英語訳
Enjirō became friendly with the local pleasure-seeking sons like Kitariki no Suke and bad companions from places like Daiku-machi, and began devising increasingly romantic schemes.
First, since love letters are essential for having affairs, one must learn about them. Let me list some of the well-known opening phrases for love letters that people are familiar with:
First, there are "kikisute" (cast aside after hearing), "muen sakazuki" (cup of no connection), "toki-zake" (loosening sake), "yukari no tsuki" (moon of connection), "mittsu no tori" (three birds), "mittsu futon futatsu mon" (three futons, two crests), "yottsu no sode" (four sleeves), "kōrō-dachi" (court lady style), "oki no ishi" (offshore stones), "hana no kumo" (flower clouds), "asagao" (morning glory), "rokkasen" (six poetic geniuses), "Komachi Henshō" (the poets Komachi and Henshō), "Kuronushi," "Narihira ni Yasuhide" (Narihira and Yasuhide), "shiraito" (white thread), "hitori shinjū" (solitary love suicide), "yubikiri" (pinky promise), "irebokuro" (beauty mark), "kishō" (written vow), "mukashi-gusa" (ancient grass), "mannen-sō" (perennial plant), "jūsan-gane" (thirteen bells), "mizu-kagami" (water mirror), "ina-fune" (rice boat), "matsuyoi" (waiting evening), "wakare" (parting), "nagori no momiji" (lingering autumn leaves), "kari-makura" (temporary pillow), "natsu-goromo" (summer robe), "haru no yo" (spring night), "aki no yo" (autumn night), "masu-kagami" (square mirror), "yowa no kane" (midnight bell), "oboro-tsuki" (hazy moon), "haru-gasumi" (spring mist), "midare-dori" (confused birds), "omoi-gawa" (river of thoughts), "onna Sangu" (Third Princess), "genpuku" (coming of age), "man-giku" (ten thousand chrysanthemums), "kugatsu-gaya" (September reeds), "Yoshino-gusa" (Yoshino grass), "natsu no tsuki" (summer moon), "ake-garasu" (dawn crow), "mura-garasu" (flock of crows), "ōgi" (fan), "hana no ka" (flower fragrance), "haru no en" (spring feast), "nokoru atsusa" (lingering heat), "sashi-gushi" (ornamental comb), "ai no yama" (mountain of love), "tokezu" (unmelting), "some-ito" (dyed thread), "meido no tori" (bird of the underworld), "koi-zakura" (love cherry), "aki no nana-kusa" (seven autumn grasses), "futatsu moji" (two letters), "hidari moji" (left letters), "waga kokoro" (my heart), "e to yukata" (pictures and summer kimono), "tatami-zan" (tatami calculation), "hitotsu mizo" (one ditch), "koi-banashi" (love story).
There are still countless more, but this gives you an idea of what I mean. Ah, my mouth has gotten dry from all this talk.
There's quite a bit of secret knowledge in composing letters. They say if you don't pay attention to the "wind character," the relationship will end. It becomes difficult when you get to writing childhood names at the end of simple letters.
[Hanging scroll]
《Small print: Genji and Ise》 Monogatari (Tales)
[Enjirō's dialogue]
"There must be some incredibly scandalous affairs to be had!"
[Bad friend's dialogue]
"When there's lipstick on the brush tip, it's never from a genuine local letter. No matter how modest the location, you can tell right away from the pillow marks by the ears - that's how you know the business is ruined."