瓶入り魔物。THE BOTTLE-IMP.その6
女が少しばかり脇に下がると、行商人は小さな瓶入り魔物の強力で秘儀的な特質をすべて説明した。
She now retired a little aside, and the pedlar disclosed to her all the powerful, occult qualities, of his little bottle-imp.
「この詐欺師め！」と疑ぐり深い女は怒鳴る。「こんないい加減な話で人を陥れようなんて。もし本当なら、その汚いボロ布よりもっとマシな服を身につけるよう、まず心がけたでしょうに。
このクズが、とっとと出て行け！さもないと、お前を魔女として、黒魔術の商人として告発してやるから。そうして、お前の悪魔共々、火炙り台でこんがり焚かれてしまうがいい。」
" How now ! thou cheating varlet, " cried the incredulous dame, " dost thou think to impose upon people by such fine tales as these. Were it true, I warrant me, thou hadst taken care first to provide thyself with something better than those filthy rags. Out with thee, for a knave! Begone, or I'll denounce thee for a sorcerer and dealer in the black art: and then both thyself and thy devil may be burnt together. "
このとき、二人の勇士は争いに加わって、不幸な行商人とその品物を階段の下に蹴り落とした。哀れな屍はこの屈辱に耐えられず、更には魔女として焚刑に処される可能性に怯え。可能な限りの速さでヴェネツィアを後にし、翌日には、今では自分の不幸すべてを生じたとしか見えない国の領土から離れた。
Both the gallants now took part in the fray, and kicked the unfortunate pedlar, and his wares, down stairs ; whereupon, that the poor wight unable to resent the indignity, and terrified at the idea of being roasted for a wizard, hastened to leave Venice with all possible expedition; insomuch that, on the following day, he had quitted a territory which he now regarded as the land of all his misfortunes.
その間にも、自分の不幸のもっと身近な原因を忘れることなく、ポケットからくすんだ小鬼を取り出し、叫んだ。
「てめえ、不届きな悪魔め！次に奉仕を求めるときは、永遠におさらばするときだ」
In the mean while he did not forget a nearer cause of his unhappiness, but, drawing the little dusky imp from his pocket, he cried:
" Thou miscreant devil ! If I again call on thee for thy services, it is, that I may rid myself of thee for ever. "
こうして八つ当たりしながらも、すぐに前回よりはるかに多い金額を要求し、その重さに沈みそうになりながら、次の町へ向かった。立派な馬具を買い、多くの従者を雇い、ローマに向けて出発した。ローマでなら、歓迎されない小さな伴侶を、退くことなく引き取る者をすぐに見つけられるに違いない。1ドゥカートを使うたびに、別のドゥカートを魔物に要求し、薬瓶を売った後でも全額を握っておけるようにした。これなら、常に耐えている恐怖のための正当な補償以上というものだろう。
Having thus vented the bitterness of his feelings, he forthwith desired to have a sum much more considerable than the last, and then, almost sinking under its weight, he proceeded to the next town. Here he purchased a splendid equipage, hired a numerous retinue, and set out for Rome, convinced that there he should soon be able to find some one, who would not scruple to take his unwelcome little companion off his hands. As often as he expended a ducat, did he require the imp to replace it by another, in order that, after selling his phial, he might still have the entire sum. This seemed to him no more than a fair compensation, for the horrors he constantly endured; for, in addidition to the nightly visits of the black apparition, that never failed to come, and lay upon his breast, he saw also the bottle-devil constantly frisking about the phial, with the most horrible glee, as if now quite certain of his prey, at the expiration of the due period of his service.
その富と姿から、ローマ社交界の第一人者として認められるようになったのも束の間、絶え間ない恐怖が付き纏い、適切な機会を待ってなど居れない。自分を苦しめる相手から早く解放されたい。誰か買え。しかしそのため、たちまち精神異常者とみなされるようになり、すべての人の好奇の目にさらされるようになった。誰しもお金があれば機嫌が良くなり、多くの友人ができる。リヒャルトとて例外ではない。しかし、薬瓶を出して3グロッシェンの話を始めるやいなや、その場にいた全員が笑顔も強張りつつ、強引な勧誘から逃れたのだった。
Hardly had his wealth and the figure which he made, procured him admission into the first circles of Roman society, than his constant dread would not allow him to wait until a proper opportunity should offer, of freeing himself from his tormentor. He was continually offering his phial to every person, demanding for it three groschen in German money; insomuch that he, in a short time, became to be considered as a lunatic, and was a subject of ridi cule to every one. Money makes a good mood, and many a fair friends withal: so was it with our Richard; yet no sooner did he produce his phial, and begin to talk of three groschens, than all present were glad to escape his importunity.
もうどうしようもない絶望ばかりで、もはやローマ逗留にも耐えられなくなり、戦場での運試しを決心した。最低、この不幸の原因を取り除く機会くらい有るかも知れないではないか。
聞くところによると、イタリアの小国2つが互いに敵対しており、その片方を支持に向かう動きがあるとか。金色もまばゆい胸当てと壮麗な羽飾り付き兜で飾り立て、軽狩猟用具2本、見事に鍛え上げられた剣、美しい短剣2本で武装した彼は、スペイン産の良馬に乗り、此方も勇壮な装備に身を固めた従者3人を従えて出発した。
So great, at length, was his despair, that he could no longer endure to remain at Rome, but determined to try his fate in war, hoping that by some chance he might there, at least, get rid of the cause of his misery. He had heard, that two small Italian states were engaged in hostilities towards each other, and prepared to espouse the cause of one party. Adorned with a rich golden cuirass, and a superb crest of plumes, and armed with two light hunting pieces, an admirably tempered sword, and two beautiful daggers, did he set out, mounted on a noble Spanish steed, and attended by three followers, all of whom were bravely equipped.
これほど勇敢に振る舞う義勇兵が、無駄な奉仕をする必要はないのだ。そのため、リヒャルトはすぐに勇敢な連中の部隊に所属し、キャンプで飲んだり歌ったりして陽気な生活を送り、死の不安や夜の幻影は次第に彼のもとを去っていった。ローマでの経験から良い教訓を得た彼は、今度は奇妙な品物を売りに出すのに慎重になり、疑いを持たれるほどの勢いで押しつけたりしないように心懸けていた。実際、彼は誰にもこのことをほとんど話さなかった。何も知らないうちに、一見無関心に見える状態で提供されたとしても、拒絶しないような人を見定めたいと考えていたからである。
A volunteer of so gallant a bearing, needed not to offer his services in vain. Richard soon saw himself, therefore, attached to a troop of brave comrades, and led such a jovial life in camp, with drinking and singing, that his mortal apprehensions, and nocturnal visions, gradually left him. Having received a good lesson from what he had experienced at Rome, he was now cautious in offering his strange ware to sale; observing not to urge it with such suspicious earnestness. Indeed, he had hardly spoken of it to any one, hoping thereby to have an opportunity of meeting with some who would not refuse it, if offered quite unawares, and with seeming indifference.
ある朝、リヒャルトが仲間たちとサイコロで遊んでいると突然、警戒ラッパが鳴り響き、戦いに呼び出された。瞬時に「馬に乗れ！」と。戦士は喜び勇んで馬に飛び乗り、馬は嘶き地面を蹴った。指揮者たちは軍隊を鼓舞し、戦闘の合図が鳴った。
敵の騎兵隊は、明らかに攻撃を妨げる目的で前進してきたが、強力な攻撃力の前にすぐ退却し、リヒャルト及び従者は、追っ手の最後尾についた。
空中に弾丸が唸り出し、騎士多数が馬から落ちて、転がる大地を血に染めた。勇気振り絞るリヒャルトだったが、自分が置かれた当面の危険性には、身震いせずに居れなかった。一発でも弾丸が命中すれば、自分は瓶の魔物のせいで、一瞬にして強大な魔王自身の力に引きずり込まれてしまうではないか。……しかし、彼がこの危険な状況から逃れたいと願ったのも束の間、彼の馬はそれほど遠くないところにある森へと彼を連れて行った。
One morning, as Richard was playing at dice with some companions, they were suddenly summoned to battle, by an alarm sounded on the trumpet. The cry was instantly " to horse ! " With joyous spirits did our warrior leap upon his steed as it neighed and pawed the ground: the leaders, encouraged on their troops, the signal sounded for the combat. A troop of the enemy's cavalry advanced, apparently for the purpose of hindering their attack: yet they soon retired before the powerful charge of their adversaries, nor were Richard and his followers the last among the pursuers. The balls now began to whiz in the air, and many a rider fell from his horse, rolling to the earth in his blood. Spite of his personal courage, Richard could not think without shuddering of the immediate peril in which he was placed, fearing that some fatal ball might, in a single moment, deliver him into the power, not only of the bottle-devil, but of the great Satan himself. — Scarcely, however, had he expressed a wish to escape from the scene of danger, ere his steed bore him away to a wood, which was situated at no great distance.
乗騎に拍車、拍車をかけた次にも拍車、飛ばしに飛ばし、遂に疲れ果てて立ち止まるまで。自身も大いに疲れて降り立ち、胸当てと剣、そして馬の装束を解いて、草の上に身を横たえてぼやく。
「戦争ってのは、ただでさえ危険な稼業だが、ポケットに悪魔がいればなおさらだ！」
次に歩むべき道程を考えようとしたが、深い眠りに落ちてしまった。
So hard did he spur the animal, and urge him to flight, that it at length stopped quite exhausted. He then alighted, being himself greatly fatigued ; unbuckled his own cuirass and sword, and the trappings of his horse, and laying himself down on the grass, said: “ This fighting is dangerous work at the best, but much more so with a devil in one's pocket ! ”
He now wished to devise what course it would behove him next to pursue, but fell into a profound sleep.
wizard: 魔法使い。特に、女の魔法使い witch に対する男の魔法使いをいう。いずれも中世ヨーロッパでは異端とされ、魔女裁判にかけた上で処刑された。
ハンムラビの法典冒頭にも、呪いをかけたとして誣告した者を死刑に処す規定があるので、呪術を恐れる風潮は三千年来の歴史あるものとも、その意識は3千年前のメソポタミア（今日のイラク国内）より遅れているとも言えよう。
