Cover of きりぎりす (Kirigirisu)

Part 3 of 6 · JLPT N3

きりぎりす Kirigirisu, part 3: Success Arrives and Changes Him

by Dazai Osamu · 1,989 characters · from A Small Cricket

In this part

The wife insists she never resented her husband's success. She describes their poor, carefree years in Yodobashi, when Tajima quietly bought his paintings and she never asked for money or fame. Then the first solo exhibition is a sensation, and he begins to change: he has his teeth fixed with gold, spends nights calling on great painters, and starts gossiping about them. She says she can bear the usual worries of a wife, but something else hurts her far more.

AI translation · independently checked

私わたくしは、あなたの御ご出世しゅっせを憎にくんでいるのではございません。It is not that I hate your rise in the world.

あなたの、不思議ふしぎなほどに哀かなしい画えが、日ひ一日いちにちと多おおくの人ひとに愛あいされているのを知しって、私わたくしは神かみ様さまに毎夜まいよお礼れいを言いいました。When I learned that your paintings, so strangely sad, were being loved by more and more people with every passing day, I gave thanks to God every night.

泣なくほど嬉うれしく思おもいました。I was so happy I could have wept.

あなたが淀橋よどばしのアパートで二に年間ねんかん、気きのむくままに、お好すきなアパートの裏庭うらにわを描えがいたり、深夜しんやの新宿しんじゅくの街まちを描えがいて、お金かねがまるっきり無なくなった頃ころには但馬たじまさんが来きて、二に、三さん枚まいの画えと交換こうかんに十じゅう分ぶんのお金かねを置おいて行いくのでしたが、あの頃ころは、あなたは、但馬たじまさんに画がを持もって行いかれる事ことが、ひどく淋さびしい御ご様子ようすで、お金かねの事ことになど、てんで無関心むかんしんでありました。For two years in the apartment at Yodobashi you painted just as the mood took you: the back garden of the apartment that you were so fond of, or the streets of Shinjuku late at night. Whenever the money had run out completely, Mr. Tajima would come and leave enough money in exchange for two or three paintings. In those days you seemed terribly lonely each time Mr. Tajima carried a painting away, and you cared nothing at all about the money.

但馬たじまさんは、来くる度たび毎ごとに私わたくしを、こっそり廊下ろうかへ呼よび出だして、どうぞ、よろしく、ときまったように真面目まじめに言いってお辞儀じぎをし、白しろい角封筒かくふうとうを、私わたくしの帯おびの間あいだにつっ込こんで下くださるのでした。Every time he came, Mr. Tajima would quietly call me out into the corridor, say "Please, I leave it to you" as earnestly as if it were a set formula, bow, and slip a square white envelope into the folds of my sash.

あなたは、いつでも知しらん顔かおをして居おりますし、私わたくしだって、すぐその角封筒かくふうとうの中味なかみを調しらべるような卑いやしい事ことは致いたしませんでした。You always pretended not to notice, and I, for my part, never did anything so mean as to look inside the envelope straight away.

無なければ無ないで、やって行いこうと思おもっていたのですもの。After all, I had made up my mind that if there was no money, we would simply get by without it.

いくらいただいた等など、あなたに報告ほうこくした事ことも、ありません。Nor did I ever tell you how much we had received.

あなたを汚よごしたくなかったのです。I did not want to soil you.

本当ほんとうに、私わたくしは一度いちどだって、あなたに、お金かねが欲ほしいの、有名ゆうめいになって下くださいの、とお願ねがいした事ことはございませんでした。Truly, not even once did I ask you for money, or beg you to become famous.

あなたのような、口下手くちべたな、乱暴らんぼうなおかたは、(ごめんなさい)お金持かねもちにもならないし、有名ゆうめいになど決けっしてなれるものでないと私わたくしは、思おもっていました。I believed that a man like you, so clumsy with words and so rough (forgive me), would never grow rich, and could certainly never become famous.

けれども、それは、見みせかけだったのね。But that was only a pretence, wasn't it?

どうして、どうして。Far from it, far from it.

但馬たじまさんが個展こてんの相談そうだんを持もって来こられた時ときから、あなたは、何なんだか、おしゃれになりました。From the time Mr. Tajima came to talk to you about a solo exhibition, you somehow began to care about your appearance.

まず、歯医者はいしゃへ通かよいはじめました。First of all, you started going to the dentist.

あなたは虫歯むしばが多おおくて、お笑わらいになると、まるでおじいさんのように見みえましたが、けれどもあなたは、ちっとも気きになさらず、私わたくしが、歯医者はいしゃへおいでになるようにおすすめしても、いいよ、歯はがみんな無なくなりゃあ総そう入歯いればにするんだ、金歯きんばを光ひからせて女おんなの子こに好すかれたって仕様しようが無ない、等などと冗談じょうだんばかりおっしゃって、一向いっこうに歯はのお手入ていれをなさらなかったのに、どういう風かぜの吹ふき廻まわしか、お仕事しごとの合間あいま、合間あいまに、ちょいちょいと出でかけて行いっては、一本いっぽん二本にほんと、金歯きんばを光ひからせてお帰かえりになるようになりました。You had many bad teeth, and when you laughed you looked just like an old man. Yet it did not bother you in the least. Whenever I urged you to see a dentist, you only joked, "Never mind. When my teeth are all gone I'll get a full set of false ones. What's the use of flashing gold teeth to make the girls like me?" and you never took the slightest care of your teeth. And then, by whatever change of wind, you began slipping out now and then between spells of work, and coming home with a gold tooth gleaming, then another.

こら、笑わらってみろ、と私わたくしが言いったら、あなたは、鬚ひげもじゃの顔かおを赤あかくして、但馬たじまの奴やつが、うるさく言いうんだ、と珍めずらしく気弱きよわい口調くちょうで弁解べんかいなさいました。When I said, "Come on, let's see you smile," your bearded face turned red, and you excused yourself in an unusually timid voice: "That fellow Tajima keeps nagging me about it."

個展こてんは、私わたくしが淀橋よどばしへまいりましてから二に年ねん目めの秋あきに、ひらかれました。The exhibition was held in the autumn of my second year in Yodobashi.

私わたくしは、うれしゅうございました。I was glad.

あなたの画えが、一人ひとりでも多おおくの人ひとに愛あいされるのに、なんで、うれしくない事ことがありましょう。When your paintings were to be loved by even one more person, how could I not be glad?

私わたくしには、先見せんけんの明めいがあったのですものね。I did have foresight, after all, didn't I?

でも、新聞しんぶんでもあんなに、ひどくほめられるし、出品しゅっぴんの画えが、全部ぜんぶ売うり切きれたそうですし、有名ゆうめいな大家たいかからも手紙てがみが来きますし、あんまり、よすぎて、私わたくしは恐おそろしい気きが致いたしました。And yet, the newspapers praised you so extravagantly, I heard that every painting on show had been sold, and letters came even from famous masters. It was all far too good, and I felt frightened.

会場かいじょうへ、見みに来こいと、あなたにも、但馬たじまさんにも、あれほど強つよく言いわれましたけれど、私わたくしは、全身ぜんしん震ふるえながら、お部屋へやで編物あみものばかりしていました。You and Mr. Tajima both urged me so strongly to come and see the exhibition, but I stayed in our room trembling all over, doing nothing but knitting.

あなたの、あの画えが、二十にじゅう枚まいも、三十さんじゅう枚まいも、ずらりと並ならんで、それを大勢おおぜいの人ひとたちが、眺ながめている有様ありさまを、想像そうぞうしてさえ、私わたくしは泣なきそうになってしまいます。Even just imagining those paintings of yours, twenty or thirty of them, hanging in a long row, and crowds of people gazing at them, I find myself close to tears.

こんなに、いい事ことが、こんなに早はやく来きすぎては、きっと、何なんか悪わるい事ことが起おこるのだとさえ、考かんがえました。I even thought that when such good fortune comes so quickly, something bad is sure to happen.

私わたくしは、毎夜まいよ、神かみ様さまに、お詫わびを申もうしました。Every night I begged God's forgiveness.

どうか、もう、幸福こうふくは、これだけでたくさんでございますから、これから後あと、あの人ひとが病気びょうきなどなさらぬよう、悪わるい事ことの起おこらぬよう、お守まもり下ください、と念ねんじていました。"Please, this much happiness is more than enough. From now on, protect him, so that he does not fall ill or meet with any misfortune," I prayed.

あなたは毎夜まいよ、但馬たじまさんに誘さそわれて、ほうぼうの大家たいかのところへ挨拶あいさつに参まいります。Every night Mr. Tajima takes you out to pay your respects to one great master after another.

翌朝よくあさお帰かえりの事ことも、ございましたが、私わたくしは別べつに何なんとも思おもっていないのに、あなたは、それは精くわしく前夜ぜんやの事ことを私わたくしに語かたって下くださって、何先生なにせんせいは、どうだとか、あれは愚物ぐぶつだとか、無口むくちなあなたらしくもなく、ずいぶんつまらぬお喋しゃべりをはじめます。Sometimes you did not come home until the next morning. I thought nothing in particular of it, yet you would tell me about the night before in great detail: what Master So-and-so was like, how that one was a fool. It was not like you at all, so taciturn as you are, to begin such silly chatter.

私わたくしは、それまで二に年ねん、あなたと暮くらして、あなたが人ひとの陰口かげぐちをたたいたのを伺うかがった事ことが一度いちどもありませんでした。In the two years I had lived with you until then, I had never once heard you speak ill of anyone behind their back.

何先生なにせんせいは、どうだって、あなたは唯我独尊ゆいがどくそんのお態度たいどで、てんで無関心むかんしんの御ご様子ようすだったではありませんか。Whatever Master So-and-so might be like, you had always held yourself aloof, as if you alone in the world mattered, and seemed not to care in the least. Isn't that so?

それに、そんなお喋しゃべりをして、前夜ぜんやは、あなたに何なんのうしろ暗くらいところも無なかったという事ことを、私わたくしに納得なっとくさせようと、お努つとめになって居いられるようなのですが、そんな気弱きよわな遠廻とおまわしの弁解べんかいをなさらずとも、私わたくしだって、まさか、これまで何なんも知しらずに育そだって来きたわけでもございませんし、はっきりおっしゃって下くださったほうが、一いち日にちくらい苦くるしくても、あとは私わたくしはかえって楽らくになります。Besides, with all that chatter you seem to be trying to convince me that there was nothing shameful about your night. But you need not make such timid, roundabout excuses. I was not, after all, brought up knowing nothing of the world, and if you would only tell me plainly, I might suffer for a day or so, but afterwards I would actually feel easier.

所詮しょせんは生涯しょうがいの、女房にょうぼうなのですから。When all is said and done, I am your wife for life.

私わたくしは、そのほうの事ことでは、男おとこの人ひとを、あまり信用しんようして居おりませんし、また、滅茶めちゃに疑うたがっても居おりません。In matters of that sort I do not place much trust in men, nor do I suspect them wildly either.

そのほうの事ことでしたら、私わたくしは、ちっとも心配しんぱいして居おりませぬし、また、笑わらって怺こらえる事ことも出来できるのですけれど、他ほかに、もっと、つらい事ことがございます。If it is only that sort of thing, I am not worried at all, and I could bear it with a smile; but there is something else, something far more painful.

Vocabulary

WordMeaningJLPT
出世しゅっせrise in the world, success in one's careerOften used of social or career advancement; 御 makes it polite here.N1
卑しいいやしいmean, base, vulgarSuggests greed or low character, here prying into the money.N1
口下手くちべたpoor at speaking, inarticulateOpposite: 口上手 (くちじょうず).—
見せかけみせかけpretence, false appearance—
個展こてんsolo exhibitionShort for 個人展覧会.—
どういう風の吹き廻しどういうかぜのふきまわしfor some unexpected reason, by some change of heartdictionary form: どういう風の吹き回しIdiom for a sudden, surprising change in someone's behaviour.—
先見の明せんけんのめいforesight明 is read めい here, meaning clear sight.—
大家たいかgreat master, leading authorityRead おおや it means a landlord.N3
愚物ぐぶつfool, idiotOld-fashioned and quite contemptuous.—
陰口かげぐちbackbiting, speaking ill of someone behind their backUsed with たたく: 陰口をたたく.—
唯我独尊ゆいがどくそんself-important aloofness, the belief that one alone mattersFrom a Buddhist phrase attributed to the newborn Buddha; here it means proud indifference to others.—
うしろ暗いうしろぐらいshady, having something to hidedictionary form: 後ろ暗いうしろ暗いところ = a guilty secret.—
所詮しょせんafter all, in the endCarries a tone of resignation.—
怺えるこらえるto bear, to endure, to hold backdictionary form: 堪える怺 is an old kanji spelling; today it is written 堪える.N2

Grammar

〜ば〜で N2 if it is so, then that is fine too

Repeating a word in the conditional and then with で accepts either outcome. Here 無ければ無いで means that if there was no money, she would manage with none.

無ければ無いで、やって行こうと思っていたのですもの。

After all, I had made up my mind that if there was no money, we would simply get by without it.

〜ですもの/〜ものね N3 because, after all (feminine, appealing tone)

Sentence-final もの gives a reason with a soft, slightly pleading or self-justifying feminine tone. Adding ね, as in the later 先見の明があったのですものね, invites the listener to agree.

無ければ無いで、やって行こうと思っていたのですもの。

After all, I had made up my mind that if there was no money, we would simply get by without it.

なんで〜ことがありましょう N1 how could it possibly be that…? (rhetorical)

A rhetorical question using the polite presumptive form ありましょう (= あるでしょう / あるだろう). It strongly denies the statement: 'how could there be such a thing as…?' Here なんで、うれしくない事がありましょう means 'how could I possibly not be glad?', i.e. there is no way she could fail to be glad.

なんで、うれしくない事がありましょう。

How could I not be glad?

〜うございます N2 very polite form of an i-adjective

The adjective's く ending changes sound (うれしく → うれしゅう) before ございます. It is formal and old-fashioned and fits the wife's courteous letter style.

私は、うれしゅうございました。

I was glad.

〜らしくもなく N3 unlike someone, not in character

Noun + らしくない means 'not typical of'; adding も stresses how surprising it is. Here she remarks that the chatter was most unlike her usually silent husband.

無口なあなたらしくもなく、ずいぶんつまらぬお喋りをはじめます。

Most unlike your silent self, you begin such silly chatter.

〜ずとも N1 even without doing, need not

A literary form of 〜なくても. なさらずとも means 'even if you do not make', so she is telling him there is no need for such excuses.

そんな気弱な遠廻しの弁解をなさらずとも

Even without making such timid, roundabout excuses