英文をいかに読むか

語彙に難があっても英文解釈的には割とスムーズにいけたのでMaughamの最後まで進めました。

第2編10 Somerset Maugham

Why novels and plays are so often untrue to life is*1 because their authors, perhaps of necessity*2, make their characters*3 all of a piece*4. They cannot afford to make them self-contradictory, for*5 then*6 they*7 become incomprehensible, and yet*8 self-contradictory is what most of us are. We are a haphazard*9 bundle of inconsistent qualities. In books on logic they will tell you that it is absurd to say that*10 yellow is tubular*11 or gratitude*12 heavier than air*13; but in that*14 mixture of incongruities*15 that makes up the self yellow may very well*16 be a horse and cart and gratitude the middle of next week*17. I shrug my shoulders when people tell me that their first impressions of a person are always right. I think they must have small insight or great vanity*18. For my own part I find that the longer I know people the more they puzzle me: my oldest friends are just those of whom I can say that I don't know the first thing about them.
A Friend in Need by Somerset Maugham

第2編11 Somerset Maugham

It is a dangerous thing to order the lives of others*19 and I have often wondered at the self-confidence of politicians, reformers and such like who are prepared*20 to force upon*21 their fellows measures*22 that must alter their manners, habits and points of view. I have always hesitated to give advice, for*23 how can one advice another how to act unless one knows that other as well as one knows oneself?*24 Heaven knows,*25 I know little enough*26 of myself : I know nothing of others. We can only guess at*27 the thoughts and emotions of our neighbours. Each one of us is a prisoner in a solitary tower and he communicates with the other prisoners, who form mankind,*28 by conventional*29 signs*30 that have not quite the same meaning for them as for himself*31. And life, unfortunately, is something that you can lead but*32 once; mistakes are often irreparable*33, and who am I that I should*34 tell this one and that*35 how he should lead it*36? Life is a difficult business and I have found it hard enough*37 to make my own*38 a complete and rounded thing*39; I have not been tempted to teach my neighbour what he should do with his.
The Happy Man by Somerset Maugham

第2編12 Somerset Maugham

I know this*40 is an odd story. I don't understand it myself and if I set id down*41 in black and white*42 it*43 is only with a faint hope*44 that*45 when I have written it I may get a clearer view of it, or rather with the hope that some reader, better acquainted with*46 the complications of human nature than I am*47, may offer me an explanation that*48 will make it comprehensible to me. Of course the first thing that occurs to me*49 is that there is something Freudian*50 about it*51. Now, I have read a good deal of Freud, and some books by his followers, and intending to write this story I have recently flipped through*52 again the volume published by the Modern Library*53 which contains his basic writings. It was something of a task*54, for he is a dull and verbose*55 writer, and the acrimony*56 with which he claims to have originated such and such*57 a theory shows a vanity*58 and a jealousy of others working in the same field which*59 somewhat ill become*60 the man of science*61. I believe, however, that he was a kindly and benign*62 old party*63. As we know, there is often a great difference between the man and the writer*64. The writer may be bitter*65, harsh*66 and brutal*67, while the man may be so meek*68 and mild that he wouldn't say boo to a goose*69. But that*70 is neither here nor there*71. I found nothing in my re-reading of Freud's works that cast any light on the subject I had in mind. I can only relate*72 the facts and leave it at that*73.
The Kite by Somerset Maugham

さて、どんなstoryなんでしょう?

第2編13 Somerset Maugham

When people say they do not care what others think of them, for the most part they deceive themselves. Generally they mean only that they will do as they choose, in the confidence that*74 no one will know their vagaries*75; and at the utmost*76 only that*77 they are willing to act contrary to the opinion of the majority because they are supported by the approval of their neighbours*78. It is not difficult to be unconventional in the eyes of the world*79 when your unconventionality is but*80 the convention of your set*81. It affords*82 you then an inordinate amount of self-esteem*83. You have the self-satisfaction of courage without the inconvenience of danger*84. But the desire for approbation*85 is perhaps the most deeply seated instinct*86 of civilised man.
The Moon and Sixpence by Somerset Maugham

第2編14 Somerset Maugham

I am not an industrious*87 sight-seer, and when guides, professional or friendly, urge me to visit a famous monument I have a stubborn*88 inclination*89 to send them about their business*90. Too many eyes before mine*91 have looked with awe*92 upon Mont Blanc*93; too many hearts before mine*94 have throbbed*95 with deep emotion in the presence of*96 the Sistine Madonna*97. Sights like these are like women of too generous sympathies*98: you feel that so many persons have found solace*99 in their commiseration*100 that you are embarrassed*101 when they bid you, with what practised tact*102, to whisper*103 in their discreet*104 ears the whole tale*105 of your distress*106. Supposing*107 you were the last straw that broke the camel's back!*108
On A Chinese Screen by Somerset Maugham

*1:Why...が主語

*2:from necessity

*3:character: 作中の人物

*4:all of a piece: 首尾一貫した。allは省略されることがある。
This mean act of his is of a piece with his conduct generally.
この卑劣な行為は彼の日常の行動と矛盾したものではない。

*5:for: 理由

*6:then: if they make them self-contradictory, then...

*7:they=characters。authorsともとれる

*8:and yet: けれども、ではあるが。but yetとも。
It is strange, and/but yet very true.
奇妙なことだが真実である。

*9:haphazard: でたらめの

*10:以下、absurdな内容

*11:tubular: 筒状の。「黄色は筒状である｣というabsurdな一例

*12:gratitude: 感謝

*13:gratitude is heavier than airという、absurdな例で、yellow..., or...の並列。isが省略されている

*14:指示代名詞

*15:incontiguity: 不一致

*16:may very well: 十分ありえる

*17:ここでもgratitudeに続くisの省略

*18:vanity: うぬぼれ

*19:order one's life: 生活を規制する、管理する

*20:prepare: の準備･覚悟をさせる。ここでは、prepared to doで｢平気で･･･する｣ということ

*21:force upon: force A upon B: AをBに押し付ける

*22:fellows measures: 他人の方策。fellowは同国人全体や、人間というような広い意味で言っている。measuresは｢目的達成の手段としての行動･処置･方策｣

*23:理由

*24:how...?: 反語

*25:Heaven knows,: 天も照覧あれ、･･･。続く文を強調する。神も知っている→誰でも知っている→確かなことだ、cf

*26:enough: 十分、甚だ。know little enough ofで、｢know littleといって差し支えない程度｣

*27:guess at: を推測しようとする

*28:prisoner in a solitary tower: 隠喩。like a prisoner...と直喩で表現するよりも、印象が一層強くなる

*29:conventional: 慣習的な

*30:sign: 符牒、手まね。conventional signsとは、たとえば手真似など

*31:as: the same as

*32:but=only

*33:irreparable: 修繕できない、取り返しのつかない。ir-repair-able

*34:who am I that I should...?: 私が･･･するなんて、私は何物であるか、私ごときに･･･できようか。shouldは、いわゆるemotional shouldで、日本語では訳出しない方がいい。
cf:Who am I that I should object?
私ごときものがどうして反対などしましょう。

*35:this one and that: あの人この人

*36:how...: tellの目的語

*37:enough: hardにだけかかり、後ろのtoには絡まない

*38:my own life

*39:round:完全にする。completeとほぼ同じ。...thingはmy ownの補語

*40:this: 以下で語るはなし

*41:set...down: を書き留める、記録する

*42:black and white: 文書、印刷

*43:it=my setting it down

*44:かすかな望みを抱いて書き留めるということ

*45:以下、hopeの内容

*46:better acquainted with: をよりよく知っている

*47:than I am: than I am acquainted。私が知っているよりも

*48:explanationにかかる関係詞

*49:occur to: の頭に思い浮かぶ

*50:something Freudian: フロイト的なもの

*51:it=the story

*52:flip through: ページをパラパラめくる。ここでは、｢急いで目を通す｣。I have...はintending to write this storyに続く動作で、intending...はI intend..., and/so I flipped...となる分詞構文

*53:Modern Library: アメリカで出版されている叢書の名

*54:something of a task: ちょっとした仕事。
cf: He is something of a scholar.
彼はちょっとした学者だ。
cf2: He is nothing of a statesman.
彼は政治家としてはだめだ。
cf3; He is not much of a sportsman.
彼は大したスポーツマンじゃない。

*55:verbose: 口数の多い、くどい

*56:acrimony: 痛烈さ、辛らつさ

*57:such and such: これこれの

*58:vanity: 虚栄心

*59:which=vanity and jealousy

*60:ill became: に似合わない。illは否定語。
cf: I could ill afford the money.
金の都合がつかなかった。

*61:man of science: 科学者

*62:benign: 優しい、慈悲深い

*63:old party:老人。partyはpersonの意。cf: a third party

*64:the man and the writer: 人と作者

*65:bitter: 無情の

*66:harsh: 粗暴な

*67:brutal: 残酷な

*68:meek: 忍耐強く控えめな、温和な

*69:wouldn't say boo to a goose: がちょうにブーとさえ言おうとしない。ひどく気の弱いことを表す。can/will not say boo to a gooseとも言う

*70:that: 今まで述べていた｢作家｣論

*71:neither here nor there: 当面の問題ではない。話が横道にそれたことを表して、Maughamがよく使っていた。｢問題外で、無関係で、取るに足らない｣を表せる
The fact that her family has no money is neither here nor there.
彼女の家が無一文だということは関係のないことだ。

*72:relate: を話す、述べる

*73:leave it at that: (批評･行為などを)そのくらいにしておく、そのままにしておく。at thatは｢述べっぱなしの状態に｣の意

*74:in the confidence that...: と確信して。ここでは、｢なあに、平気さ｣とたかをくくった感じ

*75:vagary: 気まぐれ、とっぴな行動

*76:utmost: 最大の。at the utmost: せいぜい=at the most

*77:that: confidence that

*78:neighbours: those who surround them

*79:in the eyes of the world: unconventionalにかかる

*80:but: only。ただ、たった。
cf: He is but a child.
彼はほんの子どもだ。

*81:your set: 自分たちの仲間。neighbours

*82:afford: give

*83:then: if your unvoncentionality is but the convention of your set, then...

*84:the inconvenience of danger: 危険のもたらす不便。世間からのけ者にされる危険があると不便である

*85:approbation: 是認、賛成

*86:seated instinct: 根っこにある本能。本能の最も深い部分。seatedは通常、deep-seatedとして用いられる

*87:industrious: 熱心な

*88:stubborn: 頑固な

*89:inclination: 精神的な傾向、好み

*90:send a person about his business: 人を追い出す、余計なことをするなと人を叱る
cf: Go about your business!
放っておいてくれ。

*91:mine=my eyes

*92:畏れ。with aweでlooked uponにかかる

*93:look upon: を眺める、に目をやる。「ある気持ちを抱いて見る｣時によく用いられる。cf: look upon a person with distrust: ある人を不信の気持ちで見る

*94:mine=my heart

*95:throb: どきどきする、興奮する

*96:in the presence of: の前で

*97:the Sistine Madonna: Raphaelの名画｢マドンナ｣

*98:person of sympathy:　同情をもった人

*99:solace: 慰め

*100:commiseration: 同情、哀れみ。thier=women。コロン以下はsightsではなく、womenについて。

*101:are embarrassed: 当惑する。so... that構文。多くの人が･･･を見出していて当惑する。

*102:感嘆文的な挿入句。bidにかかる。practiced: 熟練した。tact: 機転。with tact: 巧みに

*103:bid someone to do: 人に･･･するように命じる。平叙文では通常原形不定詞が用いられる

*104:discreet: 分別のある

*105:whisperの目的語

*106:distress: 苦悩、嘆き

*107:supposing...!: ･･･と想像したらどうだろう!　主節の省略された条件節

*108:the last straw that broke the camel's back: ラクダの背骨を折る最後の藁。限界ギリギリのところでは、ごく小さなものが大きな結果を招くことを表す諺It is the last straw that breaks the camel's back.からの引用。当惑するほど多くの人に続いて自分も素直に囁いたら、慰みが得られないことに対応