
My only desire just then was to get away into some place of safety where I would be able to think over the position quietly, and if possible devise some plan to defeat Don Hilario, who had been a little too quick for me.(The Purple Land by W. H. Hudson)
英文を前から読んでいくために、語句のかたまりを作ります。こんな具合に課題文をスラッシュ(斜め線)で区切ります(スラッシュリーディング)。語句のかたまりを意識すると、リスニングで英語の意味をつかむのが楽になります。
My only desire just then was/(不定詞の前)to get away into some place of safety/(関係副詞の前)where I would be able to think over the position quietly,/(接続詞の前)and if possible devise some plan to defeat Don Hilario,/(関係代名詞の前)who had been a little too quick for me.
語句のかたまりを前から訳していきます。
My only desire just then was
ちょうどそのときの私の唯一の望みは〜だった
to get away into some place of safety
どこか安全な場所に逃げ込むこと
where I would be able to think over the position quietly,
落ち着いて自分の立場をよく考えられる
and if possible devise some plan to defeat Don Hilario,
そして可能なら、ドン・ヒラリオを負かすための何らかの策を練ること
who had been a little too quick for me.
少しばかり私より機転の効いた動きを見せた
My only desire just then was to get away into some place of safety where I would be able to think over the position quietly, and if possible devise some plan to defeat Don Hilario, who had been a little too quick for me.
ちょうどそのときの私の唯一の望みは、落ち着いて自分の立場をよく考えられるどこか安全な場所に逃げ込み、できればドン・ヒラリオを負かすための何らかの策を練ることだった。これまで彼は少しばかり私より機転の効いた動きを見せていた。
My only desire just then was to get away into some place of safety where I would be able to think over the position quietly, and if possible devise some plan to defeat Don Hilario, who had been a little too quick for me.
My only desire just then was to get away into some place〜 は「ちょうどそのときの私の唯一の望みは〜に逃げ込むことだった」という意味です。「望み」を to不定詞(〜すること)で表しているわけです。
この課題文では「望み」の内容はもう1つあります。devise some plan〜(「何らかの策を練る」こと)です。to不定詞の to が省略されているのでわかりにくくなっています。
to get away into some place〜
My only desire just then was<
(to)devise some plan〜
動画の後半部分でリスニング用音声が流れます。
