藤沢周平『時雨のあと』+α　ダイジェスト（英語対訳）２　　　　　　　　Fujisawa Shuhei's "After the Drizzling Rain" + α 　A Digest (English Translation)２

『時雨のあと』２　「雪明り」

　菊四郎は古谷の家から、実家から比べれば、家格ははるか上の芳賀家に養子に入っていた。入るにあたって、古谷の実家とは縁を切るという条件であった。ある雪の日、菊四郎は、偶然、実家の妹由乃に出会う。由乃は父の後妻の連れ子であった。また。宮本清吾の家に嫁に入るのが決まっていた。菊四郎自身も、養家の牧乃に姪の朋江との縁談が決まっていた。実家の父より、由乃の事で相談を受ける。そして、夫の宮本清吾に見舞いに行くというと、返答もあやふやで渋る。しかし、菊四郎は強引に宮本家に行くと、そこに病で動けず、汚物にまみれた、変わり果てた由乃を見出す。
　二人は互いに許されない状況下で、それでも二人の情愛を遂げようとする。妹は、住んでいる土地から離れた江戸に行くことで、跳びきれないでいる兄を誘う。その妹の意図を受け止めた兄は江戸に行くことを決意してこの作品は終わる。
 
　酷い生活を余儀なくされている義妹を助けだした菊四郎が、人生の岐路に立つ、重要な決断をする場面が出てきます。今までの生活を続けるか、思い切って現状を捨て、わが信ずる道へと飛び立とうと思案する場面が圧巻です。心温まる、淡い恋の義兄妹の物語です。

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

"After the Drizzling Rain" ２ "Snow Light"

　　　Kikushiro was adopted from the Furuya family into the Haga family, which is of a much higher status than his own family. The condition for adopting the family was that he would have to sever all ties with the Furuya family. One snowy day, Kikushiro happened to meet his younger sister, Yuno. Yuno was a child from a previous marriage with his father. She was also set to marry into the family of Miyamoto Seigo. Kikushiro himself had arranged a marriage with his niece, Makino, from his foster family. His father consulted him about Yuno. When he told her he was going to visit her husband, 　　　Miyamoto Seigo, he was hesitant and gave a vague reply. However, Kikushiro forces his way to Miyamoto's house, where he finds Yuno completely changed, unable to move due to illness, and covered in filth. The two were in a situation that was unacceptable to either of them, but they still tried to realize their love. The younger sister tempted her brother, who was unable to complete the jump, by going to Edo, far from where they lived. The story ends with the brother accepting his sister's intentions and deciding to go to Edo.
 
　　　After rescuing his sister-in-law who is being forced into a miserable life, Kikushiro is faced with a scene where he must make an important decision at a crossroads in his life. The highlight is the scene where he ponders whether to continue his life as he has been or to boldly abandon his current situation and take the plunge and follow the path he believes in. This is a heartwarming story of a brother and a sister-in-law in love.　（To be continued）