『模範兵士』中編

――　中扉　――
ＷＥＢ絵本『模範兵士』中編

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 middle volume)

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

――　２５　――
Cherry blossoms just began to bloom.

Skylarks were moving around wheat fields.

It was a glorious Sunday morning.

ちょうど桜がチラチラし始めて、麦畑を雲雀がチョロチョロして、トテモいい日曜の朝のこと．

――　２６　――
Private Westmoreland came by car to the small community "Upstream" with a lovely and stylish lady.

He was wearing a khaki military uniform more nealty than usual.

And she looked just like a movie actress.

カーキー色の軍服を、いつもよりシャンと着た西村さんが、それこそ本当に活動女優ソックリの、ステキなハイカラ美人と一緒に自動車に乗って、川上の部落へやって来たのであった．

――　２７　――
But, only this day, Private Westmoreland unwillingly got out of the car.

尤もこの日に限って西村さんは、何となく気が進まぬらしい態度で、自動車から降りると・・・

――　２８　――
He looked pale and he was nearly crying.

And he was hesitating what to do.

・・・泣き出しそうな青い顔をして尻込みしているのを・・・

――　２９　――
The stylish lady held his hand by force and entered the shanty of currugated iron sheets.

・・・ハイカラ美人が無理に手を引っぱって、亜鉛張りの家に入ったが・・・

――　３０　――
His mother seemed to be sleeping.

Soon, they came out of the shanty.

・・・母親はまだ眠っていたらしく、二人とも直ぐに外へ出て来た．

――　３１　――
Private Westmoreland immediately tried to go back.

He started to go toward the car.

But, the stylish lady stopped him by force.

それから西村さんは直ぐに帰ろうとして自動車の方へ行きかけたけれどもハイカラサンが無理やりに引き止めた．

――　３２　――
After that, they took the red blanket and the basket out of the car.

The basket was crammed with delicious foods.

そうして自動車の中から赤い毛布を１枚と、美味そうなものをイッパイ詰めた籠を出して・・・

――　３３　――
Private Westmoreland and the stylish lady spread the blanket in the vacant lot of the copse.

They placed the food and drink on it. They called five or six disable persons staying in the small community.

And, a curious party began.

雑木林の中の空き地に敷き並べると、部落に残っている片輪連中を五六人呼び集めて、奇妙キテレツな酒宴を始めた．

――　３４　――
At first, Private Westmoreland and the stylish lady drank with a red cup alternately.

They appeared to be imitating a wedding.

He looked bashful and blushed crimson.

She was shrieking with laughter in front of the disable persons, who were taken aback.

まず、最初は三々九度の真似事らしく、顔を真っ赤にして羞恥んでいる西村さんと、キャアキャア笑っているハイカラ美人が、呆気に取られている片輪たちの前で、赤い盃を遣ったり取ったり、押し戴いたりしていたが・・・

――　３５　――
Soon, the disable persons also started to drink large amount of liquor with white cups or tea cups.

The food and drink were superb. There were twisted doughnuts, Western liquor bottles, navel oranges, etc.

・・・間もなく外の連中も、白い盃や茶飲茶碗でガブガブとお酒を呑み始めた．

その御馳走の中には、ネジパンや、西洋のお酒らしい細長い瓶や、ネーブル蜜柑などがあったが・・・

――　３６　――
But, the disable persons were eating mainly the canned foods with great relish.

They'd never seen or heard of the foods before.

・・・その他は誰一人見たことも聞いたこともない缶詰みたようなものばかりを、寄ってたかってお美味しそうにパクついていた．

――　３７　――
The stylish lady poured liquor for Private Westmoreland.

And, he was shyly drinking.

西村さんもハイカラ美人にお酌をされて恥ずかしそうに飲んでいたが・・・

――　３８　――
After a while, the stylish lady seemed to have drunk too much.

She stood up on the blanket.

And, she started to speak in an oratorical tone.

・・・その中にハイカラ美人はスッカリ酔っ払ってしまったらしく、毛布の上に立ち上がって何かしらペラペラと、演説みたような事を喋り始めた．

――　３９　――
Then, she rolled up her red underwear up to her navel.

And, she moved her fair hips around.

Her strange dancing began.

それから赤い湯文字をお臍の上までマクリ上げると、大きな真っ白いお尻を振り立てて、妙テケレンな踊りをおどり出した．

――　４０　――
The disable persons were clapping and cheering for her dance.

Until this time, everything was delightful.

それを片輪連中が手をたたいて褒めていた・・・

・・・までは、よっぽど面白かったが・・・

――　４１　――
But soon, his mother unsteadily came out of the curragated-iron shanty beside them.

She looked like a ghost. She only had her white underwear on her skinny body.

Her appearance made them terrified.

間もなく横のトタン葺きの小屋から、幽霊のように痩せ細った西村さんのお母さんが、白い湯文字一貫のまま、ヒョロヒョロと出て来た姿を見ると、みんな震え上がってしまった．

――　４２　――
Her body looked like a pale string. Her hair was untidy.

She opened her eyes wide and was grinding her teeth.

She looked as if she was a female demon.

青白い糸のような身体に、髪の毛をバラバラと振り乱して、眼の玉を真白に剥き出して、歯をギリギリと噛んで、まるで般若のようにスゴイ顔つきであったが・・・

――　４３　――
Private Westmoreland hastily tried to catch hold of his mother.

・・・慌てて抱き止めようとする西村さんを・・・

――　４４　――
But, his mother pushed over him.

・・・突き飛ばすと・・・

――　４５　――
The stylish lady stopped dancing and just stood there.

His mother unsteadly walked to the stylish lady.

She leaned against the stylish lady.

And, she clung to the stylish lady.

・・・踊りを止めてボンヤリ突立っているハイカラ美人に、ヨロヨロとよろめきかかった．

そのままシッカリと抱き付いて・・・

――　４６　――
His mother rolled her eyes and opened her mouth wide.

She tried to bite the stylish lady.

・・・眼の玉をぎょろぎょろさせながら、口を耳までアーンと開いて喰い付こうとした．

――　４７　――
Private Westmoreland pulled them apart.

それを西村さんが一生懸命に引き離して・・・

 ――　４８　――
He led the stylish lady by the hand.

And they got in the car.

・・・ハイカラさんの手を取りながら自動車に乗って・・・

――　４９　――
They fled hastily.

・・・ドンドン逃げて行った．

――　５０　――
His mother was left and she fell down.

She was breathing very feebly.

All of the disable persons appeared to be taking care of her.

The babysitters watched them from a distant place. And, the disable persons were speaking in an unfamiliar accent. So, the babysitters could't see why the happening had occured.

This information was reported by the babysitters.

あとにはお母さんが片息になって倒れているのを皆で介抱しているようであったが、離れた処から見ていた上に、言葉が普通と違っているので、どんな経緯なのかサッパリわからなかった・・・という子守女たちの報告であった．

――　５１　――
"Uh-huh. That is very obvious!" said the old retiree of the household goods store.

And he looked around the babysitters, holding a newspaper in his hand.

「フーン．それは、わかり切っとるじゃないか」と、聞いていた荒物屋の隠居は、新聞片手に子守女たちを見まわした．

――　５２　――
"Private Westmoreland's mother opposed his marriage to the lady. And she stopped them. That's the reason!"

「西村さんのお母さんが、そんな女は嫁にすることはならんと云うて、止めたまでの事じゃがナ」

――　５３　――
All the babysitters looked as if they doubted him.

His explanation might have satisfied them, or not.

子守女たちは、みんな妙な顔をした．

何だかわかったような、わからぬようなアンバイで・・・

――　５４　――
The babysitters looked disappointed.

They scattered in all directions from the household goods store.

・・・張り合いが抜けたように荒物屋の店先から散って行った．
（続く）