Fortleben

Snowscapetranslated from the Japanese

by Makino Shin'ichi 牧野信一, 1927.
English by keikaku.

The workMakino Shin'ichi's short story Snowscape, first published in 1927.
Languages
AppendixHow keikaku read the book: the analysis it wrote before drafting, which helped steer the translation.

一I

Taki had been thinking of nothing but his creative work, his novel, until it turned oppressive, so he took up his sketch box and went out for a walk — down the stone steps and wavering on down toward the pine wood near the sea. More mindful of passersby than of the view, he left the path and, bending low, hid himself in a thicket of dwarf pines that caught at his head. Then, coming to the broken edge of the hill, he sat cross-legged among the evening primroses. Far off on the sand that shone grey, four or five things like cloths toyed with by the wind were turning in slow circles, and wondering what they could be, he looked up and saw they were the shadows of gulls wheeling low in great rings.

滝は、あまり創作（小説）のことばかり想つてゐるのが重苦しくなつたのでスケツチ箱をさげて散歩に出かけた。――石段を降つて、又ひよろよろと降つて行く海辺へ近い松林の中途であつた。彼は、風景よりも人通りを気にして小径を出はずれると頭につかえる松の矮林の中へ腰をかゞめて姿を没した。そして、丘の切れ端に来て月見草の間に胡坐をした。遥かの距離だが、灰色に光つてゐる砂地に風にもてあそばれてゐる風呂敷のやうなものが四つも五つも切りに堂々廻りをしてゐるので、何だらうと思つて見あげると低く大輪を描いて舞つてゐる鴎達の影であつた。

On the hot evening of the second, having finished his board of the distant sea, Taki was trailing blankly home when near the foot of the stone steps he met his wife, who seemed to have been wandering about looking for him.

暑い二日日の夕方、遠見の海のスケツチ板を仕上げて、だが滝は、たゞボーツとしてぶらぶら帰つて来ると石段の下あたりで彼の行衛を探してゞもゐたらしくうろうろしてゐる細君に出遇つた。

"Have you just got here? Have you come to visit?"

「今来たところなの？　遊びに来たの？」

"I've come to watch them catch the scarlet carp, but they say they just can't catch them!"

「鯡鯉をつかまへるのを見に来たのよ、だけど、どうしてもつかまらないんだつて！」

"Again... You had better give it up. In the first place, even if you moved them to a pond like that, they would make no show, they would only stink miserably."

「また……止めた方が好いんだがな。第一あんな泉水へ持つて行つたつて何の見栄えがするわけぢやなし、無惨に鼻を衝くばかりだらうがな――」

"But wasn't it dug on purpose for them? They say it is small but quite deep, so it will be all right!"

「だつて、その為にわざわざ掘つたんぢやないの、小さいけれど割合に深いから大丈夫なんだつて！」

"They say that hole was dug because they needed the earth somewhere and had no choice — there seem to be a few goldfish and cheap carp in it, but I think that is just about right."

「あれは何処かに土が入用で寄んどころなく掘つた穴だつて話だぜ。――金魚や駄鯉が少しばかり入つてゐるらしいが、あれで丁度好いと思ふがね。」

"But it's no use leaving them here, is it? If somebody was going to live here that would be one thing, but they're going to clear it all away and before long some warehouse or other is going to be built here, isn't that the story — or have you got some idea of your own?"

「だつて此処に置いたつて仕様がないぢやないの、誰かゞ此処に住むんなら未だしもだけれど、すつかり取り払ひになつてやがて此処には何処とかの倉庫が建つんだつて話ぢやないの――それともあなたに何か考へでもあるの？」

"No —" Taki laughed.

「ないね――」と滝は嗤つた。

"If you haven't, then keep quiet, do. It's strange, you're oddly cold about anything that's just there —"

「ないんなら黙つてゐらつしやいよ、変ね、何でもそこにあるものゝことには妙に冷たさうに――」

"…"

「…………」

"Here too —" she said, looking up at the house showing through the mandarin trees, amused for no reason in particular. "They say at last it's going to be cleared away before long. You must feel flat. It won't fetch a single mon!"

「こゝも――」と彼女は蜜柑の樹がくれになつてゐるそこの家を見あげながら、何といふこともなしに可笑しさうに云つた。「これでいよいよ近いうちに片づくらしいけれどあなたはつまらないでせう、一文にもならないんぢや！」

"There are hardly any memories in this house, for me —" That was the sort of thing Taki said.

「思ひ出は、あまり、無い家だからな、これは――」滝はそんなことを云つた。

"But still, this makes a clean break for you. At last it's over, isn't it?"

「でも、もう、これであなたはさつぱりでせう、いよいよお終ひね。」

"I suppose so —"

「さうだらうね――」

"So the scarlet carp are what's left!" she murmured as if to herself. "Even if you thought of grilling them, there's not a single pot in this house — and yet don't you feel the least bit sentimental, about the carp, for instance?"

「鯡鯉が残つたわけか！」と彼女は独語らしく呟いた。「焼けないと思へば此処の家には道具はなんにもないし――それでもあなたいくらかセンチメンタルな気分がしやしないこと、例へば鯉のことなんかに就いてさ。」

"For some reason —" Taki said with an earnest, composed air. "I feel nothing, so little that I worry even myself —"

「どういふわけか――」と滝は生真面目らしく沈着な態度でうなつた。「何の感じもない、吾ながら不安を覚える程――」

"That must be because you're getting into your own work bit by bit. Splendid."

「自分の仕事にだんだん身が入つて来るからでせう、結構だわ。」

"Mm."

「うむ。」

"You don't grumble the way you used to lately — Mother said that reassures her more than anything, she was delighted."

「一ト頃のやうに、此頃はあなたが愚痴を滾さないので――お母さんもそれが何より安心だと云つて悦んでゐたわよ。」

"Delighted!"

「悦んでゐる！」

It's all very well to set her mind at rest, but even in front of Mother, though nobody really believes a word of it anyway, to come out with such hollow things... it's embarrassing, for us! No ordinary hollowness, but something wildly off the scale, like a dream, something outrageous...

「安心させるのは結構だけれど、いくらお母さんの前だつて、どうせ誰もほんたうにしやあしないけれどさ、あんまり空々しいことを云ふのは……どうも恐縮の態だわ、あたし達！　なみの空々しさぢやない、大変なケタ外れの夢見たいな途方もないこと……」

What I said, I don't know, I've forgotten! But I've told no lies—

「どんなことを云つたか知ら、忘れた！　だけど僕は何も嘘は――」

You don't know the words that make a listener feel solemn. When it comes to saying something to comfort other people, you come out with something wildly grand— but well, anything is better, I suppose, than grumbling and sulking!

「聴手の心を神妙にさせるやうな言葉は、あなたは知らないのね。いざ他人を慰めるやうなことを云ふ段になると、飛んでもない大きなことを――でもまア好いツてさ、愚痴やふくれ顔よりは！」

Was she so eloquent whenever they met because they lived in separate houses? Or was it some kind of irony? Taki wondered.

別々の家に住んでゐるので遇ふと斯んなに彼女は能弁になるのかしら？　それとも何かの皮肉かしら？　などと滝は思つた。

That doesn't matter at all. More to the point, is your work coming along? You seem very hard at it.

「そんなこと如何でも好いのよ。それより勉強は出来て？　随分熱心らしいわね。」

"About half—" he blurted out, as if with nothing to weigh on him— He had of late been absorbed in the conception of a wholly fanciful story. he thought he could dash it off in one burst! at any time, half or nothing. No, writing itself gave him no concern. At times he was even dazzled into oppressiveness by too unbridled imaginings, but to take up his pen and turn it into prose, just as when exchanging words with other people, with clumsy phrasing going the long way round, fell short of his fine inspiration.

「半分位ひ――」と彼は何の顧慮もなさげに云ひ放つた。――彼は、この頃全くの架空的な物語の構想に没頭してゐた。ペンを執りさへすれば半分も何もない何時からでも一気呵勢に書き綴れると思つてゐた。いや、書くことなどは懸念もしなかつた。どうかするとあまりに放縦な想ひに眩惑されて重苦しくなることさへあつたが、ペンを執つて散文化してしまふことが、丁度他人ひとと言葉を交へる時と同じやうに稚拙な文章が廻りくどかつたりして折角の感興にそぐはなかつた。

When that's done, will we really go on the trip?

「それが済んだらほんたうに旅行に行く？」

Go if you like.

「行つても好い。」

"Go if you like"! It was you who brought it up first, long ago.

「行つても好い――ツて！　あなたから先に云ひ出したことぢやないのよ、もう先から。」

So we'll go. I want to go.

「だから行くよ。行きたいんだよ。」

Getting the words across wrong like that, against his own intention, was one of his habits.

意志と反対にそんな風に言葉のうけ渡しを間違へるのも彼の癖であつた。

"What I think doesn't count, does it, or else as usual we'll end up not going."

「あたしが考へた処で関はないのね、でなければいつもの通り行かないことになつてしまふでせう。」

"Not this time, surely —. You do the thinking. I don't know anywhere, so anywhere is bound to feel new and amusing. We might as well go meaning to settle."

「まさか、今度は――。考へてお置きよ、何処も僕は知らないんだから何処だつて珍らしくて面白いに違ひない。住むつもりでも好い。」

"Talk of settling sounds oppressive. Anyway, we'll have to find a rented house, some time. Tokyo again?"

「住むつもりは重ツ苦しいわね。それはさうと貸家も探さなければならないわね、そのうちに。また東京にする？」

"Tokyo would be good."

「東京が好いね。」

"Mother says she doesn't mind joining us any time, but if you come there there'll be no study, will there?"

「お母さんは何時一所になつても関はないと云つてゐるわよ、だけど彼処にあなたが来るとなると書斎がないでせう。」

"As for having no study, I've got used to that from my Tokyo life till now."

「書斎がないことは今迄の東京生活で慣れてしまつたけれど。」

Talking this over as they came round into the garden, they found two workmen settled on the veranda, stripped bare with their headbands knotted to the front. Wiping sweat and drinking tea, the two were lamenting that the carp simply could not be caught. Looking down at the reddish brown water, A folded his arms: "It clouds straight up like this—"

そんなことを話し合ひながら彼等が庭へ廻つて来ると、二人の鳶職が向ふ鉢巻の裸体で縁側に腰を降してゐた。二人は汗を拭ひ茶をのみながら如何しても鯉がつかまらないことを嘆じてゐた。赧土色の水を見降して、直ぐに斯う濁つてしまやアがるんでね――などとＡが腕をこまねくと、

"It's no use, they're good and spooked now. The moment we put one foot in, they start thrashing first and cloud it all up!" B said, frowning.

「駄目だ、すつかりおぢけがついてしまやアがつてもう此方が一ト足入れると、キヤツ等の方で先に暴れて濁してしまふんだもの！」とＢが眉をひそめた。

"At this rate it won't clear back to what it was till the day after tomorrow or so."

「これぢや、またあさつてにでもならなけれア元通りにあ澄むめえよ。」

"Shall we just go at them blind, one more push!"

「盲滅法にやつつけて見るか、もう一ト息！」

"Once it's like this, aim or nothing, there's nothing to go by."

「どうせ斯うなれあ見当も何もあつたもんぢやねえからなあ。」

"I went and tumbled right into the trap — hot, ain't it! My arse is grazed raw all over! The water's going to soak in, isn't it?"

「手前え（註、一人称也）が、追ひ込みの中へ、ツツぺえちやツたんだから熱アねえや、けつツぺたあ、どうでせ厭ツてえほどひツつりむいちやツたあエ！　水がしみやあがるだんべえなあ？」

"It's a stranger job than you'd think, this is. Damn silly and it works you to the bone. My head's gone muzzy with it!"

「思えの他これあアてえ変な仕事だぜえ、間抜け臭くつて骨を折らせること酷えや、俺ア頭も何もガーンとしちやツたあエ！」

"Looks like we'll have to go and fetch a tradesman. If we just catch at them blind we'll kill them, and then there'll be nothing left for it!"

「商売人を呼んで来なけれア駄目らしいな、無闇にフンづかめえれア好いで殺してしまつたひにあ片なしだからなあ！」

A's was a splendid tattoo, a fine dragon striking a pose across his whole back, with terrible wheeling clouds spreading their wings to the tips of both arms. B's, for some reason, looked to have been left off before it was finished, only the outline of a hannya mask traced, about eight-tenths finished, on the bare skin. Taki had sometimes thought of asking B why he had stopped at that, but it felt somehow wrong, and he had held back.

Ａのは見事な竜が背中一杯に見得を切り物凄い巻雲が両腕の先きまで翼を伸してゐる素晴しいほりものだが、Ｂのは何故か仕上げまでに至らないうちに中止したものらしく素地の皮膚に般若の面の輪廓だけが八分通り型どられてゐた。滝はいつかＢに何故それだけで中止したのかといふ理由を訊ねて見ようかと思つたが、何となく悪い気がして控えてしまつたことなどもあつた。

  • a fine dragon striking a pose across his whole back, with terrible wheeling clouds spreading their wings to the tips of both arms: A full-back dragon with clouds is a classic large tattoo design; a hannya is the horned demon-woman mask from No theatre, another traditional tattoo subject. The story shows one finished and one left as outline only.
  • only the outline of a hannya mask traced, about eight-tenths finished, on the bare skin: Only the outline of the demon-mask is inked, about eight-tenths drawn, on bare skin. The text gives no reason for stopping.

As he walked straight through to the inner room and opened the lid of his sketch box, the men's shrill talk came sharply to Taki's ears. Catch! Catch! — their words took his interest, and he thought, so there are tradesmen who make a trade of catching fish, then? Only later did he realise this had meant the goldfish man.

二人の干高い会話が、素通りをして奥の部屋でスケツチ箱の蓋をあけてゐた滝の耳へ鮮やかに聞えるのであつた。つかまへる！　つかまへる！　――そんな彼等の言葉に関心を持たされた彼は何か、さうしたところで魚などをつかまへる専門の商売人があるんだな？　などゝ思つた、後になつてそれは金魚屋の意味であつたことに気づいたけれど――。

"Is that what you've been painting?"

「それ、描いて来たの？」

"Mm."

「うむ。」

Then his wife said, in the most straightforward tone, "It's not finished yet, is it."

さうすると細君は至極素直な調子で、

「未だ仕上らないんでせう。」と云つた。

Taki blinked for a moment, unnaturally, then said with forced decisiveness, "No, this is finished as it stands."

滝は、一寸と不自然に眼蓋をしばたゝいたが、努めて独断的に、

「いや、これでもう完成なんだ。」

So saying, arms folded, he leaned his upper body back and stared hard at the picture with faint eyes.

さう云つて、腕組みをした上体を反らせながら凝つと微かな眼で画面を瞶めてゐた。

"So?" she seemed to murmur without meaning to. And then, "Somehow it looks like a snowscape, though it's midsummer—" she said critically.

「それで？」と彼女は思はず呟いたらしかつた。そして、

「何だか、雪景色みたいだわね。真夏だといふのに――」と難じた。

"…"

「…………」

Taki flushed suddenly and muttered something under his breath. For the first time his wife wondered if she had said something wrong.

滝は、急に顔色を上気させて、何か口のうちで呟いた。細君は、悪るかつたのかしら？　と始めて気附いた。

It had lately become rare for Taki to mind what others said. — As if waking with his nerves strangely warped, he was seized by an unpleasant cold. His own eyes were an owl's eyes in daylight! He fell into such self-mockery. Drunk only on vague reveries, how much sorrow must his very existence be giving to the hearts of those around him, he ran even to such feeble, plausible worries. And the realistic novels he had written until now, and the buoyant and foolish way he had conducted himself in this world, all of it turned into a clumsy, mistake-ridden 'snowscape', and then at once a terrifying blizzard rose, and closing his eyes and bending low he had no choice but to flee headlong into the white wilderness, able to see nothing....

滝は他人ひとの言葉が気になつたのは近頃珍らしかつた。――彼は、何といふこともなしに歪んだ神経に目醒めたかのやうに、不快な寒さに襲はれてしまつた。己れの眼が、明るみにある梟の眼である！　そんな自嘲に陥つた。茫漠たる想ひにばかり酔つてゐる己れの存在が周囲の者の内心に如何どんな悲しみを与へてゐることだらう――そんな弱々しく尤もらしい屈托などにまで走つた。また、これまで自分が書いて来た現実風の小説も、そして己れが実に浮々と愚かな態度でこの世に処して来たこと――それらが悉く拙劣な間違ひだらけな「雪景色」になつて、すると忽ち怖ろしい吹雪が起り、彼は目を瞑ぢ胸を伏せて、一散に白皚々の曠野に逃げ出さなければ居られなかつた、何にも見えない……。

"Ah..." Before he could even utter a groan, great sinful flakes of snow as large as peony petals came thickly down and in a moment buried his whole body.

「あ……」と、うめき声を発する間もなく、見る間に牡丹の花弁程の大輪の罪深い雪屑がこんこんと五体を埋めてしまふのであつた。

"What's the matter?"

「どうしたの？」

"…"

「…………」

"Eh?"

「え？」

"I'm not angry. — The country is all very well, but at dusk it is unbearably lonely! It's horribly hot and close. I wonder if I should go and lend a hand with that or something—" he said, forcing a wry smile.

「おこつたんぢやないよ。――どうも田舎も好いが夕暮時は寂しくつて仕様がない！　厭に蒸暑いなア、あれでも手伝つて見ようかしら――」彼は、事更に苦笑した。

"Stop it — you're strange."

「お止しなさいよ、――変だわ。」

"Something bumped into my leg!"

「ヤツ、脚にぶつかりアがつた！」

"Whoa! Deep, deep here."

「おゝツ！　深え深え。」

In the muddy water of the dusk, the sight of the two tattooed men raging about like madmen struck Taki as eerie.

薄暮の泥水の中で二人の倶利加羅紋々が狂気の如く打ち騒いでゐる光景が、滝の眼に不気味に映じた。

二II

That day too they kept up their noise in the pond until dusk, but it was failure again. Clicking their tongues in vexation, they withdrew to the caretaking old couple's sitting room and, with no thought of going back to their own homes, began to drink.

その日も彼等は日の暮れ合ひまで池の中で騒ぎ廻つてゐたが、また失敗だつた。彼等はこも〴〵無念の舌を鳴らしながら留守居の老夫婦の居間へ引きあげると吾家には戻らうともしないで酒盛りを始めた。

Taki lay face up in the middle of the empty, bare room, gazing at the ceiling. By day, if only the weather was fair, he went to the sea and did nothing but swim. He never tired of giving himself up to groundless, verse-like reveries, but with thoughts of money coming to mind he muttered that he might soon make a start on his work.

滝は、ガランとした座敷の真ン中に上向ふに寝転んで天井を眺めてゐた。昼間は天気でさへあれば海へばかり通つて游泳に余念がなかつた。……何といふこともなしに架空に韻文的な想ひに耽つてゐるのはいつまでも飽きなかつたが、金のことなどに気づいて、ぼつぼつ仕事に取り掛らうかなどゝ呟いた。

"In one burst!"

「一気呵勢！」

It had become like a pet phrase with him, and with the thought he easily turned optimistic, allowed himself a little more leisure, and sank deeper into the 'dream'.

それが口癖のやうになつてゐた、さう思つては彼は他易く楽天的になつて、更に余裕をつくつて「夢」の方へ没頭して来た。

And he, growing drowsy, showed no sign of readily withdrawing to his own room. The room Taki had fixed upon as his study had, for some reason, never been wired for electric light. An extension left half begun and abandoned these four or five years, it had, one gathered, been meant perhaps for a Buddhist altar room. To recover his long reversed day and night, he had rather welcomed this and had left that room alone without the electric light that could easily have been wired in. And only in the daytime, and then very rarely, for he was unused to it, on cloudy days when he could not go to the sea, did he sit at his desk. When night came on, half out of eccentricity, he would read by the light of an oil lamp or a candlestand, or give himself to musings truly foolish as a 'snowscape.'

そして彼は、うとうととしながら容易に自分の部屋へ引き取らうとはしなかつた。滝が書斎に定めてゐる部屋には、どうしたわけか電灯が引いてなかつた。増築が出来かゝつた儘で四五年来も投げ放しになつてゐたのだが、察するところ其処は仏間にでもする思案があつたらしかつた。彼は永い間の昼夜の転換を取り戻すために、反つてそれを幸ひにして直ぐに引き込めるであらう電灯を其処だけは点さなかつた。そして昼間だけを、慣れないので極く稀であつたが海へも行かれない曇り日などに机に向つてゐた。夜にかゝる場合があると、半ば物数奇から行灯や燭台の光りを頼りにして読書をしたり、それこそ真に愚かな「雪景色」のやうな物思ひに耽つたりした。

  • been meant perhaps for a Buddhist altar room: The guess is that the half-built extension was meant as a room holding the household Buddhist altar. Left unfinished for years, it has no electric light wired in.

"What shall we do about dinner?"

「御飯どうする？」

"Here will do. Order something?"

「此処で好いよ、何かおとりな？」

"It has grown dark, so walk me as far as town while you see me off. For once I want to eat somewhere else. And I have a little money on me today."

「日が暮れてしまつたからあたしを送りながら街まで行かないこと、稀には他所で何か喰べたいわ。それにお金ならあたしが今日少し位ひ持つてゐるわよ。」

Hearing that, Taki agreed on the spot. His wife, with the revelry next door growing livelier by the minute, all for trying other means next carp day and making a quick catch before the water clouded, for taking the long view —

さうきくと滝は立所に賛同した。細君は、向ふの酒盛りが次第に陽気になつて、この次の鯉とりの日には別の手段を用ひて水を濁さないうちに手ツ取り早く捕獲してしまふことにしよう、気を永くして――。

"Once it is clouded, it is more than our hands can manage, whatever you say! Ha ha ha..."

「濁ツたひにやあ、何んチツたつて俺たちの手にやア負へねえなあ！　アツハツハ……」

"It truly nettles me, I cannot bear it. Come to this, it is pride. I cannot wait patiently for the water to clear."

「俺アもう、ふんとに癪に触つて堪らねえ、斯うなれあもう意地づくだあ、水の澄むのなぞを気を永くして待つちやあ居られねえや。」

Troubled that Taki had apparently been listening to such high-spirited voices for some time, she urged him to set out. She feared that if she went away he would be sure to join their drinking. That Taki, given any chance, would take up with people of quite another sort and put on a foolish revel, the very thought of it was more than she could bear.

そんな威勢の好い声に滝が、さつきから耳を傾けてゐるらしいのを気にして、出掛けることを促したのであつた。自分が居なくなれば屹度滝が彼等の酒盛りに加はるであらうことを彼女は懸念したのであつた。彼女は、滝が機会さへあれば如何な畑違ひの人間とでも取り組んで馬鹿馬鹿しい騒ぎを演じる……それが想つても堪らないのであつた。

They waited for the bus that came by the hour, but it would not readily come, so talking again of the trip and other things they walked along the avenue of pines in the moonlight.

時間で来るバスを待つたが容易に来なかつたので彼等は、また旅のことなどを話し合ひながら月あかりで松並木の道を歩いてゐた。

"The feeling of midsummer is only a very brief moment between July and August, I think."

「真夏といふ感じは七月と八月の間のほんの一寸とした短い間のやうな気がする。」

"When you put it that way, once we are into August the nights feel more like autumn. But thinking in that way, in winter or in spring too there are only a few days that are truly the peak. The whole year is just the seasons shifting past one another."

「さう云はれて見ると、八月に入ると夜などは秋の感じの方が強いわね――でも、そんな風に考へれば、冬だつて春だつてほんたうに頂上の日つてものは幾日もないわね、一年中が夫々季節の移り変り見たやうなもので――」

"That is true..."

「それアさうだね……」

"After this it must be the night in any case. With that light in that room it will never do, will it?"

「これからは、どうしたつて夜よ――あの部屋灯りがあれぢやいけないでせう？」

"Is it not all right as it is?"

「好いぢやないか、あの方が――」

"That sort of mood..."

「そんな気分なんて――」

"No, however autumnal it gets, this time I mean to give up the night altogether."

「いや、いくら秋になつたつて今度こそは俺は夜は絶対に止めるつもりだよ。」

When the talk lapsed she took a harmonica from her sash and walked along playing it. She had no other accomplishment to speak of, but strangely she was skillful at this. And from time to time she picked up the popular tunes from her middle school brother and others and practiced them eagerly. Lately she had mastered rather difficult pieces (?), such things as "Ai Ai Ai" and "Valencia" and "Light Cavalry."

話が止絶きれると彼女は、帯の間からハーモニカを取り出して吹奏しながら歩いた。他に彼女の得意なものと云つては何もなかつたが、奇妙なことには彼女はそれが器用であつた。そして彼女は、中学生の弟などから時に応じて流行の曲を仕入れて来ては練習に熱心であつた。近頃は「アイ・アイ・アイ」とか「ヴアレンチア」とか「ライト・キヤバレ」などといふ相当の難曲（？）を吹きこなした。

  • such things as "Ai Ai Ai" and "Valencia" and "Light Cavalry.": These were current popular tunes in late-1920s Japan, picked up from records, films and schoolboys and practised at home on the harmonica. The trailing (?) is in the Japanese.

"Let's hear the Tokyo March."

「東京マーチをやつて御覧な。」

"You do love that one, don't you — like the old sports days —"

「好きね、あなたあれ、昔の運動会が。――」

"...Good! — And next, American Patrol."

……「巧い！　――ぢや、今度はアメリキヤン・ペトロール。」

"You know a lot, don't you! — Right..."

「好く知つてゐるわね！　――よしツ……」

"...Good! Good! I couldn't do that even by whistling. ...Now next — well! What shall I ask for?"

……「巧い！　巧い！　俺には、それは口笛でも出来ない。……それでは、今度は――と！　何をやつて貰はうかな。」

Taki, in the freshest of spirits, was casting about for the next number, when his wife — as if his ordering bored her, as if she had not taken it out for him at all but to beguile her own solitude as she pleased — said in a throwaway voice, "No Nancy Lee, thank you," and fell to practising "The Blacksmith in the Forest," which Taki did not know.

甚だ爽やかな気持で滝が、次の曲目をあれこれと思案してゐると、細君は彼の註文が煩くでもなつたらしかつた、何も彼の求めに応じて取り出したわけではなかつたのだ、自由にひとりの徒然を慰めるつもりだつたのだ――そんな心地でもしたらしい彼女は投げやりな口調で、

「ナンシー・リーは御免よ。」などゝ云つたかと思ふと滝の知らない「森の鍛冶屋」の練習にとりかゝつた。

"What's this, stealing a march on me like that. Who said, play me Nancy Lee!"

「何だ妙に機先を制しやがるな。誰がナンシー・リーをやつて呉れだなんて云つた！」

In fact when he was at a loss what to hear, knowing few tunes, what Taki always came to at once was "Nancy Lee."

実際何を聴かうか？　と迷ふ時に多くの曲目を知らない滝が直ぐに到達するのは「ナンシー・リー」に違ひなかつた。

"Rude, always marking me down for that."

「失敬な、何んでも俺をあれに決めてやがる。」

She seemed not to hear his muttering at all.

彼女は滝の呟きごとなどは耳に入れぬらしかつた。

Nancy Lee was the 'whistling' Taki's dead father had taught them. His father used to say he had picked it up from the sailors there when, back in his schooldays in America, he had used the summer holidays to ship aboard a whaler. He used to say the sailors working on deck would fall to humming Nancy Lee at the least thing. Having taken to the whaler so badly that he had once thrown everything aside to work as one of its sailors, the father, when talk turned to the sea, in his pride and absorption loved to repeat his reminiscences with bold gestures, making the 'boat-song' Nancy Lee his refrain.

ナンシー・リーは滝の亡くなつた親父が、彼等に覚えさせた「口笛」であつた。それは滝の親父が、昔アメリカの学校にゐた頃暑中休暇を利用して捕鯨船に乗り込んだ時そこの水夫から聞き覚えたのだと云つた。甲板で働く水夫は稍ともすればナンシー・リーを口吟むのが習ひであると云つた。捕鯨船が病みつきで、一時は何も彼も放擲してそれの水夫になつて働いたことがあるといふ父親は、海の話となると得意のあまり夢中になつて「船歌ナンシー・リー」を相の手にして身振り勇ましく追憶談を繰り返すのが好きだつた。

  • making the 'boat-song' Nancy Lee his refrain: Nancy Lee was an English-language sentimental song known in Japan as a sailors' song. Taki's father claims he learned it from sailors while shipping on an American whaler in his schooldays.

Taki was taken, beyond its simple cheerfulness, with the strain in which a peculiar, faintly lingering sweet-and-bitter plaint seemed to drift, and even now it survived as his habit whenever he whistled. Apart from that he had almost nothing he could whistle.

滝は、「ナンシー・リー」の単純な朗らかさに加へて、独特なそこはかとない一脈の甘苦い哀音が漂うてゐる韻律に酔はされて、今もなほそれが口笛を吹く時の習慣になつて遺されてゐた。滝には、それ以外には殆んど口笛の習ひはなかつた。

She, on the grounds that its pathos was sickly-sweet to the point of blatancy and that the passages like a shouted chorus were forced, and out of a contrary taste that held an American sailors' song old and vulgar, claimed Taki's unconscious whistling got on her nerves and would cover her ears. Hauling in the rigging, taking the helm, racing up the mast — the accompanying tune, the 'chorus' cried out involuntarily to match arms hauling the rope with unsparing strength, if hummed by a sober face at ease, would no doubt look blatantly forced — but what lies in the breast of one working in the very middle of the ocean... a thing like that his wife, born in the capital and brought up only in the capital, once a delinquent girl, could not begin to imagine, not even in a dream.

彼女は、物哀しさの甘さが厭に露骨で、懸声に似たコーラスの個所がワザとらしいといふ理由で、そしてアメリカ水夫の歌なんて古く俗つぽいといふ反趣味とで、滝が吾知らず口笛で吹いてゐるのをきいても鼻についたと称して耳をふさぐのであつた。帆綱を巻きあげ、舵を執り、マストに駆け昇る――そんな事実の行動に伴うて、伴奏される歌調が、力を惜まずロープを巻きあげる腕に合せて思はず叫ぶ「コーラス」が、安逸の素面から口吟まれゝば厭に露骨でワザとらしく見えるのも当然だが――大洋の真ツたゞ中で立ち働く者の胸のうち……そんなものは、都で生れ都でのみ育つた不良少女あがりの細君には夢にも想像し得ないに違ひない。

Blown by the salt wind, they came through the pine avenue where passersby had wholly ceased, crossed the bridge, and by the time they neared the town Taki had changed into a feeling close to unbearable loneliness — though there was nothing in particular about his wife he had to endure, he had somehow turned into a peevish chatterbox.

汐風に吹かれながら人通りの全く止絶えた松並木の道を抜けて、橋を渡り、町にさしかゝつた時分には滝は、孤独感に堪えられぬ程の思ひに変つてゐた。――細君に対しては別段に怺える程の思ひがあつたわけでもなかつたが彼は、いつの間にか不気嫌な饒舌家に変つてゐた。

"Oh, you're drinking still! You came meaning hardly to drink!"

「アラ、まあだ飲むの、殆んど飲まないつもりで来たのに！」

"How much money have you got?"

「金はいくらあるの。」

"As much as you like."

「いくらだつて好いわよ。」

"How is it you had money on you?"

「よく金なんて持つてゐたな？」

"How should I know."

「知らないわよ。」

"Give it to me!"

「呉れツ！」

"…"

「…………」

"Then lend it to me."

「ぢや、借して呉れ。」

"No —"

「厭――」

The wife of the place, whom they had known from before she started the restaurant, put her face out through a gap in the curtain and whispered, "Madam, you mustn't let yourself be coaxed."

未だそんなレストランを始めない前から知つてゐた其処の女房がカーテンの隙間から顔を出して、

「奥さん、まかれちやいけませんよ。」と囁いた。

Whether admirable or timid, when it comes to money this man never runs up any debt without a clear backing, so however drunk he gets he is all right — muttering something to that effect to no one in particular as she got to her feet and turned to him.

感心なのか、臆病なのか知らないが、金のことだと、この人は、はつきりしたアテがない限りはどんな借りも拵へない、だからいくら酔つたつて大丈夫だ――そんなやうな意味のことを細君は、誰に云ふともなしに呟きながら立ち上ると、彼に、

"There was only ten yen," she said, sticking out her lower lip, and walked briskly off by herself.

「十円しかなかつたんだよ。」と下唇をつき出して告げるや独りでさつさつと出て行つてしまつた。

Singing loudly as he came back, Taki met halfway down the pine avenue the old caretaker carrying a lantern, who said he had come out to meet him.

滝が、大歌をうたひながら帰つて来ると松並木の中途で、迎へに来たといふ提灯をさげた留守居の年寄に出遇つた。

"If you do not look in here you are sure to go straight back there, it is one road so it is certain, so thinking, your wife telephoned and sent me to fetch you," the old man said.

……若し此方に寄らないとすれば直ぐに其方へ帰つて行くに違ひない、一本道だから確かだ――と決めて、細君が電話をかけて寄したので――と年寄は云つた。

"Oh dear, the lantern-bearer gets left behind, what quick legs!"

「おやおや、提灯持が後になつてしまふ、何てまあお速い脚だらう！」

"…"

「…………」

(So there is a telephone!)

――（さうだ、電話がある！）

"I heard your voice, you know! Just after I'd come down the stone steps..."

「お声が聞えましたぜえ！　あつしが石段を降りると間もなく――」

"…"

「…………」

(That is certainly mine! How is it I never noticed such a thing!)

――（あれはたしかに俺のものだ！　どうして俺は斯んなことに気がつかなかつたんだらう！）

"There's no standing up to the missus. When she says come home, you come home, certain as anything!"

「奥さんにや敵はない、帰ると云はれゝば、テツキリだ！」

"…"

「…………」

(I'll sell it, sell it, that's where I can get my breath back.) — "Grandad, isn't there someone who would buy a telephone?"

――（あれを売らう、売つたつた、そこで一番息がつけるといふものだ。）――「お爺さん、誰か電話を買ふ人はないかしら？」

"Whatever for? So sudden!"

「それは、また、どうして？　突然な！」

"Can't a thing like that be sold straight off? By tomorrow, say?"

「あゝいふものは即座には売れないものかしら？　明日にでも？」

"I can't make out what this is about at all."

「何だか、さつぱり訳がわからない。」

"Grandad, I've got the difficult work on me now, you see, that is... well, I can start it any time really, but as I am now I want to hold it in my head as long as I can, even if I go on holding it and holding it it doesn't matter, it's interesting! Mother and my wife wouldn't understand."

「お爺さん――俺はね、今、六ヶ敷い仕事を持つてゐるんだよ、それはね……何アに、やれア何時からやつたつて好いわけなんだがね、今の僕としてはね、出来るだけ頭の中に持ち応えてゐたいんだ、持ち応えツ放しになつてしまつても関はないんだ、面白いんだ！　阿母や女房には解りませんよ。」

"…"

「…………」

"It's because I want to go on the trip. I'd like that too, so, well, let's go... but look, to do the work with my back to the wall like that, I hate it."

「旅へ行きたいてえから――俺だつて、それも望ましいさ、だから、ぢや出掛けよう……そんな君、切端詰つたところで、仕事をするなあ厭だ。」

"Surely it is not as bad as that."

「そんなこともないでせう。」

"Sell it for me, sell it for me! Sell the telephone for me..."

「売つて呉れ、売つて呉れ！　電話ア売つて呉れエ――」

"...True enough, from now on there will be no need for a telephone here."

「……尤も、この先此方には電話はいりませんね。」

"Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Oh, I feel bright for no reason at all. Just being woken by it in the morning is more than I can bear."

「明日あした明日！　おゝ、何といふこともなく気分が明るくなつた。――朝、あいつで起されるのからして堪らねえや。」

"But that is because you asked the missus to do it, is it not?"

「それあだつて、あんたが奥さんにお頼みになつたからぢやありませんか。」

"Wouldn't it feel clean and good if it stopped coming every morning..."

「清々と好いだらうな、あいつが毎朝掛つて来なくなつたら……」

"Times are bad, you know, so I wonder if it would sell right away? But if that were suddenly gone now, you'd be in a fix. 'Call the missus, there! What do you want to eat, there! Go buy fireworks, there!' If I have to go running out every time, I'll never keep up with you, will I?"

「不景気でね、さう直ぐには売れるか如何か？　――だが、あんたあれが今急になくなつたら困りますぜ――奥さんを呼べ、それツ！　何が喰ひたい、それツ！　花火を買つて来い、それツ！　あつしがその度に飛び出したんぢや、あんたの間には合ひますまい、どうですかな？」

"I'll be gone, you know, I'll be gone, so there'll be no trouble, as soon as it sells, with a fortune in my pocket, eh?"

「居なくなつてしまふんだよ、僕ア、居なくなつてしまふんだから世話はないだらう、売れると一緒に――、大金をふところにして――か？」

"Well, well, you are in a fine mood. Mind the steps there, the steps, the stone steps... Not yet, not yet, a little farther, a little farther, no steps yet. What dreadful long strides! A dangerous way to sway! Dear me, really, just like walking in deep snow..."

「いやはや、どうも好い御気嫌で――。石段々のところは気をつけて下さい、段々のところ、石段のところ……未だ未だ、もう少し先き、もう少し先き、まだ段々ぢやありませんよ、おつそろしい大股で！　危い腰つきだな！　ハヤどうも、まるでどうも、大雪の中でも歩いてゐるやうな――」

三III

A, one of the workmen, told Taki what he had heard about the worth of the scarlet carp from the goldfish dealer who had come to watch. He had brought this offer: if Taki felt like parting with them, if they caught them here and handed them over, he would take them on the spot at such and such a price, what did he think? They could look at what was caught and then talk the price over again according to the number, but—

鳶職のＡが、見物に来た金魚屋から鯡鯉の値打ちを聞いたといふことを滝に伝へた。離す気があれば、此方でつかまへて渡すなら、即座にこれこれの価で引きとりたいが、どうだらう？　といふ話を持ち込んだ。つかまへて見た上で、また数に準じて、値段は改めて相談しても好いが、

"You won't sell, I suppose, but they say that is about what they are worth," A told Taki. Taki marvelled at the unexpected high sum of around four hundred yen.

「お売りにならないでせうね、然しまあそれ位ひの値打ちのものなんですつてさ。」とＡが滝に告げた。四百円前後といふ思はぬ高価な金額に滝は舌を巻いた。

  • around four hundred yen: Around four hundred yen is presented as a startlingly high sum, against the wife's ten yen in hand in the restaurant scene. The amount is what turns the nuisance carp into treasure.

"I'll sell," he said, nodding firmly.

「売る。」と彼は、はつきり点頭いた。

That night Taki took A and B with him and drove by motor up to a brothel in town. From the second floor of a teahouse by the sea, where in these hard times the sound of strings was seldom heard, gaudy drums rang out. Applause broke out and cheers went up.

晩、滝は、ＡとＢを引き伴れて自動車を駆つて町の青楼へおしあがつた。不景気で滅多に絃の音もしない海辺寄りの茶屋の二階から、花々しい太鼓の音が打ち響いた。拍手の音が起り、トキの声が涌きあがつた。

From the next day the gloomy house above the stone steps, ringed round with mandarin trees, suddenly wore the bustle of a house where building work had begun.

その翌日から石段の上の蜜柑の樹に取り巻かれた陰気な家はにわかに普請でも始まつたかのやうな活気を呈した。

It was obstinacy now, they would show they could see it through with just the two of them, catch every last one alive, not one left, with a prize promised according to the day, and A and B's eyes were bloodshot.

意地づくだから二人だけでやりとほして見せる、一尾も残さず生捕りにする――その時日に応じて懸賞を附せられたＡとＢの眼は血走つてゐた。

"It's cleared!"

「澄んだぞ！」

"Shh!"

「叱ツ！」

"Shall we try a first throw with the cast net?"

「一番投網をやつて見ようか？」

  • Shall we try a first throw with the cast net?: A cast net is a round weighted net thrown by hand over the water to fall over fish. A hand pump later borrowed from another villa is a portable pump worked by hand to drain the pond.

"Idiot, that's to use after it's gone cloudy."

「馬鹿、それア濁つた後で使ふんだよ。」

"Shall we fool them with bait?"

「餌えさでだまさうか。」

"No good now, they won't rise to bait now."

「とても今ぢや餌では浮かねえよ。」

Woken by whispering like thieves creeping in, Taki kicked his bedding aside in one bound. By the time his wife telephoned, he had his breakfast tray with the sake bottle on it set out near the veranda, and leaning on his newly arrived Hakone marquetry armrest and the like, he watched A and B at work with a grave look. — Taki had let 'the difficult work I'm holding in my head!' and 'delightful verse-like fancies!' and 'a fanciful story!' and 'the rapture of poetry that should have been choking on the vast, boundless, empty sky, with every trifle before my eyes forgotten!' and 'Nancy Lee' and 'the telephone!' and 'the terrifying blizzard!' and 'nothing but a snowscape to look at!' and '...in one burst!' scatter every one like goose down, and stared only at the pond, a haughty bourgeois waiting for his prey.

泥棒の忍び声のやうな囁きで滝は、目を醒すと一処に床を蹴つた。細君から電話が掛つて来る時分には彼は、酒徳利の載つた朝飯の膳を縁側近くに用意して、新しく取り寄せた箱根細工の脇側などに凭りかゝりながら深刻な眼つきでＡ・Ｂの活躍を視守つた。――滝は、「頭の中へ持ち応えてゐる六ヶ敷い仕事！」も「愉快な韻文的空想！」も「架空の物語！」も「眼の前の細事は一切没却した広大無辺な無呵有の空に咽んでゐた筈の忘我の詩境！」も「ナンシー・リー」も「電話！」も「怖ろしい吹雪！」も「たゞ見る一面の雪景色！」も「……一気呵勢！」も、何も彼も鵞毛の如く散乱して、ひたすら池を瞶め、獲物を待つ尊大なブルジヨアであつた。

"You need not come! You are in the way."

「来ないでもよろしい！　邪魔になる。」

"...Is that all right?"

「……いゝの？」

"Put everything on the month-end bill and order the same for me as usual. — You are a nuisance!"

「一切月末払ひにして俺の分も一通り仕度をしてお置き。――煩いツ！」

  • Put everything on the month-end bill: Putting things on the month-end bill means leaving shop and restaurant charges to be settled together at the end of the month. It was an ordinary way of running household accounts on credit.

He hung up the receiver with a clack and went back to his seat like a busy man of business.

ガチンと受話機を掛けると彼は、多忙な事務家のやうに元の座に取つて返した。

He would yell, truculent and high-handed as if copying A's tone, "Belly-down peeping gets you nowhere — scared to cloud it, are you? Go for the little ones first — hey, dumbass! What're you gawping at, there's a mottled one up in this corner!"

「腹ん逼ひになつて覗いてばかりゐたつて埒あ明くめえぜ、そんなに濁るのが怕けれあ、小ツちえのを先へねらつたらどうだい――やい、間抜け！　何をボヤボヤしてやがるんだい、此方の隅にマダラが浮いてるぢやねえかよ！」などとＡの口調を真似たかのやうに殺気立つて横柄に叫んだり、

"There! It's come up under the fatsia, throw it, the net! the net! the net!" He brandished his conducting arm boldly.

「それツ！　八ツ手の下に寄つたぞ、投げろ、網！　網！　網！」と指揮の腕を勇ましく打ち振つたり、

"Damn! You dawdling idiots, ah, look, you've clouded it all up again." He ground his teeth and banged the table.

「チヨツ！　鈍のれえやえや、あゝ、もうあんなに濁つてしまつたぢやないか。」と歯がみをして卓を叩いたり、

"Hold steady here, you can still dimly make out a shape, look through the glass box, there's a ripple!" He cheered them on in this vein.

「こゝんとこでしつかりやれ、まアだ朧ろ気には姿が見えるだらう、硝子箱で覗いて見ろや、波がたつてゐる！」などゝ勢援したり、さうかと思ふと、

"Come now, gentlemen, it's noon already, take a rest, rest. These are not creatures that will escape anywhere if we do not catch them this instant, there is no need to hurry — have your meal, tell the old man whatever lunch you fancy and have him get it for you." So he played the thoughtful host.

「さあさあ、諸君、もうお午だぜ、休み給へ給へ、今が今つかまへてしまはなければ何処へ逃げてしまふといふ相手ちやない、慌てることはないよ――飯にしろや、弁当はね、何んでも好きなものをお爺さんにさう云つて取り寄せて貰ひなよ。」などゝいふ世話も焼いた。

"Even if you see a shadow they will only duck away, so please, this way, please come up." He did not forget the warning, and pressed the onlookers peering through the hedge to come up to the best seats.

「影が見えてもひつこんでしまふんですからね、どうぞ此方らへ、どうぞお上りになつて――」

垣根の間から覗いてゐる見物人に向つて彼は、そんな注意も忘れずに無理に上段の見物席に招じ入れたりした。

When onlookers joined, Taki's swagger shifted to a large and murderous ease.

見物人が加はつたりすると滝の威勢は、応揚な殺伐に変つて、

"If it clouds, let it cloud, wade straight in and churn it up! What does it matter if you beat a couple to death!" Such was the worthless generosity he displayed.

「濁つたら濁つたで好いぢやないか、どんどん踏み込んで行つて引つかき廻せ！　何アに、二つや三つ打ち殺したつて関やしないよ。」

そんな愚にもつかない気前を示した。

— Try that patch with your feet! — Did it get away? It slipped into the trap just now for certain, block the mouth!

――「そこんとこを脚で追つて見ろ！」――「逃げた？　今、たしかに追ひ込みん中へ逃げ込んだぞ、入り口をふさいで見ろ。」

A and B moved as if they were Taki's puppets. Taki kept chattering on without pause.

ＡとＢは滝の傀儡であるかのやうだつた。滝は、のべつに喋舌り続けてゐた。

"No good? I was sure it went in there just now. Then open the mouth once more and join hands, the two of you, and work every corner carefully, and at the last drive them in there in one breath, and get to work after that — how would that do?"

「駄目か、たしかに今、その中へ入つたと思つたんだがな？　ぢや、もう一辺入り口をあけて今度は二人して手をつないで丹念に隅から隅を追つて、最後に、一ト息であの中へ追ひ込んでしまへ、その上での仕事としちやどうだい。」

Before he knew it Taki had forgotten all about his pressing circumstances. As if he were a man of leisure who had ordered out a seine net and was watching from above, sunk in mere pastime, the catch itself a matter of indifference — he had fallen into a rich and causeless easy-mindedness.

……滝は、いつの間にか急を要する境遇のことなどは忘れてしまつた。徒然のあまりに地引網を引かせて高見の見物をしてゐる、そんな遊興に耽つてゐる人のやうな、獲物なんぞは如何でも好い――わけもなく豊かな呑気な気分にもなつてしまつた。

No, more than any eye-opening amusement of any kind, this held a strange fascination — what a merry game it was — Taki's eyes blurred and he grew drowsy, as if drunk on a spring breeze.

いやいやどんな種類の目醒しい遊興よりも、これはまた不思議な興味を惹く、何とまあ楽し気な遊びごとだらう――滝は、眼をかすめて、春風にでも酔うたかのやうにうつらつらとして来た。

The glaring midday sun shone white on the thick green leaves. Hushed, the water had already returned, muddy as ever, to a calm flat as a board. The cicadas screeched as if scorched.

ギラギラとする真昼の陽が、生ひ繁つた青葉の面に白く光つてゐた。寂と、もう水の上は泥濁のまゝで板のやうな平静に返つてゐる。蝉の声が焦げつくやうにかまびすしい。

A, for all the world like a playhouse gallant weary from battle, leaned on his long-handled net as on a spear and, half his body thrust out between the fatsia leaves, stared hard at the muddy water where nothing could be seen. By the stone lantern on the far bank, B with his headband twisted about him held his casting net in throwing posture, turned to a living doll.

戦ひに疲れた芝居の侠客に違ひないＡが、槍に見紛ふ長柄の網にもたれて、八ツ手の間から半身をのり出して、凝つと何も見えない泥水を瞶めてゐる。対岸の石灯籠の傍では向ふ鉢巻のＢが投げるばかりの姿勢で投網を抱えて、生人形になつてゐる。

Plop! A bubble broke on the water.

ぶくん！　と水の上で泡が割れる。

"There!" At A's shout the net flew from B's arms...

「それツ！」といふＡの懸声もろともに、Ｂの腕からは網が投げられる……。

"Looks like one went in!"

「入つたらしいぞ！」

"Tch!"

「チエツ！」

They jumped back into the water, crying "Oh, deep, deep!" and stamping their feet and thrashing their arms like figures in a picture of men bewitched by a fox.

彼等は再び水の中へ躍り込むと、

「おゝ、深え深え！」など云ひながら、狐に化された図のやうな格構で脚をふまへ腕を躍らせた。

"Thrash them in every which way!" Taki ordered.

「滅茶苦茶に叩き込め！」と滝が命令する。

A and B themselves looked like leaping fish. Spray like a fountain came pattering like rain on the leaves of the pondweed at the water's edge.

ＡとＢが、躍り上がつた魚のやうにも見える。噴水のやうなしぶきが雨のやうにパラパラと汀の河骨の葉を打つた。

"Playing in the water on a hot day!" A muttered, abashed.

「暑い時の水遊びだ！」とＡが、テレたやうに呟いた。

"Yikes! Something brushed past my calf going by, ugh, creepy!" B said, rubbing his chest.

「キヤツ！　ふくらツぱぎをこすツて行きやあがつた、えゝツ気味が悪い！」とＢが胸をさすつた。

"All out attack!" A shouted, and with a whoop the two closed in on the mouth of the trap.

「総攻撃！」とＡが叫んで、二人はワツとばかりに追ひ込みの口へ詰め寄つた。

"Ah, what fun, what fun." Taki clapped his hands, his mouth wide open.

「あゝ、面白え白え。」と滝は、大口をあいて手を打つた。

When evening came the two came up beside Taki and, scratching their heads, said, "At this rate, well..."

夕暮になると、二人は滝の傍に来て、

「この分ぢや、どうも――」

さう云つて頭をかいた。

"Oh, take your time over it. From tomorrow let's lay off the rough stuff and think it over somehow. It would be silly to damage such fine things."

「何アに、ゆつくりやつて貰はうよ、明日からあまり手荒なことは控へて、何とか考へ直さうぢやないか――折角の代物を痛めてしまふのも馬鹿馬鹿しいからね。」

"Still, it's taking nothing but days..."

「どうも、日ばかりかゝつて――」

"You need not stand on ceremony about that. Once we catch them to our satisfaction there is nothing to worry about. I have made up my mind to sell the lot, not one left."

「そんな遠慮はいらないよ。満足につかまへさへすれば、心配はないんだ、一匹残らず売つてしまふことに肚を決めた。」

"Won't we lose face with the people at the other house?"

「あつし達の面目がつぶれやしないでせうかね、あちらのお宅の方へ？」

"I'm the master, here, here — that other house and all that..." Taki said, dropping his voice for no reason. "Look, that pretty girl who poured for us, Pin-ko — she said she likes me! She said. I've been thinking about her all day today. It's awkward going alone, so come with me, won't you? Even if we go three or four times more, if we sell the lot there'll still be plenty left over, won't there?"

「僕ア、主だよ、こゝの、こゝの、あつちのことなんて……おいツ！」と滝は、何となく声を落して「あのね、綺麗なお酌がゐたらう、ぴん子といふ――彼女がね、僕のことを好きだ！　と云つたぜ。僕ア、今日、一ン日彼女のことを考へてしまつた。ひとりで行くのは気まりが悪いからさ、つき合はねえか、未だ三度や四度行つたつて、みんな売るとすれば、それならまだ余ツ程あまるねえ？」

As he said this, Taki began working out the figures closely to himself.

そんなことを云ひながら滝は、精細な胸算用を始めた。

四IV

When night came the frogs grew loud around the pond, and insects began to be heard.

夜になると池のまはりには蛙の声が高くなり、虫の音などもするやうになつた。

New creditors of all sorts had come visiting the house among the mandarin trees above the stone steps.

石段の上の蜜柑の樹に取り巻かれた家を、新たに、いろいろな種類の債権者が訪れてゐた。

Between them, A and B had borrowed a hand pump from a villa they frequented, and it was settled that they would dry up the pond in one burst.

ＡとＢでは、出入の別荘から手おしポンプをかりて来て、一気呵勢に池の水を干してしまはうといふ相談が一決した。

Taki watched the face of the abacus the old man was clicking.

滝は、年寄が弾く算盤の面を眺めてゐた。

The 'trip' waited only on the 'in one—' work in Taki's study.

「旅」が、滝の書斎での「一気――な」仕事だけを待つた。

Cloudy days in the middle of the dog days went on. Word came round that the waves had begun to rise.

土用半ばの曇り日が続いてゐた。波が立ち始めたといふ噂が伝へられた。

About the pond it was like the uproar at a fire. Beginning with the old man, the collector from the motor shop, the bill-collector from the cook-shop, the 'horse' from the brothel, the keeper of the restaurant, the head clerk of the sake shop, the 'cashier' of the assignation house — each stripped to the waist, they worked the handles of the hand-pump to a common cry under A's direction. Not one wasted a word, and all, short of breath, were bent on the work before their eyes. Up and down, down and up, the cries that burst from them unbidden with all the strength of their bodies held the same underlying force as the chorus of Nancy Lee, and were full of spirit.

池のまはりは、火事場のやうな騒ぎであつた。年寄りを初め、自動車屋の集金人、料理屋の掛け取り、女郎屋の「馬」、レストランの亭主、酒屋の番頭、待合の「お帳場」――それ等の人々が、各々双肌脱ぎになつてＡの指揮にもとづきながら懸声そろへてポンプのハンドルをあをつてゐた。無駄口一つ叩く者がなく一同は息を切つて眼前の仕事に没頭してゐた。上げては降し、降しては上げる満身の力と共に思はずほとばしる彼等の懸声には恰もナンシー・リーのコーラスのやうな底力が籠り、颯爽の気に満ちてゐた。

The muddy water spurting from the mouth of the pipe that B held braced toward the roof blew tiny gnats in midair, broke brightly and came down as rain grazing the eaves.

家根に向けてＢが支へてゐる筒口からほとばしる泥水は、中空に小さな虻をふき、さんさんと砕けて雨になつて軒先をかすめた。

Taki had left word that he was going to buy a lamp, and had gone to Tokyo, and was away.

滝は、ランプを買ひに行つて来ると云ひ遺して東京へ出かけて留守だつた。

Original?
雪景色 Snowscape, Makino Shin'ichi 牧野信一 (died 1936). First published in 「文藝春秋」第五巻第九号、1927（昭和2）年9月1日. Public domain. Japanese text from Aozora Bunko, typed and proofread by its volunteers.
Aozora's colophon
底本：「牧野信一全集第三巻」筑摩書房
　　　2002（平成14）年5月20日初版第1刷発行
底本の親本：「鬼涙村」芝書店
　　　1936（昭和11）年2月25日発行
初出：「文藝春秋　第五巻第九号」文藝春秋社
　　　1927（昭和2）年9月1日発行
※底本は、物を数える際や地名などに用いる「ヶ」（区点番号5-86）を、大振りにつくっています。
入力：宮元淳一
校正：門田裕志
2010年7月18日作成
2012年4月16日修正
青空文庫作成ファイル：
このファイルは、インターネットの図書館、青空文庫（http://www.aozora.gr.jp/）で作られました。入力、校正、制作にあたったのは、ボランティアの皆さんです。
This English?
Drafted, read and revised by keikaku on Meta's models (muse-spark-1.3, muse-wonder-1.0), in 61 model calls. keikaku raised 30 queries: 25 changed the text, 3 were declined, 2 were left to the editor. No person has edited it. Free to share and adapt under CC BY-SA 4.0.