There is something about these sections of her letter – and those last lines in particular – that never quite ring true. Some subtle note that runs throughout the letter – indeed, her very act of writing to me at that moment – feels at odds with her report of days filled with ‘happiness and companionship’. Was her life with her French count really what she set off to find that day she stepped out on to the jetty in Shanghai? I somehow doubt it. My feeling is that she is thinking of herself as much as of me when she talks of a sense of mission, and the futility of attempting to evade it. Perhaps there are those who are able to go about their lives unfettered by such concerns. But for those like us, our fate is to face the world as orphans, chasing through long years the shadows of vanished parents. There is nothing for it but to try and see through our mission to the end, as best we can, for until we do so, we will be permitted no calm.
I do not wish to appear smug; but drifting through my days here in London, I believe I can indeed own up to a certain contempt. I enjoy my walks in the parks, I visit the galleries; and increasingly of late, I have come to tale a foolish pride in sifting through old newspaper reports of my cases in the Reading Room at the British Museum. This city, in other words, has come to be my home, and I should not mind if I had to live out the rest of my days here. Nevertheless, there are those times when a sort of emptiness fills my hours, and I shall continue to give Jennifer’s invitation serious thought.
註釈:
There is something about these sections of her letter – and those last lines in particular – that never quite ring true.
「that never quite ring true」は「something」を修飾。「ring」はここでは「・・・のように聞こえる」。
Some subtle note that runs throughout the letter – indeed, her very act of writing to me at that moment – feels at odds with her report of days filled with ‘happiness and companionship’.
「indeed」はここでは挿入句で「はっきり言うと」。
Was her life with her French count really what she set off to find that day she stepped out on to the jetty in Shanghai?
「jetty」は「搭乗用の階段」。
I somehow doubt it.
My feeling is that she is thinking of herself as much as of me when she talks of a sense of mission, and the futility of attempting to evade it.
「futility」は「無益」。「evade」は「を逃れる」。
Perhaps there are those who are able to go about their lives unfettered by such concerns.
「go about」はここでは「に精を出す」。「unfetter」は「の足かせを取り除く」。
But for those like us, our fate is to face the world as orphans, chasing through long years the shadows of vanished parents.
There is nothing for it but to try and see through our mission to the end, as best we can, for until we do so, we will be permitted no calm.
「as best one can」は「できるだけ、精一杯」。「There is nothing for it but to …」は「・・・するより仕方がない」。
I do not wish to appear smug; but drifting through my days here in London, I believe I can indeed own up to a certain contempt.
「smug」は「ひとりよがりの」。「own up to …」は「・・・を認める」。
I enjoy my walks in the parks, I visit the galleries; and increasingly of late, I have come to tale a foolish pride in sifting through old newspaper reports of my cases in the Reading Room at the British Museum. This city, in other words, has come to be my home, and I should not mind if I had to live out the rest of my days here.
Nevertheless, there are those times when a sort of emptiness fills my hours, and I shall continue to give Jennifer’s invitation serious thought.
「shall」は「強い意思」を表します。
『今日のイデイオム』
「go about」
「に精を出す」
「as best one can」
「できるだけ、精一杯」
「There is nothing for it but to …」
「・・・するより仕方がない」
「own up to …」
「・・・を認める」
以上を以って300回に亘る長い解説を終了します。私自身も大変勉強になりました。
I do not wish to appear smug; but drifting through my days here in London, I believe I can indeed own up to a certain contempt. I enjoy my walks in the parks, I visit the galleries; and increasingly of late, I have come to tale a foolish pride in sifting through old newspaper reports of my cases in the Reading Room at the British Museum. This city, in other words, has come to be my home, and I should not mind if I had to live out the rest of my days here. Nevertheless, there are those times when a sort of emptiness fills my hours, and I shall continue to give Jennifer’s invitation serious thought.
註釈:
There is something about these sections of her letter – and those last lines in particular – that never quite ring true.
「that never quite ring true」は「something」を修飾。「ring」はここでは「・・・のように聞こえる」。
Some subtle note that runs throughout the letter – indeed, her very act of writing to me at that moment – feels at odds with her report of days filled with ‘happiness and companionship’.
「indeed」はここでは挿入句で「はっきり言うと」。
Was her life with her French count really what she set off to find that day she stepped out on to the jetty in Shanghai?
「jetty」は「搭乗用の階段」。
I somehow doubt it.
My feeling is that she is thinking of herself as much as of me when she talks of a sense of mission, and the futility of attempting to evade it.
「futility」は「無益」。「evade」は「を逃れる」。
Perhaps there are those who are able to go about their lives unfettered by such concerns.
「go about」はここでは「に精を出す」。「unfetter」は「の足かせを取り除く」。
But for those like us, our fate is to face the world as orphans, chasing through long years the shadows of vanished parents.
There is nothing for it but to try and see through our mission to the end, as best we can, for until we do so, we will be permitted no calm.
「as best one can」は「できるだけ、精一杯」。「There is nothing for it but to …」は「・・・するより仕方がない」。
I do not wish to appear smug; but drifting through my days here in London, I believe I can indeed own up to a certain contempt.
「smug」は「ひとりよがりの」。「own up to …」は「・・・を認める」。
I enjoy my walks in the parks, I visit the galleries; and increasingly of late, I have come to tale a foolish pride in sifting through old newspaper reports of my cases in the Reading Room at the British Museum. This city, in other words, has come to be my home, and I should not mind if I had to live out the rest of my days here.
Nevertheless, there are those times when a sort of emptiness fills my hours, and I shall continue to give Jennifer’s invitation serious thought.
「shall」は「強い意思」を表します。
『今日のイデイオム』
「go about」
「に精を出す」
「as best one can」
「できるだけ、精一杯」
「There is nothing for it but to …」
「・・・するより仕方がない」
「own up to …」
「・・・を認める」
以上を以って300回に亘る長い解説を終了します。私自身も大変勉強になりました。