題名 † 
原題 †
- 16 Accords of Madness, v. IX
訳題 †
本文 †
原文 †
<div align="center"><font face=1><br>
<br><br>Sixteen Accords of Madness<br> Volume IX<br>
<IMG src="Book/fancy_font/v_63x62.dds" width=63 height=62>aermina's Tale<br>
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Darius Shano found himself running as fast as he could.<br>
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He had no idea what he was running from or towards, but he didn't care. The desire saturated his mind -- there was nothing in the world except flight. He looked around for landmarks, anything to place himself or to use as a target, but to no avail -- the featureless grasslands through which he was sprinting extended as far as the eye could see. "Just have to keep running", he thought to himself. "I have to run as fast as I can". On and on he ran, with no end in sight or in mind....<br>
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Standing over Darius Shano while he lay quietly in his bed were his mistress, Vaermina the Dreamweaver, and the Madgod Sheogorath. Vaernima looked down with pride at this disciple of hers, and was boastful of her little jewel.<br>
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"Such potential in this one! Through dreams of inspiration, I have nurtured literary talent into fruition, and now he stands in acclaim as an emerging bard and poet! He will gain much favor before I tire of him." Sheogorath, too, gazed at the young Breton artist and saw that he was indeed famous among the other mortals.<br>
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"Hmmm," mused Sheogorath, "but how many are there who hate this mortal whom you have built? It is the hatred of the mortals which confirms greatness, and not their love. Surely you can accomplish this as well?"<br>
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Vaernima's eyes narrowed. "Yes, the mortals are indeed often foolish and petty, and it is true that many of their most bold have been despised. Do not worry, mad one, for I have the power to achieve many forms of greatness with this one, hatred among them."<br>
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"Perhaps, Dreamweaver, it would be amusing to show who has this power? Inspire foolish, arrogant hatred of this mortal for ten years, and then I will do the same. We shall see whose talents are most efficient, free of aid or interference from any of the Daedra."<br>
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At this, she relaxed into confident pleasure. "The Madgod is indeed powerful, but this task is suited to my skills. The mortals are repulsed by madness, but rarely think it worthy of hate. I shall take pleasure in revealing this to you, as I bring the more subtle horrors out of this mortal's subconscious."<br>
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And so, in the 19th year of his life, the dreams Darius Shano had been experiencing began to change. Fear had always been part of the night for him, but now there was something else. A darkness began to creep into his slumber, a darkness that sucked away all feeling and color, leaving only emptiness behind. When this happened, he opened his mouth to scream, but found that the darkness had taken his voice as well. All he had was the terror and the void, and each night they filled him with a new understanding of death. Yet, when he woke, there was no fear, for he had faith that his Lady had a purpose.<br>
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Indeed, one night Vaernima herself emerged from the void. She leaned in close to whisper into his ear.<br>
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"Watch carefully, my beloved!" With that, she pulled the void away, and for hours each night she would reveal to Darius the most horrible perversions of nature. Men being skinned and eaten alive by other men, unimaginable beasts of many limbs and mouths, entire populations being burned -- their screams filled his every evening. In time, these visions gnawed at his soul, and his work began to take on the character of his nightmares. The images revealed to him at night were reproduced on the page, and the terrible cruelty and hollow vice that his work contained both revolted and fascinated the public. They reveled in their disgust over every detail. There were those who openly enjoyed his shocking material, and his popularity among some only fed the hatred of those who found him abhorrent. This continued for several years, while the infamy of Darius grew steadily. Then, in his 29th year, without warning, the dreams and nightmares ceased.<br>
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Darius felt a weight lifted, as he no longer endured the nightly tortures, but was confused. "What have I done to displease my Mistress?", he wondered aloud. "Why has she abandoned me?" Vaernima never answered his prayers. No one ever answered, and the restless dreams faded away to leave Darius in long, deep sleeps.<br>
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Interest in the works of Darius Shano waned. His prose became stale and his ideas failed to provoke the shock and outrage they once had. As the memory of his notoriety and of his terrible dreams faded, the questions that raced in his mind eventually produced resentment against Vaernima, his former mistress. Resentment grew into hatred, from hatred came ridicule, and over time ridicule became disbelief. Slowly it became obvious -- Vaernima had never spoken to him at all; his dreams were simply the product of a sick mind that had righted itself. He had been deceived by his own subconscious, and the anger and shame overwhelmed him. The man who once conversed with a deity drifted steadily into heresy.<br>
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In time, all of the bitterness, doubt, and sacrilege focused in Darius a creative philosophy that was threaded throughout all of his subsequent work. He challenged the Gods themselves, as well as the infantile public and corrupt state for worshiping them. He mocked them all with perverse caricatures, sparing no one and giving no quarter. He challenged the Gods in public to strike him down if they existed, and ridiculed them when no such comeuppance was delivered. To all of this, the people reacted with outrage far greater than they had shown his previous work. His early career had offended only sensibilities, but now he was striking directly at the heart of the people.<br>
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His body of work grew in size and intensity. Temples, nobles, and commoners were all targets of his scorn. Finally, at age 39, Darius wrote a piece entitled "The Noblest Fool," ridiculing The Emperor God Tiber Septim for integrating into the pathetic Nine Divines cult. The local King of Daenia, who had been humiliated by this upstart in the past, saw his chance -- for his sacrilege against the Empire, Darius Shano was executed, with a ceremonial blade, in front of a cheering crowd of hundreds. His last, bitter words were gurgled through a mouthful of his own blood.<br>
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20 years after their wager was first placed, Vaernima and Sheogorath met over Darius Shano's headless corpse. The Dreamweaver had been eager for this meeting; she had been waiting for years to confront the Daedric Prince over his lack of action.<br>
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"I have been deceived by you, Sheogorath! I performed my half of the bargain, but during your ten years you never contacted the mortal once. He owes none of his greatness to you or your talents or your influence!"<br>
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"Nonsense," croaked the Madgod. "I was with him all along! When your time ended and mine began, your whispers in his ear were replaced with silence. I severed his link to that from which he found the most comfort and meaning, and withheld the very attention the creature so desperately craved. Without his mistress, this man's character could ripen under resentment and hatred. Now his bitterness is total and, overcome by a madness fueled by his rage, he feeds me in my realm as an eternal servant."<br>
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Sheogorath turned and spoke to the empty space by his side.<br>
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"Indeed; Darius Shano was a glorious mortal. Despised by his own people, his kings, and even by the Gods he mocked. For my success, I shall accept three-score followers of Vaernima into my service. And the dreamers will awaken as madmen."<br>
<br>
And thus did Sheogorath teach Vaernima that without madness, there are no dreams, and no creation. Vaernima will never forget this lesson.<br>
<br>
訳文 †
【訳文記述エリア】
<div align="center"><font face=1><br>
<br><br>Sixteen Accords of Madness<br> Volume IX<br>
<IMG src="Book/fancy_font/v_63x62.dds" width=63 height=62>aermina's Tale<br>
<div align="left"><br>
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Darius Shanoが気づいた時、彼はすでに走っていた。あらん限りの全速力であった。<br>
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自分は何から逃げているのか？どこへ向かっているのか？何も分からなかった。だが彼にとってそんな事はどうでも良かったのだ。思考はただ一点、逃げおおせる事だけに集中していた。周囲を見回しても目印や居場所、目的地になるような物はいっさい存在しない。ただのっぺりとした草原が見渡す限りに広がるばかりで、その中を彼は駆けていた。『走り続けなければ。』彼は内心で呟いた。『少しだって足の動きを緩めてはならないのだ。』…しかし、進めども進めども終わりが見える気配は全く無い。きりが無いという点では彼の強迫観念もまた同様であった。<br>
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同じ頃、ベッドに静かに横たわるDarius Shanoを見下ろす者がいた。一人は彼の主君たる女王こと夢紡ぎのVaermina。もう一人は狂神Sheogorathである。Vaerminaは自身の崇拝者を誇らしげに見つめた。その様子はまるで自慢の宝石を見せびらかしているかのようであった。<br>
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『何という素晴らしい潜在力をこの子は秘めているのかしら！刺激的な夢を紡ぐたび、彼の文学の才能は磨かれてきたわ。結果だって出してきた。今では新進気鋭の詩人にして歌い手、と喝采を浴びているのよ。私の飽きが来るまでにはきっと、ずいぶんと名を上げる事でしょうね。』Sheogorathもまたこの若きBretonの芸術家を凝視したが、確かに彼は他の人々の間でも名高い男なのだという事が見てとれた。<br>
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『ふむ。』物思いに耽りながらSheogorathは続けた。『お前さんの仕立て上げたこの人間だが、こやつを嫌う者はどれほどいる？人の真価を裏打ちするのは憎悪なのだよ。愛などではない。今までは上手くやれてきたようだが、お前さんにこれが出来るかな？』<br>
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Vaerminaは目を細めた。『当然のことよ。ときに人間は愚劣で卑小なもの。多くの勇者が蔑まれてきたこともまた事実だわ。心配無用よ、気狂い男さん。私が手を掛けてやればこの子は多くの偉業を達成できるわ。憎悪を掻き立てる事だって例外ではないの。』<br>
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『どうだ？夢紡ぎよ。我々のうちどちらにそうさせる力が備わっているか試すのは面白い見物になりそうじゃないか？まずお前さんが10年間かけてこの人間の心に愚劣で不遜な憎悪を抱かせるように仕向ける。その後わしも同様の事をする。それで、誰の手際が一番良いのかはっきりする。Daedraを遣わせて救いの手を差し伸べたり邪魔立てするのは無しだ。』<br>
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そう聞いて、彼女は余裕たっぷりに『狂神の力は確かに強大ですわ。けれどもこの競争ならば私も能力を発揮できる。人間は狂気に侵され打ちのめされはしても、狂気を憎悪の対象にする事など滅多にないもの。あなたの目の前でそれを証明できるのが楽しみだわ。この子の潜在意識の中からより巧妙に憎悪を引き出してみせる。』と言った<br>
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かくして、Darius Shanoの見る夢は19才の頃から変化しはじめた。彼にとって夜はいつも恐怖であったが、そこに何か違うものが混じってくるようになったのだ。闇が、じわじわと眠りの世界を侵食しはじめた。感情も色彩も黒一色に塗りつぶされ、後には空虚しか残らなくなった。叫びを上げようと口を開いても、声は暗黒に吸い込まれてるばかり。彼の精神は毎夜の恐怖と虚無とで満たされ、それは死というものへの新たな理解をもたらした。とはいえ、目が覚めている間は少しも恐怖は感じなかったため、きっとこの仕打ちも主に何かお考えがあっての事なのだろうと信じ続けたのである。<br>
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実際、ある夜Vaerminaは虚空から現れ、彼の耳元でこう囁いた。<br>
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『注意深く観察するのです。わが愛し子よ。』彼女が現れると虚空は過ぎ去った。その後彼女のした事は、毎夜何時間にも渡ってDariusに身の毛もよだつような反自然的・背徳的な光景を見せつける事であった。人々は皮を剥がされ、生きたままで共食いし合い、無数の足と口を持った普通では想像もつかないような怪物が跋扈した。集落全てが炎に包まれ、苦悶の叫び声が毎夜耳から離れなかった。夢の中の光景は次第に彼の魂を追い詰めるようになり、彼の作品もまた悪夢じみた性格を帯びるようになり始めた。夜、彼の目の前で繰り広げられる光景が作品のページの中で再現されたのだ。大衆は彼の作品における極度の残虐描写・虚無的な悪徳といったものを嫌悪したが、また同時に魅了されもした。おぞましい表現の細部一つ一つに大衆は狂喜したのだ。彼の作品における衝撃的な題材を大っぴらに楽しむ者もいたが、それを嫌う者にとって彼の人気は全く気に入らない事であった。このような状態が数年間続き、Dariusは着々と悪名を上げていった。そして29才の時のこと、これまでの夢や悪夢は何の前触れもなく、ぷつりと途絶えてしまった。<br>
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Dariusにとっては重荷を下ろしたような感覚であった。何せこれ以上苦痛を耐える夜を過ごさなくて良いのだ。しかし戸惑いもした。『自分は何か、主のお気に召さない事をしてしまったのだろうか？』彼は思わず疑問を口に出して言った。『どうして彼女は僕を見捨ててしまったのだろう？』Vaernimaが信奉者の問いに応じる事は決して無かった。誰も答えを教えてくれなかった。不安な夢はDariusを長く深い眠りの中に独り残したまま、どこかへ過ぎ去ってしまった。<br>
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Dariusの作品に対する興味は薄れていった。彼の散文はどこか気が抜けたようになった。かつて読者に衝撃や激怒を惹き起こしたようなアイデアも生まれなくなった。かつての悪名と恐ろしい悪夢とが消え行くにつれ、抱き始めていた疑問の数々は次第に以前仕えた女主人、Vaernimaに対する敵意となった。敵意はやがて嫌悪へと変質し、嫌悪は愚弄へと、愚弄は不信へと変わった。そして、徐々にこう確信するようになった。つまり、これまでもVaernimaが自分に語り掛けた事など無かった、自分の見ていた夢は単に病める精神の産物であり神とは無関係なのだ、という具合である。自分は自分自身の無意識にまで欺かれていたと考え、彼の心は怒りと羞恥とで一杯になった。かつて神と会話を交わした男は、着々と異端者への道を歩み始めた。<br>
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そうこうするうちに、敵意・疑念・神への冒涜といったもの全てに焦点を当てる事が後続作品におけるDariusの創作哲学に織り込まれるようになった。彼は愚かな大衆を相手にするばかりか神々にまで挑戦状を叩きつけ、信仰を腐した。悪意に満ちた風刺で神々を嘲り笑った。どの神も例外ではなく、決して容赦しなかった。公衆の面前で神を罵倒して、本当に存在するのならば罰を与えてみよと挑発した。実際に神罰が下る事がないと分かると、更にからかった。ここに来て人々の激怒は過去の作品が巻き起こしたのとは比較にならないほど苛烈さを増した。彼の初期作品はただ感情的に攻撃対象とされただけであったが、今や彼の作品は、大衆心理の奥深くに突き刺さるものとなりおおせたのだ。<br>
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彼の作品はますます分厚くなり、内容も強烈さを増した。寺院も貴族も民衆もすべて彼の嘲りの対象となった。39才の時、Dariusは『The Noblest Fool（最も高貴な愚か者）』と題した作品を発表したが、その中で皇帝を惨めなNine Divine教団と結びつけた事で、ついに神帝Tiber Septimまでも標的にするという暴挙に出た。そして、かつてこの成り上がり者に恥をかかされたDaeniaの王は、これ幸いと帝国への冒涜のかどでDarius Shanoを検挙したのである。結局、彼は何百人もの群集の喝采の面前で、儀式用の剣の露と消えたのである。最期の言葉は口いっぱいに満たされた血のせいでよく聞き取れず、ゴボゴボと喉を鳴らすような苦悶の声が聞こえるばかりであった。<br>
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20 years after their wager（賭け） was first placed, Vaernima and Sheogorath met over Darius Shano's headless corpse. The Dreamweaver had been eager for（〜を熱望する） this meeting; she had been waiting for years to confront the Daedric Prince over his lack of（〜の欠如） action.<br>
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"I have been deceived（だまされた） by you, Sheogorath! I performed my half of the bargain（契約、交渉、駆け引き、取引）, but during your ten years you never contacted the mortal once. He owes（〜に借りがある、〜返すべき義務を負っている） none of his greatness to you or your talents or your influence!"<br>
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"Nonsense," croaked（しわがれた声で話す） the Madgod. "I was with him all along! When your time ended and mine began, your whispers in his ear were replaced with silence. I severed（〜を切断する、隔てる） his link to that from which he found the most comfort and meaning, and withheld（名前を伏せて） the very attention the creature so desperately（必死になって） craved（懇願する、強く望む）. Without his mistress, this man's character could ripen（成熟する） under resentment（怒り、憤慨、憤り） and hatred. Now his bitterness（苦痛） is total（完全な） and, overcome（克服する） by a madness fueled by his rage, he feeds me in my realm as an eternal servant."<br>
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Sheogorath turned and spoke to the empty space by his side.<br>
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"Indeed; Darius Shano was a glorious mortal. Despised（軽蔑される） by his own people, his kings, and even by the Gods he mocked. For my success, I shall accept three-score（60の？？） followers（信奉者） of Vaernima into my service（雇用？）. And the dreamers will awaken as madmen."<br>
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And thus did Sheogorath teach Vaernima that without madness, there are no dreams, and no creation. Vaernima will never forget this lesson（実践的な知恵、授業、教え、貴重な経験）.<br>
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