瓶入り魔物。THE BOTTLE-IMP.その7
数時間ほども休眠を貪って後、近づいてくる話し声と足音で目を覚ました。身動ぎせず死んだふりで遣り過そうとしたところ、その手は通じないと思い知らされた。優しくも親しくもない声が喚く…
「いよう！てめえはもうくたばってるのか、それともこれから俺達の手柄首になるのか？」
この礼儀知らずな呼ばわりに、顔を上げるしかない不運なリヒャルトは、マスケット銃が胸を狙っていると認めた。構えていたのは荒くれ者の歩兵で、他の者はすでに馬と装備を戦利品として鹵獲していた。恐怖に慄く彼は、ひたすら慈悲を求めつつも。もしどうしても撃つというのなら、誰か一人が先に、ポケットにある小さな薬瓶を買ってくれと頼み込んだ。
After he had indulged in a repose of several hours, he was awakened by the sound of voices and approaching footsteps. He stirred not, in hope that he might be passed by unnoticed, but soon found that the attempt would not succeed, for a voice, of no very friendly or musical tone, thundered out: " Ho ! Fellow, art thou already dead, or are we to have the honour of killing you ? " Looking up perforce at this uncourteous address, the unfortunate Richard perceived a musket levelled at his breast. The fellow who held it, was a ruffianly-looking footsoldier, and the others had already seized upon his steed and equipments as their booty. Struck with terror, he supplicated most earnestly for mercy, but if they were determined upon shooting him, requested that one of them would first purchase a little phial, which he had in his pocket.
「鈍感なバカも居たものだ」と、一味の一人がニヤつき「品物の取引しに此処まで来たんじゃねえんだ。こっちから分捕るでよ、そっちは何も気にする事ぁねえぞ」などと言いつつ、その小瓶を手に取り、自分の懐に収めた。
" Senseless poltroon that thou art ! " cried one of the fellows, with a grin, " to suppose that we here barter for any thing; although that we will take the bargain off thy hands, thou needest not fear: " and so saying, he seized hold of the phial, and thrust it into his bosom.
「そいつは神の御名において歓迎ってものだ」 リヒャルトは叫んだ、「それを持って居れるならね。しかし先ず、何がなし金子を払わない限り、そうは行かんよ。」
" In God's name thou art welcome to it, " cried Richard, " if thou canst keep it. Yet that thou canst not do, unless thou first purchase it. "
兵士たちはこの話を聞いて嘲笑い、此奴は頭がおかしいと思っただけで、それ以上気にかけることなく走り去った。しかしポケットを探ってみて、やっぱり薬瓶が戻っているのを認めたリヒャルトは、連中に見えるように掲げ、その背に呼ばわった。このとき、くすねて行った奴は驚きを隠せなかった。懐に手を入れても触れるものがないので、戦利品を取り戻そうと走って戻った。
The soldiers laughed at hearing him speak thus, and, thinking him somewhat crack-brained, rode off without paying farther attention to him. On feeling in his pocket, however, Richard found that the phial was there again, whereupon holding it up that they might see it, he called after them. The fellow who had taken it was struck with amazement ; and as, on thrusting his hand into his bosom, he did not feel it, he ran back in order to recover his booty.
「言わんこっちゃない」リヒャルトは憐れみを浮かべ、「そのまま持っては行けないのだよ。少しばかり払ってくれれば、あなたのものになる」と。
" Did I not tell thee, " said Richard mournfully, " that it would not continue with thee. Pay me but the trifle I demand, and it is thy own. "
「手品師か！」兵士は答えた「こんな小細工インチキで、お前は俺がきっちり稼いだ戦利品を引っ剥がす積もりか？」
" Juggler ! " returned the soldier, " dost thou think to defraud me of my well-earned spoils, by these conjuring tricks of thine ? ”
その小瓶を大事に持って、仲間に追いつこうと走り出したのだが、やにわに声を上げて停まった。誓ってもいい、また消えやがった、と。地面を探しているところに、リヒャルトは今一度呼ばわる。
「此方に戻りたまえ、親友よ。僕のポケットにまた戻ってるんだよ。」
And holding the phial carefully in his hand, away he ran to overtake his companions: suddenly, however, he stopped short, exclaiming, with an oath, that it was gone again. Whilst he was searching for it on the ground, Richard called out to him once more: " Return hither, my good friend, for it is again in my pocket. ”
これが本物だと解るに及び、兵士もこの不思議で素晴らしいものを是非とも手に入れたくなった。このような時には、確かにそいつは、いつも以上に生き生きとした機敏な動きを見せた。値引き交渉は結果として、地獄落ちの期限を早めるのみと理解しているらしい。しかし兵士には、3グロッシェンはまだ高すぎるようだった。
「では、そんなに銀貨を手放したくないのなら、1グロッシェンにして、すぐに買い物を済ませてしまいましょう。」
取引は成立し、金が支払われ、小さな瓶詰めの悪魔は新しい主人に引き渡された。兵士とその仲間たちがこの奇妙な生き物を調べ、その不気味におどけた様子を楽しんでいる間、リヒャルトは自分の身の振り方について思い巡らしていた。心は今、とても軽くなっていた。しかし残念なことに、財布までが心と同じくらい軽かった。というのも、どの面下げて自分の部隊に戻れるものかという状況なのに、従者や装備のみならず、全財産を置いてきてしまったからだ。自分の不名誉な逃亡を恥じてもおり、戻れば脱走兵として死刑になるのではと恐れてもおり。その時ふと、この騎兵たちに同行してもいいのではないかと思いついた。話を聞いて、連中の所属が違うのが解り、そっちでは顔を知られていないと確信できたからだ。お金を失い、しかし小さな悪魔も追い払った今、その代わりに勇気を取り戻した気がした。貴重な戦利品を手に入れるために、もう一度自分の命を賭けることを嫌がるでもなかった。そこで、自分の願いを口にし、提案を受け入れてもらい、新しい仲間とともにすぐに出発した。
On finding this really to be the case, the soldier became more desirous of possessing so curious and wonderful a thing. On these occasions indeed it always manifested more than usual liveliness and agility, knowing that such bargains accelerated the final term of its servitude. Three groschen, however, still seemed too much to the soldier. " Well then since thou art so unwilling to part with thy coin, let it be a single groschen, and take away thy purchase in good hour. " Thereupon was the bargain concluded, the money paid, and the little bottledevil delivered up to his new master. While the soldier and his companions were examining the singular creature, and amusing themselves with its grim antics, Richard was reflecting upon his future destiny. His heart now felt quite light; but unfortunately, his purse was quite as light as his heart ; nor did he know to what to betake himself, since he would not venture to return to his troop, although he left there not only his followers and his equipments, but all his money. He was partly ashamed of his disgraceful flight, and partly afraid lest if he returned, he should be put to death as a deserter. It then occurred to him, that it would not be amiss were he to offer to accompany these troopers, having gathered from their discourse that they belonged to the other party, among whom he was certain of remaining unknown; and now that he had lost all his cash, and gotten rid of his little devil to boot, he felt that he had gotten back some of his courage in exchange, and was, by no means, disinclined to venture his life once again, in the hope of obtaining some valuable spoil. He accordingly gave utterance to his wishes; and his proposal being accepted, he forthwith set off with his new comrades.
リヒャルトほどに背も高く、がっちりした若い仲間を軍隊に迎えるとあっては、指揮官も躊躇しなかったので、彼は大過なく入隊を認められた。しかしなお、自分の運命には不満をかこつばかりだった。先日の戦い以来、両軍は全く活動しないまま、どちらも相手を攻撃することなく、和平条約が締結されようとしていたからだ。このような状況では、負傷の危険はまず無いものの、同時に戦利品や略奪品にありつく機会もほとんどない。後者の代わりに、軍隊はキャンプの食事とわずかな給料で満足せざるを得なかった。そのうえ、ほとんどの仲間が先の交戦で既に懐を温めていたのに対し、かつて裕福な商人だったリヒャルトが、豊かな隣人たちの中でほとんど唯一、乞食同様だった。当然のことながら、このような生活には嫌気が差したし、受け取った月給は生活するには少な過ぎ、しかしこの給料で何もしないわけにもいかない。そこで酒保に行けば、これまでの商売や戦争よりも、もっと骰子が味方してくれないものかと皮算用に及んだのである。
The captain was not very scrupulous in taking into his service such a tall and well-built young fellow as Richard, who was therefore considered as fairly enlisted among them. He was still, however, displeased with his lot: for, since the last battle, the two armies remained quite inactive, without either attacking the other, a treaty of peace being in agitation. Under these circumstances, there was little danger of wounds, but, at the same time, very little op portunity of fattening on booty and plunder. Instead of the latter, the troops must perforce content themselves with their camp fare, and their scanty pay. In addition to this, while most of his comrades had already enriched them selves in the preceding engagements, Richard, the once wealthy merchant, was almost the only one who was a beggar among opulent neigh bours. Very naturally, therefore, he grew weary of such a life, so that once having received his monthly pay-too inconsiderable for his wants, and yet too much for him not to attempt some thing with it — he determined to go to a suttling booth, and seek whether the dice would not befriend him more than either traffic or war had hitherto done.
venture to return to his troop,: 今も昔も敵前逃亡は重罪であり、バレたらその場で処刑されかねない。
a suttling booth: 宿営地の売店。Sutler's tent とも。sutler と呼ばれた民間の商人が、許可を得て移動式の店舗を開設し、食料品などを提供した。著作権のない絵があったので貼っておく。
合衆国の南北戦争に於ても、ほぼ同様のものが見られる。
元は「汚れ仕事屋」を意味したオランダ語 soetelaar から来た事もあり、今でも英国陸軍の名誉砲兵中隊は、「混乱」「めちゃくちゃ」の代わりに「サットリング」という。その文脈からすると、酒保へ買い物に行ったのではなく「微妙なところ」、つまり賭場になっていた訳である。
ちっとも懲りていないリヒャルト君、さて今度は勝てますかどうか。
