ＷＥＢ絵本『怪夢（工場）』

ページ１

This is an iron foundry.
The day is breaking gravely.
It's a frost morning.
厳かに明るくなって行く鉄工場の霜朝である．

A huge melting pot has been heated with cokes for a few days.
The pot has mellowed in the dim part of the foundry like the setting sun.
It's such a time.
２，３日前からコークスを焚き続けた大ルツボが、鋳物工場の薄暗がりの中で、夕日のように熟し切っている時刻である．

In yellow light, the pressure gauge of the steam boiler is silently continuing a shudder so as to exceed 14MPa.
It's such a minute.
黄色い電燈の下で、ボイラーの圧力計指針が、２００ポンドを突破すべく、無言の戦慄を続けている数分間である．

The black sooty foundry is entirely covered with silence of 300 meters below ground.
It's such a moment.
... The silent moment is suggesting an unforeseeable ominous feeling ... This foundry might burst ...
真黒く煤けた工場の全体に、地下千尺の静けさが感じられる一刹那である．
・・・そのシンカンとした一刹那が暗示する、測り知れない、ある不吉な予感・・・この工場が破裂してしまいそうな・・・

I calmly unfolded my arms and folded them again.
私は悠々と腕を組み直した．

I was sneering at the feeling for such an extraordinary and unimagenable event from the bottom of my heart.
I looked up at the skylight in the high ceiling.
そんな途方もない、想像の及ばない出来事に対する予感を、心の奥底で冷笑しつつ、高い天井のアカリ取り窓を仰いだ．

I saw the chimney emitting black smoke obliquely toward the azure sky.
そこから斜めに、青空はるかに黒煙を吐き出す煙突を見上げた．

One side of the oblique chimney was clearly shining in the olive morning sun.
I felt dizzy under an illusion that the chimney would come down on my head.
I shook my head emphatically.
その斜めに傾いた煙突の半面が、朝日のオリーブ色をクッキリと輝かしながら、今にも頭の上に倒れかかって来るような錯覚の目まいを感じつつ、頭を強く左右に振った．

Because of my father's sudden death, I succeeded to this foundry.
I just graduated from college and had no practical experiences.
私は、私の父親が頓死をしたために、まだ学士になったばかりの無経験のまま、この工場を受け継がせられた．

... I was just now brought here in order to supervise the daily operations.
This was the first time in my life.
I was predicting insults and abuse against this young new master from the workers ...
・・・そうしてタッタ今、生まれて初めての実地作業を指揮すべく、引っ張り出されたのである．
若い、新米の主人に対する職工たちの侮辱と、冷罵とを予期させられつつ・・・