翻刻
背より腰に至り以の外の疵の跡あり森平か曰是はいか様の疵に
ておはせしとあれはされは其方は格別の者也語らん某若き時か様
〳〵の事にて石井宇右衛門といふ者を討し其忰三之丞といふ者某を
引出さん為に某か親遊斎を討けれは美濃国何某の大薮の中に
四五十日窺隠れ三之丞行水せし処を飛懸り慥に大袈裟に打
しかさすがの者なれは腰元に脇差を持せて某迯る所を払ひし其
疵也それか弟両人有しか四五才の水子の事なれは活たるも死たるも不知
たとへ活て居る共見知ざれは今更討んと思ふ事は叶はじ然共某も敵
有身なれはいか計身を大事に思ふ又殿にも此事を知給ふ故随分
かこひ給はる此事構へて人に語るなと慇に制せられ森平心の内には
是そ神仏の引合せと思へ共露も色には出さす見事に挨拶して去
ぬ爰に於て森平委細に文認め江戸に在し兄半蔵方へ言遣はし何卒
して此方城中へ来り給へと言越けれは半蔵も爰かしこ聞たて周防殿
扶持人鼓打棗八兵衛方へ吉助と名を改め有付亀山へ供して来りし
翌年三月の出代に達て暇を取森平口入にて七十石取之近習役
鈴木芝右衛門方へ奉公し是より切〻森平と水右衛門の若党と三人
出会何卒殿の江戸参勤の前に可遂本意とて内談極めけり水右衛門
か若党申せしは某親は嫡子三之丞殿に附添しかと不遂本意して空敷
国許にて身罷りし時其方は譜代の者なれは何卒して次男三男を御
見立申親兄の敵を討せ申此意趣を晴せよ我は唯此事のみ草葉の
蔭迄も思ふそ相かまへて空敷なすなと遺言して終りぬ願はくは御
両所の助太刀めさせ給へと繰返しいひしかは両人の曰いや国許に大切の
現代語訳
背から腰に至って非常な傷の跡があった。森平が言うには「これはどのような傷でいらっしゃいましたか」と言うと、「それならばそなたは格別の者である。語ろう。某が若い時、かようかようの事で石井宇右衛門という者を討った。その息子三之丞という者が某を
引き出そうとして、某の親遊斎を討ったので、美濃国何某の大藪の中に
四五十日窺い隠れ、三之丞が行水した処に飛びかかり、確かに大袈裟に打った
が、さすがの者なので腰元に脇差を持たせて、某が逃げる所を払った、その
傷である。それの弟が両人あったが、四五歳の子供の事なので生きているのか死んでいるのかも知れない。
たとえ生きていても見知らなければ、今更討とうと思う事は叶わないであろう。しかし某も敵の
ある身なので、どれほど身を大事に思う事か。また殿にもこの事を知っていただいているので随分
囲っていただいている。この事はくれぐれも人に語るな」と懇ろに制せられ、森平は心の内には
「これこそ神仏の引き合わせ」と思ったが、少しも色には出さず見事に挨拶して去
った。ここにおいて森平は委細に手紙を認め、江戸にいた兄半蔵の方へ言い遣わし「何とか
してこちらの城中へ来てください」と言い送ったので、半蔵もあちらこちら聞きたてて周防殿の
扶持人鼓打棗八兵衛の方へ吉助と名を改めて有り付き、亀山へ供して来た。
翌年三月の出代に達して暇を取り、森平の口入れで七十石取りの近習役
鈴木芝右衛門の方へ奉公し、これより切りに森平と水右衛門の若党と三人で
出会い「何とか殿の江戸参勤の前に本意を遂げたい」として内談を極めた。水右衛門の
若党が申すには「某の親は嫡子三之丞殿に付き添ったが、本意を遂げずして空しく
国許にて身罷った時、『そなたは譜代の者なので、何とかして次男三男をご
見立て申し、親兄の敵を討たせ申し、この意趣を晴らせよ。我はただこの事のみ草葉の
蔭までも思う。相構えて空しくするな』と遺言して終わった。願わくはご
両所の助太刀をなさってください」と繰り返し言ったので、両人が言うには「いや、国許に大切の
英語訳
from his back to his waist there were traces of extraordinary wounds. Moridaira said, "What kind of wound was this?"
To which [Mizuemon] replied, "Then you are indeed an exceptional person. I shall tell you. When I was young, due to such and such circumstances, I killed a man named Ishii Uemon. His son Sannosuke tried to
draw me out by killing my parent Yūsai, so I hid and watched for forty or fifty days in the great thickets of such-and-such place in Mino Province. When Sannosuke was taking a cold bath, I leaped at him and struck him a great blow,
but he was quite skilled, so he had his page carry a wakizashi and struck me as I was fleeing - that is
this wound. He had two younger brothers, but they were just children of four or five years, so I don't know whether they're alive or dead.
Even if they're alive, since I wouldn't recognize them, it would be impossible to think of killing them now. However, since I too am someone with enemies,
how much I must treasure my life. Also, since my lord knows of this matter, he protects me considerably.
Never speak of this matter to anyone," he earnestly warned. In his heart, Moridaira
thought "This is surely an arrangement by the gods and Buddha," but showed nothing in his expression and responded admirably before depart-
ing. Thereupon Moridaira wrote a detailed letter and sent it to his elder brother Hanzō in Edo, saying "Please somehow
come to this castle," so Hanzō also made inquiries here and there, changed his name to Kichisuke, and found a position with
Natsume Hachibe, a drum-player retainer of Lord Suō, and came to serve at Kameyama.
The following year in March when the time came to change posts, he took leave and through Moridaira's introduction became employed with
Suzuki Shibaemon, a close attendant with a seventy-koku stipend. From this time on, Moridaira, Mizuemon's retainer, and the third person
met frequently and made secret plans, saying "Somehow we must accomplish our purpose before his lordship's trip to Edo." Mizuemon's
retainer said, "My father accompanied the eldest son Sannosuke-sama, but died in vain in our home province without accomplishing his purpose. At that time he said, 'You are a hereditary retainer, so somehow please find the second and third sons and
have them take revenge for their parent and elder brother, and clear this grudge. I think only of this matter even unto the grass-covered
grave. Make sure not to let this end in vain,' and so he died with these final words. I beg that you
two gentlemen assist me," he said repeatedly. The two replied, "No, in our home province there are important