小林清一・安藤貞雄の『作家別英米現代文の研究』は、よく出来ていると思う。[注][訳][研究]皆、学を伺うに足る。
HILAIRE BELLOC(1870-1953)
At this season a sky which is of so delicate and faint a blue as to contain something of gentle mockery, and certainly more of tenderness, presides at the fall of leaves. There is no air, no breath at all. The leaves are so light that they sildle on their going downward, hesitating in that which is not void to them, and touching at last so imperceptibly the earth with which they are to mingle, that the gesture is much gentler than a salutation, and even more discreet than a discreet than a discreet caress.
They make a little sound, less than the least of sounds. No bird at night in the marshes rustles so slightly ; no man, though men are the subtlest of living beings, put so evanescent a stress upon their sacred whispers or their prayers. The leaves are hardly heard, but they are heard just so much that men also, who are destined at the end to grow glorious and to die, look up and hear them falling.
ーHills and the Sea(1906)
[注] this season , i.e. autumn. containの目的語は ″something″と ″more″. presides at the fall of leaves 「落葉を司っている高い空」が「落葉」を眺め下ろしている様を議長等が上座で司会しているのに譬えたもの。Cf. ″preside at a meeting″(会を司会する) air =breeze, light wind. breath=light current of air. 「風のそよぎ」sidle「斜行する、にじり進む」on their going downward=as they go dowrd. ″going″は動名詞で、″downward″はそれにかかる副詞。that which is not void to them「木の葉にとっては虚ではないもの」とは「空中」のこと。つまり、空中は、人間にこそ空虚かも知れないが、落葉にとっては、あたかも魚が水の中を泳ぎ、人間が道を行くようなもの、という理屈。″that which″=what.″void″=empty, vacant. and touching=and they touch. imperceptibly「それと知れぬほどそっと」<'perceive'(知覚する) the earth with which they are to mingle「木の葉と一緒になることになっている大地」'mingle with'は、ただ、「混じる」というよりも、木の葉と大地が擬人化されていて、「付き合う、交際する」という気持ち。'be+to-Infinitive'は、ここでは″予定″を表す。Ex.‘ We are to meet at six. ’(６時に集まることになっている。)salutation「会釈」<‘salute’(に挨拶をする) and [is] even more..."even"=still, yet.比較級を強める。discreet「(行動・言葉が)慎重な」>‘discretion’(慎重) caress「愛撫」
