メシャム

解説

付記

若者がいた。 この悲しい話は聞いたことがあるかもしれない。 彼は「このパイプを飴色に染めてみせる」と誓い、 海泡石（ミーシャム）のパイプを買った。 彼は世間から身を閉ざし、 昼も夜も煙を吸い込み続けた。 犬はうめき声を上げて死に、 庭は雑草に覆われ、 屋根にはフクロウが止まった。 やがて近所の人々はこう言った。 「あいつは遠くへ行って、もう戻らない」 だが扉を打ち壊してみると―― 彼は死んでいた。 パイプを口にくわえたまま、 顔も手足も褐色に染まって。 パイプは真っ白で美しかった。 だが染まったのは、彼自身だった。 教訓を歌う必要はあるまい。 明らかだ―― 「自分も“賭け”をする者に、何かを賭けてはならぬ」。 ―― マーティン・ブルストロード

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Original

(Literally, seafoam, and by many erroneously supposed to be made of it.) A fine white clay, which for convenience in coloring it brown is made into tobacco pipes and smoked by the workmen engaged in that industry. The purpose of coloring it has not been disclosed by the manufacturers.

Additional notes

There was a youth (you've heard before, This woeful tale, may be), Who bought a meerschaum pipe and swore That color it would he! He shut himself from the world away, Nor any soul he saw. He smoked by night, he smoked by day, As hard as he could draw. His dog died moaning in the wrath Of winds that blew aloof; The weeds were in the gravel path, The owl was on the roof. He's gone afar, he'll come no more, The neighbors sadly say. And so they batter in the door To take his goods away. Dead, pipe in mouth, the youngster lay, Nut-brown in face and limb. That pipe's a lovely white, they say, But it has colored him! The moral there's small need to sing— Tis plain as day to you: Don't play your game on any thing That is a gamester too. Martin Bulstrode