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The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp · 1943 — 第 5 / 30 章 · 4'23" · B2

Clive Reports a Letter From Berlin, Explained：too hot for himself

A young officer brings his commander a letter from Berlin: German propaganda is accusing Britain of atrocities in South Africa, and he wants to go and confront the man spreading it. The answer is a lesson in limits — "it's not done" — because this is a job for the Embassy, not the Army.

あらすじ

A young officer reports to his commander about a letter from a governess in Berlin. German propaganda, it says, accuses British troops of killing women and children in South Africa, and the story traces back to a double agent named Kaunitz. The officer asks to go to Berlin and confront him.

Talking to the bossPersuasionExplainingSaying noBoss & employeeB2mediumbritish
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注目の表現

propagandaa facerbilletsarcastic devil

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このシーンの表現

too hot for himself

made it unbearable

The double agent made South Africa too hot for himself, so he bolted, in the officer's brisk summary.

His lies made the office too hot for himself within a month.

このシーンの他の表現

  • propaganda

    biased publicity

  • a facer

    a hard blow

  • billet

    a posting; lodgings

  • sarcastic devil

    a sarcastic rogue

  • a governess

    a live-in tutor

このシーンのメモ一覧

72 行のセリフに 27 件のメモ

表現 · B2fire away

go ahead and ask

- Thank you, sir. - Fire away.
表現 · B1cut it short

make it brief

Cut it short. You say here something about a letter.
表現 · C1an uncomfortable billet

an uneasy posting

Rather an uncomfortable billet just now.
表現 · B2spread propaganda

spread slanted claims

They're spreading propaganda all over Europe that we're killing women and children in South Africa,
文法 · B2that we're killing women and children in South Africa

appositive clause: The that clause spells out what the propaganda claims, standing in apposition to the noun.

They're spreading propaganda all over Europe that we're killing women and children in South Africa,
スラング · B1chap

fellow; guy — A casual British word for a man, informal but not rude.

The author chap. Writes the Sherlock Holmes stories in The Strand.
表現 · C1a bit of a facer

a bit of a blow A facer is a hit in the face, here a sudden hard puzzle.

A bit of a facer for poor old Watson, sir.
表現 · B1more comfortable outside than in

better off outside Ostensibly about comfort, really a polite order to leave.

I really think you'll be more comfortable outside than in."
スラング · C1Sarcastic devil

a sarcastic rogue — A half-fond label for a sharp wit, offensive to strangers.

Sarcastic devil, that fellow Holmes. I once had a CO just like him.
表現 · B1keep out of something

stay away from publicity

Bad. A good rule to keep out of the newspapers.
表現 · B1see with one's own eyes

witness personally

This girl writes that the worst stories of all are being put about by a fellow called Kaunitz, who says he saw with his own eyes British soldiers kill 250 women and children at Jordaan Siding in order to save feeding them.
文法 · B2who says he saw with his own eyes British soldiers kill

relative clause: The who clause adds detail about Kaunitz and lets the long sentence carry on.

This girl writes that the worst stories of all are being put about by a fellow called Kaunitz, who says he saw with his own eyes British soldiers kill 250 women and children at Jordaan Siding in order to save feeding them.
スラング · B2little rat

a mean sneak — An insulting slang term for a mean person, not for formal use.

- Do you know this fellow... Kaunitz? - Of course, sir. He's the most awful little rat.
表現 · B2make a place too hot for oneself

made it unbearable

The double agent made South Africa too hot for himself, so he bolted, in the officer's brisk summary.

He made South Africa too hot for himself and skipped.
発音hot for

The t in hot runs into for, almost like ho-for.

He made South Africa too hot for himself and skipped.
スラング · B2skipped

bolted — Casual, slightly disapproving for leaving quickly, not for formal writing.

He made South Africa too hot for himself and skipped.
表現 · B2confront someone

face the rat

With four weeks of leave left, the officer asks why he should not go to Berlin and confront the liar face to face.

My leave isn't up for four weeks. Why shouldn't I go to Berlin and confront this rat?
文法 · B2Why shouldn't I go

rhetorical question: Why shouldn't I is not a real question but a strong argument that he should go.

My leave isn't up for four weeks. Why shouldn't I go to Berlin and confront this rat?
表現 · B2it's not done

not the done thing

Rather than forbidding it, the commander says it's not done, which is a class-based British refusal.

First of all, it's not done. This isn't Army business, it's Embassy.
発音not done

The t in not is nearly dropped before done, so it sounds like no-done.

First of all, it's not done. This isn't Army business, it's Embassy.
表現 · B1leave something to someone

let others handle it

The commander draws the line with leave politics to the politicians, telling the officer it is not his job.

Leave politics to the politicians.
表現 · A2in order to do something

so as to

The commander reminds the officer that he was sent home in order to recuperate, so the trip is not his to make.

You were sent home in order to recuperate. Your country needs you.
発音in order to

Both in and to are reduced, with the stress on order and the verb.

You were sent home in order to recuperate. Your country needs you.
表現 · B2the next instalment

in the next part

Hearing that the officer knows Conan Doyle, the commander asks what happens in the next instalment, the case forgotten.

You didn't happen to ask him - what happens in the next instalment? - Just a moment.
文法 · B2happen to ask

happen to do: Did you happen to asks whether it came up by chance, a soft and hopeful way to ask.

You didn't happen to ask him - what happens in the next instalment? - Just a moment.
表現 · B2take my tip

take my advice

In parting, the commander tells the decorated officer to take his tip and lie low for a while.

Take my tip, my boy. You've got a damn good VC, now keep quiet for a bit, hm?
発音got there

The t in got flaps between vowels, sounding like a soft d.

It's from Mr Candy. So, the old boy got there.

「Clive Reports a Letter From Berlin」を読み解く

What's really going on

The scene is about how information becomes a weapon, and about who is allowed to fight back. The letter from Berlin describes German propaganda painting Britain as a nation that starves and shoots civilians, and the officer takes it personally: he wants to go and "confront this rat." His commander refuses on principle — "First of all, it's not done. This isn't Army business, it's Embassy" — which is both a rule and a way of keeping an eager young man where he can be controlled. The running joke about Sherlock Holmes lightens the exchange, but it also shows the culture: the officer knows Conan Doyle is documenting the war abroad, and the older man only wants to know how the serial ends. Even the closing advice, "Take my tip, my boy," frames restraint as wisdom. Later, a postcard confirms the young man went anyway.

Theme

DutyThe officer wants to act, but the job belongs to the Embassy; his duty is to rest and be ready, and personal outrage is not a role.
LiesA letter turns propaganda into a personal mission, testing whether one man can answer lies told about a whole nation.

このチャプターで学べること

  • Too hot for himself means he had to leave.
  • It's not done refuses without giving an order.
  • In order to states a formal purpose.
  • A facer is an old word for a hard blow.

発音のポイント

  • hot for — The t in hot runs into for, almost like ho-for.
  • not done — The t in not is nearly dropped before done, so it sounds like no-done.
  • in order to — Both in and to are reduced, with the stress on order and the verb.
  • got there — The t in got flaps between vowels, sounding like a soft d.
Good. Not everyone can say that. Continue.

A dry compliment from the commander: the young officer dares to say he has a friend, which in this stiff world is a small act of honesty.

He made South Africa too hot for himself and skipped.

The double agent's exit, summarised as a joke: he stirred up so much trouble that staying became impossible, so he simply left.

First of all, it's not done. This isn't Army business, it's Embassy.

The refusal rests on etiquette and jurisdiction, not on whether the mission is right: some things are simply not done, and this belongs to another department.

Take my tip, my boy. You've got a damn good VC, now keep quiet for a bit, hm?

Friendly advice that is also an instruction to stay out of trouble: the decoration is a reason to lie low, not to take on a fight alone.

It's from Mr Candy. So, the old boy got there.

A postcard confirms what the commander refused to authorise: the young officer went to Berlin anyway, on his own initiative.

このシーンについての質問

Why does the officer want to go to Berlin?

Because a letter accuses British troops of atrocities in South Africa, and he wants to face the man spreading the story. He sees the smear as his own to answer.

What does "too hot for himself" mean?

It means someone caused so much trouble that staying became impossible. The double agent made South Africa too dangerous for himself and slipped away.

Why does the commander refuse the request?

Because it is not the Army's business. He says the matter belongs to the Embassy and that politics should be left to politicians, turning a rule into a reason to wait.

What is the point of the Sherlock Holmes talk?

It shows what these men care about: the young officer knows Conan Doyle is gathering material to counter German propaganda, while the older man only wants to hear how the serial ends.

老兵は死なず · 全 30 章

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次のチャプター · 第 6 章as bad as all thatCandy Meets Edith in Berlin
第 1 章my Aunt FannyWar Starts at Midnight第 2 章not a hopeThe Home Guard Exercise Turns Real第 3 章my footGeneral Wynne-Candy Is Taken Prisoner第 4 章by heartCandy Scolds Two Young Officers再生中 · 第 5 章too hot for himselfClive Reports a Letter From Berlin第 6 章as bad as all thatCandy Meets Edith in Berlin第 7 章carry coals to NewcastleCandy and Edith Argue Politics第 8 章asked for itCandy Confronts Kaunitz in Berlin第 9 章draw lotsGerman Officers Demand a Duel第 10 章Strictly between ourselvesThe Seconds Set the Duel Rules第 11 章double or quitsEdith Visits Candy in Hospital第 12 章took part inEdith and Candy Meet Theo第 13 章keep your hair onCandy Audits the Nursing Home Bill第 14 章cuckooTheo Tries to Confess His Love第 15 章go off at half-cockCandy Toasts Edith and Theo第 16 章wonders will never ceaseClive's Aunt Interrogates Him at Home第 17 章a sure signOfficers Interrogate Ulan Prisoners第 18 章play deafThe Brigadier Interrogates Prisoners第 19 章have kittensCandy Can't Get a Train Home第 20 章up in the airThe War Ends for General Candy第 21 章fire awayBarbara Lists 50 Reasons to Marry Candy第 22 章change one's spotsCandy and Barbara See Their New House第 23 章cut the cackleTheo Calls Before Leaving England第 24 章mean businessThe Officer Questions a German Refugee第 25 章come over someoneTheo Tells Candy the Truth第 26 章written all over my faceTheo Confesses His Old Secret第 27 章a bit of an outsiderCandy's Night Drive With Angela第 28 章ill-timedCandy's Broadcast Is Cancelled第 29 章a different kettle of fishTheo's Speech About Total War第 30 章anything goesSpud Plans to Capture the Wizard
第 5 / 30 章 · 残り約 90 分