The Strange Guests

Many years ago there lived, near the borders of Lake Superior, a noted hunter, who had a wife and one child. His lodge stood in a remote part of the forest, several days' journey from that of any other person. He spent his days in hunting, and his evenings in relating to his wife the incidents that had befallen him in the chase. As game was very abundant, he seldom failed to bring home in the evening an ample store of meat to last them until the succeeding evening; and while they were seated by the fire in his lodge partaking the fruits of his day's labour, he entertained his wife with conversation, or by occasionally relating those tales, or enforcing those precepts, which every good Indian esteems necessary for the instruction of his wife and children. Thus, far removed from all sources of disquiet, surrounded by all they deemed necessary to their comfort, and happy in one another's society, their lives passed away in cheerful solitude and sweet contentment. The breast of the hunter had never felt the compunctions of remorse, for he was a just man in all his dealings. He had never violated the laws of his tribe by encroaching upon the hunting-grounds of his neighbours, by taking that which did not belong to him, or by any act calculated to displease the village chiefs or offend the Great Spirit. His chief ambition was to support his family with a sufficiency of food and skins by his own unaided exertions, and to share their happiness around his cheerful fire at night. The white man had not yet taught them that blankets and clothes were necessary to their comfort, or that guns could be used in the killing of game.

何年も昔、スペリオル湖のほとりに名高い狩人が住んでいて、妻と子が一人いた。その小屋は森の奥深くにあって、ほかの誰の小屋からも何日もの道のりだった。狩人は昼は狩りをして過ごし、夕方には狩りで出会った出来事を妻に語って過ごした。獲物がたいそう豊かだったので、狩人が夕方に次の晩までもつだけのたっぷりした肉を持ち帰らないことはめったになかった。小屋の火のそばに座って一日の働きの実りを分け合いながら、狩人は妻と語らったり、よいインディアンなら誰でも妻子の教えに必要だと考える話を語ったり、教えを説いたりして妻を楽しませた。こうして、あらゆる不安のもとから遠く離れ、暮らしに必要だと思うものにすべて囲まれ、互いに一緒にいることに幸せを感じて、二人の暮らしは朗らかな孤独とうるわしい満足のうちに過ぎていった。狩人の胸は後悔の呵責を感じたことが一度もなかった。何事にも公正な男だったからである。隣人の狩り場を侵したり、自分のものでないものを取ったり、村の首長たちを不快にさせたり偉大な霊の気にさわったりするような行いで、部族の掟を破ったことは一度もなかった。狩人のいちばんの望みは、自分一人の骨折りで家族に十分な食べ物と毛皮を与え、夜には朗らかな火を囲んで家族の幸せを分かち合うことだった。白人はまだ、暮らしに毛布や布の着物が必要だとも、獲物を仕留めるのに鉄砲が使えるとも教えていなかった。

The life of the Chippewa hunter peacefully glided away.

チッペワの狩人の暮らしは穏やかに過ぎていった。

One evening during the winter season, it chanced that he remained out later than usual, and his wife sat lonely in the lodge, and began to be agitated with fears lest some accident had befallen him. Darkness had already fallen. She listened attentively to hear the sound of coming footsteps; but nothing could be heard but the wind mournfully whistling around the sides of the lodge. Time passed away while she remained in this state of suspense, every moment augmenting her fears and adding to her disappointment.

冬のある晩、狩人はたまたまいつもより遅くまで帰らず、妻は小屋で一人寂しく座っているうちに、夫に何か事故が起こったのではないかと恐れて胸騒ぎがしはじめた。もう暗くなっていた。妻は近づいてくる足音が聞こえないかとじっと耳を澄ましたが、小屋のまわりで悲しげにひゅうひゅう鳴る風のほかは何も聞こえなかった。妻がこうして気をもんでいるうちに時は過ぎ、刻一刻と恐れはつのり、落胆は増していった。

Suddenly she heard the sound of approaching footsteps upon the frozen surface of the snow. Not doubting that it was her husband, she quickly unfastened the loop which held, by an inner fastening, the skin door of the lodge, and throwing it open she saw two strange women standing before it. Courtesy left the hunter's wife no time for deliberation. She invited the strangers to enter and warm themselves, thinking, from the distance to the nearest neighbours, they must have walked a considerable way. When they were entered she invited them to remain. They seemed to be total strangers to that part of the country, and the more closely she observed them the more curious the hunter's wife became respecting her guests.

突然、凍った雪の表面を近づいてくる足音が聞こえた。夫にちがいないと思って、妻は小屋の皮の戸を内側で留めていた輪を急いで外し、戸を開けた。すると見知らぬ女が二人、戸の前に立っていた。もてなしの礼儀は、狩人の妻にためらう暇を与えなかった。いちばん近い隣人からの遠さを思えば、ずいぶん遠くから歩いてきたにちがいないと考えて、妻は見知らぬ女たちになかへ入って暖まるよう招いた。二人が入ると、妻は泊まっていくよう勧めた。二人はこのあたりにはまったく見知らぬ者のようで、よく観察すればするほど、狩人の妻は客のことが気になった。

No efforts could induce them to come near the fire. They took their seats in a remote part of the lodge, and drew their garments about them in such a manner as to almost completely hide their faces. They seemed shy and reserved, and when a glimpse could be had of their faces they appeared pale, even of a deathly hue. Their eyes were bright but sunken: their cheek-bones were prominent, and their persons slender and emaciated.

どう勧めても二人は火のそばへ来ようとしなかった。二人は小屋の奥まった隅に座り、顔がほとんどすっかり隠れるように衣を体に引き寄せた。二人は人見知りで打ち解けないようすで、ちらりと顔が見えると、青ざめて死人のような色さえしていた。目は輝いていたが落ちくぼみ、頬骨は突き出し、体つきはほっそりとやつれていた。

Seeing that her guests avoided conversation as well as observation, the woman forbore to question them, and sat in silence until her husband entered. He had been led further than usual in the pursuit of game, but had returned with the carcass of a large and fat deer. The moment he entered the lodge, the mysterious women exclaimed--

客たちが話すのも見られるのも避けているのを見て、女は問いただすのを控え、夫が入ってくるまで黙って座っていた。夫はいつもより遠くまで獲物を追っていったのだが、大きな太った鹿の亡骸を持って帰ってきた。夫が小屋に入ったとたん、不思議な女たちが叫んだ——

"Behold! what a fine and fat animal!" and they immediately ran and pulled off pieces of the whitest fat, which they ate with avidity.

「ごらん! なんと立派な太った獣だろう!」そして二人はすぐに駆け寄って、いちばん白い脂身をちぎり取り、がつがつと食べた。

Such conduct appeared very strange to the hunter, but supposing the strangers had been a long time without food, he made no remark; and his wife, taking example from her husband, likewise restrained herself.

こんなふるまいは狩人にはたいそう奇妙に思えたが、見知らぬ女たちは長いあいだ食べ物にありついていなかったのだろうと思って、何も言わなかった。妻も夫にならって、同じように自分を抑えた。

On the following evening the same scene was repeated. The hunter brought home the best portions of the game he had killed, and while he was laying it down before his wife, according to custom, the two strange women came quickly up, tore off large pieces of fat, and ate them with greediness. Such behaviour might well have aroused the hunter's displeasure; but the deference due to strange guests induced him to pass it over in silence.

次の晩も同じことが繰り返された。狩人が仕留めた獲物のいちばんよいところを持ち帰り、しきたりどおり妻の前に置いていると、二人の見知らぬ女がすばやくやって来て、脂身の大きなかたまりをちぎり取り、がつがつと食べた。こんなふるまいには狩人が腹を立ててもおかしくなかったが、見知らぬ客にしかるべき敬意が狩人に黙って見過ごさせた。

Observing the parts to which the strangers were most partial, the hunter resolved the next day to anticipate their wants by cutting off and tying up a portion of the fat for each. This he did: and having placed the two portions of fat upon the top of his burden, as soon as he entered the lodge he gave to each stranger the part that was hers. Still the guests appeared to be dissatisfied, and took more from the carcass lying before the wife.

見知らぬ女たちがどの部分をいちばん好むかを見てとると、狩人は次の日、二人の望みを先回りして、それぞれのために脂身をひとかたまりずつ切り分けて縛っておこうと決めた。狩人はそうして、二つの脂身のかたまりを荷物のいちばん上に載せ、小屋に入るとすぐにそれぞれの客に自分の分を渡した。それでも客たちは満足しないようすで、妻の前に置かれた亡骸からさらに取った。

Except for this remarkable behaviour, the conduct of the guests was unexceptionable, although marked by some peculiarities. They were quiet, modest, and discreet. They maintained a cautious silence during the day, neither uttering a word nor moving from the lodge. At night they would get up, and, taking those implements which were then used in breaking and preparing wood, repair to the forest. Here they would busy themselves in seeking dry branches and pieces of trees blown down by the wind. When a sufficient quantity had been gathered to last until the succeeding night they carried it home upon their shoulders. Then carefully putting everything in its place within the lodge, they resumed their seats and their studied silence. They were always careful to return from their labours before the dawn of day, and were never known to stay out beyond that hour. In this manner they repaid, in some measure, the kindness of the hunter, and relieved his wife from one of her most laborious duties.

この目立つふるまいのほかは、客たちのふるまいにはいくつか変わったところがあったものの、非の打ちどころがなかった。二人は物静かで慎み深く、思慮深かった。昼のあいだは用心深く黙りこんで、ひと言も発せず、小屋から動きもしなかった。夜になると二人は起き上がって、当時薪を割ったりこしらえたりするのに使っていた道具を持ち、森へ出かけた。そこで乾いた枝や、風で吹き倒された木のかけらを探してせっせと働いた。次の晩までもつほど十分集まると、それを肩にかついで持ち帰った。それから小屋のなかで何もかも注意深くもとの場所に置いて、また席に着き、ことさらな沈黙に戻った。二人はいつも気をつけて夜明け前に仕事から戻り、その時刻を過ぎて外にいたことは一度もなかった。こうして二人は狩人の親切にいくらか報い、妻をいちばん骨の折れる務めのひとつから解放した。

Thus nearly the whole year passed away, every day leading to some new development of character which served to endear the parties to each other. The visitors began to assume a more hale and healthy aspect; their faces daily lost something of that deathly hue which had at first marked them, and they visibly improved in strength, and threw off some of that cold reserve and forbidding austerity which had kept the hunter so long in ignorance of their true character.

こうしてほぼ一年が過ぎ、日ごとに互いの人柄の新しい面が現れて、双方をいっそう親しくさせた。客たちは前より元気で健やかな顔つきになりはじめた。その顔は、はじめに目についたあの死人のような色を日に日に失い、目に見えて力がつき、狩人に長いあいだ二人のほんとうの人柄を知らせずにいた、あの冷たい遠慮と近寄りがたい厳しさをいくらか脱ぎ捨てた。

One evening the hunter returned very late after having spent the day in toilsome exertion, and having laid the produce of his hunt at his wife's feet, the silent women seized it and began to tear off the fat in such an unceremonious manner that the wife could no longer control her feelings of disgust, and said to herself--

ある晩、狩人は一日じゅう骨の折れる働きをしてたいそう遅く帰ってきた。狩りの獲物を妻の足もとに置くと、無口な女たちがそれをつかんで、あまりに無作法に脂身をちぎり取りはじめたので、妻はもう嫌悪の気持ちを抑えきれなくなって、心のなかで言った——

"This is really too bad. How can I bear it any longer!"

「これはほんとうにひどすぎる。これ以上どうして我慢できよう!」

She did not, however, put her thought into words, but an immediate change was observed in the two visitors. They became unusually reserved, and showed evident signs of being uneasy in their situation. The good hunter immediately perceived this change, and, fearful that they had taken offence, as soon as they had retired demanded of his wife whether any harsh expression had escaped her lips during the day. She replied that she had uttered nothing to give the least offence. The hunter tried to compose himself to sleep, but he felt restive and uneasy, for he could hear the sighs and lamentations of the two strangers. Every moment added to his conviction that his guests had taken some deep offence; and, as he could not banish this idea from his mind, he arose, and, going to the strangers, thus addressed them--

けれども妻はその思いを言葉にしなかった。それでも二人の客にはたちまち変化が見られた。二人はいつになくよそよそしくなり、居心地が悪そうなようすをはっきり見せた。善良な狩人はすぐにこの変化に気づき、二人が気を悪くしたのではないかと恐れて、二人が休むとすぐに妻に、昼のあいだに何かきつい言葉を口にしなかったかと問いただした。妻は、少しでも気を悪くさせるようなことは何も言っていないと答えた。狩人は心を落ち着けて眠ろうとしたが、そわそわして落ち着かなかった。二人の見知らぬ女のため息と嘆きが聞こえたからである。刻一刻と、客たちが何か深く気を悪くしたのだという確信が増していった。そしてこの考えを頭から追い払えなかったので、狩人は起き上がって見知らぬ女たちのところへ行き、こう話しかけた——

"Tell me, ye women, what is it that causes you pain of mind, and makes you utter these unceasing sighs? Has my wife given you any cause of offence during the day while I was absent in the chase? My fears persuade me that, in some unguarded moment, she has forgotten what is due to the rights of hospitality, and used expressions ill-befitting the mysterious character you sustain. Tell me, ye strangers from a strange country, ye women who appear not to be of this world, what it is that causes you pain of mind, and makes you utter these unceasing sighs."

「教えてくれ、女たちよ。何がお前たちの心を痛め、絶えずため息をつかせているのだ。わたしが狩りで留守のあいだに、妻が昼間何かお前たちの気にさわることをしたのか。わたしの恐れでは、妻がうっかりしたときに、もてなしの務めを忘れ、お前たちの帯びている不思議な身の上にふさわしくない言葉を使ったのではないかと思う。教えてくれ、見知らぬ国から来た見知らぬ者たちよ、この世の者とは思えない女たちよ、何がお前たちの心を痛め、絶えずため息をつかせているのかを。」

They replied that no unkind expression had ever been used towards them during their residence in the lodge, that they had received all the affectionate attention they could reasonably expect.

二人は、この小屋にいるあいだ一度も不親切な言葉を使われたことはない、道理から望める情のこもった心づかいはみな受けてきた、と答えた。

"It is not for ourselves," they continued, "it is not for ourselves that we weep. We are weeping for the fate of mankind; we are weeping for the fate of mortals whom Death awaits at every stage of their existence. Proud mortals, whom disease attacks in youth and in age. Vain men, whom hunger pinches, cold benumbs, and poverty emaciates. Weak beings, who are born in tears, who are nurtured in tears, and whose whole course is marked upon the thirsty sands of life in a broad line of tears. It is for these we weep.

「わたしたちのためではないのです」と二人は続けた。「わたしたちは自分のために泣いているのではありません。わたしたちは人の運命のために泣いているのです。生のあらゆる段階で死が待ち受けている、死すべき者たちの運命のために泣いているのです。若いときにも年老いてからも病に襲われる、誇り高い死すべき者たち。飢えに苦しめられ、寒さにかじかみ、貧しさにやつれる、むなしい人々。涙のうちに生まれ、涙のうちに育ち、その道のりのすべてが命の渇いた砂の上に太い涙の筋として刻まれる、弱い者たち。わたしたちが泣くのは、こうした者たちのためなのです。

"You have spoken truly, brother; we are not of this world. We are spirits from the land of the dead, sent upon the earth to try the sincerity of the living. It is not for the dead but for the living that we mourn. It was by no means necessary that your wife should express her thoughts to us. We knew them as soon as they were formed. We saw that for once displeasure had arisen in her heart. It is enough. Our mission is ended. We came but to try you, and we knew before we came that you were a kind husband, an affectionate father, and a good friend. Still, you have the weaknesses of a mortal, and your wife is wanting in our eyes; but it is not alone for you we weep, it is for the fate of mankind.

「兄弟よ、あなたの言ったとおりです。わたしたちはこの世の者ではありません。わたしたちは死者の国から、生きている者のまごころを試すために地上へ遣わされた霊なのです。わたしたちが悼むのは死者のためではなく、生きている者のためです。あなたの奥さんが思いを口に出す必要などまったくありませんでした。わたしたちは思いが生まれるやいなやそれを知りました。奥さんの心に一度だけ不快が湧いたのを見たのです。それで十分です。わたしたちの務めは終わりました。わたしたちはただあなたがたを試しに来たのです。そして来る前から、あなたが優しい夫で、情のこもった父で、よい友であることを知っていました。それでもあなたには死すべき者の弱さがあり、奥さんはわたしたちの目から見て足りないところがありました。けれどもわたしたちが泣くのはあなたのためだけではありません。人の運命のためなのです。

"Often, very often, has the widower exclaimed, 'O Death, how cruel, how relentless thou art to take away my beloved friend in the spring of her youth, in the pride of her strength, and in the bloom of her beauty! If thou wilt permit her once more to return to my abode, my gratitude shall never cease; I will raise up my voice continually to thank the Master of Life for so excellent a boon. I will devote my time to study how I can best promote her happiness while she is permitted to remain; and our lives shall roll away like a pleasant stream through a flowing valley!' Thus also has the father prayed for his son, the mother for her daughter, the wife for her husband, the sister for her brother, the lover for his mistress, the friend for his bosom companion, until the sounds of mourning and the cries of the living have pierced the very recesses of the dead.

「たびたび、ほんとうにたびたび、妻に先立たれた男はこう叫んできました。『おお死よ、若さの春に、力の盛りに、美しさの花のさなかに、いとしい友を連れ去るとは、お前はなんとむごく容赦がないのか! もう一度だけ妻がわが住まいに戻ることを許してくれるなら、わたしの感謝は決して尽きないだろう。これほどすばらしい恵みを命の主に感謝して、絶えず声を上げよう。妻がとどまることを許されているあいだ、どうすれば妻をいちばん幸せにできるか考えることに時を捧げよう。そしてわたしたちの暮らしは、花咲く谷を流れる心地よい流れのように過ぎていくだろう!』同じように、父は息子のために、母は娘のために、妻は夫のために、姉妹は兄弟のために、恋人は恋人のために、友は心の友のために祈ってきました。そしてとうとう、嘆きの声と生きている者の叫びが、死者の国の奥深くにまで届いたのです。

"The Great Spirit has at length consented to make a trial of the sincerity of these prayers by sending us upon the earth. He has done this to see how we should be received,--coming as strangers, no one knowing from where. Three moons were allotted to us to make the trial, and if, during that time, no impatience had been evinced, no angry passions excited at the place where we took up our abode, all those in the land of spirits, whom their relatives had desired to return, would have been restored. More than two moons have already passed, and as soon as the leaves began to bud our mission would have been successfully terminated. It is now too late. Our trial is finished, and we are called to the pleasant fields whence we came.

「偉大な霊はとうとう、わたしたちを地上に遣わして、こうした祈りのまごころを試すことに同意なさいました。どこから来たのか誰も知らない見知らぬ者として来たわたしたちが、どう迎えられるかを見るためにです。試しには三か月が割り当てられていました。そしてそのあいだ、わたしたちが住まいを定めた場所で、少しの苛立ちも見せられず、怒りの心もかき立てられなかったなら、身内が戻ってきてほしいと願った霊の国の者たちはみな返されるはずでした。もう二か月以上が過ぎていて、木の葉が芽吹きはじめたら、わたしたちの務めは首尾よく終わるはずでした。今ではもう遅すぎます。試しは終わり、わたしたちは来たところの楽しい野へ呼び戻されるのです。

"Brother, it is proper that one man should die to make room for another. Otherwise, the world would be filled to overflowing. It is just that the goods gathered by one should be left to be divided among others; for in the land of spirits there is no want, there is neither sorrow nor hunger, pain nor death. Pleasant fields, filled with game spread before the eye, with birds of beautiful form. Every stream has good fish in it, and every hill is crowned with groves of fruit-trees, sweet and pleasant to the taste. It is not here, brother, but there that men begin truly to live. It is not for those who rejoice in those pleasant groves but for you that are left behind that we weep.

「兄弟よ、人が死んでほかの者に場所を空けるのは道理にかなったことです。そうでなければ、世界はあふれかえってしまうでしょう。一人の集めた財が、ほかの者に分けられるために残されるのは正しいことです。霊の国には欠乏がなく、悲しみも飢えも、痛みも死もないのですから。目の前には獲物に満ちた楽しい野が広がり、美しい姿の鳥がいます。どの流れにもよい魚がいて、どの丘にも甘くおいしい実のなる木々の林が冠のように茂っています。兄弟よ、人がほんとうに生きはじめるのはここではなく、あそこなのです。わたしたちが泣くのは、あの楽しい林で喜んでいる者たちのためではなく、あとに残されたあなたがたのためなのです。

"Brother, take our thanks for your hospitable treatment. Regret not our departure. Fear not evil. Thy luck shall still be good in the chase, and there shall ever be a bright sky over thy lodge. Mourn not for us, for no corn will spring up from tears."

「兄弟よ、手厚いもてなしへの感謝を受けてください。わたしたちが去るのを悔やまないでください。災いを恐れないでください。あなたの狩りの運はこれからもよく、あなたの小屋の上にはいつも明るい空があるでしょう。わたしたちのために嘆かないでください。涙からはトウモロコシは生えないのですから。」

The spirits ceased, but the hunter had no power over his voice to reply. As they had proceeded in their address he saw a light gradually beaming from their faces, and a blue vapour filled the lodge with an unnatural light. As soon as they ceased, darkness gradually closed around. The hunter listened, but the sobs of the spirits had ceased. He heard the door of his tent open and shut, but he never saw more of his mysterious visitors.

霊たちは話をやめたが、狩人は声が出ず答えられなかった。二人が話を進めるにつれて、狩人は二人の顔から光がしだいに輝き出るのを見た。そして青い靄が小屋を不思議な光で満たした。二人が話し終えるやいなや、闇がしだいにあたりを閉ざした。狩人は耳を澄ましたが、霊たちのすすり泣きはやんでいた。天幕の戸が開いて閉じる音が聞こえたが、狩人は二度とあの不思議な客たちを見なかった。

The success promised him was his. He became a celebrated hunter, and never wanted for anything necessary to his ease. He became the father of many boys, all of whom grew up to manhood, and health, peace, and long life were the rewards of his hospitality.

約束された幸運は狩人のものになった。狩人は名高い狩人になり、安楽に必要なものに事欠くことは決してなかった。狩人はたくさんの息子の父になり、息子たちはみな大人に育ち、健康と平和と長寿が狩人のもてなしへの報いになった。