杜子春（四（つづき）） Toshishun, part 5: The God-General's Deadly Challenge

杜と子春ししゅんは思おもわず耳みみを抑おさえて、一枚岩いちまいいわの上うえへひれ伏ふしました。Before he knew it, Toshishun had clapped his hands over his ears and thrown himself face down on the great flat rock.

が、すぐに眼めを開ひらいて見みると、空そらは以前いぜんの通とおり晴はれ渡わたって、向むこうに聳そびえた山々やまやまの上うえにも、茶碗ちゃわんほどの北斗ほくとの星ほしが、やはりきらきら輝かがやいています。But when he opened his eyes a moment later and looked about, the sky was as clear as it had been before, and above the mountains that towered in the distance the stars of the Big Dipper, each as large as a teacup, were still sparkling brightly.

して見みれば今いまの大おおあらしも、あの虎とらや白蛇しろへびと同おなじように、鉄冠子てっかんしの留守るすをつけこんだ、魔性ましょうの悪戯いたずらに違ちがいありません。So the great storm just now must also have been the mischief of some demon, taking advantage of Tekkanshi's absence, just like the tiger and the white serpent.

杜と子春ししゅんは漸ようやく安心あんしんして、額ひたいの冷汗ひやあせを拭ぬぐいながら、又また岩いわの上うえに坐すわり直なおしました。At last Toshishun felt easier, and wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he settled himself once more upon the rock.

が、そのため息いきがまだ消きえない内うちに、今度こんどは彼かれの坐すわっている前まえへ、金かねの鎧よろいを着下きくだした、身みの丈たけ三さん丈じょうもあろうという、厳おごそかな神将しんしょうが現あらわれました。But before his sigh of relief had even faded away, there appeared right in front of where he sat a stern and majestic god-general, clad in golden armour and fully thirty feet tall.

神将しんしょうは手てに三叉みつまたの戟ほこを持もっていましたが、いきなりその戟げきの切先きっさきを杜と子春ししゅんの胸むなもとへ向むけながら、眼めを嗔いからせて叱しかりつけるのを聞きけば、The god-general held a three-pronged trident in his hand, and all at once he pointed its tip at Toshishun's breast, glared at him furiously and thundered:

「こら、その方ほうは一体いったい何物なにものだ。この峨眉山がびさんという山やまは、天地てんち開闢かいびゃくの昔むかしから、おれが住居すまいをしている所ところだぞ。それも憚はばからずたった一人ひとり、ここへ足あしを踏ふみ入いれるとは、よもや唯ただの人間にんげんではあるまい。さあ命いのちが惜おしかったら、一刻いっこくも早はやく返答へんとうしろ」と言いうのです。"Hey, you there! What in the world are you? This mountain, Mount Gabi, has been my dwelling place since the ancient days when heaven and earth were first divided. To set foot here all alone, with no regard for that, you can surely be no ordinary mortal. Come, if you value your life, answer me this instant!"

しかし杜と子春ししゅんは老人ろうじんの言葉ことば通とおり、黙然もくねんと口くちを噤つぐんでいました。But Toshishun, just as the old man had told him, kept his mouth firmly shut and said nothing.

「返事へんじをしないか。――しないな。好よし。しなければ、しないで勝手かってにしろ。その代かわりおれの眷属けんぞくたちが、その方ほうをずたずたに斬きってしまうぞ」"Won't you answer? ...No, you won't. Very well. If you won't, then do as you please. But in return, my followers will cut you to pieces!"

神将しんしょうは戟げきを高たかく挙あげて、向むこうの山やまの空そらを招まねきました。The god-general raised his trident high and beckoned towards the sky above the far mountains.

その途端とたんに闇やみがさっと裂さけると、驚おどろいたことには無数むすうの神兵しんぺいが、雲くもの如ごとく空そらに充満みちみちて、それが皆みな槍やりや刀かたなをきらめかせながら、今いまにもここへ一ひとなだれに攻せめ寄よせようとしているのです。At that very moment the darkness split open, and, astonishingly, countless heavenly soldiers filled the sky like clouds, every one of them flashing his spear or sword, ready at any moment to come sweeping down upon this spot in a single wave.

この景色けしきを見みた杜と子春ししゅんは、思おもわずあっと叫さけびそうにしましたが、すぐに又また鉄冠子てっかんしの言葉ことばを思おもい出だして、一生いっしょう懸命けんめいに黙だまっていました。When Toshishun saw this sight he very nearly cried out, but at once he remembered Tekkanshi's words again and kept silent with all his might.

神将しんしょうは彼かれが恐おそれないのを見みると、怒おこったの怒おこらないのではありません。When the god-general saw that he was not afraid, his rage was terrible to behold.

「この剛情者ごうじょうものめ。どうしても返事へんじをしなければ、約束やくそく通とおり命いのちはとってやるぞ」"You stubborn wretch! If you absolutely will not answer, then, just as I promised, I will take your life!"

神将しんしょうはこう喚わめくが早はやいか、三叉みつまたの戟ほこを閃ひらめかせて、一突ひとつきに杜と子春ししゅんを突つき殺ころしました。No sooner had the god-general roared these words than he flashed his three-pronged trident and ran Toshishun through with a single thrust, killing him.

そうして峨眉山がびさんもどよむ程ほど、からからと高たかく笑わらいながら、どこともなく消きえてしまいました。Then, laughing so loudly that even Mount Gabi echoed, he vanished no one knew where.

勿論もちろんこの時ときはもう無数むすうの神兵しんぺいも、吹ふき渡わたる夜風よかぜの音おとと一いっしょに、夢ゆめのように消きえ失うせた後あとだったのです。Of course, by this time the countless heavenly soldiers had already vanished too, like a dream, along with the sound of the night wind blowing past.

北斗ほくとの星ほしは又また寒さむそうに、一枚岩いちまいいわの上うえを照てらし始はじめました。The stars of the Big Dipper began once more to shine coldly down upon the great flat rock.

絶壁ぜっぺきの松まつも前まえに変かわらず、こうこうと枝えだを鳴ならせています。The pines on the cliff, just as before, were rustling their branches with a sighing sound.

が、杜と子春ししゅんはとうに息いきが絶たえて、仰向あおむけにそこへ倒たおれていました。But Toshishun had long since stopped breathing, and lay there on his back.