The Two Thieves

Two thieves at Cairo were in love with the same girl, who promised to marry the one who showed the greatest cleverness.

カイロの二人の盗人が同じ娘に想いを寄せていて、娘は、より大きな賢さを見せたほうと結婚すると約束した。

The first one assisted a rich merchant in purchasing some cattle, and eventually purloined a bag of money which the merchant was carrying in the large pocket in the front of his gown, and put a similar bag in its place containing an orange or two.

一人めは、裕福な商人が牛を買うのを手伝い、そのすきに、商人が上衣の前の大きな懐に入れていた金の袋をくすね取り、その場所に橙を一つ二つ入れた同じような袋を置いた。

The theft was discovered when the merchant was about to pay the money for the cattle. The robber assumed the rôle of the sympathising friend, and suggested that a mistake might have been made by the merchant's wife, and the wrong bag given to him. The merchant went home to inquire about it, and on his return the robber ran up to him, and embraced and kissed him, saying, "Hallo, Friend! I am very glad to see you again. I hope you have succeeded in finding your money." As he said this he put back the purse, and took the bag of oranges.

盗みは、商人が牛の代金を払おうとしたときに露見した。盗人は同情する友の役を演じ、商人の妻が間違えて別の袋を渡したのではないかと言った。商人はそれを確かめに家へ帰り、戻ってくると盗人が駆け寄ってきて、抱きしめ口づけして言った。「やあ友よ! またお会いできて何よりです。お金は見つかりましたか」。そう言いながら財布を戻し、橙の袋を取った。

The merchant replied, "I hope God will hear what you say."

商人は答えた。「あなたの言うとおりになるよう、神が聞き届けてくださるといいが」

The thief said, "You are playing me a trick; put your hand in your pocket, and feel if your purse is not there."

盗人は言った。「からかっておいでですね。懐に手を入れて、財布があるかどうか確かめてごらんなさい」

So he put his hand in his breast pocket, and found his bag of money there. The thief explained the matter, and requested him to relate the particulars to the girl, who then decided that she would marry this thief.

そこで商人は胸の懐に手を入れると、金の袋がそこにあった。盗人は種明かしをして、その顛末を娘に話してくれと頼み、娘はこの盗人と結婚することに決めた。

I give the rest of the story in full, as it was dictated to me:--

以下は、わたしが口述された通りに、そのまま残りの話を記す——

The second thief said, "Oh! that is nothing. I can play a better trick than that. Will you be kind enough to come to-morrow morning to the Government offices to see me?" The merchant man said, "I also will come to see the trick." Then the merchant went away, and the three remained there till evening.

二人めの盗人は言った。「そんなものは何でもない。おれならもっとうまい手を打てる。明日の朝、お役所へおいでいただけますか」。商人は言った。「わたしもその手を見に行こう」。そして商人は去り、三人は夕方までそこにいた。

After dinner, the second robber went out to the café to spend the time, and there he met one of the higher class people. The robber said, "Salam," and sat down next this merchant. They both smoked hashish together, and the thief told him, "I have just arrived from outside the city. The four gates are now shut, and I cannot return. I do not know where to go to sleep."

夕食のあと、二人めの盗人は時を過ごそうと珈琲店へ出かけ、そこで上流の者の一人に出会った。盗人は「サラーム」と言って、この商人の隣に腰かけた。二人はいっしょに大麻を吸い、盗人はこう言った。「わたしはたったいま町の外から参りました。四つの門はもう閉まっていて、帰れません。どこで寝たものやら」

The merchant told him, "Don't you feel ashamed to say that to me when you know what size my house is?"

商人は言った。「わたしの家の広さをご存じなのに、そんなことをわたしに言うのは恥ずかしくありませんか」

The robber said, "Thank you for the favour," and at the end of their smoke they went together to the merchant's house. When the two entered, lights were put in the writing room, with two beds for them, so that they might sleep together there.

盗人は「ご厚意に感謝します」と言い、一服し終えると二人でいっしょに商人の家へ行った。二人が入ると書斎に灯がともされ、そこでいっしょに寝られるように寝台が二つ置かれた。

While the merchant was fast asleep and snoring, the robber awoke, and took the key of the money-box and the seal from the merchant's pocket, opened the box, counted the money, wrote a promissory note giving the amount of each kind of money, signed it with the merchant's seal, and put all back again as before, keeping the note. He then went to sleep again.

商人がぐっすり眠っていびきをかいているあいだに、盗人は目を覚まし、商人の懐から金庫の鍵と印を取り、箱を開けて金を数え、それぞれの金種の額を記した借用証を書き、商人の印を捺し、何もかも元どおりにして、証文だけを手もとに残した。そしてまた眠った。

Next morning they breakfasted together, becoming very friendly, and the robber said, "Please can you lend me your horse and a clean suit of clothes, because I must go to report a person to the Government?" So the merchant gave him a clean suit and a horse, and told him, "You can change your clothes and wash here. I must go to my office." He then left.

翌朝、二人はいっしょに朝食をとり、たいそう親しくなり、盗人は言った。「どうか馬ときれいな衣を一揃い貸していただけませんか。ある者をお役所へ訴え出ねばならないのです」。そこで商人はきれいな衣と馬を貸し、こう言った。「ここで着替えて洗いなさい。わたしは役所へ行かねばなりません」。そして出かけた。

The robber put on the clothes, and rode off to the Government office, and explained his case, and asked for a man to be sent to fetch the merchant, as he had to recover a large sum of money from him. The Chief of the Police sent a man to call him.

盗人はその衣を着て、役所へ馬を走らせ、事情を述べて、あの商人から大金を取り立てねばならないから呼び出してほしいと願い出た。警察の長は、呼びに人をやった。

When the merchant came, the Chief of the Police asked him, "Why don't you pay this gentleman the money you owe him?"

商人が来ると、警察の長は尋ねた。「なぜこの殿方に、借りた金を払わないのだ?」

He says, "Which gentleman?"

商人は言う。「どの殿方ですか?」

"This gentleman," said the Chief of the Police, pointing to the robber.

「この殿方だ」と警察の長は盗人を指して言った。

"This one!"

「この人が!」

"Yes, I am the one," said the robber.

「そうだ、わたしだ」と盗人は言った。

The merchant said, "Don't you feel ashamed at saying I owe you some money?"

商人は言った。「わたしがあなたに金を借りているなどと言って、恥ずかしくないのですか」

"Of course," he replied, and then he took out the promissory note, and handed it to the Chief of the Police.

「もちろん」と盗人は答えて、借用証を取り出して警察の長に渡した。

The Chief of the Police looked at it, and said, "Hallo! That is a big amount."

警察の長はそれを見て言った。「これは! 大した額だ」

The merchant asked to see it, and he looked at the list, and said, "I have not got so much money in my box. If I have so much in my house it must really be yours."

商人は見せてくれと言い、その明細を見て言った。「わたしの金庫にはそんなに金はありません。もし家にそれだけあるなら、それはまことにあなたのものにちがいない」

The Chief of the Police sent some men to bring the box to the station, and on counting the money in it, he found it was exactly the amount written in the promissory note. The woman, and the other robber, and the merchant who was tricked on the previous day were all present and listening, and were all astonished.

警察の長は人をやって金庫を署へ運ばせ、なかの金を数えてみると、借用証に書かれたとおりの額だった。娘も、もう一人の盗人も、前日にだまされた商人も、みなそこにいて聞いていて、みな驚いた。

The Chief of the Police said, "Well, it must be the claimant's money," and he gave it to him.

警察の長は言った。「さて、これは訴え出た者の金にちがいない」。そしてそれを盗人に渡した。

The merchant was angry, so the robber said, "I suppose you will be saying next that the horse is yours, and the suit I am wearing"; and when the merchant angrily demanded them the robber requested the Chief of the Police to lock the man up, because he was now trying to steal his horse and clothes.

商人が腹を立てると、盗人は言った。「次は馬も、わたしの着ているこの衣も自分のものだとおっしゃるのでしょうな」。そして商人が怒って返せと求めると、盗人は警察の長に、この男はいまわたしの馬と衣を盗もうとしているから牢に入れてくれと頼んだ。

Then the merchant was locked up, and the robber left the money in the box at the Police Station, and rode off to his own home, where he met the woman and the first robber. He asked them, "How do you like that trick?"

そこで商人は牢に入れられ、盗人は金を警察署の金庫に残したまま、自分の家へ馬を走らせた。そこで娘と一人めの盗人に会った。盗人は二人に尋ねた。「この手はいかがです?」

She said, "A very clever man you are," and she agreed to marry him.

娘は言った。「あなたはたいそう賢いかたですね」。そして彼と結婚することに承知した。

After three days they both went to the merchant, and told him the whole story, and returned him the money, and the horse and clothes. And the merchant was so pleased to get them back that he gave them some money to live upon.

三日後、二人は商人のもとへ行って一部始終を話し、金と馬と衣を返した。商人はそれが戻ってきたのがたいそう嬉しくて、二人に暮らしの足しになる金を与えた。