VI.
数日後、ヴィルヘルムは魔法の弾丸の使い方にも慣れ、もはや不安視することはなかった。毎日、森の中を歩き回り、義足の人に再会することを望んでいた。弾丸の在庫は1組に減っており、試練の日に最後の成功を危うくしないためには、この上なく厳格な倹約が必要だった。ある日、彼は積極的に老監督の狩りに付き合うことを断った。次の日には公爵の長官が来ることになっており、正規の試練の前に、腕前を披露するよう求められるかもしれないからだ。しかし夜になって、公爵の代わりの使者がやってきて、宮廷のために非常に多くの獲物を届けるようにと言い、その日から7夜まで自分の接待の準備を中止するようにと言われた。
In a few days William had so familiarised himself to the use of his enchanted balls, that he no longer regarded it with any misgiving. Every day he roamed about in the forest hoping to meet the wooden-leg again; for his stock of balls had sunk to a single pair; and the most rigorous parsimony became needful, if he would not put to hazard his final success on the day of trial. One day, therefore, he positively declined attending the old forester a hunting; for, on the next, the duke’s commissioner was expected; and it might so happen that, before the regular probation, he would call for some exhibition of his skill. At night, however, instead of the commissioner, came a messenger from him to bespeak a very large delivery of game for court, and to countermand the preparations for his own reception until that day se’nnight.
この知らせを受けたヴィルヘルムは卒倒せんばかり、その警戒心は結婚の遅延という事情が無ければ、危うく疑惑を呼ぶところだった。
彼は今、狩りに出かけなければならず、少なくとも弾丸の1発は犠牲にしなければならない。あと1発は、生涯の運命を決める諮問会の前での最後の弾丸とし、他にはこの世のどんな目的にも手放すまいと自分に誓っていた。
On the receipt of this news, William was ready to sink to the ground; and his alarm would certainly have raised suspicions, had it not been ascribed to the delay of his marriage. He was now under the necessity of going out to hunt, and of sacrificing, at least, one of his balls. With the other he vowed to himself that he would not part for any purpose on earth, except for the final shot before the commissioner which was to decide his fate for life.
ヴィルヘルムが雄鹿を1頭だけ持って森から戻ってきたとき、ベルトラムはこれを叱った。翌日、ルドルフが獲物を積んで帰ってきて、ヴィルヘルムの袋が空っぽなのを見ては、ベルトラムの憤慨なおさら。その夜には、家から追い出し、カタリネとの結婚に同意したことを取り消すぞと脅かすほどだった。次の朝には、少なくとも2頭の鹿を持ち帰れと。カタリネにしても見ておれず、愛してくれるのなら、狩りの最中は私のことを考えるより集中してと、最大限の努力をしてと彼に頼んだ。
Bertram scolded, when William came back from the forest with only a single buck; for the quantity of venison ordered was very considerable. Next day he was still more provoked on seeing Rudolph return loaded with game and William with an empty bag. At night he threatened to dismiss him from his house, and to revoke the consent he had given to his marriage with Katharine, unless ho brought home, at least, two roe-deer on the following morning. Katherine herself was in the greatest distress, and conjured him for love of her to apply his utmost zeal, and not to think so much about her whilst engaged in hunting.
絶望的な気分のまま、ヴィルヘルムは森へ向かった。どの道、ケイトは失うものとしか見えない。その決定が、この日の狩りの結果か、諮問会の裁定の何れとなるにせよ。何という選ぶ意味のない選択肢であろうか。自分の惨めな運命について暗澹たる思いで立ち尽くしていると、鹿の一群が一斉に目の前まで近づいてきた。機械的に最後の弾丸を探った。その時、突然、遠くから老人の義足が自分の方に歩いてくるのが見えた。喜び勇んで銃に弾丸を込め、発射すると、ノロジカの牡2頭が地に伏した。ヴィルヘルムはそれを置いて、急いで義足を追いかけたところが、別の道に入ったのか、すっかり姿を消していた。
In a despairing mood William set off to the forest. Kate, in any case, he looked upon as lost; and all that remained for him was a sad alternative between the two modes of losing her, whether by the result of this day’s hunting, or of the trial before the commissioner. This was an alternative on which he felt himself incapable of deciding; and he was standing lost in gloomy contemplation of his wretched fate when all at once a troop of deer advanced close upon him. Mechanically he felt for his last ball; it seemed to weigh a hundred weight in his bands. Already he had resolved to reserve this treasure at any price, when suddenly he saw the old wooden-leg at a distance and apparently directing his steps towards himself. Joyfully he dropped his ball into the barrel, fired, and two roe-bucks fell to the ground. William left them lying, and hurried after the wooden-leg; but he must have struck into some other path for he had wholly disappeared.
