翻刻
すべき知縁相識もなく程々思案に労
せる内風与工夫に心付夜に入居酒屋にて
一盃を過し時刻を考へ外桜田御大老
井伊殿之屋敷辺を徘徊し辻番人之
廻りを待請熟酔困難之体にて溝の中へ
倒れ込みたるを被見咎一応吟味せられしも
無生体酩酊苦敷姿に罷在し故番所え
引揚介抱に預り候内追々酔も醒めたる
気色をなし更に容貌を改め篤く礼
謝を演へ実私義は黒鍬組之由姓名を
明し此上は何卒右不調法之段御内済穏便
之御取計被成下候様にと一向詫入候処其段留守
居中へ相届伺有之に実々酩酊外に如才
なき挙動に付無難に聞届事済に成し故
尚又厚く恩義を謝し帰宅之上翌朝
早々留守居役両家へ過当之礼物を持参
又昨夜当直之辻番人にも叮嚀之色を
挨拶取扱己に一生懸命之場合偏に御仁
恤之取計を以無事御聞済被成下候段海
岳譬方なき生々世々の御鴻恩と深く
現代語訳
すべき知縁や相識もなく、しばらく思案に苦労していたうち、ふと工夫に心づき、夜に入って居酒屋で一杯を過ごし、時刻を考えて外桜田の御大老井伊殿の屋敷辺りを徘徊し、辻番人の廻りを待ち受けた。ひどく酔った困難な体で溝の中へ倒れ込んだのを見咎められ、一応吟味されたが、ひどく酩酊して苦しい姿でいたため、番所へ引き上げられ介抱を受けることになった。そのうち追々酔いも醒めた気色を見せ、改めて容貌を改め、篤く礼謝を述べて「実は私は黒鍬組の者です」と姓名を明かし、「この上は何卒この不調法の件をご内済穏便にお取り計らい下さいますよう」と一心に詫び入った。その件が留守居中へ相届け伺いがあったが、確かに酩酊以外に如才ない挙動であったため、無難に聞き届けられ事が済むことになった。なお改めて厚く恩義を謝し帰宅の上、翌朝早々留守居役両家へ過当の礼物を持参し、また昨夜当直の辻番人にも丁寧に色を付けて挨拶し、取り扱った。自分にとって一生懸命の場合、ひとえに御仁恤のお取り計らいをもって無事御聞済被成下された段、海岳に譬えようもない生々世々の御鴻恩と深く
英語訳
Having no acquaintances or connections to rely upon, he struggled with this problem for some time until he suddenly hit upon a scheme. One evening, after having drinks at a tavern, he calculated the time and loitered around the mansion area of Lord Ii, the Great Elder at Sotosakurada. He waited for the rounds of the street guards, then collapsed into a ditch in the guise of being severely intoxicated and in distress. When this was noticed and he was questioned, he appeared to be in a pitiable state of severe inebriation, so he was taken to the guardhouse and given care. Gradually showing signs of sobering up, he completely changed his demeanor and offered earnest thanks and apologies, revealing his name and stating "I am actually a member of the kurokuwagumi (construction corps)," and pleading earnestly "Please handle this matter of my misconduct quietly and leniently through internal settlement." When this matter was reported to the deputy, since his behavior showed competence aside from his drunkenness, it was safely accepted and the matter was concluded. He again expressed deep gratitude for their kindness, and after returning home, early the next morning he brought excessive gifts to both deputy households, and also gave careful consideration and greetings to the street guard who had been on duty the previous night. In what was for him a life-or-death situation, through their benevolent handling alone he was safely pardoned - a boundless favor as vast as mountains and seas that would last through countless lives, and he deeply...