#13 Disastrous State: Learn Japanese

He had not appeared in this disguise for more than seventy years; in fact, not since he had so frightened pretty Lady Barbara Modish by means of it, that she suddenly broke off her engagement with the present Lord Canterville’s grandfather, and ran away to Gretna Green with handsome Jack Castletown, declaring that nothing in the world would induce her to marry into a family that allowed such a horrible phantom to walk up and down the terrace at twilight.

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

Japanese Translation
彼は７０年以上もこの扮装で現れていなかった。
実際、彼はレディ・バーバラをこの扮装で怖がらせたことがあり、彼女は現在のロード・カンタヴィルの祖父との婚約を突然解消して、グレトナグリーンへ逃げた。美男子のジャックと一緒に。そして、何人も、自分を恐ろしい幽霊がテラスを行き来することを許すような一族に嫁がせることはできないと宣言した。

Poor Jack was afterwards shot in a duel by Lord Canterville on Wandsworth Common, and Lady Barbara died of a broken heart at Tunbridge Wells before the year was out, so, in every way, it had been a great success.

かわいそうに、ジャックはロード・カンタヴィルに決闘で撃たれた。ウォンズワースコモンで。
そしてレディ・バーバラは失意の死を迎えた。その年のうちに、タンブリッジウェルズで。
だから、あらゆる意味で、それは大成功だった。

It was, however an extremely difficult “make-up,” if I may use such a theatrical expression in connection with one of the greatest mysteries of the supernatural, or, to employ a more scientific term, the higher-natural world, and it took him fully three hours to make his preparations. 

しかし、それは非常に難しいものだった。超自然の偉大な神秘にまつわる芝居じみた表現を使うとすれば、それは非常に難しい『メイクアップ』だった。より科学的な言葉を使えば、準備するのに、まる三時間かかった。

At last everything was ready, and he was very pleased with his appearance. 

ついに、すべてが準備できた。
彼は自分の外見にとても満足した。

The big leather riding-boots that went with the dress were just a little too large for him, and he could only find one of the two horse-pistols, but, on the whole, he was quite satisfied, and at a quarter-past one he glided out of the wainscoting and crept down the corridor.

衣装に付属した大きな革のライディング・ブーツは彼には少々大きすぎた。そして二丁のホースピストルのうち片方しか見つけられなかった。
しかし、全体としては、彼は割と満足していた。そして１時１５分に、彼は羽目板から出て忍び足で進んだ。

On reaching the room occupied by the twins, which I should mention was called the Blue Bed Chamber, on account of the colour of its hangings, he found the door just ajar. 

双子に占拠された部屋につくと、ドアが少し開いていた。

Wishing to make an effective entrance, he flung it wide open, when a heavy jug of water fell right down on him, wetting him to the skin, and just missing his left shoulder by a couple of inches. 

効果的な登場をしたいと思って、彼はドアを荒々しく開けた。するとその時、重たい水瓶が落ちて、彼を濡らした。彼の左肩を２インチだけ逸れていた。

At the same moment he heard stifled shrieks of laughter proceeding from the four-post bed.

その時、抑えた笑い声が聞こえた。ベッドから。

The shock to his nervous system was so great that he fled back to his room as hard as he could go, and the next day he was laid up with a severe cold.

神経過敏な彼に届いた衝撃は大きく、彼は自分の部屋へ飛んで帰った。一生懸命に。
そして翌日、彼は風邪で寝込んだ。

"ねこむ" means to be confined to bed due to illness, injury, or extreme fatigue, unable to carry out normal daily activities.

The only thing that at all consoled him in the whole affair was the fact that he had not brought his head with him, for, had he done so, the consequences might have been very serious.

唯一慰めとなったことは、彼が自分の頭を持っていかなかったことだ。もし持っていっていたら、その結末は致命的だったかもしれないのだから。

He now gave up all hope of ever frightening this rude American family, and contented himself, as a rule, with creeping about the passages in list slippers, with a thick red muffler round his throat for fear of draughts, and a small arquebuse, in case he should be attacked by the twins.

彼はその時にこの失礼なアメリカの一家を怖がらせるという望みを完全に諦めた。そしてスリッパをはいて通路をこっそり歩くことで自分を満足させた。風が通らないように赤いマフラーを首にまき、双子に襲われた場合に備えて小さな火縄銃を持った。

The final blow he received occurred on the 19th of September.

決定的な出来事が起きた。９月１９日に。

He had gone down-stairs to the great entrance-hall, feeling sure that there, at any rate, he would be quite unmolested, and was amusing himself by making satirical remarks on the large Saroni photographs of the United States Minister and his wife which had now taken the place of the Canterville family pictures.

彼は階段を下りてエントランスホールに向かった。少なくとも、そこでは煩わされないだろうという確信をもって。そしてカンタヴィル一族の肖像画と置き換わったアメリカ公使夫妻の写真に嫌味っぽい意見を言って楽しんでいた。

He was simply but neatly clad in a long shroud, spotted with churchyard mould, had tied up his jaw with a strip of yellow linen, and carried a small lantern and a sexton’s spade.

彼はカビのシミのあるロング・シュラウドを着て、あごを黄色いリネンの切れ端で結んで、小さなランタンと墓穴を掘るショベルを持ち歩いていた。

In fact, he was dressed for the character of “Jonas the Graveless, or the Corpse-Snatcher of Chertsey Barn,” one of his most remarkable impersonations, and one which the Cantervilles had every reason to remember, as it was the real origin of their quarrel with their neighbour, Lord Rufford.

ハッキリ言えば、彼は『ジョナス・ザ・グレイブレス』の服装をしていた。これは彼の扮装の一つで、カンタヴィル一族が忘れられない扮装だった。これが隣人のロード・ラフォードとの言い争いの原因だったからだ。

It was about a quarter-past two o’clock in the morning, and, as far as he could ascertain, no one was stirring.

朝の２時１５分ごろだった。彼が知る限り、誰も起きていなかった。

As he was strolling towards the library, however, to see if there were any traces left of the blood-stain, suddenly there leaped out on him from a dark corner two figures, who waved their arms wildly above their heads, and shrieked out “BOO!” in his ear.

彼がライブラリの方へぶらぶら歩いていたら、突然暗い曲がり角から二つの人影が跳び出した。それらは両腕を頭上で荒々しく振って、彼の耳に「ブー！」と叫んだ。

Seized with a panic, which, under the circumstances, was only natural, he rushed for the staircase, but found Washington Otis waiting for him there with the big garden-syringe, and being thus hemmed in by his enemies on every side, and driven almost to bay, he vanished into the great iron stove, which, fortunately for him, was not lit, and had to make his way home through the flues and chimneys, arriving at his own room in a terrible state of dirt, disorder, and despair.

当然のことながら、パニックになって、彼は階段の方へ駆けた。しかし、ワシントン・オーティスがそこで彼を待ち構えていた。ガーデンシリンジをもっている。
敵に囲まれて、窮地に陥り、彼は巨大な鉄ストーブの中に姿を消した。幸運な事に、そこは火がついてなかった。彼は煙突を通って帰らなければならなくなり、目も当てられない状態で自室に帰り着いた。

"めもあてられないじょうたい" means a situation so terrible, chaotic, or shameful that one cannot bear to look at it. It implies emotional discomfort, embarrassment, or devastation.