貝の火 Kai no Hi, part 11: The Jewel Shatters and Flies Away

「さあどうぞ」と言いいながらホモイのお父とうさんは、みんなをおうちの方ほうへ案内あんないしました。"Come in, please," said Homoi's father, and he led everyone toward the house.

鳥とりはぞろぞろついて行いきました。The birds followed after him in a long, shuffling line.

ホモイはみんなのあとを泣なきながらしょんぼりついて行いきました。Homoi trailed miserably behind them all, crying as he went.

梟ふくろうが大股おおまたにのっそのっそと歩あるきながら時々ときどきこわい眼めをしてホモイをふりかえって見みました。The owl lumbered along with long, heavy strides, and every now and then he looked back at Homoi with a fearsome stare.

みんなはおうちにはいりました。Everyone went into the house.

鳥とりは、ゆかや棚たなや机つくえや、うちじゅうのあらゆる場所ばしょをふさぎました。The birds filled up every place in the house: the floor, the shelves, the desk, every corner.

梟ふくろうが目玉めだまを途方とほうもない方ほうに向むけながら、しきりに「オホン、オホン」とせきばらいをします。The owl, rolling his great eyes off in some wild direction, kept clearing his throat: "Ahem, ahem."

ホモイのお父とうさんがただの白しろい石いしになってしまった貝かいの火ひを取とりあげて、Homoi's father picked up the Shell-Fire, which had become nothing but a plain white stone,

「もうこんなぐあいです。どうかたくさん笑わらってやってください」と言いうとたん、貝かいの火ひは鋭するどくカチッと鳴なって二ふたつに割われました。and the very moment he said, "This is how it is now. Please, laugh at us all you like," the Shell-Fire gave a sharp click and split in two.

と思おもうと、パチパチパチッとはげしい音おとがして見みる見みるまるで煙けむりのように砕くだけました。Then, with a fierce crackle-crackle-crack, before their very eyes it crumbled away just like smoke.

ホモイが入口いりぐちでアッと言いって倒たおれました。At the doorway Homoi cried out "Ah!" and fell down.

目めにその粉こながはいったのです。The powder had got into his eyes.

みんなは驚おどろいてそっちへ行いこうとしますと、今度こんどはそこらにピチピチピチと音おとがして煙けむりがだんだん集あつまり、やがて立派りっぱないくつかのかけらになり、おしまいにカタッと二ふたつかけらが組くみ合あって、すっかり昔むかしの貝かいの火ひになりました。Everyone was startled and started to go over to him, but this time there was a pitter-pitter-patter of sound all around, and the smoke gathered little by little, soon became several fine pieces, and at last, with a clack, the two pieces fitted together, and it was the Shell-Fire just as it had been before.

玉たまはまるで噴火ふんかのように燃もえ、夕日ゆうひのようにかがやき、ヒューと音おとを立たてて窓まどから外そとの方ほうへ飛とんで行いきました。The jewel blazed like an erupting volcano, shone like the setting sun, and with a whoosh it flew out of the window and away.

鳥とりはみんな興きょうをさまして、一人ひとり去さり二人ふたり去さり今いまはふくろうだけになりました。All the birds lost interest, and one by one, two by two, they went off, until only the owl was left.

ふくろうはじろじろ室へやの中なかを見みまわしながら、The owl stared rudely all around the room,

「たった六日むいかだったな。ホッホ"Only six days, wasn't it? Ho-ho.

たった六むい日かだったな。Only six days.

ホッホ」Ho-ho."

とあざ笑わらって、肩かたをゆすぶって大股おおまたに出でて行いきました。he sneered, and shaking his shoulders, he strode out with long steps.

それにホモイの目めは、もうさっきの玉たまのように白しろく濁にごってしまって、まったく物ものが見みえなくなったのです。What was more, Homoi's eyes had turned cloudy and white, just like the jewel a little while before, and he could no longer see anything at all.

はじめからおしまいまでお母かあさんは泣ないてばかりおりました。From beginning to end, his mother did nothing but cry.

お父とうさんが腕うでを組くんでじっと考かんがえていましたが、やがてホモイのせなかを静しずかにたたいて言いいました。His father had folded his arms and was thinking intently, but at last he patted Homoi gently on the back and said:

「泣なくな。こんなことはどこにもあるのだ。それをよくわかったお前まえは、いちばんさいわいなのだ。目めはきっとまたよくなる。お父とうさんがよくしてやるから。な。泣なくな」"Don't cry. Things like this happen everywhere. And you, who have understood that so well, are the most fortunate of all. Your eyes will surely get better again. Your father will make them better. There now. Don't cry."

窓まどの外そとでは霧きりが晴はれて鈴蘭すずらんの葉はがきらきら光ひかり、つりがねそうは、Outside the window the mist had cleared, the leaves of the lilies of the valley glittered and sparkled, and the bellflowers

「カン、カン、カンカエコ、カンコカンコカン」と朝あさの鐘かねを高たかく鳴ならしました。rang out the morning bells loud and high: "Kan, kan, kankaeko, kanko-kanko-kan."