Yet, though looked at with some curiosity and reserve by his more cultivated neighbours, he soon acquired a great popularity among the villagers, subscribing handsomely to all local objects, and attending their smoking concerts and other functions, where, having a remarkably rich tenor voice, he was always ready to oblige with an excellent song. He appeared to have plenty of money, which was said to have been gained in the California gold fields, and it was clear from his own talk and that of his wife that he had spent a part of his life in America.

しかし / 少し好奇の目で見られ / より洗練された隣人からは遠ざけられていたものの / 彼はすぐに村人の間で非常に人気を得た / 地元に惜しみなく寄付を与え / 喫煙可能なコンサートなどに参加して / そこで彼は目覚しく豊かなテノールの声で / 彼は何時でも喜んで素晴らしい曲を披露した◆彼はたくさんの資産があるようだった / それはカリフォルニアの金鉱で得たものと言われていた / そして彼自身と妻の話から明らかだった / 彼が人生のある部分をアメリカで過ごしたのは

The good impression which had been produced by his generosity and by his democratic manners was increased by a reputation gained for utter indifference to danger. Though a wretched rider, he turned out at every meet, and took the most amazing falls in his determination to hold his own with the best. When the vicarage caught fire he distinguished himself also by the fearlessness with which he reentered the building to save property, after the local fire brigade had given it up as impossible. Thus it came about that John Douglas of the Manor House had within five years won himself quite a reputation in Birlstone.

いい印象は / 彼の寛大な行為と民主的な態度によって形作られていた / さらに強化された / 危険に対する完全な無関心で得た名声によって◆彼は乗馬が下手だったが / 彼はいつも狐狩りに参加し / そして非常に派手な落馬をした / 何とか最善を尽くそうと決意して◆牧師館が火事になった時 / 恐怖心の無さで評判となった / 彼が建物にもう一度入って資産を救った事で / 地元の消防隊が不可能だと諦めた後に◆このようにして領主邸のジョン・ダグラスは / 5年を経たずしてバールストンでかなりの名声を勝ち得ていた

His wife, too, was popular with those who had made her acquaintance; though, after the English fashion, the callers upon a stranger who settled in the county without introductions were few and far between. This mattered the less to her, as she was retiring by disposition, and very much absorbed, to all appearance, in her husband and her domestic duties. It was known that she was an English lady who had met Mr. Douglas in London, he being at that time a widower. She was a beautiful woman, tall, dark, and slender, some twenty years younger than her husband; a disparity which seemed in no wise to mar the contentment of their family life.

彼の妻も / 知り合いになった人間の間では非常に評判が良かった / しかし、イギリスの流儀に従えば / 紹介も無しにその地方に住み着いた余所者を訪れる者は / ほとんどなかった◆これは彼女には対して問題ではなかった / 彼女は引っ込み思案な性格で / 非常に忙しかった / どう見ても / 夫の世話や家事に◆この事が知られている / 彼女はイギリスの女性で / ロンドンでダグラス氏と出会った / その時彼は男やもめだった◆彼女は美しい女性だった / 背が高く / 黒髪で / 細身の / 夫より20歳ほど若かった / その年の差は / 彼等の家庭生活の満足を損なう事は全くなかったようだった

It was remarked sometimes, however, by those who knew them best, that the confidence between the two did not appear to be complete, since the wife was either very reticent about her husband’s past life, or else, as seemed more likely, was imperfectly informed about it. It had also been noted and commented upon by a few observant people that there were signs sometimes of some nerve-strain upon the part of Mrs. Douglas, and that she would display acute uneasiness if her absent husband should ever be particularly late in his return. On a quiet countryside, where all gossip is welcome, this weakness of the lady of the Manor House did not pass without remark, and it bulked larger upon people’s memory when the events arose which gave it a very special significance.

しかし時々語られる事があった / 彼らを非常に良く知る人間によって / 夫婦の間の信頼は / 完璧なものではなかったようだ / 妻は夫の過去について非常に話したがらないか / または / こちらの方がよりありそうだったが / 完全にはそれを明かされていなかった◆またこれも気づかれ噂されていた / 少数の目が利く人によって / 時々神経が高ぶっている兆候があった / ダグラス夫人の方に / そして彼女は激しい不安を表しがちだった / 出掛けた夫の帰りがとりわけ遅い時◆静かな田舎の地方では / どんな噂話も歓迎される / 領主邸の女主人のこの弱点は / 人の噂なしには通らなかった / そしてそれは人々の記憶に重大なものとなった / この事件が起きて非常に特別な重要性が与えられた時

There was yet another individual whose residence under that roof was, it is true, only an intermittent one, but whose presence at the time of the strange happenings which will now be narrated brought his name prominently before the public. This was Cecil James Barker, of Hales Lodge, Hampstead.

同じ屋根の下に住んでいた住民がもう一人いる / 途切れ途切れではあったが / しかし彼がその場に居たことは / これから語る奇妙な事件の時に / 彼の名前を著しく大衆の前に晒した◆それはハムステッド、ヘイルズ荘のセシル・ジェイムズ・バーカーだった

Cecil Barker’s tall, loose-jointed figure was a familiar one in the main street of Birlstone village; for he was a frequent and welcome visitor at the Manor House. He was the more noticed as being the only friend of the past unknown life of Mr. Douglas who was ever seen in his new English surroundings. Barker was himself an undoubted Englishman; but by his remarks it was clear that he had first known Douglas in America and had there lived on intimate terms with him. He appeared to be a man of considerable wealth, and was reputed to be a bachelor.

セシル・バーカーの背の高い柔軟な姿は / バールストン村の大通りの一つではおなじみだった / 彼は領主邸に歓迎される客でしばしば出入りしていた◆彼はさらに注目された / ダグラス氏の知られざる過去のただ一人の友人として / イギリスのこの辺りの友人の中には他にいない◆ベーカー自身は間違いなくイギリス人だった / しかし彼の言うところでは / 彼がダグラスと最初に知り合ったのがアメリカだったのは間違いない / そしてそこで親密な関係を持って暮らしていたのは◆彼は十分な資産を持った男のようだった / そして独身だという噂だった

In age he was rather younger than Douglas – forty-five at the most – a tall, straight, broad-chested fellow with a clean-shaved, prize-fighter face, thick, strong, black eyebrows, and a pair of masterful black eyes which might, even without the aid of his very capable hands, clear a way for him through a hostile crowd. He neither rode nor shot, but spent his days in wandering round the old village with his pipe in his mouth, or in driving with his host, or in his absence with his hostess, over the beautiful countryside. “An easy-going, free-handed gentleman,” said Ames, the butler. “But, my word! I had rather not be the man that crossed him!” He was cordial and intimate with Douglas, and he was no less friendly with his wife – a friendship which more than once seemed to cause some irritation to the husband, so that even the servants were able to perceive his annoyance. Such was the third person who was one of the family when the catastrophe occurred.

彼はダグラスよりも少し若かった / / 歳をとっていても45歳までだろう / / 背の高い / 率直な / 胸の広い男 / 綺麗に髭をそったプロボクサーのような顔 / 濃く強い黒い眉 / 横柄な黒い目は / 彼の腕力の助けがなくても / 集まった敵をたじたじとさせたかも知れない◆彼は馬に乗らず射撃もしなかった / その代わりに暇をつぶした / パイプをくわえて古い村を歩き回ったり / または主人と馬車で出かけたり / 彼がいない時は女主人と一緒に / 美しい田舎地方を越えて◆「のんきで自由気ままな人です」 / 執事のエイムズは言った◆「しかし / まあねえ！ / どちらかといえば関わり合いになりたくないですね！」　 / 彼はダグラスに思い遣りがあり親しく / そして彼は妻の方とも同じくらい親しかった / / 一度ならず原因となったらしい親交だが / 夫をかなりイライラさせる / それで使用人でさえ彼の苛立ちを感じる事ができた◆これが三人目の家族の一員の様子だ / 惨事が発生した時の

As to the other denizens of the old building, it will suffice out of a large household to mention the prim, respectable, and capable Ames, and Mrs. Allen, a buxom and cheerful person, who relieved the lady of some of her household cares. The other six servants in the house bear no relation to the events of the night of January 6th.

この古い建物のほかの住民については / 多くの使用人の中からこれを紹介しておけば十分だろう / 堅苦しく、礼儀正しく、有能なエイムズ / そして快活で愉快な性格のアレン夫人 / 彼女は夫人の家庭の悩みをいくらか晴らしていた◆他の六人の住み込み使用人は / 1月6日の夜の事件とは関係がない