翻刻
所暫過候而健四郎家来之趣ニ而門外へ参り
桂一郎方へ参り相尋候得共未タ帰宅無之よ
し今以此方ニ罷在候哉と相尋候間取次之者
取計ニ而最早帰り候趣相答遣暫見合候而五
半時比にも可有之桂一郎義最前酒宴比ゟ迎
ニ参居候悴同道罷帰り候ニ付私小もの又兵
衛と申ものニ挑灯為持為先立桂一郎【見せ消ち「跡ニ付」】悴并小
者豊蔵と申もの桂一郎跡ニ付添送り遣候桂
一郎門外へ罷出候所を何者欤切付候付桂一
郎其場ニ相倒れ候付先立候小者ハ驚キ両国
辺迄も逃候よし跡ニ付添候桂一郎悴并豊蔵
義も周章門内へ馳入候付相手方之者見届不
申候桂一郎悴親切られ候趣呼込候間家内一
同驚キ騒キ居候内健四郎罷越私へ面会いた
し度旨門外ニて申聞候得共取次之者今晩ハ
混雑ニ付面会之儀相断遣候由然ル所桂一郎
義ハ同人身寄之者参り連帰り候趣ニ御座候
右之外門外ニ而之義ニ付一切存候義無御座
候此外可申上義無御座候以上
福田半香家来又兵衛口書
現代語訳
しばらく過ぎて、健四郎の家来という者が門外へ来て「桂一郎方へ参って尋ねたが、まだ帰宅していないとのこと。今もこちらにいるのか」と尋ねてきたので、取次の者が取り計らって「もう帰った」旨を答えてやった。しばらく様子を見ていて、五半時頃であったろうか、桂一郎が先ほどの酒宴の頃から迎えに来ていた息子と同道して帰ることになったので、私の小者の又兵衛という者に提灯を持たせて先導させ、桂一郎の息子並びに小者の豊蔵という者を桂一郎に付き添わせて送らせた。桂一郎が門外へ出たところを、何者かが切りつけたので、桂一郎はその場に倒れた。先導していた小者は驚いて両国辺りまで逃げたとのこと。後に付き添っていた桂一郎の息子並びに豊蔵も慌てふためいて門内へ駆け込んだので、相手方の者を見届けることができなかった。桂一郎の息子が「親が切られた」旨を叫んだので、家内一同驚き騒いでいるところへ、健四郎が来て私に面会したい旨を門外で申し入れたが、取次の者が今晩は混乱しているため面会はお断りする旨を伝えた。そうしているうちに、桂一郎は同人の身寄りの者が参って連れて帰ったとのことである。右の他、門外での出来事については一切存じません。この外に申し上げることはございません。以上
福田半香家来又兵衛口書
英語訳
Some time later, someone claiming to be Kenshiro's retainer came to the gate and inquired, "I went to Keiichiro's place to ask about him, but was told he had not yet returned home. Is he still here?" The person who received him handled the matter by answering that he had already left. After watching for a while, around half past the fifth hour (around 8:30 PM), Keiichiro was ready to return home accompanied by his son who had come to escort him since the drinking party. I had my servant Matahei carry a lantern to lead the way, while Keiichiro's son and another servant named Toyozo accompanied Keiichiro from behind to see him off. When Keiichiro stepped outside the gate, someone attacked him with a sword, causing Keiichiro to fall on the spot. The servant who was leading was startled and fled as far as the Ryogoku area. Keiichiro's son and Toyozo, who were following behind, also panicked and rushed back inside the gate, so they could not identify the attacker. When Keiichiro's son cried out that his father had been cut down, the entire household was in shock and commotion. At that moment, Kenshiro came and requested to meet with me at the gate, but the person who received him declined the meeting, saying that tonight was too chaotic. Meanwhile, Keiichiro was taken away by his relatives who had come for him. Beyond this, I know nothing whatsoever about what happened outside the gate. There is nothing else to report. The above.
Statement by Matahei, retainer of Fukuda Hanko