“Yes, sir, my name was Selden, and he is my younger brother. We humoured him too much when he was a lad and gave him his own way in everything until he came to think that the world was made for his pleasure, and that he could do what he liked in it. Then as he grew older he met wicked companions, and the devil entered into him until he broke my mother’s heart and dragged our name in the dirt. From crime to crime he sank lower and lower until it is only the mercy of God which has snatched him from the scaffold; but to me, sir, he was always the little curly-headed boy that I had nursed and played with as an elder sister would. That was why he broke prison, sir. He knew that I was here and that we could not refuse to help him. When he dragged himself here one night, weary and starving, with the warders hard at his heels, what could we do? We took him in and fed him and cared for him. Then you returned, sir, and my brother thought he would be safer on the moor than anywhere else until the hue and cry was over, so he lay in hiding there. But every second night we made sure if he was still there by putting a light in the window, and if there was an answer my husband took out some bread and meat to him. Every day we hoped that he was gone, but as long as he was there we could not desert him. That is the whole truth, as I am an honest Christian woman, and you will see that if there is blame in the matter it does not lie with my husband but with me, for whose sake he has done all that he has.”

「そうです / 私の旧名はセルデンでした / そして彼は私の弟です◆私達は子供の時に彼を甘やかせ過ぎました / そして全てにおいて思うようにさせました / 世界が自分の喜びのために存在していると思うようになるまで / そして何でも好きな事を出来ると思うまで◆その後彼は成長し悪い仲間と会いました / そして悪魔が彼の中に入りました / 母の心臓を粉々にするまで / そして家名を泥にまみれさせるまで◆犯罪を犯すごとに彼はどんどんと落ちぶれました / ただ神のお情けだけで / 絞首台から逃れられているというところまで / しかし、私には / 彼はいつも小さな巻き毛の少年です / 私は姉がするように世話をし一緒に遊びました◆それが彼が脱獄した理由です◆彼は私がここに居て、助力を拒めないことを知っていました◆ある夜彼が体をひきずってここに来た時 / 疲れ果て、飢えて / 看守にすぐ後を追われて / 我々に何ができたでしょうか？ / 我々は彼を引き入れて食べ物をやり世話をしました◆その時旦那様が戻ってきました / そして弟は考えました / 他のどこよりも荒野が安全だと / ほとぼりが冷めるまでは / だから彼はそこに潜んでいます◆しかし二夜に一度 / 私達は彼がまだそこにいるかを確認しました / 窓に光を当てて / そしてもし応答があれば / 夫がパンと肉を彼に持っていきました◆毎日私達は彼が去ってくれる事を願っていました / しかし彼がそこに居る限りは私達は彼を見捨てる事はできませんでした◆これが完全な真実です / 神聖なカトリックの女性として / そしてお分かりいただけるでしょう / ものこの件で非難されることがあれば / それは夫ではなく私にあると / 夫がやった事はすべて私のためなのです」

The woman’s words came with an intense earnestness which carried conviction with them.

女性の言葉は異常なまでに熱心で / 確信に満ちていた

“Is this true, Barrymore?”

「本当なのか / バリモア？」

“Yes, Sir Henry. Every word of it.”

「はい / サー・ヘンリー◆一言違わず」

“Well, I cannot blame you for standing by your own wife. Forget what I have said. Go to your room, you two, and we shall talk further about this matter in the morning.”

「よし / 自分の妻の味方をした人間を咎める事はできない◆私が言ったことは忘れてくれ◆二人とも部屋に下がりなさい / 朝になればこの事についてもっと話し合おう」

When they were gone we looked out of the window again. Sir Henry had flung it open, and the cold night wind beat in upon our faces. Far away in the black distance there still glowed that one tiny point of yellow light.

彼らが去った時我々はもう一度窓の外を眺めた◆サー・ヘンリーは窓をさっと開け / 冷たい夜風が我々の顔を打った◆はるか遠くの暗闇に / まだ小さな黄色い光の点が輝いていた

“I wonder he dares,” said Sir Henry.

「大胆な奴だな」 / サー・ヘンリーは言った

“It may be so placed as to be only visible from here.”

「ここからしか見えないように置いてあるのだろう」

“Very likely. How far do you think it is?”

「おそらくそうだろう◆あそこまでどれくらいの距離があるんだろう？」

“Out by the Cleft Tor, I think.”

「クレフト・トーから来ているようだ」

“Not more than a mile or two off.”

「１，２マイル以上ではないな」

“Hardly that.”

「まずそうだな」

“Well, it cannot be far if Barrymore had to carry out the food to it. And he is waiting, this villain, beside that candle. By thunder, Watson, I am going out to take that man!”

「バリモアが食べ物を運ばねばならなかったとすればそんなに遠いはずがない◆そして彼は待っている / この悪党は / ロウソクの側で◆どうだ / ワトソン / 私は出かけていってあの男を捕まえるつもりだ！」

The same thought had crossed my own mind. It was not as if the Barrymores had taken us into their confidence. Their secret had been forced from them. The man was a danger to the community, an unmitigated scoundrel for whom there was neither pity nor excuse. We were only doing our duty in taking this chance of putting him back where he could do no harm. With his brutal and violent nature, others would have to pay the price if we held our hands. Any night, for example, our neighbours the Stapletons might be attacked by him, and it may have been the thought of this which made Sir Henry so keen upon the adventure.

私の心にも同じ考えが浮かんだ◆バリモア夫妻は私達に秘密を明かしたのではなかった　◆彼らの秘密は無理やりに聞き出された◆あの男は社会にとって危険だ / 哀れみも釈明も必要のない純然たる悪党だ◆我々はただ使命を果たすだけだ / 彼が危害を加えることが出来ない場所に戻すというこの機会をとらえて◆彼の残忍で凶暴な性格で / 他人が犠牲になるかもしれない / もし我々が手をこまねいていると◆例えば、今夜にでも / 隣人のステイプルトン兄妹が彼に襲われるかもしれない / そしてこの考えだったかもしれない / サー・ヘンリーをこの冒険へと駆り立てたものは

“I will come,” said I.

「私も行くよ」 / 私は言った

“Then get your revolver and put on your boots. The sooner we start the better, as the fellow may put out his light and be off.”

「では拳銃を持って靴を履いてくれ◆早く出発した方がいいだろう / あの男が光を消して逃げるかもしれない」