
My father, guessing that I was getting somewhat weary of being shut up within the narrow boundary of the little island, advised me to return in the boat which brought the messenger, but desiring me to come back again in a few days, lest he should require my services. (In the Wilds of Florida by W.H.G. Kingston)
動画の後半部分でリスニング用音声が流れます。
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 father,/(動詞のing形の前)guessing that I was getting somewhat weary of being shut up/(前置詞の前)within the narrow boundary of the little island,/(コンマの後)advised me to return in the boat/(関係代名詞の前)which brought the messenger,/(接続詞の前)but desiring me to come back again in a few days,/(接続詞の前)lest he should require my services.
語句のかたまりを前から訳していきます。
My father,
私の父は
guessing that I was getting somewhat weary of being shut up
閉じ込められていることに私が少しうんざりしてきていると推測し
within the narrow boundary of the little island,
小さい島の狭い範囲に
advised me to return in the boat
船で元の場所に戻るよう勧めた
which brought the messenger,
使者を乗せてきた
but desiring me to come back again in a few days,
しかし数日後には、また帰ってくるよう望んだ
lest he should require my services.
私の助けが必要になるといけないから
My father, guessing that I was getting somewhat weary of being shut up within the narrow boundary of the little island, advised me to return in the boat which brought the messenger, but desiring me to come back again in a few days, lest he should require my services.
I was getting somewhat weary of being shut up→ be weary of = 〜にうんざりして
lest he should require my services→ lest = 〜するといけないので、〜しないかと心配して
父は、小さい島の狭い範囲に閉じ込められていることに私が少しうんざりしてきていると推測し、使者を乗せてきた船で元の場所に戻るよう勧めた。ただし、私の助けが必要になるといけないから、数日後にはまた帰ってくるよう望んだ。
今回の課題文には分詞構文が2つ使われています。
guessing that I was getting somewhat weary of being shut up
desiring me to come back again in a few days
どちらも主語は My fatherなので、「私の父は推測した」「私の父は望んだ」という意味になります。
