翻刻
宇右衛門を便として青山殿の御家中か又は東国辺の似合敷事も哉と頻ニ
頼けれはいざとよとて消息を添宇右衛門方へ越けり宇右衛門事の由を聞届
士は互の事なれはとかく因縁時節あらんに先忰三之丞方に休息し誰〻共
隔意あらせなとて身内同前に介抱せられけり源五右衛門居馴染家中の
若き衆中出合鑓の師と成り爰彼所もてはやされしに或時宇右衛門
密かに源五右衛門を招き某も若き時ゟ武芸にとや角と心を尽し
冥加に相叶殿にも鑓の御指南を申家中の誰彼も弟子にて有し
か其方の鑓此頃物蔭より伺ひ見しにいかにも未熟にも見え候若は功
者あるものゝ見咎んも心うけれは止給へと有しかは辞には承引して更に
止さりしを又の時士一途のかせきは障なし武芸の事は上なき物なれは
却て人の褒貶も抔と事の訳を立て異見せしに然は貴殿の御指
南に逢度とて稽古鑓を取出し所望しけれはいや無用の事也誰の負て
も品あしゝと辞しけれと達ての望にて一合せせしにヤアといふ聲の下にて
胸したゝかに突れけれは今一合せと有しを一向に押止しに気色かはつて望
しをいなみかたくて又合せしに其侭長柄を踏落されてけり源五右衛門
いか計口惜事に思ひ此意趣晴さんと隙を伺ひ有しに頓て夜戌刻
計宇右衛門城ゟ帰りし折しも春雨の雨具調へ何心なく通し処を
源五右衛門小薮の蔭より飛て出鑓の意趣覚たかとて小鑓にて胴腹
を突通せは宇右衛門刀抜しかと木履くじけて打倒れしには僕は怖敷
事に思ひ其侭宅へ駆戻りか様〳〵の事と告けれは三之丞を始家来
不残翔付漸に助けて帰りしかと大疵なれは得もたまらす次男半蔵は
五歳三男源蔵は弐才共に幼稚なれは母随分に養育せよ兄三之丞
現代語訳
宇右衛門を仲介として青山殿の御家中か又は東国辺りの相応しい奉公先でも」と頻りに
頼んだので、「それでは」ということで紹介状を添えて宇右衛門方へ送った。宇右衛門は事の由を聞き届け、
「武士は互いの事なれば、とかく因縁時節もあろうが、まず息子の三之丞方に休息し、誰とも
隔意なく」ということで身内同然に世話をした。源五右衛門は居馴染んで、家中の
若い衆中と出会い槍の師となり、あちらこちらでもてはやされた。ある時宇右衛門が
密かに源五右衛門を招き、「某も若い時から武芸にあれこれと心を尽くし、
冥加に相叶い殿にも槍の御指南を申し上げ、家中の誰彼も弟子であったが、
そなたの槍を、このごろ物陰より窺い見たところ、いかにも未熟にも見えた。もし功
者ある者の見咎めるも心苦しければ止めなさい」と言ったところ、言葉では承知して全く
止めなかったので、また別の時に「武士一途の稼ぎは障害なし。武芸の事は上なき物なれば、
かえって人の褒貶も」などと事の訳を立てて異見したところ、「それでは貴殿の御指
南に会いたい」といって稽古槍を取り出し所望したので、「いや無用の事である。誰が負けて
も見苦しい」と辞したけれど、強いての望みで一合わせしたところ、「ヤア」という声の下で
胸をしたたかに突かれたので「今一合わせ」と言ったのを一向に押し止めしたが、気色が変わって望
んだのを断りがたくて又合わせしたところ、そのまま長柄を踏み落とされてしまった。源五右衛門は
いかばかり口惜しい事に思い、この意趣を晴らそうと隙を窺っていたところ、やがて夜戌の刻
ばかりに宇右衛門が城から帰る折しも、春雨の雨具を調え何心なく通る処を、
源五右衛門が小薮の陰より飛び出て「槍の意趣覚えたか」といって小槍にて胴腹
を突き通すと、宇右衛門は刀を抜いたが木履が砕けて打ち倒れたので、僕は恐ろしい
事に思い、そのまま宅へ駆け戻り「かような事」と告げると、三之丞を始め家来
残らず駆けつけ、ようやく助けて帰ったが、大疵なので堪えることもできず、次男半蔵は
五歳、三男源蔵は二歳、共に幼稚なので母がよくよく養育せよ。兄三之丞は
英語訳
use Uemon as an intermediary for a position in Lord Aoyama's household or somewhere suitable in the eastern provinces," he persistently
requested. So with "very well then," [the acquaintance] sent him to Uemon with a letter of introduction. Uemon heard the circumstances,
and [said], "Since samurai help each other, there may be various connections and timing involved, but first rest at my son Sannosuke's place, without
reserve toward anyone," and cared for him as if he were family. Gengoemon settled in and
met with the young men of the household, became a spear instructor, and was celebrated here and there. At one point Uemon
secretly summoned Gengoemon and said, "I too have devoted myself to martial arts in various ways since my youth,
and by divine favor have given spear instruction to our lord, and everyone in the household has been my student, but
your spearwork, which I have been observing from the shadows recently, appears quite inexperienced. If a skilled
person were to notice this it would be embarrassing, so please stop," but though [Gengoemon] agreed in words, he did not
stop at all. So another time [Uemon] gave advice, explaining "A samurai's single-minded pursuit has no obstacles. Martial arts are without limit, so
rather people's praise and criticism..." and so forth. Then [Gengoemon said] "Then I would like to meet with your
instruction," and brought out a practice spear and requested [a match]. [Uemon replied] "No, that is unnecessary. It would be unseemly
for either to lose," and declined, but due to [Gengoemon's] insistent request they had one match, and with a "Ya!" cry
[Gengoemon] thrust hard at [Uemon's] chest. When [Uemon] said "One more match," [Gengoemon] completely refused, but when [Uemon's] expression changed and he
requested it, it was hard to refuse, so they matched again, and [Uemon] immediately knocked down [Gengoemon's] long spear. Gengoemon
thought this unbearably mortifying and watched for an opportunity to settle this grudge. Soon, around the hour of the dog at night,
just as Uemon was returning from the castle, with rain gear prepared for the spring rain, walking along without a care,
Gengoemon leaped out from behind some small bushes and said "Do you remember the spear grudge?" and thrust through [Uemon's] torso with a short spear.
Uemon drew his sword but his wooden clogs broke and he fell down. The servant, thinking this a terrible
thing, ran straight back to the house and reported "such and such has happened." Sannosuke and all the retainers
rushed out and barely managed to help him return home, but it was a serious wound so he could not endure it. His second son Hanzō was
five years old, his third son Genzō was two years old, both very young, so [he said] the mother should take good care of them. His eldest son Sannosuke