親譲りの無鉄砲で小供の時から損ばかりしている。

I've been getting into trouble since childhood because of my impulsive and reckless nature, which I inherited from my parents.

小学校に居る時分学校の二階から飛び降りて一週間ほど腰を抜かした事がある。

When I was in elementary school, I once jumped from the second floor of the school and had to stay in bed for about a week due to a back injury.

なぜそんな無闇をしたと聞く人があるかも知れぬ。

Some people might wonder why I did such a reckless thing.

別段深い理由でもない。

There's no particular deep reason for it.

新築の二階から首を出していたら、同級生の一人が冗談に、いくら威張っても、そこから飛び降りる事は出来まい。弱虫やーい。

If I had stuck my head out of the second-floor window of a newly built building, one of my classmates would have jokingly said, "No matter how tough you are, you'll never be able to jump from there. You're such a coward!"

と囃したからである。

That's why I did it.

小使に負ぶさって帰って来た時、おやじが大きな眼をして二階ぐらいから飛び降りて腰を抜かす奴があるかと云ったから、この次は抜かさずに飛んで見せますと答えた。

When I came home carrying a load on my back, my father, with wide eyes, asked if there was anyone who would jump from the second floor and get hurt, to which I replied, "This time, I'll definitely jump and show you!"

親類のものから西洋製のナイフを貰って奇麗な刃を日に翳して、友達に見せていたら、一人が光る事は光るが切れそうもないと云った。切れぬ事があるか、何でも切ってみせると受け合った。そんなら君の指を切ってみろと注文したから、何だ指ぐらいこの通りだと右の手の親指の甲をはすに切り込んだ。幸ナイフが小さいのと、親指の骨が堅かったので、今だに親指は手に付いている。しかし創痕は死ぬまで消えぬ。

I once received a Western-made knife from a relative and showed it off to my friends, boasting about its sharp blade. One of them said, "It's shiny, but it doesn't seem very sharp." I agreed to let them try it out, so they suggested, "Cut your finger off then!" I immediately cut off the nail of my right thumb. Fortunately, the knife was small and the thumb bone was strong, so my thumb is still attached to my hand. However, the scar will never disappear until the day I die.

庭を東へ二十歩に行き尽すと、南上がりにいささかばかりの菜園があって、真中に栗の木が一本立っている。

Twenty paces east of the garden, there's a small vegetable patch facing south, with a chestnut tree standing in the middle.

これは命より大事な栗だ。

These chestnuts are more precious to me than my own life.

実の熟する時分は起き抜けに背戸を出て落ちた奴を拾ってきて、学校で食う。

When the fruits are ripe, I'll wake up early, go out the back door, pick them up, and bring them to school to eat.

菜園の西側が山城屋という質屋の庭続きで、この質屋に勘太郎という十三四の倅が居た。

The west side of the vegetable patch adjoins the courtyard of a pawnshop called Yamashiroya, where there's a 13- or 14-year-old son named Kantaro.

勘太郎は無論弱虫である。

Kantaro is, of course, a coward.

弱虫の癖に四つ目垣を乗りこえて、栗を盗みにくる。

Despite his timidity, he often climbs over the four-panel fence to steal chestnuts.

ある日の夕方折戸の蔭に隠れて、とうとう勘太郎を捕まえてやった。その時勘太郎は逃げ路を失って、一生懸命に飛びかかってきた。

One evening, I hid in the shadow of the folding door and finally caught him red-handed. At that moment, Kantaro had lost his escape route and desperately tried to jump on me.

向うは二つばかり年上である。

He's only two years older than me.

弱虫だが力は強い。

He may be a coward, but he's surprisingly strong.

鉢の開いた頭を、こっちの胸へ宛ててぐいぐい押した拍子に、勘太郎の頭がすべって、おれの袷の袖の中にはいった。

When he forcefully pushed the open lid of the pot towards my chest, Kantaro's head slipped and ended up inside my kimono sleeve.

邪魔になって手が使えぬから、無暗に手を振ったら、袖の中にある勘太郎の頭が、右左へぐらぐら靡いた。しまいに苦しがって袖の中から、おれの二の腕へ食い付いた。痛かったから勘太郎を垣根へ押しつけておいて、足搦をかけて向うへ倒してやった。山城屋の地面は菜園より六尺がた低い。勘太郎は四つ目垣を半分崩して、自分の領分へ真逆様に落ちて、ぐうと云った。

Since my hands were tied and I couldn't fight back easily, I just waved my arms wildly. As a result, Kantaro's head inside my sleeve swung left and right. In the end, he bit my arm with his teeth in pain. I pushed him back over the fence and then grabbed his legs to throw him over. The ground of Yamashiroya is six feet lower than the vegetable patch. Kantaro had half-demolished the four-panel fence and fallen directly into his own territory, then just lay there, panting.

勘太郎が落ちるときに、おれの袷の片袖がもげて、急に手が自由になった。

When Kantaro fell, a sleeve of my kimono got torn off, suddenly freeing my hands.

その晩母が山城屋に詫びに行ったついでに袷の片袖も取り返して来た。

That evening, my mother went to apologize to Yamashiroya and also retrieved the torn sleeve of my kimono.

この外いたずらは大分やった。

This prank was quite a success.

大工の兼公と肴屋の角をつれて、茂作の人参畠をあらした事がある。

Once, I even pranked Morosaku by tricking him with Kenkou, the carpenter, and Kado, the grocer.

人参の芽が出揃わぬ処へ藁が一面に敷いてあったから、その上で三人が半日相撲をとりつづけに取ったら、人参がみんな踏みつぶされてしまった。

Because straw was spread all over the place where the carrot sprouts hadn't grown yet, the three of us wrestled with each other for half a day, and in the end, all the carrots were trampled to pieces.

古川の持っている田圃の井戸を埋めて尻を持ち込まれた事もある。

There was also an incident where someone filled in the well of the field owned by Furukawa and then dumped the well's contents on his head.

太い孟宗の節を抜いて、深く埋めた中から水が湧き出て、そこいらの稲にみずがかかる仕掛であった。

They extracted a thick piece of bamboo and buried it deep in the ground. Water then gushed out from the well, soaking the nearby rice fields with its moisture.

その時分はどんな仕掛か知らぬから、石や棒ちぎれをぎゅうぎゅう井戸の中へ挿し込んで、水が出なくなったのを見届けて、うちへ帰って飯を食っていたら、古川が真赤になって怒鳴り込んで来た。

At the time, I didn't know what kind of prank it was. So I stuffed rocks and broken sticks into the well until the water stopped flowing. Then I went home to eat my meal, only to see Furukawa storming over, red with anger, to yell at me.

たしか罰金を出して済んだようである。

It seems they just paid a fine to settle the matter.

おやじはちっともおれを可愛がってくれなかった。母は兄ばかり贔屓にしていた。この兄はやに色が白くって、芝居の真似をして女形になるのが好きだった。おれを見る度にこいつはどうせ碌なものにはならないと、おやじが云った。乱暴で乱暴で行く先が案じられると母が云った。なるほど碌なものにはならない。ご覧の通りの始末である。行く先が案じられたのも無理はない。ただ懲役に行かないで生きているばかりである。

My father never really liked me. My mother always favored my older brother. This brother was very pale and liked to dress up as a woman in a kabuki play. Every time he looked at me, my father would say, "He'll never amount to anything." My mother would add, "He's always getting into trouble." Well, as you can see, that's exactly what happened. It's no wonder he ended up in prison. At least he's still alive.

母が病気で死ぬ二三日前台所で宙返りをしてへっついの角で肋骨を撲って大いに痛かった。

A few days before my mother died from illness, I did a backflip in the kitchen and hit my ribs with a corner of a pot, which caused a lot of pain.

母が大層怒って、お前のようなものの顔は見たくないと云うから、親類へ泊りに行っていた。

My mother got really angry and said, "I don't even want to see a face like yours." So I went to stay with relatives for a while.

するととうとう死んだと云う報知が来た。そう早く死ぬとは思わなかった。

Then we got the news that she had finally passed away. I didn't expect her to die so soon.

そんな大病なら、もう少し大人しくすればよかったと思って帰って来た。そうしたら例の兄がおれを親不孝だ、おれのために、おっかさんが早く死んだんだと云った。

When I came back home after this incident, my brother accused me of being unfilial and said, "It's all because of you that our mother died so young!"

口惜しかったから、兄の横っ面を張って大変叱られた。

I was so angry that I slapped him in the face, and he scolded me severely.

母が死んでからは、おやじと兄と三人で暮していた。

After my mother died, my father, my brother, and I lived together as a family of three.

おやじは何にもせぬ男で、人の顔さえ見れば貴様は駄目だ駄目だと口癖のように云っていた。

My father was a man who never held back his opinions. He used to say things like, "You're no good at all!" whenever he looked at someone.

何が駄目なんだか今に分らない。

I still don't understand what he meant by that now.

妙なおやじがあったもんだ。

He was just a really peculiar man.

兄は実業家になるとか云ってしきりに英語を勉強していた。

My brother kept studying English obsessively, claiming he wanted to become a businessman.

元来女のような性分で、ずるいから、仲がよくなかった。

He was always a bit of a womanizer, and we never got along well with each other.

十日に一遍ぐらいの割で喧嘩をしていた。

We used to fight about once every ten days.

ある時将棋をさしたら卑怯な待駒をして、人が困ると嬉しそうに冷やかした。

Once, when we were playing chess, he made a cowardly move and gloated when the other player was in trouble.

あんまり腹が立ったから、手に在った飛車を眉間へ擲きつけてやった。

I was so angry that I threw the flying dart I had in my hand right at his forehead.

眉間が割れて少々血が出た。

His forehead was cut and a little blood came out.

兄がおやじに言付けた。

My brother scolded him for that.

おやじがおれを勘当すると言い出した。

The man said he was going to disown me.

その時はもう仕方がないと観念して先方の云う通り勘当されるつもりでいたら、十年来召し使っている清という下女が、泣きながらおやじに詫まって、ようやくおやじの怒りが解けた。

At that time, I had already resigned myself to the fact that I would be disowned as he said, but the maid named Kiyo, who had been serving me for ten years, tearfully apologized to him, and finally managed to appease his anger.

それにもかかわらずあまりおやじを怖いとは思わなかった。

Even so, I didn't really fear him much.

かえってこの清と云う下女に気の毒であった。

On the contrary, I felt sorry for this maid named Kiyo.

この下女はもと由緒のあるものだったそうだが、瓦解のときに零落して、つい奉公までするようになったのだと聞いている。

It seems that this maid had a respectable background, but during a time of turmoil, she ended up in a low social status and eventually became a servant.

だから婆さんである。この婆さんがどういう因縁か、おれを非常に可愛がってくれた。不思議なものである。母も死ぬ三日前に愛想をつかした――おやじも年中持て余している――町内では乱暴者の悪太郎と爪弾きをする――このおれを無暗に珍重してくれた。

That's why she's an old woman. For some reason, she really doted on me. It's quite strange. Even my mother, who had died three days before, had taken a liking to me - and my father had always been fond of me. In the town, he was known as a brute and a bully - yet he cherished me so much without any apparent reason.

おれは到底人に好かれる性でないとあきらめていたから、他人から木の端のように取り扱われるのは何とも思わない、かえってこの清のようにちやほやしてくれるのを不審に考えた。

I had long since given up on the idea of being well-liked by others, so I didn't mind being treated like a piece of wood by others. What really puzzled me was the excessive attention from this Kiyo.

清は時々台所で人の居ない時に「あなたは真っ直でよいご気性だ」と賞める事が時々あった。

Sometimes, when no one was in the kitchen, Kiyo would praise me by saying, "You're such a straightforward and kind-hearted person."

しかしおれには清の云う意味が分からなかった。

But I didn't understand what she meant by that.

好い気性なら清以外のものも、もう少し善くしてくれるだろうと思った。

If someone was kind-hearted, I thought they would treat me better than Kiyo did.

清がこんな事を云う度におれはお世辞は嫌いだと答えるのが常であった。すると婆さんはそれだから好いご気性ですと云っては、嬉しそうにおれの顔を眺めている。

Every time Kiyo said something like that, I would always reply that I didn't like flattery. Then the old woman would say, "That's why you're such a kind-hearted person," and she would look at me with a pleased expression on her face.

自分の力でおれを製造して誇ってるように見える。

It seemed like she was proud of having 'created' me with her own efforts.

少々気味がわるかった。

It made me a bit uneasy.

母が死んでから清はいよいよおれを可愛がった。

After my mother died, Kiyo really doted on me even more.

時々は小供心になぜあんなに可愛がるのかと不審に思った。

Sometimes, I would wonder in a childish way why she doted on me so much.

つまらない、廃せばいいのにと思った。

It was annoying. I just wished she'd stop it already.

気の毒だと思った。

I found it really annoying.

それでも清は可愛がる。

But Kiyo still doted on me anyway.

折々は自分の小遣いで金鍔や紅梅焼を買ってくれる。

From time to time, she would buy me things like gold bracelets and red plum blossom-themed items with her own pocket money.

寒い夜などはひそかに蕎麦粉を仕入れておいて、いつの間にか寝ている枕元へ蕎麦湯を持って来てくれる。

On cold nights, she would secretly buy some buckwheat noodles and bring me a bowl of noodle soup to drink while I was sleeping.

時には鍋焼饂飩さえ買ってくれた。

Sometimes, she'd even buy me hot pot noodles.

ただ食い物ばかりではない。

But it wasn't just about the food.

靴足袋ももらった。

She also gave me shoes and tabi socks.

鉛筆も貰った、帳面も貰った。

She even gave me pencils and notebooks.

これはずっと後の事であるが金を三円ばかり貸してくれた事さえある。

This happened much later, but there was even a time when she lent me just three yen.

何も貸せと云った訳ではない。

She didn't say she was lending me the money, though.

向うで部屋へ持って来てお小遣いがなくてお困りでしょう、お使いなさいと云ってくれたんだ。

She just brought it to my room and said, "You must be short on pocket money. Here, take this."

おれは無論入らないと云ったが、是非使えと云うから、借りておいた。

Of course, I refused at first, but she insisted, so I ended up borrowing it.

実は大変嬉しかった。

To be honest, I was really happy about it.

その三円を蝦蟇口へ入れて、懐へ入れたなり便所へ行ったら、すぽりと後架の中へ落してしまった。

I put the three yen in my wallet, went to the bathroom, and accidentally dropped it into the toilet tank.

仕方がないから、のそのそ出てきて実はこれこれだと清に話したところが、清は早速竹の棒を捜して来て、取って上げますと云った。

I had no choice but to awkwardly retrieve it and tell Kiyo about it. Kiyo immediately found a bamboo stick and said, "Let me fish it out for you."

しばらくすると井戸端でざあざあ音がするから、出てみたら竹の先へ蝦蟇口の紐を引き懸けたのを水で洗っていた。

A while later, I heard a splashing sound at the well's edge. When I went to check, I found Kiyo washing the string of the toilet bag with water, which was attached to the end of the bamboo stick.

それから口をあけて壱円札を改めたら茶色になって模様が消えかかっていた。

After opening the bag and examining the one-yen note, I noticed it had turned brown and the pattern was fading away.

清は火鉢で乾かして、これでいいでしょうと出した。

Kiyo dried it with a brazier and said, "This should be fine now."

ちょっとかいでみて臭いやと云ったら、それじゃお出しなさい、取り換えて来て上げますからと、どこでどう胡魔化したか札の代りに銀貨を三円持って来た。

When I complained that it smelled bad, she replied, "Just take it. I'll replace it and give you a new one." She somehow substituted a silver coin for the note, claiming it was the same value as three yen.

この三円は何に使ったか忘れてしまった。

I completely forgot what I used the three yen for.

今に返すよと云ったぎり、返さない。

She said she'd return it later, but she never did.

今となっては十倍にして返してやりたくても返せない。

Even now, I'd want to return it tenfold, but I can't.

清が物をくれる時には必ずおやじも兄も居ない時に限る。

Kiyo always gives me things when neither my father nor my brother are around.

おれは何が嫌いだと云って人に隠れて自分だけ得をするほど嫌いな事はない。兄とは無論仲がよくないけれども、兄に隠して清から菓子や色鉛筆を貰いたくはない。

There's nothing I hate more than secretly profiting from others while hiding it from them. Of course, I'm not close to my brother, but I don't want to secretly take sweets or colored pencils from Kiyo and hide them from him.

なぜ、おれ一人にくれて、兄さんには遣らないのかと清に聞く事がある。

Sometimes I ask Kiyo, "Why do you only give things to me and not to my brother?"

すると清は澄したものでお兄様はお父様が買ってお上げなさるから構いませんと云う。これは不公平である。

Then Kiyo says, "It's okay because my brother gets them from our father." This is so unfair.

おやじは頑固だけれども、そんな依怙贔負はせぬ男だ。しかし清の眼から見るとそう見えるのだろう。全く愛に溺れていたに違いない。

My father is stubborn, but he's not the kind of man who shows favoritism. But from Kiyo's perspective, he probably seems overly affectionate. He must have been completely smothered in love.

元は身分のあるものでも教育のない婆さんだから仕方がない。

It's just that she's an uneducated old woman from a noble family, so there's nothing she can do about it.

単にこればかりではない。

It's not just that, though.

贔負目は恐ろしいものだ。

Favoritism is a terrifying thing.

清はおれをもって将来立身出世して立派なものになると思い込んでいた。

Kiyo used to believe that I would go on to achieve great things in the future and become a respectable person.

その癖勉強をする兄は色ばかり白くって、とても役には立たないと一人できめてしまった。

But he insisted that my brother, who studied hard, was all talk and no action, and was of no real use to him.

こんな婆さんに逢っては叶わない。自分の好きなものは必ずえらい人物になって、嫌いなひとはきっと落ち振れるものと信じている。

It's impossible to meet someone like this old woman. He believes that those he likes will definitely become great people, while those he dislikes will surely fail.

おれはその時から別段何になると云う了見もなかった。

From that time on, I never had any particular ambitions about what I wanted to be.

しかし清がなるなると云うものだから、やっぱり何かに成れるんだろうと思っていた。

But since Kiyo kept insisting that I would achieve great things, I thought maybe I would really become something after all.

今から考えると馬鹿馬鹿しい。ある時などは清にどんなものになるだろうと聞いてみた事がある。

Looking back now, it's ridiculous. There was a time when I even asked Kiyo what kind of person he thought I would become.

ところが清にも別段の考えもなかったようだ。

But it seems Kiyo didn't have any particular ideas about that either.

ただ手車へ乗って、立派な玄関のある家をこしらえるに相違ないと云った。

He just said that I would definitely ride a horse and build a house with a grand entrance.

それから清はおれがうちでも持って独立したら、一所になる気でいた。

After that, Kiyo expected that once I became independent in my own household, I would definitely establish a family of my own.

どうか置いて下さいと何遍も繰り返して頼んだ。おれも何だかうちが持てるような気がして、うん置いてやると返事だけはしておいた。

I repeatedly asked him to please leave me alone. I also felt that I could somehow manage things on my own, so I just replied, "Sure, go ahead and leave me alone."

ところがこの女はなかなか想像の強い女で、あなたはどこがお好き、麹町ですか麻布ですか、お庭へぶらんこをおこしらえ遊ばせ、西洋間は一つでたくさんですなどと勝手な計画を独りで並べていた。

However, this woman was incredibly imaginative. She would come up with random plans on her own, like "Where do you like living? Ginza or Azabu? Let's build a swing in the garden and have fun there. There's plenty of space in the Western-style room."

その時は家なんか欲しくも何ともなかった。

At that time, I didn't even want a house at all.

西洋館も日本建も全く不用であったから、そんなものは欲しくないと、いつでも清に答えた。

I always told Kiyo that I didn't want either a Western-style house or a Japanese-style one, because I didn't need any of them.

すると、あなたは欲がすくなくって、心が奇麗だと云ってまた賞めた。清は何と云っても賞めてくれる。

Then she praised me again, saying, "You're so ungreedy and have a pure heart." Kiyo always praised me no matter what.

母が死んでから五六年の間はこの状態で暮していた。

I lived in this state for five or six years after my mother passed away.

おやじには叱られる。

My father would scold me for it.

兄とは喧嘩をする。

I would also get into fights with my brother.

清には菓子を貰う、時々賞められる。

Kiyo would give me sweets and occasionally praise me.

別に望みもない。

I didn't have any particular desires either.

これでたくさんだと思っていた。

I thought this was more than enough already.

ほかの小供も一概にこんなものだろうと思っていた。

I used to think that all other children were the same as me.

ただ清が何かにつけて、あなたはお可哀想だ、不仕合だと無暗に云うものだから、それじゃ可哀想で不仕合せなんだろうと思った。

But whenever Kiyo would say things like, "You're so pitiful and clumsy," I would just think, "Oh, I guess I really am pitiful and clumsy then."

その外に苦になる事は少しもなかった。

Other than that, there wasn't anything particularly troublesome at all.

ただおやじが小遣いをくれないには閉口した。

The only thing that really annoyed me was that my father wouldn't give me any pocket money.

母が死んでから六年目の正月におやじも卒中で亡くなった。

Six years after my mother's death, my father also passed away from a stroke during the New Year's celebrations.

その年の四月におれはある私立の中学校を卒業する。六月に兄は商業学校を卒業した。兄は何とか会社の九州の支店に口があって行かなければならん。

In April of that year, I graduated from a private middle school. In June, my brother graduated from a commercial school. My brother somehow got a job at the Kyushu branch of a company and had to go there.

おれは東京でまだ学問をしなければならない。

I still had to continue my studies in Tokyo.

兄は家を売って財産を片付けて任地へ出立すると云い出した。おれはどうでもするがよかろうと返事をした。

My brother suggested selling the house, settling his finances, and leaving for his posting. I replied that I didn't mind either way.

どうせ兄の厄介になる気はない。

After all, I had no intention of being a bother to my brother anyway.

世話をしてくれるにしたところで、喧嘩をするから、向うでも何とか云い出すに極っている。

Even if he did offer to take care of me, we'd just end up arguing, so I was determined to find a way to make do on my own somewhere else.

なまじい保護を受ければこそ、こんな兄に頭を下げなければならない。

It's only because I'm receiving such overprotective care that I have to put up with a brother like this.

牛乳配達をしても食ってられると覚悟をした。

I was prepared to be exploited even while delivering milk.

兄はそれから道具屋を呼んで来て、先祖代々の瓦落多を二束三文に売った。

After that, my brother called a hardware store and sold the ancestral tiles for a pittance of two bundles for three coins.

家屋敷はある人の周旋である金満家に譲った。

He handed over the house and property to a local moneylender named Kinman, who arranged the deal for him.

この方は大分金になったようだが、詳しい事は一向知らぬ。

It seems he made a tidy sum from this, but I don't know the details at all.

おれは一ヶ月以前から、しばらく前途の方向のつくまで神田の小川町へ下宿していた。

A month ago, I moved to a boarding house in Ogawa-cho, Kanda, and will stay there until I figure out my future direction.

清は十何年居たうちが人手に渡るのを大いに残念がったが、自分のものでないから、仕様がなかった。あなたがもう少し年をとっていらっしゃれば、ここがご相続が出来ますものをとしきりに口説いていた。

Kiyo was very upset that the house he'd lived in for over a decade ended up in someone else's hands, but there was nothing he could do about it since it wasn't his own. He kept insisting that if I were a bit older, I could have inherited this place.

もう少し年をとって相続が出来るものなら、今でも相続が出来るはずだ。婆さんは何も知らないから年さえ取れば兄の家がもらえると信じている。

If I could have inherited it when I was a bit older, I could have done so even now. My grandmother doesn't know anything about this and still believes that the house will be hers when she gets older.

兄とおれはかように分れたが、困ったのは清の行く先である。

Though my brother and I have ended up in such different situations, the real problem now is where Kiyo will go next.

兄は無論連れて行ける身分でなし、清も兄の尻にくっ付いて九州下りまで出掛ける気は毛頭なし、と云ってこの時のおれは四畳半の安下宿に籠って、それすらもいざとなれば直ちに引き払わねばならぬ始末だ。どうする事も出来ん。清に聞いてみた。

My brother certainly doesn't have the means to take him with him, and Kiyo has no intention of tagging along on his trip to Kyushu. At the moment, I'm holed up in a cheap four-tatami boarding house here, and even this place might be forced on me if necessary. I'm completely at a loss. I asked Kiyo for advice.

どこかへ奉公でもする気かねと云ったらあなたがおうちを持って、奥さまをお貰いになるまでは、仕方がないから、甥の厄介になりましょうとようやく決心した返事をした。この甥は裁判所の書記でまず今日には差支えなく暮していたから、今までも清に来るなら来いと二三度勧めたのだが、清はたとい下女奉公はしても年来住み馴れた家の方がいいと云って応じなかった。

When I suggested he might consider working as a servant somewhere, he finally replied, "Since you own a house and plan to marry, there's no choice but to take on the responsibility of raising your nephew." This nephew is a court clerk who has been living comfortably for years now. I've urged Kiyo to come here several times, but he always refuses, saying he'd rather live in a familiar old house than in a new one, even if it means serving as a maid.

しかし今の場合知らぬ屋敷へ奉公易えをして入らぬ気兼を仕直すより、甥の厄介になる方がましだと思ったのだろう。

However, in this case, he probably thought it would be better to take on the responsibility of raising his nephew than to start working as a servant in an unfamiliar house.

それにしても早くうちを持ての、妻を貰えの、来て世話をするのと云う。

Still, I wish I could own a house, marry a wife, and take care of them sooner rather than later.

親身の甥よりも他人のおれの方が好きなのだろう。

It seems he prefers others to me, his own nephew.

九州へ立つ二日前兄が下宿へ来て金を六百円出してこれを資本にして商買をするなり、学資にして勉強をするなり、どうでも随意に使うがいい、その代りあとは構わないと云った。

Two days before leaving for Kyushu, my brother came to the boarding house and offered me 600 yen, saying I could use it however I wanted - to start a business, study, or whatever. He said he didn't mind what I did with the money as long as I didn't ask him for more.

兄にしては感心なやり方だ、何の六百円ぐらい貰わんでも困りはせんと思ったが、例に似ぬ淡泊な処置が気に入ったから、礼を云って貰っておいた。

I thought this was a very considerate gesture from my brother. Even if I hadn't received the money, I wouldn't have been in any real trouble. But I appreciated his unconventional and straightforward approach, so I gratefully accepted it.

兄はそれから五十円出してこれをついでに清に渡してくれと云ったから、異議なく引き受けた。

After that, my brother gave me another 50 yen to give to Kiyo, and Kiyo accepted it without any objections.

二日立って新橋の停車場で分れたぎり兄にはその後一遍も逢わない。

We parted ways at the Shinbashi train station two days later, and I haven't seen my brother since then.

おれは六百円の使用法について寝ながら考えた。

I lay in bed thinking about how to spend the 600 yen.

商買をしたって面倒くさくって旨く出来るものじゃなし、ことに六百円の金で商買らしい商買がやれる訳でもなかろう。よしやれるとしても、今のようじゃ人の前へ出て教育を受けたと威張れないからつまり損になるばかりだ。

Starting a business would be too much trouble and probably wouldn't work out well. Even if I could do it, I wouldn't be able to brag about it in front of others like I used to, so it would just be a waste of time and effort.

資本などはどうでもいいから、これを学資にして勉強してやろう。

As for the money itself, I don't really care about it. I'll just use it as study funds and focus on my studies instead.

六百円を三に割って一年に二百円ずつ使えば三年間は勉強が出来る。三年間一生懸命にやれば何か出来る。

If I split the 600 yen into three equal parts and spend 200 yen each year, I could study for three years. If I worked hard during those three years, I could achieve something worthwhile.

それからどこの学校へはいろうと考えたが、学問は生来どれもこれも好きでない。

Then I thought about which school to attend, but I've never really liked any particular field of study anyway.

ことに語学とか文学とか云うものは真平ご免だ。

Especially things like languages and literature - I'd rather stay away from them completely.

新体詩などと来ては二十行あるうちで一行も分らない。

When it comes to modern poetry, I can't understand a single line out of twenty lines.

どうせ嫌いなものなら何をやっても同じ事だと思ったが、幸い物理学校の前を通り掛ったら生徒募集の広告が出ていたから、何も縁だと思って規則書をもらってすぐ入学の手続きをしてしまった。

I thought it didn't really matter what I did since I disliked it anyway, but luckily, there was a student recruitment advertisement posted in front of the physics school when I passed by. Without giving it much thought, I grabbed the application form and immediately went through the enrollment process.

今考えるとこれも親譲りの無鉄砲から起った失策だ。

Looking back now, this was also a reckless mistake inherited from my parents.

三年間まあ人並に勉強はしたが別段たちのいい方でもないから、席順はいつでも下から勘定する方が便利であった。しかし不思議なもので、三年立ったらとうとう卒業してしまった。自分でも可笑しいと思ったが苦情を云う訳もないから大人しく卒業しておいた。

During those three years, I studied moderately well but wasn't particularly outstanding. So it was always more convenient to sit at the back of the classroom. But surprisingly, after three years of studying, I eventually graduated. I found it funny myself, but since there was nothing I could do about it, I just quietly graduated.

卒業してから八日目に校長が呼びに来たから、何か用だろうと思って、出掛けて行ったら、四国辺のある中学校で数学の教師が入る。月給は四十円だが、行ってはどうだという相談である。おれは三年間学問はしたが実を云うと教師になる気も、田舎へ行く考えも何もなかった。もっとも教師以外に何をしようと云うあてもなかったから、この相談を受けた時、行きましょうと即席に返事をした。これも親譲りの無鉄砲が祟ったのである。

Eight days after graduation, the school principal called me. Thinking he might have some important matter to discuss, I went to meet him, only to be told that they were looking for a math teacher at a middle school in Shikoku. The monthly salary was 40 yen, but they were just asking if I'd be interested in the position. To be honest, I hadn't really planned to become a teacher or go to the countryside after graduating. But since I had nothing else to do anyway, I immediately agreed to the offer when they asked. This was also the result of my parents' impulsive decision-making.

引き受けた以上は赴任せねばならぬ。

Since I'd already accepted the position, I had no choice but to report for duty.

この三年間は四畳半に蟄居して小言はただの一度も聞いた事がない。

During those three years, I holed up in a 4.5-tatami room and never once heard any criticism from others.

喧嘩もせずに済んだ。

There were no arguments either.

おれの生涯のうちでは比較的呑気な時節であった。

This was actually a relatively calm period in my life.

しかしこうなると四畳半も引き払わなければならん。

But now, I had to vacate that 4.5-tatami room as well.

生れてから東京以外に踏み出したのは、同級生と一所に鎌倉へ遠足した時ばかりである。

The only time I'd ever left Tokyo before was when I went on a school trip to Kamakura with my classmates.

今度は鎌倉どころではない。

But this time, it wasn't about Kamakura at all.

大変な遠くへ行かねばならぬ。

I had to go to a much more distant place.

地図で見ると海浜で針の先ほど小さく見える。

On the map, it looked as small as a needle's tip on the coast.

どうせ碌な所ではあるまい。

It probably wasn't a very nice place anyway.

どんな町で、どんな人が住んでるか分らん。分らんでも困らない。心配にはならぬ。

I had no idea what kind of town it was or what kind of people lived there. But even if I didn't know, it didn't really matter. I wasn't worried about it at all.

ただ行くばかりである。

I just had to go there.

もっとも少々面倒臭い。

Though it was a bit of a hassle.

家を畳んでからも清の所へは折々行った。

After packing up my things, I occasionally went to Shin's place.

清の甥というのは存外結構な人である。おれが行くたびに、居りさえすれば、何くれと款待なしてくれた。清はおれを前へ置いて、いろいろおれの自慢を甥に聞かせた。

Shin's nephew was a really nice guy. Every time I went there, as long as he was there, he would treat me with great hospitality. Shin would put me in the spotlight and brag about me to his nephew.

今に学校を卒業すると麹町辺へ屋敷を買って役所へ通うのだなどと吹聴した事もある。

There were even rumors that after graduating from school, I would buy a mansion in Kojimachi and go to the government office every day.

独りで極めて一人で喋舌るから、こっちは困まって顔を赤くした。

Because I talked a lot on my own, I ended up getting embarrassed and turning red in the face.

それも一度や二度ではない。

And that happened more than once or twice.

折々おれが小さい時寝小便をした事まで持ち出すには閉口した。

It was really annoying when he even brought up the fact that I used to wet the bed when I was a kid.

甥は何と思って清の自慢を聞いていたか分らぬ。

I don't know what the nephew thought while listening to Shin's bragging.

ただ清は昔風の女だから、自分とおれの関係を封建時代の主従のように考えていた。

But Shin was a traditionalist, so she viewed our relationship as a feudal master-servant relationship.

自分の主人なら甥のためにも主人に相違ないと合点したものらしい。甥こそいい面の皮だ。

She seemed to think that if I was her master, I would definitely do things for her nephew. The nephew was just shameless and unscrupulous.

いよいよ約束が極まって、もう立つと云う三日前に清を尋ねたら、北向きの三畳に風邪を引いて寝ていた。

Finally, when I went to visit Shin three days before I was supposed to leave, she was lying in bed with a cold in a north-facing three-tatami room.

おれの来たのを見て起き直るが早いか、坊っちゃんいつ家をお持ちなさいますと聞いた。

She woke up as soon as she saw me, but before I could say anything, she asked, "When are you going to take the boy home?"

卒業さえすれば金が自然とポッケットの中に湧いて来ると思っている。

She thought that once she graduated, money would just magically appear in her pocket.

そんなにえらい人をつらまえて、まだ坊っちゃんと呼ぶのはいよいよ馬鹿気ている。

It's really stupid to still call a grown man 'boy' after putting him through all this trouble.

おれは単簡に当分うちは持たない。

For now, I just don't have the money to support him.

田舎へ行くんだと云ったら、非常に失望した容子で、胡麻塩の鬢の乱れをしきりに撫でた。

When I said I was going to the countryside, Yuko looked very disappointed and kept stroking her messy, greasy hair.

あまり気の毒だから「行く事は行くがじき帰る。

It's really annoying. "I'll go, but I'll definitely come back."

来年の夏休みにはきっと帰る」と慰めてやった。

I comforted her by saying, "I'll definitely come back during next summer's vacation."

それでも妙な顔をしているから「何を見やげに買って来てやろう、何が欲しい」と聞いてみたら「越後の笹飴が食べたい」と云った。

Even so, she still had a strange look on her face. When I asked, "What souvenirs should I bring you?", she replied, "I want to eat Echigo's straw candy."

越後の笹飴なんて聞いた事もない。

I've never even heard of Echigo's straw candy before.

第一方角が違う。

Firstly, the direction is all wrong.

「おれの行く田舎には笹飴はなさそうだ」と云って聞かしたら「そんなら、どっちの見当です」と聞き返した。

When I asked, "It doesn't seem like there's any straw candy in the countryside I'm going to," she replied, "Then, where exactly are you going?"

「西の方だよ」と云うと「箱根のさきですか手前ですか」と問う。

When I said, "It's in the west," she asked, "Is it near Hakone or further away?"

随分持てあました。

I was really stumped.

出立の日には朝から来て、いろいろ世話をやいた。

On the day of departure, she came early in the morning and took care of various things for me.

来る途中小間物屋で買って来た歯磨と楊子と手拭をズックの革鞄に入れてくれた。

On the way here, she bought a toothbrush, a toothpick, and a handkerchief at a small general store and put them in my Zuck leather bag.

そんな物は入らないと云ってもなかなか承知しない。

Even though I said such items wouldn't fit, she still insisted on putting them in.

車を並べて停車場へ着いて、プラットフォームの上へ出た時、車へ乗り込んだおれの顔をじっと見て「もうお別れになるかも知れません。

When we lined up the cars and arrived at the parking lot, and I got on the car, she looked at me intently and said, "We might not see each other again."

随分ご機嫌よう」と小さな声で云った。

She added in a soft voice, "Please take care of yourself."

目に涙が一杯たまっている。

Tears welled up in my eyes.

おれは泣かなかった。

But I didn't cry.

しかしもう少しで泣くところであった。

However, I was on the verge of crying just a moment ago.

汽車がよっぽど動き出してから、もう大丈夫だろうと思って、窓から首を出して、振り向いたら、やっぱり立っていた。何だか大変小さく見えた。

After the train had started moving properly, I thought I was safe. I leaned out the window and looked back, but she was still standing there. She looked so small from a distance.