白（一） Shiro, part 1: Shiro Abandons His Friend

ある春はるの午ひる過すぎです。It was one spring afternoon.

白しろと云いう犬いぬは土つちを嗅かぎ嗅かぎ、静しずかな往来おうらいを歩あるいていました。A dog called Shiro was walking along a quiet street, sniffing and sniffing at the ground.

狭せまい往来おうらいの両側りょうがわにはずっと芽めをふいた生垣いけがきが続つづき、そのまた生垣いけがきの間あいだにはちらほら桜さくらなども咲さいています。On both sides of the narrow street, hedges that had put out new buds stretched on and on, and here and there between them cherry trees and other trees were in bloom.

白しろは生垣いけがきに沿そいながら、ふとある横町よこちょうへ曲まがりました。Shiro followed the hedges, and then, on a sudden whim, turned into a side street.

が、そちらへ曲まがったと思おもうと、さもびっくりしたように、突然とつぜん立たち止どまってしまいました。But no sooner had he turned that way than he stopped short, as if something had given him a great fright.

それも無理むりはありません。And no wonder.

その横町よこちょうの七八間しちはっけん先さきには印半纏しるしばんてんを着きた犬いぬ殺ころしが一人ひとり、罠わなを後うしろに隠かくしたまま、一匹いっぴきの黒犬くろいぬを狙ねらっているのです。Some fifteen yards down that side street, a dogcatcher in a livery coat was hiding a snare behind his back and taking aim at a black dog.

しかも黒犬くろいぬは何なにも知しらずに、犬いぬ殺ころしの投なげてくれたパンか何なにかを食たべているのです。What was more, the black dog suspected nothing and was eating the bread, or whatever it was, that the dogcatcher had thrown to him.

けれども白しろが驚おどろいたのはそのせいばかりではありません。Yet that was not the only reason Shiro was startled.

見知みしらぬ犬いぬならばともかくも、今いま犬いぬ殺ころしに狙ねらわれているのはお隣となりの飼犬かいいぬの黒くろなのです。Had it been a dog he did not know, it might have been another matter, but the dog the dogcatcher was now aiming at was Kuro, the dog kept by the family next door.

毎朝まいあさ顔かおを合あわせる度たびにお互たがいの鼻はなの匂においを嗅かぎ合あう、大だいの仲なかよしの黒くろなのです。It was Kuro, his very best friend, whose nose he sniffed, and who sniffed his, every morning whenever they met.

白しろは思おもわず大声おおごえに「黒くろ君くん！　あぶない！」と叫さけぼうとしました。Without thinking, Shiro was about to shout at the top of his voice, "Kuro! Look out!"

が、その拍子ひょうしに犬いぬ殺ころしはじろりと白しろへ目めをやりました。But at that very moment the dogcatcher shot Shiro a sharp glance.

「教おしえて見みろ！　貴様きさまから先さきへ罠わなにかけるぞ。」――犬いぬ殺ころしの目めにはありありとそう云いう嚇おどかしが浮うかんでいます。"Just try warning him! I'll snare you first." That was the threat written plainly in the dogcatcher's eyes.

白しろは余あまりの恐おそろしさに、思おもわず吠ほえるのを忘わすれました。Shiro was so terrified that he forgot to bark.

いや、忘わすれたばかりではありません。No, it was not only that he forgot.

一刻いっこくもじっとしてはいられぬほど、臆病風おくびょうかぜが立たち出だしたのです。Cowardice came over him so strongly that he could not stay still for a single moment.

白しろは犬いぬ殺ころしに目めを配くばりながら、じりじり後あとすざりを始はじめました。Keeping his eyes on the dogcatcher, Shiro began to back away, little by little.

そうしてまた生垣いけがきの蔭かげに犬いぬ殺ころしの姿すがたが隠かくれるが早はやいか、可哀かわいそうな黒くろを残のこしたまま、一目散いちもくさんに逃にげ出だしました。Then, the instant the hedge hid the dogcatcher from view, he ran off as fast as his legs would carry him, leaving poor Kuro behind.

その途端とたんに罠わなが飛とんだのでしょう。The snare must have been thrown at that very moment.

続つづけさまにけたたましい黒くろの鳴なき声ごえが聞きこえました。Kuro's shrill cries rang out again and again.

しかし白しろは引ひき返かえすどころか、足あしを止とめるけしきもありません。But far from turning back, Shiro showed no sign of even stopping.

ぬかるみを飛とび越こえ、石いしころを蹴散けちらし、往来おうらいどめの縄なわを擦すり抜ぬけ、五味ごみための箱はこを引ひっくり返かえし、振ふり向むきもせずに逃にげ続つづけました。He leapt over puddles of mud, sent pebbles flying, slipped under the rope that closed off a road, knocked over a rubbish box, and kept on running without once looking back.

御覧ごらんなさい。Look at him!

坂さかを駈かけおりるのを！See how he races down the slope!

そら、自動車じどうしゃに轢ひかれそうになりました！There, he was nearly run over by a car!

白しろはもう命いのちの助たすかりたさに夢中むちゅうになっているのかも知しれません。Perhaps Shiro is already so desperate to save his own life that he can think of nothing else.

いや、白しろの耳みみの底そこにはいまだに黒くろの鳴なき声ごえが虻あぶのように唸うなっているのです。No, deep in Shiro's ears, Kuro's cries are still buzzing like a horsefly.

「きゃあん。きゃあん。助たすけてくれえ！　きゃあん。きゃあん。助たすけてくれえ！」"Kyaan! Kyaan! Help me! Kyaan! Kyaan! Help me!"