藤沢周平『日暮れ竹河岸（たけがし）』ダイジェスト（英語対訳）２　　　　　　　　　　　　Fujisawa Shuhei “Takegashi at Sunset” (English Translation)２

藤沢周平『日暮れ竹河岸（たけがし）』ダイジェスト（英語対訳）２

＜前半１２編紹介＞（「江戸おんな絵姿十二景」より）

１　夜の雪

　おしづは、途中からその話を上の空に聞き流した。うつむいて火鉢の灰をならした。子供が二人もいる男やもめが、 自分を嫁に欲しがっているという話は、おぞましいとか気持ちが悪いとかいうよりさきに、どこかひとごとのように聞こえる。私には新蔵がいるのに、と思っていた。

　信濃屋の次男との縁談が決まりかけたころ、奉公人が一人やめた。新蔵といい、おしづと同年の十八で、商家勤めには どうかと思われるほど、はげしい気性を持つ若者だった。やめる前の晩、新蔵はおしづに裏庭まで来てくれと懇願した。おしづが面白がってついて行くと、新蔵は突然に店をやめて上方に行きますと言った。ひとかどの商人になったらかならず 会いに来ます、とも言った。気負っていた。なぜ、急にそんなことをいうのかとおしづは聞いた。
　「新蔵は、もうお嬢さんのそばにいたくないのです」激しい語気で言うと、新蔵は突然におしづの手を握った。

Fujisawa Shuhei “Takegashi at Sunset” (English Translation)２

<Introduction of the first 12 stories> (From "Twelve Scenes of Edo Women's Paintings")

1　 Night Snow

　　　Halfway through, Oshizu overheard the story. She looked down and smoothed the ashes from the brazier. When a widower with two children says that his girlfriend wants her as his wife, it sounds more like a joke than something horrible or something that makes her feel bad. She thought she had Shinzo.

　　　Just as the marriage agreement with Shinanoya's second son was about to be finalized, one of the servants quit. His name was Shinzo, he was 18 years old, the same age as Oshizu, and he was a young man with a fierce temper that made one wonder if he was suitable for working at a merchant's house. The night before he quit, Shinzo begged Oshizu to come to his backyard. She was amused and followed, but Shinzo suddenly told her that he would quit his shop and go to Kamigata. He also said that when he became a merchant, he would definitely come to see her. He was anxious. Oshizu asked why he suddenly said something like that.
``Shinzo doesn't want to be around your daughter anymore,'' he said in a fierce tone, and suddenly he grabbed Shizu's hand.　（To be continued）