『蝉しぐれ』(藤沢周平)紹介・英語対訳（１４）

An Introduction to “The Cicada Buzz”（Fujisawa Shuhei）・English Translation（１４）

１４　文四郎、群奉行支配となる

＊文四郎18歳の正月に、道場の席次が5位となる。同年3月、里村家老の屋敷に呼ばれ、家禄を28石に戻した上、郡奉行支配となる旨を告げられた。

　老人と大きな机をへだてて、もう一人の男が座っていた。顔も眼も大きく丸い大男だった。鬢（びん）の毛が白くなっているその大男は、手を膝に置いてじっと文四郎を見ている。そして最初に口を切ったのはその男だった。
　「これが助左衛門の倅か」
　　声はほら貝を鳴らしたように、大きくてやわらかかった。どうやらこの男が、さっきの笑い声の主らしい。
　「なかなか骨格たくましい若者になった」
　「子供はすぐにそだつ」とへちま顔の老人が言った。声はひとりごとのように低い。
　「われわれのように、先の見えた年寄りとはちがう」
　　老人は言い、机から文四郎に向き直ると、わしは里村、そっちは大目付の尾形久万喜だと言った。文四郎は、この小柄な老人が父の命を奪った人間かと思いながら里村を見た。
　「今夜は、そなたに伝えたいことが出来たので呼んだ。大目付は立ち合いをつとめるために来ておる」
　　里村ははっきり文四郎の顔を見ることもなく、手もとや机の上に眼を落しながら、ぼそぼそと言った。
　「では申し渡す」
　　里村は、文四郎が身構える間もなくそう言った。そして机の上に乱雑に積んである書類の間から一枚の紙をつかみ出すと、行燈の方に紙面を傾けながら読み上げた。
　「牧文四郎を旧禄に復し、郡奉行支配を命ぜられること」
(藤沢周平『蝉しぐれ』-家老屋敷　２)

14　 Bunshiro becomes a group magistrate

＊At the age of 18, Bunshiro’s seating order was ranked 5th in the training hall. In March of the same year, Bunshiro was called to a chief retainer of the Satomura residence, and was told that they would return to the old stipend, 28 kokus and that he would become the county magistrate.

　　　Another man was sitting at the big desk with the old man. He was a big man with a big face and eyes. The big man, whose hair is white, puts his hand on his lap and stares at Bunshiro. And it was the man who first spoke. "Is this the son of Sukezaemon?" The voice was loud and soft, like a conch shell. Apparently, this guy is the main laughter. "I became a young man with a strong skeleton," The old man with a loofah face said, "Children will soon get angry." The voice is as low as each person. "Unlike the elderly who saw the future like us." The old man said, when he turned to Bunshiro from his desk, he said that he was Satomura and that man was a chaperon Kumaki. Bunshiro wondered if this petite old man killed his father.  "Tonight, I called you because I could tell you what I wanted to say. A chaperon is coming to witness." Satomura didn't see Bunshiro's face clearly, but looked down at his hand and on his desk and said sloppily. "Then I'll give an order," Satomura said so shortly after Bunshiro was ready. Then he grabbed a piece of paper from between the cluttered documents on his desk and read it aloud, tilting the paper toward the lantern. "To return Maki Bunshiro to the old stipend and order to become the county magistrate." 　　( Fujisawa Shuhei "The Cicada Buzz" -A Chief Retainer Residence 2)
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(To be continued)