10 黄泉返り
再会したオーブリー妹の御目見得に付き合って街へ出たところ、居ない筈の声を聞く。まさか、そんな。幻影を見たのだと信じたいオーブリーの前に、またしても。
オーブリー嬢には、社交の場で注目絶賛を浴びるような、人目を惹く優雅端麗がある訳ではなかった。暖房の効いた、ごった返す大部屋の空気に付き物の、チャラチャラした光り物も持たなかった。その青い目が蓮っ葉な下心に酔うなどということもなかった。そこには憂いを帯びた魅力があり、それが不幸せ故ならず、内なる想いか何かから生じたようで、より高みを目指して止まない魂を示しているかのようですらあった。歩む姿は物思わし気に落ち着いて、蝶よ花よと持て囃される所をふらつくような浮ついた足取りならず。
Miss Aubrey had not that winning grace which gains the gaze and applause of the drawing-room assemblies. There was none of that light brilliancy which only exists in the heated atmosphere of a crowded apartment. Her blue eye was never lit up by the levity of the mind beneath. There was a melancholy charm about it which did not seem to arise from misfortune, but from some feeling within, that appeared to indicate a soul conscious of a brighter realm. Her step was not that light footing, which strays where'er a butterfly or a colour may attract—it was sedate and pensive.
一人のときは、喜びの笑顔に輝くという事がなかった。しかし、彼女の兄が持てる愛情吹き込めば、兄の安らぎを奪った悲しみも、それと解る妹の前に忘れられた。これほどの笑顔を、営業用の無料サービスと引き換えにする馬鹿もあるまい。まるでその両眼は、というかその顔は、それ自体が放つ後光の中に遊ばせるようにも見えた。
When alone, her face was never brightened by the smile of joy; but when her brother breathed to her his affection, and would in her presence forget those griefs she knew destroyed his rest, who would have exchanged her smile for that of the voluptuary? It seemed as if those eyes,—that face were then playing in the light of their own native sphere.
18歳に過ぎないのもあったが、まだ御目見得されていないのは、保護者となるべき彼女の兄が大陸から戻る時まで、御目見得を延ばしてやった方が良かろうと後見人たちが考えていたからであった。そこで今や、間近に迫った次の謁見の儀を、彼女が「仕事の景色」に足を踏み入れるきっかけにしようと決められた。オーブリーとしてはどちらかと言うと、父祖の邸宅に引き籠っていたかったし、抱え込んだ憂鬱を持て余してもいた。これまでに目撃してきた出来事で心をぐちゃぐちゃにされてこの上、浮薄に着飾れる他人になど興味は持てない。とはいえ、妹を守るためならば、自分ひとりの慰安を潰すなど何ほどの事があろうか。皆して間もなく町に到り、その翌日には謁見の儀を行うと発表されていたので、準備にかかった。
She was yet only eighteen, and had not been presented to the world, it having been thought by her guardians more fit that her presentation should be delayed until her brother's return from the continent, when he might be her protector. It was now, therefore, resolved that the next drawing-room, which was fast approaching, should be the epoch of her entry into the "busy scene." Aubrey would rather have remained in the mansion of his fathers, and fed upon the melancholy which overpowered him. He could not feel interest about the frivolities of fashionable strangers, when his mind had been so torn by the events he had witnessed; but he determined to sacrifice his own comfort to the protection of his sister. They soon arrived in town, and prepared for the next day, which had been announced as a drawing-room.
群衆雑踏押し合い圧し合い。何せ謁見の儀は、もう随分と開催されていなかったもので、日の下に王族の笑顔を拝することを切望していた人すべてが詰めかけた。オーブリーは妹と一緒に居た。たまたま一人になって片隅に立っていると、周りのことなどより、ちょうどその場所に居たラッスェン卿を初めて見たときの記憶が呼び覚まされ……と、突然腕を掴まれ、知り過ぎるほどよく知っている声が、耳元に響いた…「誓い忘るべからず。」
勇気をもって振り向くどころか、見てしまえば亡霊に責め立てられるとしか思えず、ふと気がつくと、初めて社交界に出たとき、この場所で目を惹いたのと同じ人の形が、少し離れたところに影を落とすではないか。
自分の手足が崩折れるまで愕然と凝視するばかり、友人の腕に縋るしかなく、人混みかき分け通り抜け、自分の馬車へ転げ込むや、一散に家へ駆け戻る。
苛々と部屋を歩き回る、頭抱える事まるで思考が脳から弾け出るのを恐れているかのよう。ラッスェン卿に再び見えようとは…事態は恐るべく列び始めた…あの短剣…あの誓い。…自身を鼓舞して、いやいや、ある筈なかろう！…死者が再び立ち上がるなど。…思うに心安らげぬゆえの妄想が幻影を齎したのではないか。現実になることは有り得ない……
かくて再び社交に出る決心をし、ラッスェン卿について尋ねようとしたところが、その名を口に出せず、情報を得ることができなかった。
The crowd was excessive—a drawing-room had not been held for a long time, and all who were anxious to bask in the smile of royalty, hastened thither. Aubrey was there with his sister. While he was standing in a corner by himself, heedless of all around him, engaged in the remembrance that the first time he had seen Lord Ruthven was in that very place—he felt himself suddenly seized by the arm, and a voice he recognized too well, sounded in his ear—"Remember your oath." He had hardly courage to turn, fearful of seeing a spectre that would blast him, when he perceived, at a little distance, the same figure which had attracted his notice on this spot upon his first entry into society. He gazed till his limbs almost refusing to bear their weight, he was obliged to take the arm of a friend, and forcing a passage through the crowd, he threw himself into his carriage, and was driven home. He paced the room with hurried steps, and fixed his hands upon his head, as if he were afraid his thoughts were bursting from his brain. Lord Ruthven again before him—circumstances started up in dreadful array—the dagger—his oath.—He roused himself, he could not believe it possible—the dead rise again!—He thought his imagination had conjured up the image his mind was resting upon. It was impossible that it could be real—he determined, therefore, to go again into society; for though he attempted to ask concerning Lord Ruthven, the name hung upon his lips, and he could not succeed in gaining information.
2〜3日後の夜、妹と一緒に近親者の集いに行き。妹を保母の保護に任せて、自分は休憩所に退がり、そこで思いに耽る事しばし。ふと気付くともう大勢立ち去っていて、自分自身を奮い立たせ、別の部屋に入ると、妹が数人に囲まれ、見た目は真剣な会話に興じているところを見つけた。人混み掻き分け近づこうとしたところ、退いてくれと促した相手が振り返り、今一番見たくもない、ぞっとする正体をちらりと見せた。
He went a few nights after with his sister to the assembly of a near relation. Leaving her under the protection of a matron, he retired into a recess, and there gave himself up to his own devouring thoughts. Perceiving, at last, that many were leaving, he roused himself, and entering another room, found his sister surrounded by several, apparently in earnest conversation; he attempted to pass and get near her, when one, whom he requested to move, turned round, and revealed to him those features he most abhorred.
弾かれたように飛び出すや、妹の腕をつかみ、急いで街路に向かわせた。扉のところに、使用人たちが群れなしておのおの主人を待っているのが邪魔で仕方ない。追い越そうとして、またしても近くで声がささやくのを聞いた…「誓い忘るべからず！」…あえて向きを変えることなく、妹を急かしてすぐに家に着いた。
He sprang forward, seized his sister's arm, and, with hurried step, forced her towards the street: at the door he found himself impeded by the crowd of servants who were waiting for their lords; and while he was engaged in passing them, he again heard that voice whisper close to him—"Remember your oath!"—He did not dare to turn, but, hurrying his sister, soon reached home.
Miss Aubrey had.. :オーブリー妹の紹介。何これ、堅実な地味子？こんなの持ち上げる作者の気が知れない。
and would in her presence forget those griefs she knew destroyed his rest,:「妹だけは兄を理解できる」と言いたいらしいが、また面倒くさい書き方しやがってるので少し書き直す。
that(smile) of the voluptuary:「スマイル0円」より「たらしこみ」に近い。
the light of their own native sphere.:sphereは「球体」。「それ自体が持つ光の玉」とは、「後光」を指す表現。いやどこのネ申だ妹。
drawing-room:「客間」から転じて「謁見式」の類をいう事がある。後の描写からして、客間ではなく、戸外での謁見式であろう。
"Remember your oath." :『ハムレット』第1幕第5場
Ghost:Adieu, adieu! Hamlet, remember me.
これを当てつけとして、バイロン卿に振られたレディ・キャロライン・ラムが、卿の本に
Remember me!
と書き込み、対して
Remember thee! Remember thee!;
Till Lethe quench life's burning stream;
Remorse and shame shall cling to thee,
And haunt thee like a feverish dream!
Remember thee! Ay, doubt it not.
Thy husband too shall think of thee!
By neither shalt thou be forgot,
Thou false to him, thou fiend to me!
と卿が返した、痴話喧嘩の1幕があった。
spectre:ハムレット父の幻影は戯曲にGhostとしつつ、この類にも称される。
when he perceived,:以下、最も緊迫した解り難い表現。腕を掴まれ、あの声で耳元へ囁かれた。と思ったその時、顔を背けたオーブリーの視界に入った影法師は、ラッスェン卿そのものであった。
