The doctor said "I don't want be a king". "I should think, Doctor." said I, "you'd feel rather proud and glad. I wish I had a chance to be a king."
"Oh,I know it sounds grand." said he, pulling on his boots miserably."But the trouble is, you can't take up responsibilities and then just drop them again when you feel like it.I have my own work to do.Scarcely one moment have I had to give to natural history since I landed on this island"
質問は、But the trouble is, you can't take up responsibilities and then just drop them again when you feel like it の訳を教えてください。後、Scarcely one moment have I had to give toで haveとIは、倒置ですか?
でも、やっかいなことはね、ひとたび責任をおったらそれを気まぐれに放り出すことはできないってことだ。
「責任を負って、放り出したくなったときに再び放り出す」この一連の動作のことをまとめて「You can't=(きみは)できない、してはいけない」と断じていますね。ドリトル先生らしい。
強調のための倒置です。I have had scarecely one moment to give to~ 上陸以来、ほんの一瞬しか自然史に割けていないじゃないか!