『蝉しぐれ』(藤沢周平)紹介・英語対訳（１５）
An Introduction to “The Cicada Buzz”（Fujisawa Shuhei）・English Translation（１５）
１５ 文四郎「秘剣村雨」伝授
＊18歳の秋、文四郎は松川道場との対抗奉納試合で興津新之丞に2勝1敗で勝利し、石栗弥左衛門が考案した「秘剣村雨」を、唯一の伝承者である加治織部正を通して伝授されることとなった。
熊野神社の奉納試合は、例年秋十月の吉日をえらんで、熊野神社の境内で行う松川道場との親善試合だった。
試合を通じて両道場の親交を深め、かつ技の向上に資するというのが建前だが、事実は親交はそっちのけの技くらべであり、ほかに無外流の小野道場という小さな道場があるものの、一刀流の松川道場、空鈍流の石栗道場は城下を二分する勢力なので、奉納試合には多数の藩士が見物にあつまる。(中略)
駆け引きはわかるが、おれを興津にあてるのが妥当かどうかは疑問だと、文四郎は思った。文四郎は今年の正月の発表会で次席五番に躍進したが、自分の技量がどの程度のものかは、まだ正確にはつかみかねている。興津とあたって、勝てるかどうかわからなかった。興津を負かしてやろうという、功名心もうすかった。 (中略)
道場の入り口の大戸をしめてから、文四郎は外に出た。生暖かい夜気が身体をつつんで来た。雨気をふくんだ雲が空を覆っているらしく、夜空には一点の光も見えなかった。重くしめった闇が、のしかかるように空から垂れ下がっているのが感じられた。
地面がわずかに白い。文四郎が五間川の河岸の方に歩いて行くと、頭上に鋭い声をのこして野鳥が翔(か)けて行った。
-----秘剣か。と文四郎は思った。その話を聞いた興奮が、まだ身体の中に残っていた。文四郎が剣の修行にはげむのは、興津新之亟に勝つためでも、石栗道場の秘伝を得たいためでもなく、日々剣の修行に打ち込むしかないところに、わが身を追い込まれたからである。とは言うものの文四郎も、長年剣に心身を酷使して来た人間である。師の弥左衛門に不敗の剣の伝授を示唆されては、高ぶる気持ちを押さえかねた。
------このおれが・・・・
秘伝をうける二人目の人間にえらばれるのだろうかと、文四郎は思っている。興奮はその認識につながっていた。弥左衛門の心づもりなるものが真実なら、やがてたった一人をのぞいて同門の何人ものぞき見たことのない秘伝を、俺が目にすることになるのだと思った。
ただし興津に勝てばの話である。(藤沢周平『蝉しぐれ』-梅雨曇り２)
(前略)
文四郎は総毛立つ思い出踏みとどまり、うしろを振り向いて。自分が打ったのか、それとも興津の返し竹刀に打たれたのか、自分でもよくわからないほどのきわどい勝負だったのである。
だが振り向いた眼に、審判の小野喜玄が白扇でこちらを指しているのが見えた。そして文四郎は、こちらをむいて立っている興津新之亟が、小野が文四郎の勝ちと宣言すると喚声が洩れ、それが波のように境内にひろがった。そのざわめきにつつまれながら、興津はひどく緩慢な身動きで竹刀を拾おとしている。
そのときになって、文四郎は全身に熱い汗がどっと噴き出すのを感じた。熱い汗は顔にしたたり、胸を濡らして流れた。稽古着の袖で顔をぬぐいながら、文四郎は興津が竹刀を捨ってこちらにむくのを待った。
------なぜ、あれが見えたのか。
と文四郎は考えていた。切り返しの技のために返っていた籠手。攻撃の構えをみせて文四郎にむいていた興津の爪先。その興津の籠手を打った一撃を、文四郎はおぼえていなかつた。神が、そこに竹刀をみちびいたようでもあった。
礼をかわし、師の石栗与左衛門がいる正面の席にも一礼して幕の外に出ると、興奮に顔をかがやかした杉内道造が寄って来た。黙って文四郎の手を握ったのは興奮で口をきけないのだろう。控えの幕に入ると、めずらしく佐竹と丸岡俊作が満面の笑いで迎えた。（藤沢周平『蝉しぐれ』-天与の一撃 五）
15 Bunshiro "Secret Sword Village Rain" Teaching
＊ In the fall of 18 years old, Bunshiro defeated Shinnojo Okitsu with 2 wins and 1 loss in a dedication match against Matsukawa training hall. The "secret sword village rain" devised by Yazaemon Ishiguri was taught him through Kaji Oribe no Sho, the only successor.
The Kumano Shrine dedication match is held at the Matsukawa training hall in the precincts of the Kumano Shrine, choosing the good day of October every year. It was a friendly match. It is said that the two training halls will deepen their friendship through the game and contribute to the improvement of their skills, but the fact is that the friendship is better than that, and although there is a small training hall called the Mugai Ryu Ono training hall, Matsukawa is a one-sword style. The training hall and the Ishiguri training hall, which is a blunt stream, are the forces that divide the castle into two, so many feudal lords gather to see the dedication match. (Omitted)
He understood the bargaining, but Bunshiro thought it was doubtful whether it was appropriate to hit Okitsu against him. Bunshiro made a leap to the fifth place at the New Year's recital this year, but he still hasn't figured out exactly what his skill level is. He hit Okitsu and didn't know if he could win. He had a good reputation for defeating Okitsu. (Omitted)
Bunshiro went out after closing the big door at the entrance of the training hall. A warm night wraps around his body. Clouds containing rain seemed to cover the sky, and he couldn't see a single point of light in the night sky. He could feel the heavy darkness hanging from the sky as if it were leaning against it. The ground is slightly white. As Bunshiro walked toward the banks of the Goken River, a wild bird rushed over him with a sharp voice.
----- Is it a secret sword? Bunshiro thought. The excitement of hearing the story still remained in his body. Bunshiro was enthusiastic about sword training, not because he wanted to beat Shinnojo Okitsu or to get the secret of the Ishiguri training hall, but because he was forced to devote himself to sword training every day. Bunshiro is also a person who has abused his mind and body with a sword for many years. When his teacher, Yazaemon, suggested that he should be taught an undefeated sword, he couldn't hold back his pride.
------ This is me.. Bunshiro wonders if he will be selected by the second person who receives the secret. The excitement led to that recognition. If the heartfelt thing of Yazaemon is true, he thought that he would soon see a secret that he had never seen at the same party except for one person. However, it is a story if he beats Okitsu. (Shuhei Fujisawa "The Cicada Buzz"-A Rainy Season Cloudy 2)
(Omitted) Bunshiro stayed on his hairy memories and turned around behind him. It was such a terrible game that he couldn't even tell whether he had hit it or was hit by Okitsu's bamboo sword. However, with his turning eyes, he saw the referee, Kigen Ono, pointing at him with a white fan. Then, Bunshiro screamed when Shinnojo Okitsu, who was standing facing him, declared that Ono had won, and it spread like a wave in the precincts. Surrounded by the cicada buzz, Okitsu is picking up a bamboo sword with a terribly slow movement. At that time, Bunshiro felt hot sweat squirting all over his body. Hot sweat ran down his face and wet his chest. While wiping his face with the sleeves of his training clothes, Bunshiro waited for Okitsu to throw away his bamboo sword and look at him.
------ Why did I see that? Bunshiro was thinking. The gauntlet was returned due to the technique of turning back. Okitsu's toes were facing Bunshiro, showing his readiness to attack. Bunshiro didn't remember the blow that hit Okitsu's gauntlet. It seemed that God had found a bamboo sword there. Dodging the courtesy, he bowed to the front seat where his teacher, Yozaemon Ishiguri, went out of the curtain, and Michizo Sugiuchi, who was excited and shined, approached me. He must be so excited that he couldn't say anything, and he held Bunshiro's hand silently. At the waiting corner of the curtain, Satake and Shunsaku Maruoka greeted him with a big laugh.
( Fujisawa Shuhei "The Cicada Buzz" -A God-given Strike 5)
(To be continued)