Now that war and the problems of war are things of the past, I think I may safely venture to reveal to the world the part which my friend Poirot played in a moment of national crisis. The secret has been well guarded. Not a whisper of it reached the Press. But, now that the need for secrecy has gone by, I feel it is only just that England should know the debt it owes to my quaint little friend, whose marvellous brain so ably averted a great catastrophe.
now that：今や〜だから。venture：進んで〜に当たる。part：役割。Poirot：ポワロ（人名／名字）。in a moment of ：〜の時。national crisis：国難。reach the press：報道陣に届く。it is only just that：〜はもう直ぐだ（直ぐそこにある）。debt it owes to：それが〜に負う恩義（〜のお陰である）。quaint：変わり者の。marvellous：信じられない。ably：巧みに。averted：防いだ。 great catastrophe：大惨事。
One evening after dinner—I will not particularize the date; it suffices to say that it was at the time when “Peace by negotiation” was the parrot-cry of England’s enemies—my friend and I were sitting in his rooms. After being invalided out of the Army I had been given a recruiting job, and it had become my custom to drop in on Poirot in the evenings after dinner and talk with him of any cases of interest that he might have on hand.
particularize：詳しく述べる。suffices：充分である。it was at the time when：〜の時だった。negotiation：交渉。parrot-cry：意味不明な言葉（スローガン）。invalided：病弱者として免役される（イギリス英語）。recruiting job：募兵職。drop in on：〜のところに立ち寄る。have on hand：抱える（対処するべきである）。
I was attempting to discuss with him the sensational news of that day—no less than an attempted assassination of Mr. David MacAdam, England’s Prime Minister. The account in the papers had evidently been carefully censored. No details were given, save that the Prime Minister had had a marvellous escape, the bullet just grazing his cheek.
attempting to：〜するように試みた。sensational news：扇情的な（世間を驚かせた）ニュース。attempted assassination：暗殺未遂。David MacAdam：デヴィッド・マカダム（人名）。account in the papers：新聞の記事。censored：検閲される。save that：〜ということを除いて。bullet：銃弾。grazing：掠めて通る。
I considered that our police must have been shamefully careless for such an outrage to be possible. I could well understand that the German agents in England would be willing to risk much for such an achievement. “Fighting Mac,” as his own party had nicknamed him, had strenuously and unequivocally combated the Pacifist influence which was becoming so prevalent.
shamefully：恥ずかしくも。outrage：無法（な行為）。agents：密使（スパイ）。willing to：〜する意思がある。achievement：偉業。party：党派。Fighting Mac：ファイティングマック（十九世紀に活躍したイギリス軍人のヘクター・マクドナルド／Hector MacDonaldの愛称）。had nicknamed：愛称で〜と呼んだ。strenuously：力を込めて。unequivocally：きっちりと。combated：除去しようと努めた。Pacifist：平和主義者。prevalent：優勢な（古い表現）。
He was more than England’s Prime Minister—he was England; and to have removed him from his sphere of influence would have been a crushing and paralysing blow to Britain.
have removed：消した。sphere of influence：勢力範囲（国が影響を及ぼす領域）。crushing：壊滅的な。paralysing：無力化する（paralysingの綴りは主にイギリス）。(a) blow：一撃。Britain：ブリテン島（イギリス本国）。
Poirot was busy mopping a grey suit with a minute sponge. Never was there a dandy such as Hercule Poirot. Neatness and order were his passion. Now, with the odour of benzine filling the air, he was quite unable to give me his full attention.
mopping：拭う。minute sponge：とても小さな海綿。dandy：洒落者（ダンディー）。Hercule：エルキュール（人名／名前）。neatness and order：整然と秩序。passion：情熱。odour of benzine：ベンジン（石油から分留精製した揮発性の高い可燃性のある液体｜odourの綴りは主にイギリス）の匂い。give me his full attention：私に全ての注意力を注ぐ。
“In a little minute I am with you, my friend. I have all but finished. The spot of grease—he is not good—I remove him—so!” He waved his sponge.
in a little minute：一分足らず。 I am with you：私は貴方と一緒だ。all but：〜も同然な。spot of grease：脂の染み。
I smiled as I lit another cigarette.
cigarette：煙草。
“Anything interesting on?” I inquired, after a minute or two.
“I assist a—how do you call it?—‘charlady’ to find her husband. A difficult affair, needing the tact. For I have a little idea that when he is found he will not be pleased. What would you? For my part, I sympathize with him. He was a man of discrimination to lose himself.”
assist：手伝う。charlady：雑役婦。tact：機転。 for my part：私としては。sympathize：同情する。man of discrimination：眼識のある人。lose himself：（彼が）道に迷う。
I laughed.
“At last! The spot of grease, he is gone! I am at your disposal.”
gone：消える。I am at your disposal：何でもどうぞ（私は貴方のいう通りにする）。
“I was asking you what you thought of this attempt to assassinate MacAdam?”
“Enfantillage!” replied Poirot promptly. “One can hardly take it seriously. To fire with the rifle—never does it succeed. It is a device of the past.”
enfantillage：児戯（フランス語）。promptly：即座に。fire：発砲する。rifle：小銃。device of the past：過去の方策。
“It was very near succeeding this time,” I reminded him.
very near：略〜しかけて。reminded：思い出させるためにいった（気付かせた）。
Poirot shook his head impatiently. He was about to reply when the landlady thrust her head round the door and informed him that there were two gentlemen below who wanted to see him.
impatiently：焦れったく。about to：正に〜するところだ。landlady：女将。thrust：突っ込む。
“They won’t give their names, sir, but they says as it’s very important.”
sir：貴殿。
“Let them mount,” said Poirot, carefully folding his grey trousers.
mount：（演壇などに）上がる。folding：折り畳む。trousers：ズボン。
In a few minutes the two visitors were ushered in, and my heart gave a leap as in the foremost I recognized no less a personage than Lord Estair, Leader of the House of Commons; whilst his companion, Mr. Bernard Dodge, was also a member of the War Cabinet, and, as I knew, a close personal friend of the Prime Minister.
ushered：案内される。my heart gave a leap：私は心が躍った。in the foremost：真っ先に。no less (than)：〜に他ならない。personage：偉い人。Lord Estair：エステア（人名／名字）卿（Lordは侯爵、伯爵、子爵、男爵、または公爵か侯爵の子息、伯爵の長子 、上院議員の敬称）。Leader of the House of Commons：庶民院院内総務。whilst：〜の一方（イギリス英語）。companion：連れ。Bernard Dodge：バーナード・ドッジ（人名）。member of the War Cabinet：戦時内閣の構成員。close personal friend：親しい個人的な友人。
“Monsieur Poirot?” said Lord Estair interrogatively. My friend bowed. The great man looked at me and hesitated. “My business is private.”
Monsieur：〜氏（MisterやSirに相当するフランス語）。interrogatively：何か問いたそう（訝しげ）に。bowed：お辞儀した。hesitated：口籠った。business：用件。
“You may speak freely before Captain Hastings,” said my friend, nodding to me to remain. “He has not all the gifts, no! But I answer for his discretion.”
Captain Hastings：ヘイスティング大尉。nodding：頷いて。all the gifts：全ての才能。answer for：〜の責任を持つ（請け合う）。discretion：分別。
Lord Estair still hesitated, but Mr. Dodge broke in abruptly:
broke in：割って入った。abruptly：ぶっきらぼうに。
“Oh, come on—don’t let’s beat about the bush! As far as I can see, the whole of England will know the hole we’re in soon enough. Time’s everything.”
don't let's beat about the bush：藪の周りを叩いて獲物を駆り立てるな（諺）。soon enough：もう間もなく。
“Pray be seated, messieurs,” said Poirot politely. “Will you take the big chair, milord?”
pray：どうぞ。seated：着席する。politely：丁寧に。milord：御前（昔のヨーロッパ人のイギリス貴族への敬称）。
Lord Estair started slightly. “You know me?”
started：ギクリとした。 slightly：微かに。
Poirot smiled. “Certainly. I read the little papers with the pictures. How should I not know you?”
“Monsieur Poirot, I have come to consult you upon a matter of the most vital urgency. I must ask for absolute secrecy.”
vital：極めて重大な。urgency：緊急。absolute secrecy：極秘。
“You have the word of Hercule Poirot—I can say no more!” said my friend grandiloquently.
You have the word of：〜が約束する（貴方は〜の約束を持つ）。grandiloquently：修辞的に大袈裟に（仰々しく）。
“It concerns the Prime Minister. We are in grave trouble.”
in grave trouble：由々しい悩みに。
“We’re up a tree!” interposed Mr. Dodge.
up a tree：進退窮まる（木を登る）。interposed：（言葉や意見を）差し挟んだ。
“The injury is serious, then?” I asked.
“What injury?”
“The bullet wound.”
bullet wound：銃創。
“Oh, that!” cried Mr. Dodge contemptuously. “That’s old history.”
cried：叫んだ。contemptuously：侮蔑して。history：過去の出来事。
“As my colleague says,” continued Lord Estair, “that affair is over and done with. Luckily, it failed. I wished I could say as much for the second attempt.”
colleague：同僚。done with：済んだ。say as much for：〜についても（等しく）話す。
“There has been a second attempt, then?”
“Yes, though not of the same nature. Monsieur Poirot, the Prime Minister has disappeared.”
of the same nature：同じ種の〜。
“What?”
“He has been kidnapped!”
kidnapped：誘拐される。
“Impossible!” I cried, stupefied.
stupefied：仰天して。
Poirot threw a withering glance at me, which I knew enjoined me to keep my mouth shut.
threw a withering glance at：怯ませるように〜を見遣った。enjoined：申し付けられる。
“Unfortunately, impossible as it seems, it is only too true,” continued his lordship.
only too：遺憾ながら。his lordship：閣下（侯爵を除く貴族と裁判官の尊称）。
Poirot looked at Mr. Dodge. “You said just now, monsieur, that time was everything. What did you mean by that?”
The two men exchanged glances, and then Lord Estair said:
exchanged glances：視線を交わした。
“You have heard, Monsieur Poirot, of the approaching Allied Conference?”
Allied Conference：連合国会議。
My friend nodded.
nodded：頷いた。
“For obvious reasons, no details have been given of when and where it is to take place. But, although it has been kept out of the newspapers, the date is, of course, widely known in diplomatic circles. The Conference is to be held to-morrow—Thursday—evening at Versailles. Now you perceive the terrible gravity of the situation. I will not conceal from you that the Prime Minister’s presence at the Conference is a vital necessity. The Pacifist propaganda, started and maintained by the German agents in our midst, has been very active. It is the universal opinion that the turning point of the Conference will be the strong personality of the Prime Minister. His absence may have the most serious results—possibly a premature and disastrous peace. And we have no one who can be sent in his place. He alone can represent England.”
take place：起こる。kept out of：入れられない（外される）。in diplomatic circles：外交界で。Versailles：ヴェルサイユ（フランスの都市）。perceive the terrible gravity of the situation：事態の甚だしい重要性を了解する。conceal：秘密にする。presence：出席。propaganda：プロパガンダ（主義や教義の宣伝）。in our midst：私たちの中に。universal opinion：全者共通の意見。turning point：転換点（分かれ目）。strong personality：強固な人間性。absence：欠席。(have) result：結果を齎す。possibly：たぶん〜だろう（もしかすると）。premature：時期尚早の。disastrous：惨憺たる。represent：代表する。
Poirot’s face had grown very grave. “Then you regard the kidnapping of the Prime Minister as a direct attempt to prevent his being present at the Conference?”
grave：真面目な。regard (as)：〜考える。
“Most certainly I do. He was actually on his way to France at the time.”
France：フランス（国）。
“And the Conference is to be held?”
“At nine o’clock to-morrow night.”
Poirot drew an enormous watch from his pocket.
enormous：非常に大きな。
“It is now a quarter to nine.”
a quarter to：〜まで十五分（toを使うのは主にイギリス）。
“Twenty-four hours,” said Mr. Dodge thoughtfully.
thoughtfully：考え込んで。
“And a quarter,” amended Poirot. “Do not forget the quarter, monsieur—it may come in useful. Now for the details—the abduction, did it take place in England or in France?”
amended：訂正した。now for：〜取り上げる。abduction：略取。
“In France. Mr. MacAdam crossed to France this morning. He was to stay to-night as the guest of the Commander-in-Chief, proceeding to-morrow to Paris. He was conveyed across the Channel by destroyer. At Boulogne he was met by a car from General Headquarters and one of the Commander-in-Chief’s A.D.C.s.”
Commander-in-Chief：総司令官。conveyed across：運ばれて渡る。the Channel：イギリス海峡（ラ・マンシュ海峡）。destroyer：駆逐艦。Boulogne：ブローニュ（Boulogne-sur-Mer：ブローニュ＝シュル＝メール／フランスの北部に形成されたイギリス海峡に面した都市の短縮形）。met：出迎えられる。General Headquarters：総司令部。A.D.C.：副官（aide-de-camp）たち。
“Eh bien?”
eh bien：そうか（wellに相当するフランス語）。
“Well, they started from Boulogne—but they never arrived.”
“What?”
“Monsieur Poirot, it was a bogus car and a bogus A.D.C. The real car was found in a side road, with the chauffeur and the A.D.C. neatly gagged and bound.”
bogus：偽の。side road：側道。chauffeur：（専属の）運転手。neatly：きっちり（巧妙に）。gagged：猿轡を嵌められる。bound：縛られる。
“And the bogus car?”
“Is still at large.”
at large：（犯人などが）逃亡中。
Poirot made a gesture of impatience. “Incredible! Surely it cannot escape attention for long?”
escape attention：見落とす（気付かない）。
“So we thought. It seemed merely a question of searching thoroughly. That part of France is under Military Law. We were convinced that the car could not go long unnoticed. The French police and our own Scotland Yard men, and the military are straining every nerve. It is, as you say, incredible—but nothing has been discovered!”
thoroughly：徹底的に。Military Law：軍法。convinced that：〜と確信する。Scotland Yard：ロンドン（イギリスの首都）警視庁。straining every nerve：全力を注ぐ。
At that moment a tap came at the door, and a young officer entered with a heavily sealed envelope which he handed to Lord Estair.
at that moment：その瞬間。tap：コツコツ叩く音。officer：警察官。heavily sealed envelope：厳重に閉じられた封筒。
“Just through from France, sir. I brought it on here, as you directed.”
sir：閣下。as you directed：（貴方が）指示した通り。
The Minister tore it open eagerly, and uttered an exclamation. The officer withdrew.
uttered an exclamation：（感嘆の）叫び声を発した。withdrew：退出した。
“Here is news at last! This telegram has just been decoded. They have found the second car, also the secretary, Daniels, chloroformed, gagged, and bound, in an abandoned farm near C——. He remembers nothing, except something being pressed against his mouth and nose from behind, and struggling to free himself. The police are satisfied as to the genuineness of his statement.”
news：知らせ。telegram：電報。decoded：解読される。Daniels：ダニエル（人名／名字）。chloroformed：クロロホルム（科学物質の一種）で気絶させられる。abandoned：打ち捨てられた。struggling to：〜しようと藻掻く。free himself：（彼が）脱する。satisfied：納得する。as to：〜に関して。genuineness of his statement：彼の供述の確かさ。
“And they have found nothing else?”
“No.”
“Not the Prime Minister’s dead body? Then, there is hope. But it is strange. Why, after trying to shoot him this morning, are they now taking so much trouble to keep him alive?”
Dodge shook his head. “One thing’s quite certain. They’re determined at all costs to prevent his attending the Conference.”
determined：決心する。at all cost to：どんな犠牲を払っても〜。
“If it is humanly possible, the Prime Minister shall be there. God grant it is not too late. Now, messieurs, recount to me everything—from the beginning. I must know about this shooting affair as well.”
humanly possible：人間の力で（人為的に）可能な。God grant (that)：願わくは〜（神よ〜し給え）。messieurs：諸君（皆様方）。recount：詳しく話す。
“Last night, the Prime Minister, accompanied by one of his secretaries, Captain Daniels——”
“The same who accompanied him to France?”
accompanied：同行される。
“Yes. As I was saying, they motored down to Windsor, where the Prime Minister was granted an Audience. Early this morning, he returned to town, and it was on the way that the attempted assassination took place.”
motored down to Windsor：自動車でウィンザー（イギリスの都市）まで行った。granted an Audience：（王などとの）謁を賜る。
“One moment, if you please. Who is this Captain Daniels? You have his dossier?”
one moment：暫しお待ちを。if you please：どうか。dossier：調査書（フランス語）。
Lord Estair smiled. “I thought you would ask me that. We do not know very much of him. He is of no particular family. He has served in the English Army, and is an extremely able secretary, being an exceptionally fine linguist. I believe he speaks seven languages. It is for that reason that the Prime Minister chose him to accompany him to France.”
of no particular family：格別の家柄ではない（of familyを家柄とするのはイギリス英語）。exceptionally：並外れて。linguist：外国語が堪能な人。
“Has he any relatives in England?”
relatives：親類。
“Two aunts. A Mrs.
Everard, who lives at
Hampstead, and a Miss Daniels, who lives near
Ascot.”
Everard：エヴァラード（人名／名字）。Hampstead：ハムステッド（ロンドンの地区）。Ascot：アスコット（イギリスのバークシャー州の町）。
“Ascot? That is near to Windsor, is it not?”
“That point has not been overlooked. But it has led to nothing.”
overlooked：見過ごされる。has led to nothing：何にも繋がらなかった。
“You regard the Capitaine Daniels, then, as above suspicion?”
Capitaine：大尉（Captainに相当するフランス語）。above suspicion：疑いを挟む余地がない。
A shade of bitterness crept into Lord Estair’s voice, as he replied:
a shade of bitterness：僅かな苦しみ。crept into：~に混じった。
“No, Monsieur Poirot. In these days, I should hesitate before I pronounced anyone above suspicion.”
in these days：現在。hesitate：躊躇う。pronounced：断言した。
“Très bien. Now I understand, milord, that the Prime Minister would, as a matter of course, be under vigilant police protection, which ought to render any assault upon him an impossibility?”
très bien：結構（very wellに相当するフランス語）。as a matter of course：当然のこととして。vigilant：油断ない。police protection：警察の保護。render：（ある状態に）する。
Lord Estair bowed his head. “That is so. The Prime Minister’s car was closely followed by another car containing detectives in plain clothes. Mr. MacAdam knew nothing of these precautions. He is personally a most fearless man, and would be inclined to sweep them away arbitrarily. But, naturally, the police make their own arrangements. In fact, the Premier’s chauffeur, O’Murphy, is a C.I.D. man.”
bowed his head：（彼が）頭を下げた。closely followed：ぴったり追われる。containing：入れる。detectives in plain clothes：私服の刑事。precautions：警戒。personally：人間的に。fearless man：怖いもの知らず。inclined to：〜したい気にさせられる。sweep (away)：一掃する。arbitrarily：無作為に。naturally：もちろん。make their own arrangements：（彼らが）自らの手筈を整える。Premier’s：（フランスやイタリアか主に新聞などで日本やイギリスの）首相の。O’Murphy：オマーフィー（人名／名字）。C.I.D. ：（イギリス警察かロンドン警視庁の）刑事捜査課（Criminal Investigation Department）。
“O’Murphy? That is a name of Ireland, is it not so?”
Ireland：アイルランド（国）。
“Yes, he is an Irishman.”
Irishman：アイルランド人。
“From what part of Ireland?”
“County Clare, I believe.”
County Clare：クレア県（アイルランドのマンスター地方）。
“Tiens! But proceed, milord.”
tiens：へぇ（フランス語）。 proceed：いい続けろ（どうぞ）。
“The Premier started for London. The car was a closed one. He and Captain Daniels sat inside. The second car followed as usual. But, unluckily, for some unknown reason, the Prime Minister’s car deviated from the main road——”
started for：〜に向けて出発した。closed one：箱型のもの（closed car：箱型車）。deviated：逸脱した。main road：幹線道路。
“At a point where the road curves?” interrupted Poirot.
interrupted：遮った。
“Yes—but how did you know?”
“Oh, c’est évident! Continue!”
c’est évident：それは明白だ（フランス語）。
“For some unknown reason,” continued Lord Estair, “the Premier’s car left the main road. The police car, unaware of the deviation, continued to keep to the high road. At a short distance down the unfrequented lane, the Prime Minister’s car was suddenly held up by a band of masked men. The chauffeur——”
high road：本道（イギリス英語）。unfrequented：人通りの少ない。lane：車線。held up：（銃などで）停止を命じられた。a band of masked men：覆面の者の一団。
“That brave O’Murphy!” murmured Poirot thoughtfully.
murmured：呟いた。
“The chauffeur, momentarily taken aback, jammed on the brakes. The Prime Minister put his head out of the window. Instantly a shot rang out—then another. The first one grazed his cheek, the second, fortunately, went wide. The chauffeur, now realizing the danger, instantly forged straight ahead, scattering the band of men.”
momentarily：束の間。taken aback：呆気に取られた。jammed on the brakes：ブレーキを強く踏んだ。instantly：瞬時に。shot：銃声。rang out：鳴り響いた。grazed：掠めて通った。went wide：命中しなかった（逸れた）。realizing：悟って。forged straight ahead：急激に前進した（突っ切った）。scattering：追い散らす。
“A near escape,” I ejaculated, with a shiver.
ejaculated：不意に叫んだ。with a shiver：戦いて。
“Mr. MacAdam refused to make any fuss over the slight wound he had received. He declared it was only a scratch. He stopped at a local cottage hospital, where it was dressed and bound up—he did not, of course, reveal his identity. He then drove, as per schedule, straight to Charing Cross, where a special train for Dover was awaiting him, and, after a brief account of what had happened had been given to the anxious police by Captain Daniels, he duly departed for France. At Dover, he went on board the waiting destroyer. At Boulogne, as you know, the bogus car was waiting for him, carrying the Union Jack, and correct in every detail.”
make any fuss over：〜を大きく騒ぎ立てる。slight wound：浅手。declared：いい切った。scratch：掠り傷。cottage hospital：小病院（医者が通いの田舎の病院／イギリス英語）。dressed and bound up：手当てをされて包帯を巻かれる。reveal his identity：（彼が）身元を明かす。as per schedule：予定通りに。Charing Cross：チャリングクロス（ロンドンの地区）。Dover：ドーヴァー（イギリスの海港）。brief account：簡単な説明。duly departed for：滞りなく〜へ発った。went on board：（船や飛行機に）乗った。carrying the Union Jack：ユニオンジャック（イギリスの国旗）を掲げて。 correct in every detail：細部まで正確な。
“That is all you have to tell me?”
“Yes.”
“There is no other circumstance that you have omitted, milord?”
omitted：省いた（端折った）。
“Well, there is one rather peculiar thing.”
rather peculiar thing：稍妙なこと。
“Yes?”
“The Prime Minister’s car did not return home after leaving the Prime Minister at Charing Cross. The police were anxious to interview O’Murphy, so a search was instituted at once. The car was discovered standing outside a certain unsavoury little restaurant in Soho, which is well known as a meeting-place of German agents.”
anxious to：〜したくて堪らない。interview：会って話す。instituted：（調査を）始められる。standing：（車が）残される。unsavoury：宜しくない。Soho：ソーホー（ロンドンの地区）。meeting-place：集合場所。
“And the chauffeur?”
“The chauffeur was nowhere to be found. He, too, had disappeared.”
“So,” said Poirot thoughtfully, “there are two disappearances: the Prime Minister in France, and O’Murphy in London.”
disappearances：行方不明。
He looked keenly at Lord Estair, who made a gesture of despair.
looked keenly：目敏く見た。
“I can only tell you, Monsieur Poirot, that, if anyone had suggested to me yesterday that O’Murphy was a traitor, I should have laughed in his face.”
traitor：売国奴。have laughed in his face：彼の目の前で笑い飛ばした。
“And to-day?”
“To-day I do not know what to think.”
Poirot nodded gravely. He looked at his turnip of a watch again.
turnip of a watch：大きく重たい懐中時計（turnip：蕪をそのような大きく重たい懐中時計とするのは古い表現）。
“I understand that I have carte blanche, messieurs—in every way, I mean? I must be able to go where I choose, and how I choose.”
I have carte blanche：白紙委任される。
“Perfectly. There is a special train leaving for Dover in an hour’s time, with a further contingent from Scotland Yard. You shall be accompanied by a Military officer and a C.I.D. man, who will hold themselves at your disposal in every way. Is that satisfactory?”
perfectly：申し分なく。in an hour’s time：一時間後。contingent：分遣隊。hold themselves at your disposal：（彼らが）貴方の用命に従う。
“Quite. One more question before you leave, messieurs. What made you come to me? I am unknown, obscure, in this great London of yours.”
quite (so)：全く（イギリス英語）。obscure：無名な。
“We sought you out on the express recommendation and wish of a very great man of your own country.”
sought you out：貴方を搜し出した。express recommendation and wish：特別の推薦と希望。
“Comment? My old friend the Préfet——?”
comment：どのような（フランス語）。Préfet：知事（フランス語）。
Lord Estair shook his head.
“One higher than the Préfet. One whose word was once law in Belgium—and shall be again! That England has sworn!”
Poirot’s hand flew swiftly to a dramatic salute. “Amen to that! Ah, but my Master does not forget. . . . Messieurs, I, Hercule Poirot, will serve you faithfully. Heaven only send that it will be in time. But this is dark—dark. . . . I cannot see.”
swiftly：勢い良く。to a dramatic salute：表情豊かな（感情溢れる）敬礼。Amen to that：意義なし。Master：主キリスト（キリスト教の主）。Heaven only send that：天は正に〜と示す。dark：秘められる（一般に知られない）。
“Well, Poirot,” I cried impatiently, as the door closed behind the Ministers, “what do you think?”
My friend was busy packing a minute suitcase, with quick, deft movements. He shook his head thoughtfully.
deft：器用な。
“I do not know what to think. My brains desert me.”
desert：捨てる
“Why, as you said, kidnap him, when a knock on the head would do as well?” I mused.
a knock on the head：頭を殴ること。do：殺る。mused：（考えながら）呟いた。
“Pardon me, mon ami, but I did not quite say that. It is undoubtedly far more their affair to kidnap him.”
pardon me：ご免なさい。mon ami：私の友人（フランス語）。
“But why?”
“Because uncertainty creates panic. That is one reason. Were the Prime Minister dead, it would be a terrible calamity, but the situation would have to be faced. But now you have paralysis. Will the Prime Minister reappear, or will he not? Is he dead or alive? Nobody knows, and until they know nothing definite can be done. And, as I tell you, uncertainty breeds panic, which is what les Boches are playing for. Then, again, if the kidnappers are holding him secretly somewhere, they have the advantage of being able to make terms with both sides. The German Government is not a liberal paymaster, as a rule, but no doubt they can be made to disgorge substantial remittances in such a case as this. Thirdly, they run no risk of the hangman’s rope. Oh, decidedly, kidnapping is their affair.”
uncertainty：不確実。create：引き起こす。panic：パニック（恐慌）。terrible calamity：怖ろしい惨事。faced：直面される。have paralysis：停滞する。definite：確定的な。breeds：（好ましくないことを）引き起こす。les Boches：ドイツ野郎ども（フランス語）。playing for：賭けて（やって）いる。kidnappers：誘拐犯たち。holding：拘束する。have the advantage of：〜よりも有利な立場にある。make terms with：~と折り合う。both sides：両軍。German Government：ドイツ政府。liberal paymaster：気前良い給与係。as a rule：概して。made to disgorge substantial remittances：可成の送金を吐き出させられる。thirdly：三番目に。run no risk of：〜の危険を冒さない。hangman’s：絞首刑執行人の。decidedly：断然。kidnapping：誘拐。
“Then, if that is so, why should they first try to shoot him?”
Poirot made a gesture of anger. “Ah, that is just what I do not understand! It is inexplicable—stupid! They have all their arrangements made (and very good arrangements too!) for the abduction, and yet they imperil the whole affair by a melodramatic attack, worthy of a Cinema, and quite as unreal. It is almost impossible to believe in it, with its band of masked men, not twenty miles from London!”
inexplicable：説明できない。stupid：愚かしい。made (for)：〜を仕組んだ。imperil：危険に晒す（イギリス英語）。melodramatic：メロドラマ風の（わざとらしい）。worthy of：〜に値する。cinema：映画。quite as：全く同じに〜。twenty miles：20マイル（32.187 キロメートル）。
“Perhaps they were two quite separate attempts which happened irrespective of each other,” I suggested.
suggest：提案した。irrespective of：〜に関わりなく。
“Ah, no, that would be too much of a coincidence! Then, further—who is the traitor? There must have been a traitor—in the first affair, anyway. But who was it—Daniels or O’Murphy? It must have been one of the two, or why did the car leave the main road? We cannot suppose that the Prime Minister connived at his own assassination! Did O’Murphy take that turning of his own accord, or was it Daniels who told him to do so?”
too much of：〜が多過ぎる。coincidence：偶然の一致。further：さらにいえば。anyway：とにかく。connived at：〜を黙認した。of his own accord：（彼が）自分から進んで。told him to：彼に〜するように命じた。
“Surely it must have been O’Murphy’s doing.”
“Yes, because if it was Daniels’ the Prime Minister would have heard the order, and would have asked the reason. But there are altogether too many ‘whys’ in this affair, and they contradict each other. If O’Murphy is an honest man, why did he leave the main road? But if he was a dishonest man, why did he start the car again when only two shots had been fired—thereby, in all probability, saving the Prime Minister’s life? And, again, if he was honest, why did he, immediately on leaving Charing Cross, drive to a well-known rendezvous of German spies?”
contradict：矛盾する。honest man：真人間。dishonest man。無法者。fired：発砲される。thereby：それによって。in all probability：殆ど確実に。rendezvous：溜まり場（フランス語）。spies：スパイ。
“It looks bad,” I said.
“Let us look at the case with method. What have we for and against these two men? Take O’Murphy first. Against: that his conduct in leaving the main road was suspicious; that he is an Irishman from County Clare; that he has disappeared in a highly suggestive manner. For: that his promptness in restarting the car saved the Premier’s life; that he is a Scotland Yard man, and, obviously, from the post allotted to him, a trusted detective. Now for Daniels. There is not much against him, except the fact that nothing is known of his antecedents, and that he speaks too many languages for a good Englishman! (Pardon me, mon ami, but, as linguists, you are deplorable!) Now for him, we have the fact that he was found gagged, bound, and chloroformed—which does not look as though he had anything to do with the matter.”
look at：〜を考察する。with method：順序立てて。have (for and against)：〜に賛成と反対（同意と異議）を示す。conduct：（道徳から見た）行為。suspicious：怪しい。in a highly suggestive manner：非常に思わせ振りな仕方で。promptness：機敏さ。post allotted：割り当てられた部署。trusted：信頼される。antecedents：素性。a good Englishman：十分な（全くの）イギリス人。deplorable：嘆かわしい。
“He might have gagged and bound himself, to divert suspicion.”
divert suspicion：疑いを逸らす。
Poirot shook his head. “The French police would make no mistake of that kind. Besides, once he had attained his object, and the Prime Minister was safely abducted, there would not be much point in his remaining behind. His accomplices could have gagged and chloroformed him, of course, but I fail to see what object they hoped to accomplish by it. He can be of little use to them now, for, until the circumstances concerning the Prime Minister have been cleared up, he is bound to be closely watched.”
had attained his object：（彼が）目的を達した。there would not be much point in：〜する意味はさほどないだろう。accomplices：共犯者。fail to see：分かり兼ねる。cleared up：払い除けられる。bound to：〜しなくては行けない。closely watched：注意して見守られる。
“Perhaps he hoped to start the police on a false scent?”
on a false scent：誤った手がかりを得て。
“Then why did he not do so? He merely says that something was pressed over his nose and mouth, and that he remembers nothing more. There is no false scent there. It sounds remarkably like the truth.”
remarkably：実に。
“Well,” I said, glancing at the clock, “I suppose we’d better start for the station. You may find more clues in France.”
we’d better start for the station：私たちは駅から手を着けた方が良い。
“Possibly, mon ami, but I doubt it. It is still incredible to me that the Prime Minister has not been discovered in that limited area, where the difficulty of concealing him must be tremendous. If the military and the police of two countries have not found him, how shall I?”
possibly：あり得る。concealing：隠すこと。tremendous：途方もない。
At Charing Cross we were met by Mr. Dodge.
“This is Detective Barnes, of Scotland Yard, and Major Norman. They will hold themselves entirely at your disposal. Good luck to you. It’s a bad business, but I’ve not given up hope. Must be off now.” And the Minister strode rapidly away.
Barnes：バーンズ（人名／名字）。Major：少佐（イギリス陸軍）。Norman：ノーマン（人名／名字）。entirely：全て。bad business：酷いこと。(I) must be off now：もう行かないと。strode (away)：大股で歩き去った。rapidly：速やかに。
We chatted in a desultory fashion with Major Norman. In the centre of the little group of men on the platform I recognized a little ferret-faced fellow talking to a tall, fair man. He was an old acquaintance of Poirot’s—Detective-Inspector Japp, supposed to be one of the smartest of Scotland Yard’s officers. He came over and greeted my friend cheerfully.
chatted：雑談した。in a desultory fashion：取り留めもなく。centre：中心（centreの綴りは主にイギリス）。recognized：見覚えがあった。ferret-faced：フェレット（動物の一種）顔の。fellow：輩。fair man：白人の男。Detective-Inspector：警部。Japp：ジャップ（人名／名字）。came over：やって来た。cheerfully：元気良く。
“I heard you were on this job too. Smart bit of work. So far they’ve got away with the goods all right. But I can’t believe they can keep him hidden long. Our people are going through France with a toothcomb. So are the French. I can’t help feeling it’s only a matter of hours now.”
on this job：この任務に。smart bit of work：可成の仕事。so far：これまで。they've got away with：彼らが〜でやり果せる（上手く通す）。the goods：犯罪の証拠。our people：我々の部下。going through France with a toothcomb：フランスを梳って（髪に櫛をかけるほどの細かさで）調べている。the French：フランスの方（人たち）。
“That is, if he’s still alive,” remarked the tall detective gloomily.
remarked：述べた。gloomily：鬱々と。
Japp’s face fell. “Yes. . . . But somehow I’ve got the feeling he’s alive all right.”
face fell：顔色が沈んだ（暗い顔になった）。somehow：何とか。I've got the feeling (that)：私が〜という感じがする。
Poirot nodded. “Yes, yes; he’s alive. But can he be found in time? I, like you, did not believe he could be hidden so long.”
in time：遅れずに。
The whistle blew, and we all trooped up into the Pullman car. Then, with a slow, unwilling jerk, the train drew out of the station.
whistle blew：警笛が鳴った。trooped up：ぞろぞろ（軍勢を成して）上がった。Pullman car：プルマン式車両（Ｇ・Ｍ・プルマンが考案した寝台付きの豪華な特別車両）。with a slow, unwilling jerk：ゆっくりとした嫌なぐいという動きで。drew out of：〜から出た。
It was a curious journey. The Scotland Yard men crowded together. Maps of Northern France were spread out, and eager forefingers traced the lines of roads and villages. Each man had his own pet theory. Poirot showed none of his usual loquacity, but sat staring in front of him, with an expression on his face that reminded me of a puzzled child. I talked to Norman, whom I found quite an amusing fellow. On arriving at Dover Poirot’s behaviour moved me to intense amusement. The little man, as he went on board the boat, clutched desperately at my arm. The wind was blowing lustily.
curious：興味深い。crowded together：寄り集まった。forefingers：人差し指。traced：辿った。his own pet theory：彼の持論。loquacity：多弁。staring：じっと見ながら。puzzled child：戸惑った子供。quite an amusing fellow：中々の面白い輩。behavior：挙動。move me to：私の心を〜へ動かした。 intense amusement：強烈な面白さ。clutched：ギュッと掴んだ。desperately：必死に。lustily：力強く。
“Mon Dieu!” he murmured. “This is terrible!”
mon Dieu：うわぁ（my Godに相当するフランス語）。
“Have courage, Poirot,” I cried. “You will succeed. You will find him. I am sure of it.”
have courage：勇気を出せ。sure of：〜を確信している。
“Ah, mon ami, you mistake my emotion. It is this villainous sea that troubles me! The mal de mer—it is horrible suffering!”
villainous：酷い。mal de mer：船酔い（フランス語）。suffering：苦しみ。
“Oh!” I said, rather taken aback.
The first throb of the engines was felt, and Poirot groaned and closed his eyes.
throb of the engines：エンジンの振動。groaned：呻いた。
“Major Norman has a map of Northern France if you would like to study it?”
study：（地図を）調べる。
Poirot shook his head impatiently.
“But no, but no! Leave me, my friend. See you, to think, the stomach and the brain must be in harmony. Laverguier has a method most excellent for averting the mal de mer. You breathe in—and out—slowly, so—turning the head from left to right and counting six between each breath.”
Laverguier：ラヴェルギエ（人名／名字）。averting：避ける。
I left him to his gymnastic endeavours, and went on deck.
gymnastic endeavours：体操の試行（endeavoursの綴りは主にイギリス）。
As we came slowly into Boulogne Harbour Poirot appeared, neat and smiling, and announced to me in a whisper that Laverguier’s system had succeeded “to a marvel!”
neat：キリッとした。to a marvel：驚異的なまでに。
Japp’s forefinger was still tracing imaginary routes on his map. “Nonsense! The car started from Boulogne—here they branched off. Now, my idea is that they transferred the Prime Minister to another car. See?”
imaginary routes：想像上の道筋。nonsense：馬鹿な。branched off：分岐した（折れた）。(do you) see?：分かる？。
“Well,” said the tall detective, “I shall make for the seaports. Ten to one, they’ve smuggled him on board a ship.”
make for：〜に進む。seaports：海港。ten to one：十中八九。they've smuggled：彼らがこっそり持ち込んだ（隠した）。on board a ship：船上に。
Japp shook his head. “Too obvious. The order went out at once to close all the ports.”
went out：（関係者へ）発せられた。at once：直ちに。port：港。
The day was just breaking as we landed. Major Norman touched Poirot on the arm. “There’s a military car here waiting for you, sir.”
day was just breaking：夜が開けるところだった。
“Thank you, monsieur. But, for the moment, I do not propose to leave Boulogne.”
“What?”
“No, we will enter this hotel here, by the quay.”
quay：波止場
He suited the action to the word, demanded and was accorded a private room. We three followed him, puzzled and uncomprehending.
suited the action to word：いったそばから行った（ウィリアム・シェイクスピアの戯曲『ハムレット』の台詞から）。accorded：（許可や称賛を）与えられる。uncomprehending：理解できず。
He shot a quick glance at us. “It is not so that the good detective should act, eh? I perceive your thought. He must be full of energy. He must rush to and fro. He should prostrate himself on the dusty road and seek the marks of tyres through a little glass. He must gather up the cigarette-end, the fallen match? That is your idea, is it not?”
shot a quick glance at：視線をさっと〜へ向けた。it is not so that：〜ということは真ではない。detective：探偵。eh?：でしょう？（イギリス英語）。full of energy：勢力盛んな。rush to and fro：あちこち走り回る。prostrate himself：（彼が）平伏す。marks of tyres：タイヤの痕跡。glass：拡大鏡。gather up：掻き集める。cigarette-end：煙草の切れ端（吸殻）。
His eyes challenged us. “But I—Hercule Poirot—tell you that it is not so! The true clues are within—here!” He tapped his forehead. “See you, I need not have left London. It would have been sufficient for me to sit quietly in my rooms there. All that matters is the little grey cells within. Secretly and silently they do their part, until suddenly I call for a map, and I lay my finger on a spot—so—and I say: the Prime Minister is there! And it is so! With method and logic one can accomplish anything! This frantic rushing to France was a mistake—it is playing a child’s game of hide-and-seek. But now, though it may be too late, I will set to work the right way, from within. Silence, my friends, I beg of you.”
challenged：挑んだ。forehead：額。little grey cells：小さな灰色の脳細胞（grey cellsは脳のgrey matter／灰白質に由来か）。all that matters is：〜だけが重要だ。secretly：密かに。do their parts：（それらが）役目を果たす。call for：求める。method and logic：順序と論理。frantic rushing：大急ぎの行動（大急行）。hide-and-seek：隠れんぼ。set to work：考案し始める。I beg of you：私は貴方にお願いする。
And for five long hours the little man sat motionless, blinking his eyelids like a cat, his green eyes flickering and becoming steadily greener and greener. The Scotland Yard man was obviously contemptuous, Major Norman was bored and impatient, and I myself found the time pass with wearisome slowness.
motionless：身動きしない。blinking his eyelids：（彼が）瞬きをする。flickering：ちらちらする。steadily：どんどん。contemptuous：侮蔑した。bored：退屈した。wearisome：うんざりした。
Finally, I got up, and strolled as noiselessly as I could to the window. The matter was becoming a farce. I was secretly concerned for my friend. If he failed, I would have preferred him to fail in a less ridiculous manner. Out of the window I idly watched the daily leave boat, belching forth columns of smoke, as she lay alongside the quay.
strolled：ぶら付いた。noiselessly：音を立てず。farce：茶番劇。concerned for：〜を案じる。in a less ridiculous manner：間抜けでないように。idly：ぼんやり。daily leave boat：平日の許可船。belching forth：（気体を）吐き出す。columns of smoke：煙の柱。lay alongside：〜に横付けになった。
Suddenly I was aroused by Poirot’s voice close to my elbow.
aroused：目を覚ます。
“Mes amis, let us start!”
I turned. An extraordinary transformation had come over my friend. His eyes were flickering with excitement, his chest was swelled to the uttermost.
extraordinary transformation：飛んでもない変化。swelled：膨らんだ。to the uttermost：極端なまでに。
“I have been an imbecile, my friends! But I see daylight at last.”
imbecile：愚か者。see daylight：（解決の）曙光を認める。
Major Norman moved hastily to the door. “I’ll order the car.”
hastily：急いで。
“There is no need. I shall not use it. Thank Heaven the wind has fallen.”
Thank Heaven (that)：。有り難いことに〜。has fallen：（風が）静まった。
“Do you mean you are going to walk, sir?”
“No, my young friend. I am no St. Peter. I prefer to cross the sea by boat.”
St. Peter：聖ペトロ（キリストの使徒の一人、水の上を歩いたことが『マタイによる福音書』の第十四章に書かれている）。
“To cross the sea?”
“Yes. To work with method, one must begin from the beginning. And the beginning of this affair was in England. Therefore, we return to England.”
• • • • • • •
At three o’clock, we stood once more upon Charing Cross platform. To all our expostulations, Poirot turned a deaf ear, and reiterated again and again that to start at the beginning was not a waste of time, but the only way. On the way over, he had conferred with Norman in a low voice, and the latter had despatched a sheaf of telegrams from Dover.
expostulations：諫言。turned a deaf ear：耳を貸さなかった。reiterated (that)：繰り返して〜といった。but the only way：唯一無二の方法。on the way over：道すがら。had conferred：打ち合わせた。had despatched：（電報を）発信した。a sheaf of：一束の〜。
Owing to the special passes held by Norman, we got through everywhere in record time. In London, a large police car was waiting for us, with some plain-clothes men, one of whom handed a typewritten sheet of paper to my friend. He answered my inquiring glance.
owing to：〜のお陰で。special passes：特別許可証。 in record time：記録的な速さで。typewritten：タイプライターで打った。inquiring glance：問いかける眼差し。
“A list of the cottage hospitals within a certain radius west of London. I wired for it from Dover.”
radius：半径。wired：電報を打った。
We were whirled rapidly through the London streets. We were on the Bath Road. On we went, through Hammersmith, Chiswick and Brentford. I began to see our objective. Through Windsor and on to Ascot. My heart gave a leap. Ascot was where Daniels had an aunt living. We were after him, then, not O’Murphy.
whirled：素早く運ばれる。Bath Road：バースロード（イギリスの主要道路、現在はA4）。Hammersmith, Chiswick and Brentford：ハマースミス、チジック、ブレントフォード（どれもロンドンの地区）。objective：目標地点。on to：〜に到達しそうで。after：〜を追って。
We duly stopped at the gate of a trim villa. Poirot jumped out and rang the bell. I saw a perplexed frown dimming the radiance of his face. Plainly, he was not satisfied. The bell was answered. He was ushered inside. In a few moments he reappeared, and climbed into the car with a short, sharp shake of his head. My hopes began to die down. It was past four now. Even if he found certain evidence incriminating Daniels, what would be the good of it, unless he could wring from some one the exact spot in France where they were holding the Prime Minister?
duly：時間通りに。trim villa：手入れの行き届いた（田舎の）大邸宅。perplexed：困った。frown：難色。dimming：曇らす。radiance：（顔などの）輝き。plainly：〜は明らかだ。in a few moments：僅かの間で。die down：消えかける。certain evidence：確かな証拠。incriminating：罪があるとする。what would be the good of it (?)：それが何の役に立つだろう。wring：（同意や告白を）無理矢理に引き出す（絞り上げる）。
Our return progress towards London was an interrupted one. We deviated from the main road more than once, and occasionally stopped at a small building, which I had no difficulty in recognizing as a cottage hospital. Poirot only spent a few minutes at each, but at every halt his radiant assurance was more and more restored.
return progress：戻りの経過。interrupted one：中断されるもの。occasionally：時偶。at every halt：停止する度に。radiant assurance：光を放つ確信。restored：取り戻される。
He whispered something to Norman, to which the latter replied:
“Yes, if you turn off to the left, you will find them waiting by the bridge.”
turn off：（道を）逸れる。
We turned up a side road, and in the failing light I discerned a second car, waiting by the side of the road. It contained two men in plain clothes. Poirot got down and spoke to them, and then we started off in a northerly direction, the other car following close behind.
side road：側道。in the failing light：衰えた光の中に。discerned：見分けられた。started off：〜へ出向いた。northerly：北寄りの。
We drove for some time, our objective being obviously one of the northern suburbs of London. Finally, we drove up to the front door of a tall house, standing a little back from the road in its own grounds.
for some time：暫くの間。suburbs：郊外。front door：正面玄関。grounds：構内（敷地）。
Norman and I were left with the car. Poirot and one of the detectives went up to the door and rang. A neat parlourmaid opened it. The detective spoke.
left with：〜に残される。neat：品良い。parlourmaid：女中（イギリス英語）。
“I am a police officer, and I have a warrant to search this house.”
warrant：令状。
The girl gave a little scream, and a tall, handsome woman of middle-age appeared behind her in the hall.
gave a little scream：小さな叫びを上げた。handsome woman：堂々とした女性。hall：玄関。
“Shut the door, Edith. They are burglars, I expect.”
Edith：イーディス（人名／名前）。burglars：夜盗。
But Poirot swiftly inserted his foot in the door, and at the same moment blew a whistle. Instantly the other detectives ran up, and poured into the house, shutting the door behind them.
swiftly：素早く。inserted：差し込んだ。blew a whistle：警笛を鳴らした。poured：雪崩れ込んだ。
Norman and I spent about five minutes cursing our forced inactivity. Finally the door reopened, and the men emerged, escorting three prisoners—a woman and two men. The woman, and one of the men, were taken to the second car. The other man was placed in our car by Poirot himself.
cursing our forced inactivity：私たちが動かないようにさせられた（留め置かれた）ことを呪いながら。men：（平の）警官。emerged：出て来た。escorting：護送しながら。prisoners：捕えられた者。
“I must go with the others, my friend. But have great care of this gentleman. You do not know him, no? Eh bien, let me present to you, Monsieur O’Murphy!”
have great care of：〜に細心の注意を払う。eh bien：それでは。present to：〜へ紹介する。
O’Murphy! I gaped at him open-mouthed as we started again. He was not handcuffed, but I did not fancy he would try to escape. He sat there staring in front of him as though dazed. Anyway, Norman and I would be more than a match for him.
gaped at him open-mouthed：ポカンと彼に大きな口と開けた。handcuffed：手錠をかけられる。fancy (that)：〜と思う。dazed：茫然とした。more than a match for：〜に敵わない（太刀打ちできない）。
To my surprise, we still kept a northerly route. We were not returning to London, then! I was much puzzled. Suddenly, as the car slowed down, I recognized that we were close to Hendon Aerodrome. Immediately I grasped Poirot’s idea. He proposed to reach France by aeroplane.
Hendon Aerodrome：ヘンドン飛行場。immediately：直ぐに。grasped：把握した。proposed to：〜しようと企てた（するつもりだった）。aeroplane：飛行機。
It was a sporting idea, but, on the face of it, impracticable. A telegram would be far quicker. Time was everything. He must leave the personal glory of rescuing the Prime Minister to others.
sporting idea：果敢な考え。on the face of it：表面上。impracticable：実用的ではない。leave (to)：〜へ託す。personal glory：個人的な名誉。
As we drew up, Major Norman jumped out, and a plain-clothes man took his place. He conferred with Poirot for a few minutes, and then went off briskly.
drew up：（車などが）止まった。took his place：彼と入れ替わった。went off：降りて行った。briskly：足早に。
I, too, jumped out, and caught Poirot by the arm.
“I congratulate you, old fellow! They have told you the hiding-place? But, look here, you must wire to France at once. You’ll be too late if you go yourself.”
I congratulate you：私は貴方を祝う（おめでとう）。old fellow：君（イギリス英語）。hiding-place：隠れ家。look here：あのな。
Poirot looked at me curiously for a minute or two.
curiously：不思議そうに。
“Unfortunately, my friend, there are some things that cannot be sent by telegram.”
• • • • • • •
At that moment Major Norman returned, accompanied by a young officer in the uniform of the Flying Corps.
officer：将校。flying corps：航空隊。
“This is Captain Lyall, who will fly you over to France. He can start at once.”
Lyall：ライアル（人名／名字）。
“Wrap up warmly, sir,” said the young pilot. “I can lend you a coat, if you like.”
wrap up warmly：温かく着込んで。
Poirot was consulting his enormous watch. He murmured to himself: “Yes, there is time—just time.” Then he looked up, and bowed politely to the young officer. “I thank you, monsieur. But it is not I who am your passenger. It is this gentleman here.”
consulting：（参考書や辞書を）調べる。passenger：乗客。
He moved a little aside as he spoke, and a figure came forward out of the darkness. It was the second male prisoner who had gone in the other car, and as the light fell on his face, I gave a gasp of surprise.
figure：人影。light fell on：光が〜に当たった。
It was the Prime Minister!
• • • • • • •
“For Heaven’s sake, tell me all about it,” I cried impatiently, as Poirot, Norman, and I motored back to London. “How in the world did they manage to smuggle him back to England?”
for Heaven’s sake：お願いだから〜。in the world：一体全体。manage to：上手く〜する。
“There was no need to smuggle him back,” replied Poirot dryly. “The Prime Minister has never left England. He was kidnapped on his way from Windsor to London.”
dryly：淡々と。
“What?”
“I will make all clear. The Prime Minister was in his car, his secretary beside him. Suddenly a pad of chloroform is clapped on his face——”
make all clear：全てを明かす。a pad of：〜の当て物。chloroform：クロロホルム。clapped：ポンと叩かれる。
“But by whom?”
“By the clever linguistic Captain Daniels. As soon as the Prime Minister is unconscious, Daniels picks up the speaking-tube, and directs O’Murphy to turn to the right, which the chauffeur, quite unsuspicious, does. A few yards down that unfrequented road, a large car is standing, apparently broken down. Its driver signals to O’Murphy to stop. O’Murphy slows up. The stranger approaches. Daniels leans out of the window, and, probably with the aid of an instantaneous anæsthetic, such as ethylchloride, the chloroform trick is repeated. In a few seconds, the two helpless men are dragged out and transferred to the other car, and a pair of substitutes take their places.”
unconscious：意識を失った。speaking-tube：伝声管。quite unsuspicious：全く怪しまない。yard：ヤード（0.9144メートル）。apparently：一見。broken down：故障した。signals：合図する。slows up：減速する。leans out of the window：窓から身を乗り出す。with the aid of：〜を用いて。instantaneous anæsthetic：即効性の麻酔薬（anæstheticはanaestheticの古い綴り）。ethylchloride：塩化エチル（科学物質の一種）。trick：策。helpless：どうすることもできない。transferred：移される。substitutes：代役。
“Impossible!”
“Pas du tout! Have you not seen music-hall turns imitating celebrities with marvellous accuracy? Nothing is easier than to personate a public character. The Prime Minister of England is far easier to understudy than Mr. John Smith of Clapham, say. As for O’Murphy’s ‘double,’ no one was going to take much notice of him until after the departure of the Prime Minister, and by then he would have made himself scarce. He drives straight from Charing Cross to the meeting-place of his friends. He goes in as O’Murphy, he emerges as some one quite different. O’Murphy has disappeared, leaving a conveniently suspicious trail behind him.”
pas du tout：全然（フランス語）。music-hall：演芸場（イギリス英語）。turns：表現する。imitating celebrities：有名人の物真似。with marvellous accuracy：信じられない正確さで。personate：役を演じる。public character：公人。understudy：代役を務める。John Smith：ジョン・スミス（人名：英語圏ではありふれた名前と考えられる）。Clapham：クラッパム（ロンドンの地区）。as for：〜に関して。double：替え玉。(no one) take much notice of：誰も〜をさほど気に留めない。departure：出発。have made himself scarce：（彼が人前から）姿を消した。quite different：全く異なる。conveniently：都合良く。trail：痕跡。
“But the man who personated the Prime Minister was seen by every one!”
“He was not seen by anyone who knew him privately or intimately. And Daniels shielded him from contact with anyone as much as possible. Moreover, his face was bandaged up, and anything unusual in his manner would be put down to the fact that he was suffering from shock as a result of the attempt upon his life. Mr. MacAdam has a weak throat, and always spares his voice as much as possible before any great speech. The deception was perfectly easy to keep up as far as France. There it would be impracticable and impossible—so the Prime Minister disappears. The police of this country hurry across the Channel, and no one bothers to go into the details of the first attack. To sustain the illusion that the abduction has taken place in France, Daniels is gagged and chloroformed in a convincing manner.”
intimately：親密に。shielded：守った。bandaged up：包帯をされる。put down to：〜のせいにされる。attempt upon his life：彼への襲撃。spares his voice：（彼が）声を取っておく（喋らないようにする）。deception：誤魔化し。keep up：保持する。bothers to：わざわざ〜する。go into the details of：細部に亘って〜を調べる。sustain the illusion：錯覚を維持する。convincing：説得力がある。
“And the man who has enacted the part of the Prime Minister?”
has enacted：演じた。part：役。
“Rids himself of his disguise. He and the bogus chauffeur may be arrested as suspicious characters, but no one will dream of suspecting their real part in the drama, and they will eventually be released for lack of evidence.”
rids himself of his disguise：（彼が）変装を止める。suspicious characters：不審人物。drama：芝居。eventually：結局。for lack of evidence：証拠不十分のために。
“And the real Prime Minister?”
“He and O’Murphy were driven straight to the house of ‘Mrs. Everard,’ at Hampstead, Daniels’ so-called ‘aunt.’ In reality, she is Frau Bertha Ebenthal, and the police have been looking for her for some time. It is a valuable little present that I have made to them—to say nothing of Daniels! Ah, it was a clever plan, but he did not reckon on the cleverness of Hercule Poirot!”
so-called：所謂。Frau Bertha Ebenthal：フラウ・ベルタ・エベンタル（人名）。to say nothing of：〜はいうまでもなく。reckon on：〜を予期する。
I think my friend might well be excused his moment of vanity.
might well：〜だろう（するのも無理はない）。excused：許される。vanity：自惚れ。
“When did you first begin to suspect the truth of the matter?”
“When I began to work the right way—from within! I could not make that shooting affair fit in—but when I saw that the net result of it was that the Prime Minister went to France with his face bound up I began to comprehend! And when I visited all the cottage hospitals between Windsor and London, and found that no one answering to my description had had his face bound up and dressed that morning, I was sure! After that, it was child’s-play for a mind like mine!”
(make) fit in：適合させる。net result：最終結果。comprehend：理解する。answering to my description：私の説明に反応を示す。
• • • • • • •
The following morning, Poirot showed me a telegram he had just received. It had no place of origin, and was unsigned. It ran:
place of origin：出所。unsigned：署名されない。ran：書かれてあった。
“In time.”
Later in the day the evening papers published an account of the Allied Conference. They laid particular stress on the magnificent ovation accorded to Mr. David MacAdam, whose inspiring speech had produced a deep and lasting impression.
evening papers：夕刊。published an account of：〜の記事を公開した。laid particular stress on：〜に特段の重点を置いた。magnificent ovation：飛び切りの熱烈な歓迎。accorded to：〜へ与えられた。inspiring speech：奮い立たせる演説。deep and lasting impression：深く心に残る感銘。
原文の出典：The Kidnapped Prime Minister
単語や熟語の意味は文意に相応しいものを一つだけ選んだ。作品の趣向に合うかどうか、つまり訳語として充分かどうかはさほど考慮しない。英語で理解するための最低限の意味が分かるように努めた。
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