I hurried along the road at the top of my speed without seeing anything of Sir Henry, until I came to the point where the moor path branches off. There, fearing that perhaps I had come in the wrong direction after all, I mounted a hill from which I could command a view – the same hill which is cut into the dark quarry. Thence I saw him at once. He was on the moor path, about a quarter of a mile off, and a lady was by his side who could only be Miss Stapleton. It was clear that there was already an understanding between them and that they had met by appointment. They were walking slowly along in deep conversation, and I saw her making quick little movements of her hands as if she were very earnest in what she was saying, while he listened intently, and once or twice shook his head in strong dissent. I stood among the rocks watching them, very much puzzled as to what I should do next. To follow them and break into their intimate conversation seemed to be an outrage, and yet my clear duty was never for an instant to let him out of my sight. To act the spy upon a friend was a hateful task. Still, I could see no better course than to observe him from the hill, and to clear my conscience by confessing to him afterwards what I had done. It is true that if any sudden danger had threatened him I was too far away to be of use, and yet I am sure that you will agree with me that the position was very difficult, and that there was nothing more which I could do.

私は全速力で道を駆けた / サー・ヘンリーの姿はどこにもなかった / 荒野の道が枝分かれしている所に来るまで◆そこで / 私が結局間違った方向に来ているのではないかという恐れで / 私はあたりを見渡せる丘に登った / / 暗い石切り場が刻まれたその丘だ◆そこからすぐに彼の姿が見えた◆彼は荒野の道にいた / 四分の一マイルほど行ったところの / そして彼のそばに居る女性はステイプルトン嬢以外ではありえなかった◆それは明らかだった / すでに二人の間で合意があり / 彼らが約束の上で会っていたことは◆彼らは話し込みながらゆっくりと歩いていた / そして私は彼女が手を素早く動かすのを見た / あたかも彼女が言っていることに非常に熱を入れているかのように / 彼が熱心に聞いている間 / そして一、二度彼が激しく反対して首を振る間◆私は岩の間に立って彼らを見つめていた / 次にどうすべきか、非常に当惑して◆彼らの後を追いかけて親しい会話に割り込むのは / 噴飯ものに思えた / しかし私のはっきりした任務は / 一瞬たりとも私の視界の外に彼を置かないことだ◆友人をこそこそ覗き見するのは不愉快な仕事だ◆それでも / 私はよりよい方法を見つけられなかった / 丘の上から彼を観察する以上に / そして自分の良心をはっきりさせる / あとで自分がした事を告白する事で◆それは間違いない / もし何か急な危険が彼を脅かしていれば / 私は遠すぎて役に立たないと / しかし私は確信している / 君が私の立場が非常に難しいことに賛成してくれるだろうと / そして私がこれ以上にできた事はなかったと

Our friend, Sir Henry, and the lady had halted on the path and were standing deeply absorbed in their conversation, when I was suddenly aware that I was not the only witness of their interview. A wisp of green floating in the air caught my eye, and another glance showed me that it was carried on a stick by a man who was moving among the broken ground. It was Stapleton with his butterfly-net. He was very much closer to the pair than I was, and he appeared to be moving in their direction. At this instant Sir Henry suddenly drew Miss Stapleton to his side. His arm was round her, but it seemed to me that she was straining away from him with her face averted. He stooped his head to hers, and she raised one hand as if in protest. Next moment I saw them spring apart and turn hurriedly round. Stapleton was the cause of the interruption. He was running wildly towards them, his absurd net dangling behind him. He gesticulated and almost danced with excitement in front of the lovers. What the scene meant I could not imagine, but it seemed to me that Stapleton was abusing Sir Henry, who offered explanations, which became more angry as the other refused to accept them. The lady stood by in haughty silence. Finally Stapleton turned upon his heel and beckoned in a peremptory way to his sister, who, after an irresolute glance at Sir Henry, walked off by the side of her brother. The naturalist’s angry gestures showed that the lady was included in his displeasure. The baronet stood for a minute looking after them, and then he walked slowly back the way that he had come, his head hanging, the very picture of dejection.

我らが友人、サー・ヘンリーと / 女性は道に立ち止まり / 非常に会話に夢中になって立っていた / その時私は突然気づいた / 彼らの話を目撃していたのは私だけでないことに◆緑色の雲のようなものが空中に漂っているのが目に入った / そしてもう一度見ると分かった / それが棒について運ばれていると / 緩んだ地盤の間を移動している男によって◆それは虫取り網を持ったステイプルトンだった◆彼は二人に私よりも非常に近くにいて / どうやら彼らの方に移動しているようだった◆この瞬間 / サー・ヘンリーが突然ステイプルトン嬢を抱き寄せた◆彼は腕を彼女に回した / しかし私には見えた / 彼女が顔をそらせて彼を押し戻そうとしているように◆彼は頭を彼女に向けて傾けた / そして彼女は片手を拒むように上げた◆次の瞬間 / 彼らがぱっと離れて急いで向きを変えるのが見えた◆ステイプルトンがその中断の原因だった◆彼は荒々しく彼らに向かって走っていた / 彼の馬鹿げた網は後ろに垂れ下がっていた◆彼は身振りで何か言い、興奮でほとんど踊っているようだった / 恋人達の眼前で◆この場面の意味は私には想像できなかった / しかしステイプルトンがサー・ヘンリーを罵っているように見えた / 説明している / それがもっと怒らせた / ステイプルトンがそれを受け入れることを拒んだので◆女性は驕慢なまでに静かに立っていた◆ついにステイプルトンは踵を返し / 有無を言わさぬ様子で妹に指で来いと指図した / 妹は優柔不断な視線をサー・ヘンリーに投げかけた後 / 兄と並んで歩いていった◆博物学者の怒った身振りは示していた / 妹も彼の怒りに含まれていると◆準男爵は一分ほど彼らを見送って立っていた / その後彼はゆっくりと来た道を戻って行った / 頭を垂れて / まさに落胆そのものという図で

What all this meant I could not imagine, but I was deeply ashamed to have witnessed so intimate a scene without my friend’s knowledge. I ran down the hill therefore and met the baronet at the bottom. His face was flushed with anger and his brows were wrinkled, like one who is at his wit’s ends what to do.

これが全体としてどういう意味かは想像できなかった / しかし私は非常に恥ずかしかった / こんなにも内密な場面を目撃したことが / 友人に知られずに◆そのため私は丘を駆け下り / 準男爵と麓で会った◆彼の顔は怒りで真っ赤で / 額に皺を寄せていた / どうしたらよいか困り果てた人間のように