺め，それが彼等ではなかったことを確かめた。

    It was a damp and dark December night, six years after the departure of the brig Joanna. The wind was from the sea, and brought up a fishy mist which mopped the face like moist flannel. Joanna had prayed her usual prayer for the absent ones with more fervour and confidence than she had felt for months, and had fallen asleep about eleven. It must have been between one and two when she suddenly started up [31] She had certainly heard steps in the street, and the voices of Shadrach and her sons calling at the door of the grocery shop. She sprang out of bed, and, hardly knowing what clothing she dragged on herself, hastened down Emily’s large and carpeted staircase, put the candle on the hall-table, unfastened the bolts and chain, and stepped into the street. The mist, blowing up the street from the Quay, hindered her seeing the shop, although it was so near; but she had crossed to it in a moment. How was it? Nobody stood there. The wretched woman walked wildly up and down with her bare feet—there was not a soul. She returned and knocked with all her might at the door which had once been her own—they might have been admitted for the night, unwilling to disturb her till the morning. It was not till several minutes had elapsed that the young man who now kept the shop looked out of an upper window, and saw the skeleton of something human standing below half-dressed.

    ‘Has anybody come?’ asked the form.

    ‘O, Mrs. Jolliffe, I didn’t know it was you,’ said the young man kindly, for he was aware how her baseless expectations moved her. ‘No; nobody has come.’

    帆船ジョアンナ號が出帆してから六年經つた或る十月の濕々した暗い夜のことであった。風は海の方から魚臭い霧を吹き寄せ，濡れたフランネルの様に顔を撫でた。ジョアンナは，この數ヶ月間に感じた以上の熱心さと確信をもつて，留守の者達のために何時もの禱を捧げ，11時頃に眠りに就いた。突然身を起したのは1時と2時の間であつたに相違ない。彼女は確かに，通りに足音を，そしてシェイドラックと息子達が食料品店の戸口で呼ぶ聲を聞いた。彼女は寝床から撥ね起き，何んな着物を纏ったかも殆んど覺えず，エミリー家の大きな絨氈敷きの階段を急いで驅け降り，燭臺を玄關のテーブルの上に置くと，閂と鎖を外し，通りへ踏み出た。埠頭から通りへ吹上げる霧が直ぐ近くの店を見るのを妨げたが，彼女は一瞬の間にそこへ行った。何うしたことだ? 誰もそこに立ってゐない。憐れな女は裸足で荒々しく往きつ戻りつした――そこには誰もゐなかった。彼女は引返して，嘗ては自分の家だったそのドアを力一杯叩いた――彼らは朝まで彼女を煩はしたくないとので，今夜はそこに泊めて貰ったのかも知れない。數分經つて漸く，今は此の店を經營してゐる若者が二階の窓から顔を出し，骸骨のやうに痩せ細った人間らしきものが，半裸體で下に立ってゐるのを見た。

    「誰か來ましたか?」と其の姿が尋ねた。

    「あゝ，ミセス・ジョリフ，私は貴女とは氣が付きませんでした。」若い男は，彼女の根拠のない期待が彼女を斯様にしたことを知ってゐたから，かう親切に言った。。「いいえ，誰も来てゐません。」

June 1891.

一八九一年六月