Lost Love Verlorene Liebe Amor perdido L'amour perdu 잃어버린 사랑 Zagubiona miłość

These things happened to me nearly ten years ago.

I lived in a city, but the city was hot in summer. 私は都市に住んでいましたが、夏は都市が暑かったです。 I wanted to see the country. その国を見たかった。 I wanted to walk in the woods and see green trees.

I had a little red car and I had a map, too. I drove all night out into the country. 私は一晩中田舎に車で出ました。

I was happy in my car. We had a very good summer that year. その年はとても良い夏でした。 The country was very pretty in the early morning. その国は早朝とてもきれいでした。 The sun was hot, and the sky was blue. I heard the birds in the trees.

And then my car stopped suddenly.

'What's wrong?' I thought. 'Oh dear, I haven't got any petrol. 「ああ、私はガソリンを持っていません。 Now I'll have to walk. 今、私は歩かなければなりません。 I'll have to find a town and buy some petrol. But where am I?'

I looked at the map. I wasn't near a town. 私は町の近くにいませんでした。 I was lost in the country. 私は田舎で迷子になりました。

And then I saw the girl. She walked down the road, with flowers in her hand. She wore a long dress, and her hair was long, too. It was long and black, and it shone in the sun. 長くて黒く、太陽の下で輝いていました。 She was very pretty. I wanted to speak to her, so I got out of the car.

'Hello,' I said. 'I'm lost. Where am I?'

She looked afraid, so I spoke quietly.

'I haven't got any petrol,' I said. 'Where can I find some?' 「どこで見つけることができますか？」

Her blue eyes looked at me, and she smiled.

'She's a very pretty girl!' I thought.

'I do not know,' she said. 'Come with me to the village. Perhaps we can help you.'

I went with her happily, and we walked a long way. 私は彼女と一緒に楽しく行きました、そして私たちは長い道のりを歩きました。

'There isn't a village on the map,' I thought. 「地図上に村はありません」と私は思いました。 'Perhaps it's a very small village.'

There was a village, and it was old and pretty. 村があり、古くてきれいでした。 The houses were black and white and very small. 家は白黒でとても小さかった。 There were a lot of animals.

The girl stopped at a house and smiled at me.

'Come in, please,' she said.

I went in. The house was very clean, but it was strange, too. There was a fire and some food above it. その上に火事と食べ物がありました。 I felt hungry then.

'That's strange,' I thought. 'They cook their food over a wood fire! 「彼らは薪の火で料理をします！ Perhaps they have no money.'

I met her father and mother, and I liked them. They were nice people, but their clothes were strange.

'Sit down,' said the old man. 'Are you thirsty after your walk?' 「散歩した後は喉が渇いていますか？」

He gave me a drink, and I said, 'Thank you.' But the drink was strange, too. It was dark brown and very strong.

I didn't understand. But I was happy there.

I asked about petrol, but the old man didn't understand.

'Petrol?' he asked. 'What is that?'

'This is strange,' I thought. Then I asked, 'Do you walk everywhere?' それから私は尋ねました、「あなたはどこでも歩きますか？」

The old man smiled. 'Oh, no, we use horses,' he said. 「ああ、いや、私たちは馬を使う」と彼は言った。

'Horses!' I thought. 'Horses are very slow. Why don't they have cars?' なぜ彼らは車を持っていないのですか？」

But I didn't say that to the old man. しかし、私は老人にそれを言いませんでした。

I felt happy there. I stayed all day, and I ate dinner with them that evening. Then the girl and I went out into the garden. The girl's name was Mary.

'This is nice,' she said. 'We like having visitors. 「私たちは訪問者がいるのが好きです。 We do not see many people here.' ここには多くの人がいません。」

We spoke happily. She was very beautiful. But after a time, she began to talk quietly, and her face was sad.

'Why are you sad?' I asked her.

'I cannot tell you,' she said. 'You are only a visitor here. 「あなたはここの訪問者にすぎません。 We have to say goodbye tonight. You have to go now.'

I didn't understand. I loved her. I knew that. And I wanted to help her. Why did I have to go? But Mary said again in a sad voice, 'You have to go. It is dangerous here.'

So I said, 'I'll go to the next town and find some petrol. Then I'll come back.'

She didn't speak.

'I love you, Mary,' I said. 'And I'll come back to you. You won't stop me.' あなたは私を止めません。」

She said goodbye to me at the door. Her face was very sad, and I was sad, too. I didn't want to go.

It was midnight. The night was very dark, but I walked and walked. I was very tired when I saw the lights of a town. I found some petrol, and then I asked the name of the village. But the man at the garage gave me a strange look. しかし、ガレージの男は私に奇妙な表情を見せてくれました。

'What village?' he asked.

I told him about the village. I told him about the old houses and the people with strange clothes.

Again he gave me a strange look. He thought, and then he said, 'There was a village there, but it isn't there now. There are stories about it - strange stories.' それについての話があります-奇妙な話。

'What do people say about it?' 「人々はそれについて何と言いますか？」 I asked.

He didn't want to tell me, but then he said, 'There was a big fire in the village. Everybody died. There aren't any people or houses there now.'

'How did it happen?' I asked. 'And why?'

'Oliver Cromwell killed them,' he said. 「オリバー・クロムウェルは彼らを殺した」と彼は言った。 'He was angry with the villagers because they helped the king in the war.' 「彼らが戦争で王を助けたので、彼は村人たちに腹を立てました。」

I couldn't speak.

'This isn't right,' I thought. 'That war happened 350 years ago!'

Then I remembered the strange clothes, the long hair, the food over the fire, and the old houses. And I remembered, too, about the horses.

'But I don't understand,' I cried. 'I saw the people and the village. I spoke to some people there!'

The man looked quickly at me, and then he spoke.

'There's an interesting story about the village. For one day every ten years, it lives again - but only for one day. 10年ごとに1日、それは再び生きます-しかし、1日だけです。 Then it goes away again for another ten years. その後、さらに10年間再び消えます。 On that one day, you can find the village. その日、あなたは村を見つけることができます。 But you have to leave before morning, or you will never leave.' しかし、あなたは朝の前に去らなければなりません、さもなければあなたは決して去りません。

'Can this be right?' 「これは正しいですか？」 I thought. Perhaps it was. Mary said, 'You have to go.' She loved me, but she said, 'We have to say goodbye.' She was afraid for me. 'Now I understand,' I thought.

I went back to the village, but it wasn't there. I looked again and again, but I couldn't find it. I saw only flowers and trees. I heard only the sound of the birds and the wind. I was very sad. I sat down on the ground and cried.

I will never forget that day. I remember Mary, and I will always love her.

Now, I only have to wait two months. The village will conic back again. 村は再び円錐曲線になります。 On the right day, I will go back. I will find her again, my love with the long, black hair. And this time, I will not leave before morning. そして今回は朝までに出発しません。 I will stay with her.

- THE END -