藤沢周平『時雨のあと』+α　ダイジェスト（英語対訳）３　　　　　　　　Fujisawa Shuhei's "After the Drizzling Rain" + α 　A Digest (English Translation)３

『時雨のあと』３　「闇の顔」

　「城内の石垣修理現場で、夜の見回りの藩士によって二人の侍の死体が発見される。当夜の見回り指揮者、瀬尾の初動の現場検証によって、一人は額を斬られており、もう一人は肩から背骨にかけて袈裟に斬られていた。額を斬られたのは普請奉行の志田弥右衛門、もう一人は同奉行助役の大関泉之助であることが明らかになった。状況から見て二人は何らかの理由で争い、相打ちになって共に倒れたように見えた。だが二、三納得が出来ない点が見つかった。大関はしっかり刀を握ったまま倒れており、刀身に血の跡があった。志田の、身体から離れて落ちていた刀には血の汚れは全くなかった。大関の傷は背中から斬られたものであり、その斬り口から見て、斬った者はすさまじい剣の遣い手と見受けられた。（中略）この斬り合いに第三の人間がいたことになる。瀬尾は知らせを受けて駆けつけてきた大目付にそのことを報告し、以降の調べは大目付とその配下の手に移った。」
　
　城下で二人の男が倒れている場面から物語が始まる。事件の真相を探っていく伊並惣七郎、石凪鱗次郎・・・、その背景には家老中老間の派閥争いが絡んでいた。
　大泉泉之助殺しの真相に迫っていくという本筋に、伊並惣七郎の妹幾江と惣七郎の親友石凪鱗次郎との物語が添えられています。
 

Fujisawa Shuhei's "After the Drizzling Rain" + α 　A Digest (English Translation)

“After the Drizzling Rain” 3   “The Face of Darkness”

　　　
　　　"The bodies of two samurai are discovered by a samurai on night patrol at a stone wall repair site inside the castle. The patrol leader that night, Seo, makes an initial investigation at the scene and finds that one of them has been slashed across the forehead, and the other has been slashed across the shoulder to the spine. It becomes clear that the one who was slashed across the forehead is Shida Yaemon, the magistrate of the construction works, and the other is Ozeki Izuminosuke, the assistant magistrate of the same work. From the circumstances, it looked like they had fought a drawn-out blow and fallen together. However, a few points are found that are difficult to understand. Ozeki had fallen while still clutching his sword, and there was a blood stain on the blade. Shida's sword, which had fallen away from his body, had not been stained with blood at all. Ozeki's wound had been inflicted on his back, and judging from the cut, the slasher appeared to be a skilled swordsman. (Omitted) This meant that there was a third person involved in the sword fight. Seo reported this to the Ometsuke, who had rushed to the scene after receiving the news, and the investigation was then handed over to the Ometsuke and his subordinates."
 
　　　The story begins with a scene of two men lying on the ground in the castle town. Inami Soshichiro and Ishinagi Rinjiro investigate the truth of the incident... and in the background, a factional dispute between the elder retainers was involved.
 　　　The main plot, which uncovers the truth behind the murder of Oizumi Izuminosuke, is supplemented by a story about Inami Soshichiro's sister Ikue and Soshichiro's best friend Ishinagi Rinjiro.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（To be continued）