batman

"batman " と言う単語は映画やコミックのバットマンを連想させますが、The Remains of the Dayに出てきた "batman " の意味は何でしょう。
I could not help inquiring then how many staff were employed there, and I supposed I was hardly surprised to be told there was only himself and a cook who came in each evening. He was, it seemed, butler, valet, chauffeur and general cleaner. He had been the Colonel's batman in the war, he explained: they had been in Belgium together when the Germans had invaded and they had been together again for the Allied landing
"Colonel's batman" となっているので、Colonelの部下だとは思いますが、何か部下にも特別な区別があるのでしょうか辞書で確認します。.
・Cambridge Dictionaries Online: the personal servant of an officer especially in the British armed forces
・Oxford English Dictionary: (in the British armed forces) an officer’s personal servant
Origin: mid 18th century (originally denoting an orderly in charge of the bat horse ‘packhorse’ which carried the officer's baggage): from Old French bat (from medieval Latin bastum 'packsaddle' + MAN
コミックで活躍するバットマンのイメージとは大分異なりますね。
Macmillan Dictionaryには次ぎの様な面白い "batman " の用例が載っていました。
humorous: "good thinking, Batman!": used for telling someone that their idea is good
From Batman and Robin, a U.S. cartoon strip in which the characters fight against crime. Robin often says this when Batman suggests a good plan.