『模範兵士』後編

――　中扉　――
ＷＥＢ絵本『模範兵士』後編

絵・訳：茜町春彦
原作：夢野久作
概要：夢野久作の短編集『いなか、の、じけん』の一編を、英訳して絵本にしました．大人向けです．

A Picture Book
"A Model Soldier" (the last volume)

Illustrated and translated by : Akanemachi Haruhiko
Original author : Yumeno Kyusaku

――　５５　――
A residential police of the village and a police inspector with gold braid came at about midday of the next day.

And, a practicing doctor of the village and a military policeman with an automatic pistol at his waist were following them.

Each of the four people was riding a bicycle and was ringing a bell loudly.

They passed through the village and went to "Upstream".

ところが又、その翌る日の正午頃になると、村の駐在巡査と、部長さんらしい金モールを巻いた人を先に立てて村の村医と腰にピストルをつけた憲兵との４人が、めいめいに自転車のベルの音をケタタマシク立てながら村を通り抜けて、川上の方へ行ったので・・・ 

――　５６　――
The residents on the roadside rushed out of their houses, thinking what had happened.

They were watching the four persons.

・・・通り筋の者は皆、何ごとかと思って、表へ飛び出して見送った．

――　５７　――
Some residents ran after them.

その中から一人行き、二人駆け出して行ったので・・・

――　５８　――
So, a large crowd of people gathered around the small community "Upstream".

・・・川上の部落のまわりは黒山のような人だかりになったが・・・

――　５９　――
After those people came back, they talked about the incident.

"Private Westmoreland's mother hanged to death last night."

"Yesterday's stylish lady killed his mother?!"

"She is suspected of murder."

But, they felt that there was something strange about it.

They had different opinions.

・・・そんな連中が帰って来てからの話によると、事件というのは西村のお母さんが昨夜のうちに首を縊ったので、昨日のハイカラ美人が殺したのじゃないかと、疑いがかかっているらしい・・・というのであった．

しかし、それにしても様子がおかしいというので、評議がまちまちになっていたが・・・

――　６０　――
The people could hardly wait for the next morning.

They gathered at the household goods store.

・・・あくる朝を待ちかねて人々が、荒物屋に集まってみると・・・

――　６１　――
Just as they expected, the details of the incident appeared in the newspaper under the headline "The true nature of the model soldier".

・・・果して、事件の真相が詳しく新聞に出ていた．

「模範兵士の化けの皮」という大きな表題で・・・

――　６２　――
An examination for the personality of Private Westmoreland was carried out.

The result showed that he was a kind of idiot although he looked obedient.

And it also showed that he had an extremely addictive personality for sexual perversion.

That is to say, the woman who was called "his mother" was actually his mistress.

He has been in a sexual relationship with her since his childhood.

・・・西村二等卒の性行を調査の結果、表面温順に見える一種の白痴で、且つ、甚だしい変態性欲の耽溺者であることがわかった．

すなわち、その母親として仕えていたのは、実は子供の時から可愛がられていた情婦に過ぎないのであったが・・・

――　６３　――
Recently, a famous pickpocket read the article about the Model Soldier in the newspaper.

Her nickname is "Gem" and she is also a sexual pervert.

・・・最近に至って有名な箱師のお玉という、これも変態的な素質を持った毒婦が、模範兵士の新聞記事を見て・・・

――　６４　――
Gem sent a long emotional letter to the regimental commander.

Her real name and adress were boldly written on the envelope.

And, a money order for 50 dollars was enclosed in it.

大胆にも原籍本名を明記した封筒に、長々しい感激の手紙と、５０円也の為替を入れて連隊長宛てに送って来た．

――　６５　――
The police authorities obtained this information from our newspaper.

And, they were investigating her whereabouts in strict secrecy.

これを本紙の記事によって知った警察当局では、極秘裡に彼女の所在を厳探中であったが・・・

――　６６　――
But, Gem was just bold.

It seemed that she had slipped through their investigation and had had a relationship with Private Westmoreland.

She completely charmed him.

・・・あくまでも大胆不敵なお玉は、その中を潜って西村と関係を結んだらしく、すっかり西村を丸め込んでしまった揚句・・・

――　６７　――
Last Sunday morning, they went by car to ridicule his fake mother.

But, Private Westmoreland didn't returned to his regiment.

It seems that he changed his wear at a hotel in front of the station and deserted with Gem.

・・・二人で自動車に同乗して、贋の母親を嘲弄しに行ったのが一昨日曜の午前中の事であったという．

ところが西村はそのまま、隊へは帰らずに、駅前の旅館で服装を改めて、お玉と一緒に逃亡した模様である．

――　６８　――
Meanwhile, his fake mother got extremely angry at them.

And she hanged herself.

Her body was found yesterday's morning.

一方に西村の贋はは親は、憤慨の余り縊死していることが昨朝に至って発見されたので・・・

――　６９　――
Immediately, the officials in charge hurried to the scene.

They conducted an inspection.

And, it was declared not to be murder.

But, at the same time, it was found that such a case was not rare.

According to the beggars around there, this kind of perverted relationship is common in their behavoir.

So, the officials couldn't stop smiling bitterly.

... etc ...

早速係官が出張して取調の結果、他殺の疑いはないことになった．

しかし、同時に、付近の乞食連中の言に依って、この種の変態的関係は、彼等仲間の通有的茶飯事で、決して珍らしい事ではないと判明したので、係官も苦笑に堪えず・・・云々・・・

――　７０　――
"By the way, Perversion... Pervert... Perverted... What do these words mean?"

"I don't know!" resignatedly said the old retiree of the household goods store, who was surrounded by many people.

「・・・ところでこの、ヘンタイ、セイヨクの、何とかチウのは、何じゃろか・・・」

「おらにもわからんがナ」と荒物屋の隠居は、大勢に取り巻かれながら、投げ出すように云った．

――　７１　――
These days, for a case of unknown cause, the newspaper easily says "Perversion" or something like that.

Anyway, I think that Private Westmoreland was a good son.

But, he was deceived by the woman with a bad personality.

Then, he deserted his sick mother.

But, the heartless beggars in her neighborhood hated to take care of her.

So, the beggars found fault with what she did.

And, they forced her to hang herself.

This is my guess.

What do you think about it?

「近頃の新聞はチットでも訳のわからんことがあると、すぐに、ヘンタイ何とかチウで書きおるでナ．おらが思うに西村さんは、やっぱり親孝行者じゃったのよ．それが性の悪い女に騙されて、大病人の母親を見すてたので、義理も恩もしらぬ近所隣の乞食めらが、あとの世話を面倒がって、何とかかんとかケチをつけて、無理往生に首を縊らせたのじゃないかと思うがナ・・・ドウジャエ・・・」

――　７２　――
Everybody got quiet at once.

皆一時にシンとなった．
（完）

――　あとがき　――
前編、中編、後編に３分割して投稿しています．

参考文献：夢野久作全集４（１９９２年９月２４日第１刷発行　夢野久作著　ちくま文庫）

軍服の色についての但し書き：原文には軍服の色がカーキ色であるとの記述がありますが、気が付かずに青色で彩色していました．本来ならば、挿し絵の色を全て塗り替え修正すべきところではありますが、修正をしないことに致しました．御了承ください．

Note: According to the original text, the color of military uniforms should be KHARKI. But, in this picture book, the uniforms have been painted in BLUE.