A low-swung Jaguar swept around the hill in front of me and slowed down so as not to bathe me in the granite dust from the half mile of neglected paving at the entrance to Idle Valley.
low-swung
(低い車高の)
[形]
having a low center of gravity
slow down
(速度を落とす)
[動]
reduce one's speed
so as to
(ないように)
[接]
in order to
bathe
(浴びる)
[動]
wash or clean by immersing in water
granite
(花崗岩)
[名]
a very hard, granular, crystalline igneous rock consisting mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar
neglect
(手入れをされていない)
[動]
fail to care for properly
低い車高のジャガーが私の目の前の丘をぐるりと回り、アイドル・バレーの入り口にある半マイルほど続く手入れのされていない石畳から舞い上がる花崗岩の粉塵を浴びせないように速度を落とした。
It seemed they wanted it left that way to discourage the Sunday drivers spoiled by drifting along on superhighways.
discourage
(阻止する)
[動]
to make someone less determined or less hopeful
Sunday driver
(日曜ドライバー)
[名]
a person who drives slowly and carefully, especially on a Sunday
drift along
(走り回る)
[動]
to move slowly and without purpose
superhighway
(高速道路)
[名]
a highway with several lanes in each direction, designed for high-speed traffic
彼らは、高速道路を走り回って甘やかされた日曜ドライバーを阻止するために、そのままにしておきたかったようだ。
I caught a glimpse of a bright scarf and a pair of sun goggles.
catch a glimpse of
(ちらっと見える)
[動]
to see something for a very short time
sun goggles
(サングラス)
[名]
a pair of glasses with dark lenses that you wear to protect your eyes from the sun
明るいスカーフとサングラスがちらっと見えた。
A hand waved at me casually, neighbor to neighbor.
隣人同士のように、何気なく手を振った。
Then the dust slid across the road and added itself to the white film already well spread over the scrub and the sunbaked grass.
road
(道路)
[名]
a wide way on land between two places that has been paved to allow travel by transport
film
(膜)
[名]
a thin layer or covering of something
scrub
(低木)
[名]
a small tree or bush
すると、粉塵が道路を横切って滑り、すでに低木や日焼けした草の上に広がっている白い膜に加わった。
Then I was around the outcrop and the paving started up in proper shape and everything was smooth and cared for.
be around
(周りにいる)
[動]
to be in the vicinity of
outcrop
(露頭)
[名]
a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits
proper shape
(適切な形)
[名]
the correct or desired shape
care for
(手入れが行き届く)
[動]
to look after and provide for the needs of
それから私は露頭の周りにいて、舗装は適切な形で始まり、すべてが滑らかで手入れが行き届いていた。
Live oaks clustered towards the road, as if they were curious to see who went by, and sparrows with rosy heads hopped about pecking at things only a sparrow would think worth pecking at.
live oak
(生きたオークの木)
[名]
an evergreen oak
cluster
(群がる)
[動]
to form a cluster
curious
(知りたがっている)
[形]
eager to know or learn something
sparrow
(スズメ)
[名]
a small bird
peck
(つつく)
[動]
to strike or bite with the beak
生きたオークの木が道に向かって群がっていて、まるで誰が通り過ぎるのか知りたがっているようだった。そして、バラ色の頭をしたスズメが飛び跳ねて、スズメだけがつつくに値すると思うものをつついていた。
Then there were a few cottonwoods but no eucalyptus.
cottonwood
(ポプラ)
[名]
a poplar tree with cottony tufts on the seeds
ポプラの木が数本あったが、ユーカリの木はなかった。
Then a thick growth of Carolina poplars screening a white house.
Carolina poplar
(カロライナポプラ)
[名]
a species of poplar native to eastern North America
white house
(白い家)
[名]
the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States
それから、白い家を覆うカロライナポプラの木が密集していた。
Then a girl walking a horse along the shoulder of the road.
それから、道の路肩に沿って馬を歩いている少女。
She had levis on and a loud shirt and she was chewing on a twig.
chew
(噛む)
[動]
to crush or grind with the teeth
twig
(小枝)
[名]
a small thin branch of a tree or bush
彼女はリーバイスを履き、派手なシャツを着て、小枝を噛んでいた。
The horse looked hot but not lathered and the girl was crooning to him gently.
lather
(泡立つ)
[動]
to form a lather
croon
(歌う)
[動]
to sing or hum in a soft, low voice
馬は暑そうに見えたが、泡立ってはいなかったし、少女は優しく馬に歌を歌っていた。
Beyond a fieldstone wall a gardener was guiding a power lawnmower over a huge undulating lawn that ended far back in the portico of a Williamsburg Colonial mansion, the large de luxe size.
fieldstone wall
(石垣)
[名]
a wall made of fieldstones
gardener
(庭師)
[名]
a person who gardens
guide
(誘導する)
[動]
to show the way to someone or something
power lawnmower
(電動芝刈り機)
[名]
a lawnmower that is powered by electricity
undulating
(起伏のある)
[形]
having a wavy or undulating surface
end
(続く)
[動]
to come to an end
Williamsburg Colonial mansion
(ウィリアムズバーグのコロニアル様式の大邸宅)
[名]
a large, luxurious house in the Williamsburg Colonial style
large de luxe size
(巨大な)
[形]
very large in size
石垣の向こうでは、庭師が巨大な起伏のある芝生の上を電動芝刈り機で誘導していたが、その芝生はウィリアムズバーグのコロニアル様式の大邸宅の玄関までずっと続いていた。
Somewhere someone was playing left-handed exercises on a grand piano.
play
(弾く)
[動]
perform music on a musical instrument
left-handed
(左手)
[形]
using the left hand more naturally than the right
exercise
(練習曲)
[名]
a piece of music for practice
どこかで誰かがグランドピアノで左手の練習曲を弾いていた。
Then all this wheeled away and the glisten of the lake showed hot and bright and I began to watch numbers on gateposts.
wheel
(車輪で運び去る)
[動]
move or cause to move on wheels
glisten
(輝き)
[名]
a bright light or shine
それから、これらすべてが車輪で運び去られ、湖の輝きが熱く明るく見え、私は門柱の番号を見始めた。
I had seen the Wades' house only once and in the dark.
Wades' house
(ウェード家の家)
[名]
the house of the Wades
only once
(一度だけ)
[副]
on one occasion only
in the dark
(暗闇の中で)
[副]
in a dark place
私はウェード家の家を一度だけ、しかも暗闇の中で見たことがあるだけだった。
It wasn't as big as it had looked by night.
as big as
(~ほど)
[接]
to the same extent or degree as
by night
(夜)
[名]
the period of darkness in a day
夜見たほど大きくはなかった。
The driveway was full of cars, so I parked on the side of the road and walked in.
私道は車でいっぱいだったので、私は道路の脇に駐車して歩いて入った。
A Mexican butler in a white coat opened the door for me.
white coat
(白いコート)
[名]
a coat that is white
白いコートを着たメキシコ人の執事が私のためにドアを開けた。
He was a slender neat good-looking Mexican and his coat fitted him elegantly and he looked like a Mexican who was getting fifty a week and not killing himself with hard work.
slender
(ほっそりした)
[形]
thin and graceful
neat
(端正な)
[形]
tidy, clean, and organized
good-looking
(顔立ちの良い)
[形]
attractive
elegantly
(優雅に)
[副]
in a graceful and stylish manner
hard work
(過労)
[名]
a lot of effort or endurance
彼はほっそりとした端正な顔立ちのメキシコ人で、コートが優雅に似合っており、週に50ドルを稼ぎ、過労で死なないメキシコ人のように見えた。
He said: “Buenas tardes, señor,” and grinned as if he had put one over.
Buenas tardes
(ブエナス・タルデス)
[名]
good afternoon
señor
(セニョール)
[名]
a Spanish title of respect for a man
put one over
(やり遂げる)
[動]
deceive or trick
彼は「ブエナス・タルデス、セニョール」と言い、何かをやり遂げたかのようにニヤリと笑った。
“Su nombre de Usted, por favor?”
Su nombre de Usted
(あなたのお名前)
[名]
your name
por favor
(お願いします)
[副]
please
「あなたのお名前をお願いします」
He grinned and I went in.
彼はニヤリと笑い、私は中に入った。
It was the same old cocktail party, everybody talking too loud, nobody listening, everybody hanging on for dear life to a mug of the juice, eyes very bright, cheeks flushed or pale and sweaty according to the amount of alcohol consumed and the capacity of the individual to handle it.
hang on
(しがみつく)
[動]
hold on tightly
dear life
(命がけ)
[名]
a life that is loved or cherished
mug
(マグカップ)
[名]
a large cup with a handle
juice
(ジュース)
[名]
the liquid obtained from or present in fruit or vegetables
flush
(赤くなる)
[動]
become red in the face
sweaty
(汗ばむ)
[形]
covered with or characterized by sweat
alcohol
(アルコール)
[名]
a colorless volatile flammable liquid
consume
(飲む)
[動]
eat, drink, or ingest
individual
(個人)
[名]
a single human being as distinct from a group
いつものカクテルパーティーで、みんな大声で話し、誰も聞いていない、みんなが命がけでマグカップのジュースを飲み、目がとても輝き、頬が赤くなったり、青白く汗ばんだり、飲んだアルコールの量や個人の処理能力によって様々だった。
Then Eileen Wade materialized beside me in a pale blue something which did her no harm.
materialize
(現れる)
[動]
become real or actual
pale blue
(淡いブルー)
[形]
a light shade of blue
すると、アイリーン・ウェードが私の横に現れ、彼女に害を与えない淡いブルーの何かを着ていた。
She had a glass in her hand but it didn't look as if it was more than a prop.
prop
(小道具)
[名]
an object used on a stage or in a movie
彼女は手にグラスを持っていたが、それは小道具以上のものではなかった。
She kept the smile long enough to nod and turn and walk away.
long enough
(十分に長い)
[形]
of sufficient length
彼女は微笑みを浮かべたまま、うなずいて、振り返り、歩き去った。
I spotted the bar over in the corner by some very large french windows.
french window
(フランス窓)
[名]
a pair of doors that open outward
私はとても大きなフランス窓のそばの角にバーを見つけた。
It was one of those things you push around.
one of those things
(そういうものの1つ)
[名]
a thing of the type mentioned
push around
(押して歩く)
[動]
to move something by pushing it
それは押して歩くタイプのものだった。
I was halfway across the room, trying not to bump anybody, when a voice said: “Oh, Mr. Marlowe.”
bump
(ぶつかる)
[動]
to knock or strike against something
誰にもぶつからないように気をつけながら部屋の半分ほど進んだ時、声がした。「あ、マーロウさん」
I turned and saw Mrs. Loring on a couch beside a prissy-looking man in rimless cheaters with a smear on his chin that might have been a goatee.
prissy-looking
(気取った感じの)
[形]
excessively or affectedly prim or proper
rimless
(縁なしの)
[形]
lacking a rim
cheaters
(老眼鏡)
[名]
eyeglasses with bifocal or progressive lenses
smear
(生やす)
[動]
spread or cause to spread over a surface or area in a sticky or greasy way
goatee
(山羊ひげ)
[名]
a beard trimmed to resemble the tuft of hair on a goat's chin
振り返ると、ローリング夫人がソファに座り、隣には縁なしの老眼鏡をかけ、顎に山羊ひげのようなものを生やした、気取った感じの男がいた。
She had a drink in her hand and looked bored.
have a drink
(飲み物を持っている)
[動]
to hold a drink in one's hand
look bored
(退屈そうに見える)
[動]
to appear to be bored
彼女は手に飲み物を持っていて、退屈そうに見えた。
He sat still with his arms folded and scowled.
sit still
(座る)
[動]
be in a position in which your weight is supported by your buttocks rather than your feet and your upper body is more or less upright
彼は腕を組んで座り、顔をしかめた。
He swung around and did a take.
do a take
(驚く)
[動]
be surprised
彼は振り返って、驚いた。
I got away from there and made it to the bar.
get away
(離れる)
[動]
leave a place
make it
(向かう)
[動]
go to a place
私はそこを離れて、バーに向かった。
In the company of her husband Linda Loring seemed like a different person.
in the company of
(一緒の時)
[名]
in the presence of
夫と一緒の時のローリング夫人は別人のようだった。
There was an edge to her voice and a sneer in her expression which she hadn't used on me even when she was angry.
sneer
(嘲り)
[名]
a facial expression of scorn or disgust
angry
(怒っている)
[形]
feeling or showing anger
彼女の声には棘があり、表情には嘲りがあった。彼女が怒っている時でさえ、私に対してはそんな態度を取ったことはなかった。
I followed him across the room the long way of the house.
私は彼について部屋を横切り、家の長い道のりを歩いた。
He opened a door, I went through, he shut it behind me, and a lot of the noise was dimmed.
dim
(かき消す)
[動]
make or become less bright or less strong
彼がドアを開け、私が通り抜けると、彼は私の後ろでドアを閉め、騒音の多くがかき消された。
It was a corner room, big and cool and quiet, with french windows and roses outside and an airconditioner set in a window to one side.
corner room
(角部屋)
[名]
a room at the corner of a building
rose
(バラ)
[名]
a woody perennial flowering plant
airconditioner
(エアコン)
[名]
a machine that controls the temperature and humidity of the air in a room
そこは角部屋で、大きくて涼しく静かで、外にフランス窓とバラがあり、片側の窓にはエアコンが設置されていた。
I could see the lake, and I could see Wade lying flat out on a long blond leather couch.
湖が見えたし、ウェードが長い金髪の革張りのソファに横になっているのも見えた。
A big bleached wood desk had a typewriter on it and there was a pile of yellow paper beside the typewriter.
bleached
(漂白した)
[形]
having had the color removed
typewriter
(タイプライター)
[名]
a machine with keys that can be pressed to produce letters on paper
大きな漂白した木製の机の上にはタイプライターがあり、タイプライターの横には黄色い紙の束があった。
“Fine, except that I get tired too quick.
get tired
(疲れる)
[動]
become exhausted
「すぐに疲れる以外は問題ない。
Pity a four-day drunk is so painful to get over.
残念ながら、4日間の飲酒は乗り越えるのがとても辛い。
I often do my best work after one.
私はよく一杯飲んだ後に最高の仕事をする。
In my racket it's so easy to tighten up and get all stiff and wooden.
racket
(仕事)
[名]
a dishonest way of making money
tighten up
(緊張する)
[動]
to become or make something more strict or severe
wooden
(無表情な)
[形]
lacking in expression or animation
私の仕事では、緊張して硬直して無表情になりやすい。
Then the stuff is no good.
なら、その作品は良くない。
When it's good it comes easy.
easy
(簡単に)
[副]
without difficulty or effort
良い作品は簡単にできる。
Anything you have read or heard to the contrary is a lot of mishmash.”
contrary
(反対)
[形]
opposite in nature or direction
mishmash
(ごちゃ混ぜ)
[名]
a confused mixture
反対に読んだり聞いたりしたことはすべてごちゃ混ぜだ。」
“Okay,” Wade said, sitting up.
sit up
(起き上がる)
[動]
move from a lying position to a sitting position
「わかった」とウェードは起き上がった。
“So you have read Flaubert, so that makes you an intellectual, a critic, a savant of the literary world.”
intellectual
(知識人)
[名]
a person who places a high value on or pursues intellectual activity
critic
(批評家)
[名]
a person who judges the merits and faults of something
savant
(博学者)
[名]
a learned person, especially a distinguished scientist
literary world
(文学界)
[名]
the world of literature and those who write it
「それであなたはフローベールを読んで、それであなたは知識人、批評家、文学界の博学者になった。」
He rubbed his forehead.
彼は額をこすった。
“I'm on the wagon and I hate it.
on the wagon
(禁酒中)
[名]
a person who is not drinking alcohol
「私は禁酒中で、それが嫌いだ。
I hate everybody with a drink in his hand.
手に酒を持っている人はみんな嫌いだ。
I've got to go out there and smile at those creeps.
creep
(気味の悪い連中)
[名]
a person who is considered strange, unpleasant, or frightening
私はあそこに出かけて、あの気味の悪い連中に笑顔を向けなくちゃならない。
Every damn one of them knows I'm an alcoholic.
Every damn one
(みんな)
[名]
all of the people in a group
あの連中はみんな私がアルコール依存症だって知っている。
So they wonder what I'm running away from.
run away
(逃げる)
[動]
to leave a place or situation quickly, especially in order to avoid something unpleasant
だから、連中は私が何から逃げているのか不思議に思っている。
Some Freudian bastard has made that a commonplace.
Freudian
(フロイト主義)
[形]
of or relating to Sigmund Freud or his ideas
commonplace
(常識)
[名]
something that is ordinary or usual
フロイト主義のろくでなしがそれを常識にしてしまった。
Every ten-year-old kid knows it by now.
every
(すべての)
[形]
each and all of a group
ten-year-old
(10歳の)
[形]
being ten years old
by now
(今では)
[副]
at this time; now
今では10歳の子供でもみんな知っている。
If I had a ten-year-old kid, which God forbid, the brat would be asking me, 'What are you running away from when you get drunk, Daddy?'”
God forbid
(神は禁じている)
[句]
used to express a hope that something will not happen
brat
(ガキ)
[名]
a child who behaves badly
もし私に10歳の子供がいたら、神は禁じているだろうが、そのガキは私に「パパ、酔っ払って何から逃げているの?」と尋ねるだろう。」
“It's got worse, but I was always a hard man with a bottle.
get worse
(悪化する)
[動]
become worse
hard man
(頑固者)
[名]
a man who is tough and violent
「悪化したが、私はいつも酒瓶を抱えた頑固者だった。
When you're young and in hard condition you can absorb a lot of punishment.
hard condition
(体調が万全)
[名]
a state of being in good physical shape
absorb
(吸収する)
[動]
take in or soak up
punishment
(罰)
[名]
a penalty imposed for a crime or other offense
若くて体調が万全な時は、かなりの罰を吸収できる。
When you are pushing forty you don't snap back the same way.”
push
(過ぎる)
[動]
move something by using force
forty
(40歳)
[名]
the cardinal number that is the product of four and ten
snap back
(元に戻る)
[動]
return to a previous state or condition
40歳を過ぎると、同じように元に戻らない。」
He grinned and rumpled his thick curly hair.
彼はニヤリと笑い、厚い巻き毛をくしゃくしゃにした。
He speared his chest with a forefinger.
spear
(突く)
[動]
pierce with a spear or other sharp object
forefinger
(人差し指)
[名]
the finger next to the thumb
彼は人差し指で自分の胸を突いた。
“You're looking right at a small time operator in a small time business, Marlowe.
operator
(経営者)
[名]
a person who runs a business
「君は小さな商売の小さな経営者を見ているんだよ、マーロウ。
All writers are punks and I am one of the punkest.
作家はみんなチンピラで、私はその中でも一番のチンピラだ。
I've written twelve best sellers, and if I ever finish that stack of magoozlum on the desk there I may possibly have written thirteen.
stack
(山)
[名]
a pile of objects, typically one that is neatly arranged
thirteen
(13)
[数]
the number 13
私は12冊のベストセラーを書いてきたし、もし机の上にあるあのマグズラムの山を完成させたら、13冊目になるかもしれない。
And not a damn one of them worth the powder to blow it to hell.
not a damn one
(どれも)
[名]
not a single one
そして、そのうちのどれも地獄に吹き飛ばすための火薬の価値はない。
I have a lovely home in a highly restricted residential neighborhood that belongs to a highly restricted multimillionaire.
highly restricted
(非常に制限された)
[形]
very limited or restricted
residential neighborhood
(住宅街)
[名]
a district of a city or town where people live
highly restricted multimillionaire
(非常に制限された億万長者)
[名]
a person who has a very large amount of money
私は、非常に制限された億万長者に属する非常に制限された住宅街に素敵な家を持っている。
I have a lovely wife who loves me and a lovely publisher who loves me and I love me the best of all.
私には私を愛する素敵な妻と私を愛する素敵な出版社があり、私は誰よりも自分を愛している。
I'm an egotistical son of a bitch, a literary prostitute or pimp--choose your own word--and an all-round heel.
literary
(文学的な)
[形]
of or relating to literature
prostitute
(売春婦)
[名]
a person, typically a woman, who engages in sexual activity for payment
pimp
(ポン引き)
[名]
a man who controls prostitutes and arranges clients for them
all-round
(オールラウンドな)
[形]
having many different skills or abilities
私は利己的なろくでなしで、文学的な売春婦かポン引きだ--好きな言葉を選んでくれ--そして、オールラウンドなヒールだ。
So what can you do for me?”
だから、私のために何ができるんだ?」
“Yeah,” he said tightly, “but they ought to be.
「ああ」と彼はきつく言った、「しかし、彼らはそうあるべきだ。
If they're not, what use are they?
be not
(そうでなければ)
[動]
not be
what use
(何の役に立つ)
[名]
what purpose or function
そうでなければ、彼らは何の役に立つのか?
They're the class of the county and they're no better than a bunch of truckdrivers full of cheap whiskey.
class
(階級)
[名]
a group of people sharing the same economic or social status
no better than
(優れているわけではない)
[句]
not better than
truckdriver
(トラック運転手)
[名]
a person who drives a truck
whiskey
(ウイスキー)
[名]
a type of alcoholic drink
彼らは郡の階級であり、安いウイスキーでいっぱいのトラック運転手の集団よりも優れているわけではない。
Not as good.”
not as good
(劣っている)
[形]
not as good as something else
劣っている」
“Knock it off,” I said again.
「やめろ」と私は再び言った。
“You want to get boiled, get boiled.
get boiled
(酔う)
[動]
become drunk
「酔いたいなら酔えばいい。
But don't take it out on a crowd that can get boiled without having to lie up with Dr. Verringer or get loose in the head and throw their wives down the stairs.”
take it out on
(ぶつける)
[動]
to express your anger or annoyance with someone or something by being unpleasant to someone or something else
get boiled
(酔っ払う)
[動]
to become drunk
lie up
(寝転がる)
[動]
to rest or relax
get loose
(おかしくなる)
[動]
to become unfastened or detached
だが、ヴェリンジャー博士のところに寝転がったり、頭がおかしくなったり、妻を階段から投げ落としたりせずに酔っ払える群衆にそれをぶつけるな」
“Yeah,” he said, and he was suddenly calm and thoughtful.
calm
(落ち着いた)
[形]
not excited or anxious
thoughtful
(考え込んだ)
[形]
thinking carefully about something
「ああ」と彼は言い、突然落ち着いて考え込んだ。
“You pass the test, chum.
pass
(合格)
[動]
be successful in an examination
test
(テスト)
[名]
a procedure for critical evaluation; a means of measuring the presence, quality, or truth of something; a trial
「君はテストに合格だ、相棒。
How about coming to live here for a while?
しばらくここに住んでみたらどうだ?
You could do me a lot of good just being here.”
ここにいるだけで私に多くの良いことをしてくれる」
“Try it for three months.
three months
(3ヶ月)
[名]
a period of time
「3ヶ月試してみろ。
I'd finish the damn book and then go far off for a while.
go far off
(遠くへ行く)
[動]
travel a long distance
私はその忌々しい本を書き終えて、しばらく遠くへ行こう。
Lie up some place in the Swiss mountains and get clean.”
some place
(どこか)
[名]
an unspecified place
Swiss
(スイス)
[形]
of or relating to Switzerland or its people
get clean
(きれいになる)
[動]
to become clean
スイスの山のどこかに横たわって、きれいになる」
“The hell with you,” he said smoothly.
the hell with you
(くそくらえ)
[句]
an expression of anger or contempt
smoothly
(滑らかに)
[副]
in a smooth way
「あなたなんかくそくらえ」と彼は滑らかに言った。
“No deal. I don't blame you, of course.
no deal
(取引はなし)
[名]
no agreement
「取引はなしだ。もちろん、君を責めはしない。
There's something I want to know, that I have to know.
have to know
(知る必要がある)
[動]
to be required to know
知りたいことがあるんだ、知る必要があるんだ。
You don't know what it is and I'm not sure I know myself.
myself
(私自身)
[代]
I or me
君にはそれが何かわからないし、私自身もよくわからない。
All I'm positive of is that there is something, and I have to know it.”
be positive of
(確信している)
[動]
to be certain or sure about something
there is
(ある)
[動]
to exist or be present
私が確信しているのは、何かがあるということだけだ、そして私はそれを知る必要がある」