Bleak House — Page 3

English → Japanese CHAPTER I Level 9/10

On such an afternoon, if ever, the Lord High Chancellor ought to be sitting here—as here he is—with a foggy glory round his head, softly fenced in with crimson cloth and curtains, addressed by a large advocate with great whiskers, a little voice, and an interminable brief, and outwardly directing his contemplation to the lantern in the roof, where he can see nothing but fog.

このような午後には、もし然るべき時があるとすれば、大法官閣下はまさにここに座しておられるべきであり――そして実際ここにおられる――霧がかった栄光を頭上に纏い、深紅の布とカーテンに柔らかく囲まれ、豊かな髭を蓄え細い声を持ち果てしない訴訟書類を手にした大柄な弁護士に語りかけられながら、表向きには屋根の採光窓へと瞑想を向けているが、そこには霧しか見えない。

On such an afternoon some score of members of the High Court of Chancery bar ought to be—as here they are—mistily engaged in one of the ten thousand stages of an endless cause, tripping one another up on slippery precedents, groping knee-deep in technicalities, running their goat-hair and horsehair warded heads against walls of words and making a pretence of equity with serious faces, as players might.

このような午後には、衡平法高等法院の法廷弁護士たちが二十人ほど――実際そうであるように――霞の中で終わりなき訴訟の一万もある段階のうちの一つに朧げに携わり、滑りやすい判例で互いに足を引っかけ合い、専門用語の海に膝まで浸かりながら手探りし、山羊の毛と馬の毛で守られた頭を言葉の壁にぶつけ、役者がそうするように真顔で公平の振りをしているべきなのだ。

On such an afternoon the various solicitors in the cause, some two or three of whom have inherited it from their fathers, who made a fortune by it, ought to be—as are they not?—ranged in a line, in a long matted well (but you might look in vain for truth at the bottom of it) between the registrar's red table and the silk gowns, with bills, cross-bills, answers, rejoinders, injunctions, affidavits, issues, references to masters, masters' reports, mountains of costly nonsense, piled before them.

このような午後には、その訴訟に関わる様々な事務弁護士たち――そのうちの二、三人はそれで財を成した父親からこの訴訟を受け継いだ者たちだが――は、そうあるべきではないか――登録官の赤いテーブルとシルクのガウンの間に設けられた長い薄暗い井戸の中（しかしその底に真実を探し求めても徒労に終わるだろう）に一列に並び、申立書、反対申立書、答弁書、再答弁書、差止命令、宣誓供述書、争点、主任判事への照会、主任判事の報告書、高くつく無意味な書類の山を目の前に積み上げているべきなのだ。

Vocabulary

この: kono — This (attributive demonstrative adjective).
ような: you na — Like, such as, of this kind.
午後: gogo — Afternoon, PM.
に: ni — Particle indicating time, place, or direction.
は: wa — Topic-marking particle in Japanese sentences.
もし: moshi — If, in case, supposing that.
然るべき: shikarubeki — Appropriate, proper, as it should be.
時: toki — Time, moment, occasion.
が: ga — Subject-marking particle in Japanese grammar.
ある: aru — To exist, to be (inanimate things).
と: to — Particle meaning 'and,' 'with,' or 'if.'
すれば: sureba — If one does; conditional form of suru.
閣下: kakka — His/Your Excellency, honorific title for dignitaries.
まさに: masa ni — Exactly, precisely, indeed, just now.
ここ: koko — Here, this place.
おられる: orareru — Honorific form of 'to be,' respectfully present.
である: de aru — To be (formal/written copula).
――そして: —soshite — And, and then, furthermore (conjunction).
実際: jissai — In reality, actually, in practice.
霧: kiri — Fog, mist.
かった: katta — Past tense suffix for adjectives (was/were).
栄光: eikō — Glory, honor, splendor.
を: wo — Object-marking particle in Japanese grammar.
頭上: zujō — Above one's head, overhead.
深紅: shinku — Crimson, deep red color.
の: no — Possessive/attributive particle linking nouns.
布: nuno — Cloth, fabric, textile.
カーテン: kāten — Curtain, drape.
柔らかく: yawarakaku — Softly, gently, in a soft manner.
囲まれ: kakomare — Surrounded, enclosed, wrapped around.
豊かな: yutaka na — Rich, abundant, full, luxuriant.
髭: hige — Beard, mustache, facial hair.
蓄え: takuwae — Storing, accumulating; savings or stockpile.
細い: hosoi — Thin, slender, narrow.
声: koe — Voice, sound produced by speaking.
持ち: mochi — Having, holding, possessing something.
果てしない: hateshinai — Endless, boundless, interminable.
訴訟: soshō — Lawsuit, legal action, litigation.
書類: shorui — Documents, papers, paperwork.
手: te — Hand; also means dealing with something.
大柄: ōgara — Large build, big-framed, large pattern.
弁護士: bengoshi — Lawyer, attorney, legal advocate.
語りかけられ: katarикаke rare — Being spoken to, addressed by someone.
ながら: nagara — While doing, simultaneously, even though.
表向き: omotemuki — Outwardly, on the surface, ostensibly.
屋根: yane — Roof of a building.
へ: e — Directional particle meaning toward or to.
瞑想: meisō — Meditation, contemplation, deep thought.
向け: muke — Directed toward, aimed at something.
いる: iru — To be, to exist (animate beings).
そこ: soko — There, that place.
しか: shika — Only, nothing but (used with negatives).
見えない: mienai — Cannot see, invisible, not visible.
法廷: hōtei — Courtroom, court of law.
たち: tachi — Plural suffix for people or living things.
二十人: nijū nin — Twenty people.
ほど: hodo — About, approximately, to the extent of.
霞: kasumi — Haze, mist, spring haze.
中: naka — Inside, middle, among, within.
終わりなき: owari naki — Endless, without end (literary expression).
一万: ichiman — Ten thousand (10,000).
段階: dankai — Stage, step, level, phase.
うち: uchi — Among, within, out of a group.
一つ: hitotsu — One thing, one (general counter).
朧げ: oboroge — Vague, dim, hazy, indistinct.
携わり: tazusawari — Being involved in, engaged in work.
滑りやすい: suberiyasui — Slippery, easy to slide on.
互い: tagai — Each other, one another, mutual.
足: ashi — Foot, leg.
専門用語: senmon yōgo — Technical terminology, jargon, specialized vocabulary.
海: umi — Sea, ocean.
膝: hiza — Knee, lap.
まで: made — Until, up to, as far as.
浸かり: tsukari — Submerged in, soaked, wading through.
手探り: tesaguri — Groping, feeling one's way blindly.
馬: uma — Horse.
守られた: mamorareta — Protected, defended, preserved by someone.
頭: atama — Head, mind, top.
言葉: kotoba — Words, language, expression.
壁: kabe — Wall, barrier.
ぶつけ: butsuke — Hitting against, throwing at, smashing into.
役者: yakusha — Actor, performer, player.
真顔: magao — Serious face, straight face, earnest expression.
公平: kōhei — Fairness, impartiality, justice.
振り: furi — Pretense, appearance, manner, gesture.
その: sono — That (attributive demonstrative adjective).
関わる: kakawaru — To be involved in, to concern, to relate.
様々: samazama — Various, diverse, all kinds of.
事務: jimu — Office work, clerical duties, administrative tasks.
財: tomi / zai — Wealth, assets, property, treasure.
成し: nashi — Accomplishing, forming, making (something).
父親: chichioya — Father, one's male parent.
受け継いだ: uketsui da — Inherited, succeeded to, received from predecessor.
者: mono — Person, individual, one who does something.
赤い: akai — Red, crimson in color.
テーブル: tēburu — Table, desk.
シルク: shiruku — Silk, smooth lustrous fabric.
ガウン: gaun — Gown, robe worn as formal attire.
間: aida / ma — Between, interval, space, period of time.
設けられた: mōkerareta — Established, provided, set up, arranged.
長い: nagai — Long, lengthy (in space or time).
薄暗い: usugurai — Dim, dusky, poorly lit, gloomy.
井戸: ido — Well, shaft dug to reach water.
底: soko — Bottom, base, depth.
真実: shinjitsu — Truth, reality, the true facts.
探し求め: sagashi motome — Searching for, seeking out, looking earnestly.
徒労: torō — Futile effort, wasted labor, fruitless work.
終わる: owaru — To end, to finish, to conclude.
だろう: darō — Probably, likely, I suppose (conjecture).
一列: ichiretsu — A single row, one line.
並び: narabi — Row, line, arrangement side by side.
争点: sōten — Point at issue, disputed question, matter of contention.
照会: shōkai — Inquiry, reference, request for information.
報告: hōkoku — Report, account, notification of results.
高くつく: takaku tsuku — To cost dearly, to be expensive.
無意味: muimi — Meaningless, pointless, without significance.
山: yama — Mountain, pile, heap of things.
目の前: me no mae — Right in front of one's eyes.
積み上げ: tsumitage — Piling up, stacking, accumulating in layers.

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