ＷＥＢ絵本『怪夢（空中）』

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I was surprised.
I opened my eyes wide holding my breath.
What was coming from the opposite direction was a reconnaissance plane for land.
It was the same as my plane.
And it seemed that the aircrew was one.
Needless to say, I couldn't read the mark nor the number of the plane, though ...
... the altitude of 2500 meters ...
... the calm propeller ...
... the smooth sparks ...
... the sky ...
... the sun ...
... a sea of stratus ...
私は驚いた．
固唾を呑んで目を見張った．
向こうから来るのは私の乗機と一分一厘違わぬ陸上の偵察機である．
搭乗者も一人らしい．
機のマークや番号はむろん見えないが・・・
・・・二千五百の高度・・・
・・・静かなプロペラ・・・
・・・好調子なスパーク・・・
・・・青空・・・
・・・太陽・・・
・・・層雲の海・・・

I uttered a cry.
I turned left with a long radius and tried to avoid it.
At the same time, that plane turned with a long radius, showing the left side of its gloomy body.
And, it was headed toward me.
Cold sweat broke out all over my body.
私はアット声を立てた．
私が大きく左舵を取って避けようとすると、同時に向こうの機も薄暗い左の横腹を見せつつ大きく迂回して私の真正面に向かって来た．
私の全身に冷汗がニジミ出た．

... I hurriedly turned right, thinking "That's ridiculous!"
Also, that plane was headed toward me, shining its right side of its body, as if it mimed my plane.
... such as an image reflected in a mirror ...
・・・コンナ馬鹿な事がと思いつつ慌てて機体を右に向けると、向こうの機も真似をするかのように右の横腹を眩しく光らせつつ、やはり真正面に向かって来る．
・・・鏡面に映ずる影の通りに・・・

My whole nerves got excited.
My teeth began to chatter.
私の全神経が強直した．
歯の根がカチカチ鳴り出した．

Suddenly, my plane pitched. It seemed that it entered a small air pocket.
... At the same time, that plane also pitched.
At the moment, I saw the mark of that plane, which read ... T11 ... unmistakably ...
その途端に私の機体が、軽いエア・ポケットに陥ったらしくユラユラと前に傾いた．
・・・と同時に向こうの機もユラユラと前に傾いたが、
その一刹那に見えた対機のマークは紛れもなく・・・Ｔ１１・・・と読まれたではないか・・・

... I had no time for thinking such a thing.
That plane recovered the position of both wings simultaneously.
And it directly came to collide with this ...
・・・と思う間もなくその両翼を、こっちと同時に立て直して向こうの機は、真正面から一直線に衝突して来たではないか・・・

... I switched off
... I unfastened my belt.
... And, I escaped from the cockpit.
・・・私はスイッチを切った．
・・・ベルトを解いた．
・・・座席から飛び出した．

... I fell down about 100 meters without opening my parachute.
・・・パラシュートを開かないまま百メートルほど落ちて行った．

He was falling down at the same posture as mine, without opening his parachute, like a bullet.
He looked just like me.
... I was gazing at his face just like mine ...
私と同じ姿勢で、パラシュートを開かないまま、弾丸のように落下して行く私そっくりの相手の姿
・・・私そっくりの顔を凝視しながら・・・

... the endless blue sky ...
... the dazzling sun ...
... the sea of the stratus shining in yellow ...
・・・果てしもない青空・・・
・・・眩しい太陽・・・
・・・黄色く光る層雲の海・・・
（了）

――　あとがき　――
ＷＥＢ絵本『怪夢（空中）』
絵・訳：茜町春彦
原作：夢野久作

A Picture Book : "Nightmare (In the Air)"
Illustrated and translated by: Akanemachi Haruhiko
Original author: Yumeno Kyusaku

夢野久作の掌編小説を翻訳し、絵本にしました．
日本語文は現代語表記に変更しました．

参考文献：
夢野久作全集3（1992年8月24日第1刷発行　夢野久作著　ちくま文庫）