# Botchan, Chapter 6

坊っちゃん · Natsume Sōseki · Botchan

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/botchan/ch06. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/botchan/ch06.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/botchan/<line id>.m4a.


野だは大嫌いだ。  
I can't stand Toady.
> Plain copula «だ»: Botchan narrates in the blunt plain form «だ» rather than polite «です» — the copula of a man talking to himself, not to a superior. It sets the brash, unfiltered register of the whole diary-like narration.
こんな奴は沢庵石をつけて海の底へ沈めちまう方が日本のためだ。  
Japan would be better off tying a pickle-weight to a fellow like that and sinking him to the bottom of the sea.
> «てしまう» → «ちまう»: «てしまう» marks a completed, often rash or irreversible action. In fast, casual speech it slurs to «ちまう» — here it colors the fantasy of drowning Toady with cheerful violence.
赤シャツは声が気に食わない。  
I don't like Red Shirt's voice either.
あれは持前の声をわざと気取ってあんな優しいように見せてるんだろう。  
He must be putting it on, making his natural voice sound that gentle on purpose.
いくら気取ったって、あの面じゃ駄目だ。  
No matter how much he puts on airs, that face of his ruins it.
惚れるものがあったってマドンナぐらいなものだ。  
If anyone would fall for him, it could only be Madonna.
しかし教頭だけに野だよりむずかしい事を云う。  
Still, being the vice principal, he says trickier things than Toady does.
うちへ帰って、あいつの申し条を考えてみると一応もっとものようでもある。  
Back at my lodgings, when I turned his argument over in my head, it did seem to make some sense.
はっきりとした事は云わないから、見当がつきかねるが、何でも山嵐がよくない奴だから用心しろと云うのらしい。  
He never says anything straight out, so I can't be sure, but it seems he meant that Porcupine is a bad sort and I should watch out for him.
> «らしい» — hearsay/inference: «らしい» attaches to a plain-form clause to mean 'it seems that / I hear that', reporting an inference rather than a fact Botchan witnessed directly — he is guessing at Red Shirt's insinuation, not repeating a plain statement.
それならそうとはっきり断言するがいい、男らしくもない。  
If that's what he meant, he ought to say so plainly — it's not very manly of him.
そうして、そんな悪るい教師なら、早く免職さしたらよかろう。  
And If he's really such a bad teacher, Red Shirt ought to have him fired at once.
教頭なんて文学士の癖に意気地のないもんだ。  
Some vice principal — a literature graduate with no backbone at all.
蔭口をきくのでさえ、公然と名前が云えないくらいな男だから、弱虫に極まってる。  
A man who can't even say the name out loud when he's badmouthing someone behind his back is bound to be a coward.
弱虫は親切なものだから、あの赤シャツも女のような親切ものなんだろう。  
Cowards tend to be kind, so I suppose that Red Shirt is one of those womanish, kindly types too.
親切は親切、声は声だから、声が気に入らないって、親切を無にしちゃ筋が違う。  
But kindness is kindness and a voice is a voice — it's unreasonable to write off his kindness just because I don't like his voice.
それにしても世の中は不思議なものだ、虫の好かない奴が親切で、気のあった友達が悪漢だなんて、人を馬鹿にしている。  
Even so, the world is a strange place — a fellow you can't stand turns out kind, and a friend you got along with turns out a scoundrel; it makes a fool of a man.
大方田舎だから万事東京のさかに行くんだろう。  
I suppose out here in the country everything runs backwards from Tokyo.
物騒な所だ。  
A dangerous place, this.
今に火事が氷って、石が豆腐になるかも知れない。  
Before long fire might freeze and stones might turn to tofu, for all I know.
しかし、あの山嵐が生徒を煽動するなんて、いたずらをしそうもないがな。  
Still, that Porcupine egging the students on doesn't sound like him — he doesn't seem the type for mischief.
一番人望のある教師だと云うから、やろうと思ったら大抵の事は出来るかも知れないが、――第一そんな廻りくどい事をしないでも、じかにおれを捕まえて喧嘩を吹き懸けりゃ手数が省ける訳だ。  
They say he's the most popular teacher there is, so if he set his mind to it he could probably manage most anything — but first of all, instead of going about it so roundabout, he could save himself the trouble by picking a fight with me straight to my face.
おれが邪魔になるなら、実はこれこれだ、邪魔だから辞職してくれと云や、よさそうなもんだ。  
If I'm in his way, he could just say so — here's the trouble, you're in the way, so quit — that would be simple enough.
> «言えば» → «云や»: «云や» is a clipped, spoken-style contraction of the conditional «言えば» ('if he says'). Botchan's inner monologue favors these worn-down colloquial forms over the full grammatical shape.
物は相談ずくでどうでもなる。  
Things can be settled by just talking them over.
向うの云い条がもっともなら、明日にでも辞職してやる。  
If his reasons are sound, I'll resign tomorrow if he likes.
ここばかり米が出来る訳でもあるまい。  
This isn't the only place in the world that grows rice.
どこの果へ行ったって、のたれ死はしないつもりだ。  
Wherever I end up, I don't intend to die in a ditch.
山嵐もよっぽど話せない奴だな。  
Porcupine really is an impossible fellow.
> Sentence-final «な»: The masculine sentence-final particle «な» here softens a private, half-resigned observation — closer to 'huh' or 'isn't he' muttered to oneself than an assertion made to a listener.

ここへ来た時第一番に氷水を奢ったのは山嵐だ。  
The one who first treated me to ice water here was Porcupine.
そんな裏表のある奴から、氷水でも奢ってもらっちゃ、おれの顔に関わる。  
Being treated to ice water by such a two-faced fellow reflects badly on me.
おれはたった一杯しか飲まなかったから一銭五厘しか払わしちゃない。  
I only drank one glass, so it cost him just a sen and five rin.
> «しか» + negative = 'only': «しか» paired with a negative verb («飲まなかった», «払わしちゃない») means 'only/nothing but' — The two «しか» constructions stress that Botchan drank only one glass and made Porcupine pay only one sen and five rin.
しかし一銭だろうが五厘だろうが、詐欺師の恩になっては、死ぬまで心持ちがよくない。  
But whether it's a sen or five rin, staying in a swindler's debt leaves a bad taste till the day I die.
あした学校へ行ったら、一銭五厘返しておこう。  
Tomorrow when I go to school, I'll pay back the sen and five rin.
おれは清から三円借りている。  
I owe Kiyo three yen.
その三円は五年経った今日までまだ返さない。  
Five years have gone by and I still haven't paid back those three yen.
返せないんじゃない。  
It's not that I can't repay it.
返さないんだ。  
I'm just not paying it back.
> Potential vs. plain negative: «返せない» (potential + negative: 'cannot repay') would mean he lacks the means; «返さない» (plain negative: 'do not repay') is a deliberate choice. Botchan draws the line sharply: it's not that he can't pay Kiyo back, it's that repaying her would miss the point.
清は今に返すだろうなどと、かりそめにもおれの懐中をあてにしてはいない。  
Kiyo never counts on my pocket even lightly, thinking I'll pay it back someday.
おれも今に返そうなどと他人がましい義理立てはしないつもりだ。  
And I don't intend to make a show of paying it back either, the way you would to some stranger.
こっちがこんな心配をすればするほど清の心を疑ぐるようなもので、清の美しい心にけちを付けると同じ事になる。  
The more I fret over this, the more it's like doubting Kiyo's heart, which amounts to the same thing as belittling her lovely nature.
返さないのは清を踏みつけるのじゃない、清をおれの片破れと思うからだ。  
Not repaying her isn't trampling on Kiyo — it's because I think of her as my other half.
清と山嵐とはもとより比べ物にならないが、たとい氷水だろうが、甘茶だろうが、他人から恵を受けて、だまっているのは向うをひとかどの人間と見立てて、その人間に対する厚意の所作だ。  
Kiyo and Porcupine aren't remotely comparable, of course, but whether it's ice water or sweet tea, accepting a kindness from someone and saying nothing about it is itself an act of goodwill, one that credits the other person as somebody worth respecting.
割前を出せばそれだけの事で済むところを、心のうちで難有いと恩に着るのは銭金で買える返礼じゃない。  
Where paying your share on the spot would settle the matter outright, silently feeling grateful in your heart is a repayment no amount of money could buy.
無位無冠でも一人前の独立した人間だ。  
Even a man with no rank or title is still a full, independent human being.
独立した人間が頭を下げるのは百万両より尊といお礼と思わなければならない。  
And when an independent man bows his head, it ought to be counted a thank-you worth more than a million ryō.

おれはこれでも山嵐に一銭五厘奮発させて、百万両より尊とい返礼をした気でいる。  
Even so, I feel I made Porcupine lay out a sen and five rin on me, and paid him back a thank-you worth more than a million ryō.
山嵐は難有いと思ってしかるべきだ。  
He ought to be grateful for it.
それに裏へ廻って卑劣な振舞をするとは怪しからん野郎だ。  
And yet he goes behind my back and pulls some contemptible stunt — what an outrageous fellow.
あした行って一銭五厘返してしまえば借りも貸しもない。  
Tomorrow I'll go and pay back the sen and five rin, and then we won't owe each other anything.
そうしておいて喧嘩をしてやろう。  
And once that's settled, I'll pick a fight with him.

おれはここまで考えたら、眠くなったからぐうぐう寝てしまった。  
Having thought this far, I got sleepy and fell fast asleep, snoring away.
> «てしまう» — completive: «てしまう» marks an action carried through to its end, often with a note of finality or of things being taken out of one's hands — here, simply giving in completely to sleep.
あくる日は思う仔細があるから、例刻より早ヤ目に出校して山嵐を待ち受けた。  
The next day I had my reasons, so I went to school earlier than usual and lay in wait for Porcupine.
ところがなかなか出て来ない。  
But he was slow in showing up.
うらなりが出て来る。  
Uranari came in.
漢学の先生が出て来る。  
The Chinese-classics teacher came in.
野だが出て来る。  
Toady came in.
しまいには赤シャツまで出て来たが山嵐の机の上は白墨が一本竪に寝ているだけで閑静なものだ。  
Finally even Red Shirt came in, but Porcupine's desk had nothing on it but a single stick of chalk lying lengthwise, quiet as could be.
おれは、控所へはいるや否や返そうと思って、うちを出る時から、湯銭のように手の平へ入れて一銭五厘、学校まで握って来た。  
Meaning to hand it back the moment I stepped into the staff room, I'd carried the sen and five rin all the way to school clenched in my palm like bathhouse fare, ever since I left my lodgings.
おれは膏っ手だから、開けてみると一銭五厘が汗をかいている。  
I've got sweaty hands, so when I opened my fist the coins were dripping.
> «膏っ手» あぶらって (aburatte): «膏っ手» — literally 'oil-hand' — describes hands that sweat easily. A homely, physical bit of self-description typical of Botchan's unsentimental narration.
汗をかいてる銭を返しちゃ、山嵐が何とか云うだろうと思ったから、机の上へ置いてふうふう吹いてまた握った。  
Thinking Porcupine would have something to say if I handed him back sweaty coins, I set them on the desk, blew on them, and clenched them again.
ところへ赤シャツが来て昨日は失敬、迷惑でしたろうと云ったから、迷惑じゃありません、お蔭で腹が減りましたと答えた。  
Just then Red Shirt came over and said sorry about yesterday, must have been a bother — I said it wasn't a bother at all, in fact it left me hungry, thanks to him.
すると赤シャツは山嵐の机の上へ肱を突いて、あの盤台面をおれの鼻の側面へ持って来たから、何をするかと思ったら、君昨日返りがけに船の中で話した事は、秘密にしてくれたまえ。  
Then Red Shirt propped his elbow on Porcupine's desk and brought that flat platter face of his right up to the side of my nose, and I wondered what he was up to when he said: keep what we talked about in the boat yesterday on the way back a secret, won't you.
まだ誰にも話しやしますまいねと云った。  
You haven't told anyone yet, have you, he said.
女のような声を出すだけに心配性な男と見える。  
Judging by that womanish voice, he strikes me as a nervous, worrying sort of man.
話さない事はたしかである。  
I certainly haven't told anyone.
しかしこれから話そうと云う心持ちで、すでに一銭五厘手の平に用意しているくらいだから、ここで赤シャツから口留めをされちゃ、ちと困る。  
But since I already had the sen and five rin ready in my palm meaning to bring the matter up, having Red Shirt gag me on the subject just then was a bit inconvenient.
赤シャツも赤シャツだ。  
Red Shirt is a piece of work, Red Shirt.
山嵐と名を指さないにしろ、あれほど推察の出来る謎をかけておきながら、今さらその謎を解いちゃ迷惑だとは教頭とも思えぬ無責任だ。  
Even without naming Porcupine outright, he'd dropped a riddle easy enough to guess, and now to call it a bother if the riddle got solved is about as irresponsible as a vice principal can get.
元来ならおれが山嵐と戦争をはじめて鎬を削ってる真中へ出て堂々とおれの肩を持つべきだ。  
By rights he ought to step right into the middle of the fight I'm about to have with Porcupine and openly take my side.
それでこそ一校の教頭で、赤シャツを着ている主意も立つというもんだ。  
Only then would he really be a school's vice principal, and only then would wearing that red shirt of his mean anything.

おれは教頭に向って、まだ誰にも話さないが、これから山嵐と談判するつもりだと云ったら、赤シャツは大いに狼狽して、君そんな無法な事をしちゃ困る。  
I told the vice principal I hadn't told anyone yet, but that I meant to have it out with Porcupine — at which Red Shirt got badly flustered and said, you mustn't do anything so reckless.
僕は堀田君の事について、別段君に何も明言した覚えはないんだから――君がもしここで乱暴を働いてくれると、僕は非常に迷惑する。  
I never said anything to you outright about Hotta — if you go acting violently here, it'll be a great inconvenience to me.
君は学校に騒動を起すつもりで来たんじゃなかろうと妙に常識をはずれた質問をするから、当り前です、月給をもらったり、騒動を起したりしちゃ、学校の方でも困るでしょうと云った。  
He then asked, oddly out of step with common sense, whether I'd come here meaning to stir up trouble at the school, so I said, naturally not — drawing a salary and stirring up trouble would embarrass the school too, wouldn't it.
すると赤シャツはそれじゃ昨日の事は君の参考だけにとめて、口外してくれるなと汗をかいて依頼に及ぶから、よろしい、僕も困るんだが、そんなにあなたが迷惑ならよしましょうと受け合った。  
Then Red Shirt, sweating, went so far as to beg that yesterday's talk stay just between us and not go any further, so I agreed: fine, it's a bother to me too, but if it troubles you that much I'll let it drop.
君大丈夫かいと赤シャツは念を押した。  
Are you sure, Red Shirt pressed once more.
どこまで女らしいんだか奥行がわからない。  
There's no telling how deep his womanish streak runs.
文学士なんて、みんなあんな連中ならつまらんものだ。  
If literature graduates are all like that, they're a sorry lot.
辻褄の合わない、論理に欠けた注文をして恬然としている。  
He makes demands that don't add up, that lack all logic, and sits there perfectly unruffled about it.
しかもこのおれを疑ぐってる。  
And on top of it he doubts me, of all people.
憚りながら男だ。  
Say what you like, I'm a man.
受け合った事を裏へ廻って反古にするようなさもしい了見はもってるもんか。  
Do I look like the sort who'd go back on his word behind someone's back? Not a chance.

ところへ両隣りの机の所有主も出校したんで、赤シャツは早々自分の席へ帰って行った。  
Just then the owners of the two neighboring desks arrived, and Red Shirt hurried off back to his own seat.
赤シャツは歩るき方から気取ってる。  
Red Shirt puts on airs right down to the way he walks.
部屋の中を往来するのでも、音を立てないように靴の底をそっと落す。  
Even crossing the room he sets the sole of his shoe down softly so as not to make a sound.
> «そっと» — mimetic 'softly': «そっと» is a mimetic adverb for doing something quietly, gently, or secretively — exactly the exaggerated stealth Botchan mocks in Red Shirt's footsteps.
音を立てないであるくのが自慢になるもんだとは、この時から始めて知った。  
It was only then I learned for the first time that walking without a sound could be something a man prides himself on.
泥棒の稽古じゃあるまいし、当り前にするがいい。  
It's not as if he's practicing to be a burglar — he ought to just walk like an ordinary person.
やがて始業の喇叭がなった。  
Before long the bugle for the start of classes sounded.
山嵐はとうとう出て来ない。  
Porcupine never did show up.
仕方がないから、一銭五厘を机の上へ置いて教場へ出掛けた。  
Nothing for it, so I left the sen and five rin on his desk and went off to the classroom.

授業の都合で一時間目は少し後れて、控所へ帰ったら、ほかの教師はみんな机を控えて話をしている。  
Owing to a scheduling matter the first period ran a little late, and when I got back to the staff room, all the other teachers were sitting at their desks talking.
山嵐もいつの間にか来ている。  
Porcupine had come in too, before I noticed.
欠勤だと思ったら遅刻したんだ。  
I'd thought he was absent, but it turned out he was just late.
おれの顔を見るや否や今日は君のお蔭で遅刻したんだ。  
The moment he saw my face he said today I'm late thanks to you.
罰金を出したまえと云った。  
Pay up a fine, he said.
おれは机の上にあった一銭五厘を出して、これをやるから取っておけ。  
I took out the sen and five rin that had been on the desk: here, take this.
先達て通町で飲んだ氷水の代だと山嵐の前へ置くと、何を云ってるんだと笑いかけたが、おれが存外真面目でいるので、つまらない冗談をするなと銭をおれの机の上に掃き返した。  
I set it down in front of him, saying it was payment for the ice water he'd bought me back on Tōri-chō the other day, and he laughed and asked what I was on about — but seeing I was oddly serious about it, he said don't make a stupid joke and swept the coins right back onto my desk.
おや山嵐の癖にどこまでも奢る気だな。  
Well now — trust Porcupine to still be bent on treating me, no matter what.

「冗談じゃない本当だ。  
“It's no joke, I'm serious.
おれは君に氷水を奢られる因縁がないから、出すんだ。  
I've no reason to let you treat me to ice water, so I'm paying you.
取らない法があるか」  
How can you refuse to take it?”
> «法があるか»: 'how could one not…?': «法» here means 'rule/way', not literally statute law; «～法があるか» is an idiom for 'what possible justification is there for not…' — a rhetorical way of saying there's no excuse.

「そんなに一銭五厘が気になるなら取ってもいいが、なぜ思い出したように、今時分返すんだ」  
“If a sen and five rin bothers you that much, fine, I'll take it — but why pay it back now, all of a sudden, like you just remembered?”

「今時分でも、いつ時分でも、返すんだ。  
“Now or any other time, I'm paying it back.
奢られるのが、いやだから返すんだ」  
I hate being treated, that's why I'm paying it back.”

山嵐は冷然とおれの顔を見てふんと云った。  
Porcupine looked at my face coldly and just grunted, hmph.
赤シャツの依頼がなければ、ここで山嵐の卑劣をあばいて大喧嘩をしてやるんだが、口外しないと受け合ったんだから動きがとれない。  
If it weren't for Red Shirt's request, I'd expose Porcupine's meanness right here and have it out with him properly, but having promised to keep quiet, I'm stuck.
人がこんなに真赤になってるのにふんという理窟があるものか。  
Is there any sense in saying hmph to a man who's gone this red in the face?

「氷水の代は受け取るから、下宿は出てくれ」  
“I'll take the money for the ice water — but move out of your lodgings.”

「一銭五厘受け取ればそれでいい。  
“Taking the sen and five rin is all you need to do.
下宿を出ようが出まいがおれの勝手だ」  
Whether I move out of my lodgings or not is my own business.”

「ところが勝手でない、昨日、あすこの亭主が来て君に出てもらいたいと云うから、その訳を聞いたら亭主の云うのはもっともだ。  
“Only it isn't your own business — yesterday the landlord there came and said he wanted you to move out, and when I asked his reasons, they made good sense.
それでももう一応たしかめるつもりで今朝あすこへ寄って詳しい話を聞いてきたんだ」  
Even so, meaning to make sure, I stopped by there this morning and heard the whole story in detail.”

おれには山嵐の云う事が何の意味だか分らない。  
I hadn't the faintest idea what Porcupine was talking about.

「亭主が君に何を話したんだか、おれが知ってるもんか。  
“How should I know what the landlord told you?
そう自分だけで極めたって仕様があるか。  
What good does it do settling it all by yourself like that?
訳があるなら、訳を話すが順だ。  
If there's a reason, the proper thing is to tell me the reason first.
てんから亭主の云う方がもっともだなんて失敬千万な事を云うな」  
Don't go saying, right from the start, that the landlord's side makes more sense — that's outrageously rude.”

「うん、そんなら云ってやろう。  
“Fine, I'll tell you then.
君は乱暴であの下宿で持て余まされているんだ。  
You've been so unruly that the people at your lodgings have had their fill of you.
いくら下宿の女房だって、下女たあ違うぜ。  
She may be the landlady, but she is not your maid.
> «とは» → «たあ»: «たあ» is a rough spoken contraction of «とは» ('as for / to think that'). Porcupine's speech leans on these clipped forms, marking him as blunt and countrified next to Red Shirt's polish.
足を出して拭かせるなんて、威張り過ぎるさ」  
Sticking your foot out for her to wipe is much too high-handed.”

「おれが、いつ下宿の女房に足を拭かせた」  
“When did I ever have the landlady wipe my foot?”

「拭かせたかどうだか知らないが、とにかく向うじゃ、君に困ってるんだ。  
“Whether you had her wipe it or not, I couldn't say, but at any rate they're at their wits' end with you over there.
下宿料の十円や十五円は懸物を一幅売りゃ、すぐ浮いてくるって云ってたぜ」  
He said ten or fifteen yen in lodging fees would soon turn up if he sold a single hanging scroll.”
> Sentence-final «ぜ»: «ぜ» is a rough, masculine sentence-final particle used for emphatic assertion among equals or to an inferior — it marks Porcupine (and often Botchan) as plain-spoken men, in contrast to Red Shirt's mannered speech.

「利いた風な事をぬかす野郎だ。  
“What a smart-mouthed thing to say.
そんなら、なぜ置いた」  
Then why did she take me in at all?”

「なぜ置いたか、僕は知らん、置くことは置いたんだが、いやになったんだから、出ろと云うんだろう。  
“Why she took you in, I couldn't say — she took you in all right, but now she's had enough, so she's telling you to leave, I suppose.
君出てやれ」  
Do them a favor and move out.”

「当り前だ。  
“Of course I'll go.
居てくれと手を合せたって、居るものか。  
Even if she pressed her palms together and begged me to stay, I wouldn't.
一体そんな云い懸りを云うような所へ周旋する君からしてが不埒だ」  
In fact you're the outrageous one, setting me up with a place that would make an accusation like that in the first place.”

「おれが不埒か、君が大人しくないんだか、どっちかだろう」  
“Either I'm the outrageous one, or you're not behaving yourself — must be one or the other.”

山嵐もおれに劣らぬ肝癪持ちだから、負け嫌いな大きな声を出す。  
Porcupine has a temper every bit as short as mine, so his voice came out loud, refusing to lose.
控所に居た連中は何事が始まったかと思って、みんな、おれと山嵐の方を見て、顋を長くしてぼんやりしている。  
The others in the staff room, wondering what was going on, all stared at Porcupine and me, jaws hanging slack in a daze.
おれは、別に恥ずかしい事をした覚えはないんだから、立ち上がりながら、部屋中一通り見巡わしてやった。  
Having nothing to be ashamed of, I stood up and gave the whole room a good looking-over.
みんなが驚ろいてるなかに野だだけは面白そうに笑っていた。  
While everyone else looked startled, only Toady was grinning like he found it all amusing.
おれの大きな眼が、貴様も喧嘩をするつもりかと云う権幕で、野だの干瓢づらを射貫いた時に、野だは突然真面目な顔をして、大いにつつしんだ。  
When my big eyes, with a look that said are you spoiling for a fight too, bored straight through Toady's dried-gourd-strip of a face, he suddenly turned dead serious and pulled himself in check.
少し怖わかったと見える。  
He looked a little scared.
そのうち喇叭が鳴る。  
Just then the bugle sounded.
山嵐もおれも喧嘩を中止して教場へ出た。  
Both Porcupine and I broke off the quarrel and went out to our classrooms.

午後は、先夜おれに対して無礼を働いた寄宿生の処分法についての会議だ。  
That afternoon there was a meeting about how to punish the boarding students who'd been rude to me the other night.
会議というものは生れて始めてだからとんと容子が分らないが、職員が寄って、たかって自分勝手な説をたてて、それを校長が好い加減に纏めるのだろう。  
Since it was my first meeting ever, I had no idea what to expect, but I supposed the staff would gang up, each pushing his own pet theory, and the principal would sum it all up any old way.
纏めるというのは黒白の決しかねる事柄について云うべき言葉だ。  
Summing up, I gathered, was a word you used for matters where black and white couldn't be told apart.
この場合のような、誰が見たって、不都合としか思われない事件に会議をするのは暇潰しだ。  
But holding a meeting over a case like this one, which anyone looking at it would call plainly outrageous, was just killing time.
誰が何と解釈したって異説の出ようはずがない。  
However anyone chose to interpret it, there was no way a different opinion could come out of it.
こんな明白なのは即座に校長が処分してしまえばいいに。  
For something this obvious, the principal ought to just settle it on the spot.
随分決断のない事だ。  
What an indecisive man the principal is.
校長ってものが、これならば、何の事はない、煮え切らない愚図の異名だ。  
If this is what a principal amounts to, then the word is nothing but another name for a wishy-washy ditherer.

会議室は校長室の隣りにある細長い部屋で、平常は食堂の代理を勤める。  
The meeting room was a long narrow room next to the principal's office, one that usually served as a dining hall.
黒い皮で張った椅子が二十脚ばかり、長いテーブルの周囲に並んでちょっと神田の西洋料理屋ぐらいな格だ。  
About twenty black leather chairs stood ranged around a long table, giving it something of the air of a Western restaurant over in Kanda.
そのテーブルの端に校長が坐って、校長の隣りに赤シャツが構える。  
The principal sat at the head of the table, with Red Shirt stationed right beside him.
あとは勝手次第に席に着くんだそうだが、体操の教師だけはいつも席末に謙遜するという話だ。  
The rest, they say, took whatever seat they pleased, though the gymnastics teacher was said always to defer modestly to the far end.
おれは様子が分らないから、博物の教師と漢学の教師の間へはいり込んだ。  
Not knowing the custom, I wedged myself in between the natural-history teacher and the Chinese-classics teacher.
向うを見ると山嵐と野だが並んでる。  
Looking across, I saw Porcupine and Toady sitting side by side.
野だの顔はどう考えても劣等だ。  
Toady's face is inferior any way you look at it.
喧嘩はしても山嵐の方が遥かに趣がある。  
Even though I was quarreling with him, Porcupine had far more character., Porcupine has far more character.
おやじの葬式の時に小日向の養源寺の座敷にかかってた懸物はこの顔によく似ている。  
There was a hanging scroll at Yōgen-ji temple in Kobinata, at my father's funeral, that looked just like this face.
坊主に聞いてみたら韋駄天と云う怪物だそうだ。  
When I asked the priest, he said it was a monster called Ida-ten.
今日は怒ってるから、眼をぐるぐる廻しちゃ、時々おれの方を見る。  
Being angry today, he kept rolling his eyes around and glancing my way now and then.
そんな事で威嚇かされてたまるもんかと、おれも負けない気で、やっぱり眼をぐりつかせて、山嵐をにらめてやった。  
Not about to be cowed by a thing like that, I refused to lose either, and rolled my own eyes right back, and glared right back at Porcupine..
おれの眼は恰好はよくないが、大きい事においては大抵な人には負けない。  
My eyes aren't much to look at, but for sheer size I lose to hardly anyone.
あなたは眼が大きいから役者になるときっと似合いますと清がよく云ったくらいだ。  
Kiyo used to say often enough that with eyes as big as mine, I'd surely make a fine actor.

もう大抵お揃いでしょうかと校長が云うと、書記の川村と云うのが一つ二つと頭数を勘定してみる。  
When the principal said, I suppose we're mostly all here now, the clerk, a man named Kawamura, started counting heads, one, two.
一人足りない。  
One was missing.
一人不足ですがと考えていたが、これは足りないはずだ。  
I was thinking, 'We're one short,' but of course someone was bound to be missing.
唐茄子のうらなり君が来ていない。  
Squash-face Uranari hadn't shown up.
おれとうらなり君とはどう云う宿世の因縁かしらないが、この人の顔を見て以来どうしても忘れられない。  
What karmic bond I share with Uranari from some former life, I couldn't say, but ever since I first laid eyes on that face of his, I simply can't forget it.
控所へくれば、すぐ、うらなり君が眼に付く、途中をあるいていても、うらなり先生の様子が心に浮ぶ。  
The moment I step into the staff room, Uranari catches my eye; even walking down the road, his look comes floating up in my mind.
温泉へ行くと、うらなり君が時々蒼い顔をして湯壺のなかに膨れている。  
When I go to the hot spring, there's Uranari now and then, his face pale, bloated in the bath water.
挨拶をするとへえと恐縮して頭を下げるから気の毒になる。  
When I greet him he humbly says yes, sir, and bows his head, which makes me feel sorry for him.
学校へ出てうらなり君ほど大人しい人は居ない。  
There's no one at the school as meek as Uranari.
めったに笑った事もないが、余計な口をきいた事もない。  
He hardly ever laughs, and he's never once said an unnecessary word.
おれは君子という言葉を書物の上で知ってるが、これは字引にあるばかりで、生きてるものではないと思ってたが、うらなり君に逢ってから始めて、やっぱり正体のある文字だと感心したくらいだ。  
I knew the word gentleman from books, and always thought it was a thing that only lived in the dictionary and nowhere real — but after meeting Uranari I marveled, for the first time, that it really was a word with a living thing behind it after all.
> «君子» くんし (kunshi) — 'gentleman': «君子» is the Confucian ideal of the cultivated, virtuous man, familiar to Botchan only as book-learning — a word he'd assumed was a dictionary abstraction until meeting the mild, patient Uranari gave it a living face.

このくらい関係の深い人の事だから、会議室へはいるや否や、うらなり君の居ないのは、すぐ気がついた。  
Given how deep a connection I felt to him, the moment I stepped into the meeting room I noticed at once that Uranari wasn't there.
実を云うと、この男の次へでも坐わろうかと、ひそかに目標にして来たくらいだ。  
Truth be told, I'd secretly come with the idea of sitting next to him, if I could.
校長はもうやがて見えるでしょうと、自分の前にある紫の袱紗包をほどいて、蒟蒻版のような者を読んでいる。  
The principal, saying he's sure to turn up shortly, untied the purple cloth bundle in front of him and started reading something that looked like a mimeographed sheet.
赤シャツは琥珀のパイプを絹ハンケチで磨き始めた。  
Red Shirt began polishing his amber pipe with a silk handkerchief.
この男はこれが道楽である。  
This is this man's little hobby.
赤シャツ相当のところだろう。  
Just what you'd expect of Red Shirt.
ほかの連中は隣り同志で何だか私語き合っている。  
The rest of them were whispering to their neighbors about something or other.
手持無沙汰なのは鉛筆の尻に着いている、護謨の頭でテーブルの上へしきりに何か書いている。  
Those with nothing to do were scribbling something on the table over and over with the eraser tip stuck on the end of a pencil.
野だは時々山嵐に話しかけるが、山嵐は一向応じない。  
Toady spoke to Porcupine now and then, but Porcupine wouldn't respond at all.
ただうんとかああと云うばかりで、時々怖い眼をして、おれの方を見る。  
He just grunted a yes or an ah, and every so often turned a scary look my way.
おれも負けずに睨め返す。  
Not to be outdone, I glared right back.

ところへ待ちかねた、うらなり君が気の毒そうにはいって来て少々用事がありまして、遅刻致しましたと慇懃に狸に挨拶をした。  
Just then, at last, Uranari came in looking apologetic and gave the Badger a courteous greeting, saying he'd been delayed a little on some business and was sorry to be late.
では会議を開きますと狸はまず書記の川村君に蒟蒻版を配布させる。  
Well then, let's begin the meeting, said the Badger, and first had the clerk Kawamura hand out the mimeographed sheets.
見ると最初が処分の件、次が生徒取締の件、その他二三ヶ条である。  
Looking it over, the first item was the punishment matter, the second the matter of student discipline, and a couple more articles besides.
狸は例の通りもったいぶって、教育の生霊という見えでこんな意味の事を述べた。  
The Badger, pompous as ever, put on his best face of the Living Spirit of Education and said something along these lines.
「学校の職員や生徒に過失のあるのは、みんな自分の寡徳の致すところで、何か事件がある度に、自分はよくこれで校長が勤まるとひそかに慚愧の念に堪えんが、不幸にして今回もまたかかる騒動を引き起したのは、深く諸君に向って謝罪しなければならん。  
“That there is any fault at all in the staff or students of this school is entirely the result of my own poor virtue, and every time some incident occurs I privately can hardly bear the shame of wondering how I ever manage to serve as principal at all; and that unhappily this school has now brought about yet another such disturbance is something for which I must offer you all my deepest apology.
> «慚愧» ざんき (zanki) — 'shame': «慚愧» is a weighty, almost religious word for shame or contrition (it comes from Buddhist ethical vocabulary). The principal reaches for this heavy word while, in Botchan's eyes, saying nothing of substance at all.
しかしひとたび起った以上は仕方がない、どうにか処分をせんければならん、事実はすでに諸君のご承知の通りであるからして、善後策について腹蔵のない事を参考のためにお述べ下さい」  
But now that it has happened, there's nothing for it — some form of punishment must be settled on somehow; since the facts are already known to you all, please state your candid views, for our reference, on what measures ought to follow.”

おれは校長の言葉を聞いて、なるほど校長だの狸だのと云うものは、えらい事を云うもんだと感心した。  
Listening to the principal's speech, I marveled — so this is the kind of grand talk that principals and badgers come out with.
こう校長が何もかも責任を受けて、自分の咎だとか、不徳だとか云うくらいなら、生徒を処分するのは、やめにして、自分から先へ免職になったら、よさそうなもんだ。  
If the principal is going to take all the blame on himself like this, calling it his own fault, his own lack of virtue, then he might as well drop the business of punishing the students and get himself dismissed first.
そうすればこんな面倒な会議なんぞを開く必要もなくなる訳だ。  
That would do away with the need for a bothersome meeting like this one in the first place.
第一常識から云っても分ってる。  
By plain common sense alone the matter is obvious.
おれが大人しく宿直をする。  
I kept proper watch on my night duty.
生徒が乱暴をする。  
The students ran riot.
わるいのは校長でもなけりゃ、おれでもない、生徒だけに極ってる。  
The one at fault is neither the principal nor me — it's the students, plain and simple.
もし山嵐が煽動したとすれば、生徒と山嵐を退治ればそれでたくさんだ。  
If Porcupine really did stir them up, then dealing with the students and Porcupine together is quite enough.
人の尻を自分で背負い込んで、おれの尻だ、おれの尻だと吹き散らかす奴が、どこの国にあるもんか、狸でなくっちゃ出来る芸当じゃない。  
Where in the world is there a man who shoulders someone else's backside and goes around trumpeting, it's my backside, my backside — only a badger could manage a trick like that.
彼はこんな条理に適わない議論を吐いて、得意気に一同を見廻した。  
Having spouted this string of arguments that made no sense at all, he looked around the room, pleased with himself.
ところが誰も口を開くものがない。  
But not one person opened his mouth.
博物の教師は第一教場の屋根に烏がとまってるのを眺めている。  
The natural-history teacher was watching a crow perched on the roof of classroom number one.
漢学の先生は蒟蒻版を畳んだり、延ばしたりしてる。  
The Chinese-classics teacher kept folding and unfolding his mimeographed sheet.
山嵐はまだおれの顔をにらめている。  
Porcupine was still glaring at my face.
会議と云うものが、こんな馬鹿気たものなら、欠席して昼寝でもしている方がましだ。  
If this is what a meeting amounts to, I'd be better off skipping it and taking a nap instead.

おれは、じれったくなったから、一番大いに弁じてやろうと思って、半分尻をあげかけたら、赤シャツが何か云い出したから、やめにした。  
Getting impatient, I decided to speak my piece in the grandest possible fashion and had half risen from my seat when Red Shirt started saying something, so I gave up and sat back down.
見るとパイプをしまって、縞のある絹ハンケチで顔をふきながら、何か云っている。  
Looking over, I saw he'd put away his pipe and was saying something while wiping his face with a striped silk handkerchief.
あの手巾はきっとマドンナから巻き上げたに相違ない。  
That handkerchief must surely have been wheedled out of Madonna.
男は白い麻を使うもんだ。  
A man ought to use plain white linen.
「私も寄宿生の乱暴を聞いてはなはだ教頭として不行届であり、かつ平常の徳化が少年に及ばなかったのを深く慚ずるのであります。  
“I too, hearing of the boarders' misconduct, feel keenly that I have been remiss as vice principal, and I am deeply ashamed that my ordinary moral influence has failed to reach the boys.
でこう云う事は、何か陥欠があると起るもので、事件その物を見ると何だか生徒だけがわるいようであるが、その真相を極めると責任はかえって学校にあるかも知れない。  
Now, matters of this kind arise wherever there is some deficiency somewhere, and while looking at the incident itself it may seem that the students alone are at fault, when you get to the bottom of it the responsibility may in fact lie with the school instead.
だから表面上にあらわれたところだけで厳重な制裁を加えるのは、かえって未来のためによくないかとも思われます。  
So it seems to me that applying severe punishment based only on what appears on the surface might in the end do more harm than good for the future.
かつ少年血気のものであるから活気があふれて、善悪の考えはなく、半ば無意識にこんな悪戯をやる事はないとも限らん。  
And since boys of that age are full of high spirits, brimming with vitality and without much thought of right and wrong, it's not out of the question that they carried out this mischief half unconsciously.
でもとより処分法は校長のお考えにある事だから、私の容喙する限りではないが、どうかその辺をご斟酌になって、なるべく寛大なお取計を願いたいと思います」  
Of course the method of punishment is properly a matter for the principal's judgment, and it is not my place to meddle, but I do hope you will take that much into consideration and arrange, as far as possible, for lenient treatment.”

なるほど狸が狸なら、赤シャツも赤シャツだ。  
The Badger's a badger all right, but Red Shirt's every bit a Red Shirt too.
生徒があばれるのは、生徒がわるいんじゃない教師が悪るいんだと公言している。  
He's declaring outright that when the students run wild, it's not the students who are at fault but the teacher.
気狂が人の頭を撲り付けるのは、なぐられた人がわるいから、気狂がなぐるんだそうだ。  
By that logic, when a madman clubs someone over the head, it's because the man who got clubbed was at fault, so the madman clubbed him — that's about the size of it.
難有い仕合せだ。  
What a fine piece of luck for everyone.
活気にみちて困るなら運動場へ出て相撲でも取るがいい、半ば無意識に床の中へバッタを入れられてたまるものか。  
If they've got so much energy to spare, let them go out to the field and wrestle instead — I'll be damned if I'll let anyone put grasshoppers in my bedding half-unconsciously.
この様子じゃ寝頸をかかれても、半ば無意識だって放免するつもりだろう。  
At this rate, if someone slit my throat in my sleep, they'd let it go too, calling it half unconscious.

おれはこう考えて何か云おうかなと考えてみたが、云うなら人を驚ろすかように滔々と述べたてなくっちゃつまらない、おれの癖として、腹が立ったときに口をきくと、二言か三言で必ず行き塞ってしまう。  
I thought this over and wondered whether to say something, but if I was going to speak, it wouldn't be worth doing unless I could hold forth grandly enough to startle everyone — and it's a habit of mine that once I open my mouth angry, I invariably choke up after two or three words.
狸でも赤シャツでも人物から云うと、おれよりも下等だが、弁舌はなかなか達者だから、まずい事を喋舌って揚足を取られちゃ面白くない。  
Whether it's the Badger or Red Shirt, in character they're both beneath me, but they're both mighty fluent talkers, and it wouldn't be any fun to fumble my words and get caught out for it.
ちょっと腹案を作ってみようと、胸のなかで文章を作ってる。  
So I set about composing a little speech in my head, just to be ready.
すると前に居た野だが突然起立したには驚ろいた。  
Then I was startled when Toady, who'd been sitting in front of me, suddenly stood up.
野だの癖に意見を述べるなんて生意気だ。  
For someone like Toady to go stating an opinion was cheek itself.
野だは例のへらへら調で「実に今回のバッタ事件及び咄喊事件は吾々心ある職員をして、ひそかに吾校将来の前途に危惧の念を抱かしむるに足る珍事でありまして、吾々職員たるものはこの際奮って自ら省りみて、全校の風紀を振粛しなければなりません。  
Toady, in that oily, sing-song way of his, said: “These grasshopper and shouting incidents this time are truly rare occurrences, of a kind that lead us conscientious staff members to harbor secret misgivings for the future of our school, and we, as members of the staff, must at this juncture rouse ourselves, examine our own conduct, and set right the discipline of the entire school.
> «へらへら» — mimetic 'simpering': «へらへら» describes a shallow, ingratiating smirk or fawning manner of speech — Botchan's contempt for Toady's toadying is baked right into the adverb describing how he talks.
それでただ今校長及び教頭のお述べになったお説は、実に肯綮に中った剴切なお考えで私は徹頭徹尾賛成致します。  
Given that, the views just expressed by the principal and the vice principal are truly apt opinions that hit the mark exactly, and I am in complete and thoroughgoing agreement.
どうかなるべく寛大のご処分を仰ぎたいと思います」と云った。  
I do hope, therefore, that we may look forward to as lenient a punishment as possible,” he said.
野だの云う事は言語はあるが意味がない、漢語をのべつに陳列するぎりで訳が分らない。  
What Toady said had words in it but no meaning — nothing but a string of Chinese-derived phrases laid out one after another, impossible to make sense of.
分ったのは徹頭徹尾賛成致しますと云う言葉だけだ。  
The only part I understood was the phrase in complete and thoroughgoing agreement.

おれは野だの云う意味は分らないけれども、何だか非常に腹が立ったから、腹案も出来ないうちに起ち上がってしまった。  
I didn't understand what Toady meant, but somehow it made me furious, and I found myself on my feet before I'd even worked out what to say.
「私は徹頭徹尾反対です……」と云ったがあとが急に出て来ない。  
“I am in complete and thoroughgoing disagreement...” I said, but the rest wouldn't come out.
「……そんな頓珍漢な、処分は大嫌いです」とつけたら、職員が一同笑い出した。  
“...Such a cockeyed punishment — I can't stand it,” I added, and the whole staff burst out laughing.
「一体生徒が全然悪るいです。  
“The students are entirely, completely in the wrong.
どうしても詫まらせなくっちゃ、癖になります。  
If they aren't made to apologize no matter what, it'll become a habit.
退校さしても構いません。  
Expel them, for all I care.
……何だ失敬な、新しく来た教師だと思って……」と云って着席した。  
...What insolence, treating me like this just because I'm the new teacher...” I said, and sat back down.
すると右隣りに居る博物が「生徒がわるい事も、わるいが、あまり厳重な罰などをするとかえって反動を起していけないでしょう。  
Then the natural-history teacher on my right said, weakly, “It's true the students are in the wrong, but going too hard on the punishment might backfire and provoke the opposite reaction.
やっぱり教頭のおっしゃる通り、寛な方に賛成します」と弱い事を云った。  
As the vice principal says, I too favor leniency,” some weak thing like that.
左隣の漢学は穏便説に賛成と云った。  
The Chinese-classics teacher on my left said he agreed with the moderate view.
歴史も教頭と同説だと云った。  
The history teacher said he agreed with the vice principal too.
忌々しい、大抵のものは赤シャツ党だ。  
Infuriating — most of them belong to the Red Shirt party.
こんな連中が寄り合って学校を立てていりゃ世話はない。  
It's no wonder, with a bunch like this running the school together.
おれは生徒をあやまらせるか、辞職するか二つのうち一つに極めてるんだから、もし赤シャツが勝ちを制したら、早速うちへ帰って荷作りをする覚悟でいた。  
Since I'd already made up my mind to either make the students apologize or resign, one or the other, I was resolved that if Red Shirt carried the day, I'd go straight home and start packing.
どうせ、こんな手合を弁口で屈伏させる手際はなし、させたところでいつまでご交際を願うのは、こっちでご免だ。  
There was no skill in me for talking a crowd like this into submission with mere words anyway, and even if I could, I'd want no part of keeping such company any longer.
学校に居ないとすればどうなったって構うもんか。  
If it meant not being at the school anymore, what did I care how it turned out?
また何か云うと笑うに違いない。  
If I said anything more, they'd surely laugh again.
だれが云うもんかと澄していた。  
So I sat there composed, thinking, let them try and make me speak.

すると今までだまって聞いていた山嵐が奮然として、起ち上がった。  
Then Porcupine, who'd been listening quietly all this while, rose to his feet with sudden resolve.
野郎また赤シャツ賛成の意を表するな、どうせ、貴様とは喧嘩だ、勝手にしろと見ていると山嵐は硝子窓を振わせるような声で「私は教頭及びその他諸君のお説には全然不同意であります。  
There he goes, going to side with Red Shirt again, I thought, well, we're due for a fight anyway, do as you please — but instead, in a voice that seemed to rattle the window glass, Porcupine said: “I am in complete disagreement with the views expressed by the vice principal and the other gentlemen here.
> Formal «であります»: Porcupine's speech is thick with the stiff, formal copula «であります» rather than plain «だ» or polite «です» — Porcupine repeatedly uses the stiff formal copula であります instead of plain だ or polite です, giving his meeting-room speech a rigid, declamatory formality that suits his character., giving his outburst a rigid, almost drill-ground formality that matches his character.
というものはこの事件はどの点から見ても、五十名の寄宿生が新来の教師某氏を軽侮してこれを翻弄しようとした所為とより外には認められんのであります。  
Because, view it from whatever angle you like, this incident can only be recognized as the doing of fifty boarding students who set out to make sport of and hold in contempt a certain newly arrived teacher.
教頭はその源因を教師の人物いかんにお求めになるようでありますが失礼ながらそれは失言かと思います。  
The vice principal appears to trace its cause to the teacher's own character, but if I may say so with all due respect, I think that a misstatement.
某氏が宿直にあたられたのは着後早々の事で、まだ生徒に接せられてから二十日に満たぬ頃であります。  
This teacher's turn at night duty came right at the start, before he had yet been in contact with the students even twenty days.
この短かい二十日間において生徒は君の学問人物を評価し得る余地がないのであります。  
In so short a span as twenty days the students have had no room whatsoever in which to judge this man's learning or character.
軽侮されべき至当な理由があって、軽侮を受けたのなら生徒の行為に斟酌を加える理由もありましょうが、何らの源因もないのに新来の先生を愚弄するような軽薄な生徒を寛仮しては学校の威信に関わる事と思います。  
If there had been some legitimate reason he deserved contempt, and contempt had followed from it, there might be grounds to make allowance for the students' conduct — but to overlook shallow students who mock a newly arrived teacher for no cause at all, I think, endangers the very standing of this school.
教育の精神は単に学問を授けるばかりではない、高尚な、正直な、武士的な元気を鼓吹すると同時に、野卑な、軽躁な、暴慢な悪風を掃蕩するにあると思います。  
The spirit of education is not merely to impart learning; I believe it lies equally in instilling a lofty, honest, samurai-like vigor while sweeping away vulgar, frivolous, unruly bad habits.
もし反動が恐しいの、騒動が大きくなるのと姑息な事を云った日にはこの弊風はいつ矯正出来るか知れません。  
If we resort to makeshift talk about fearing a backlash or the disturbance growing worse, there's no telling when this bad habit will ever be corrected.
かかる弊風を杜絶するためにこそ吾々はこの学校に職を奉じているので、これを見逃がすくらいなら始めから教師にならん方がいいと思います。  
It is precisely to put a stop to such bad habits that we hold our posts at this school in the first place, and if we mean to let this pass, we would have done better never to have become teachers at all.
私は以上の理由で寄宿生一同を厳罰に処する上に、当該教師の面前において公けに謝罪の意を表せしむるのを至当の所置と心得ます」と云いながら、どんと腰を卸した。  
For the above reasons I hold it the proper course to subject all the boarding students to strict punishment, and further to have them make a public apology in the presence of the teacher concerned,” he said, and sat down again with a thump.
一同はだまって何にも言わない。  
Everyone sat silent, nobody said a word.
赤シャツはまたパイプを拭き始めた。  
Red Shirt started wiping his pipe again.
おれは何だか非常に嬉しかった。  
For some reason I felt tremendously glad.
おれの云おうと思うところをおれの代りに山嵐がすっかり言ってくれたようなものだ。  
It was as if Porcupine had said, in my place, exactly everything I'd meant to say myself.
おれはこう云う単純な人間だから、今までの喧嘩はまるで忘れて、大いに難有いと云う顔をもって、腰を卸した山嵐の方を見たら、山嵐は一向知らん面をしている。  
Being the simple sort of man I am, I forgot our quarrel entirely, and looked over at Porcupine, now seated again, with a face full of gratitude — but he wore a look of utter indifference, as if he knew nothing about it.

しばらくして山嵐はまた起立した。  
After a while, Porcupine stood up again.
「ただ今ちょっと失念して言い落しましたから、申します。  
“I forgot to mention something just now, so let me add it.
当夜の宿直員は宿直中外出して温泉に行かれたようであるが、あれはもっての外の事と考えます。  
It seems the teacher on night duty that evening went out during his watch and visited the hot spring, and I consider that quite improper.
いやしくも自分が一校の留守番を引き受けながら、咎める者のないのを幸に、場所もあろうに温泉などへ入湯にいくなどと云うのは大きな失体である。  
Once a man has undertaken to keep watch over an entire school, to take advantage of there being no one to reprimand him and go off, of all places, to bathe at the hot spring, is a grave lapse of conduct.
生徒は生徒として、この点については校長からとくに責任者にご注意あらん事を希望します」  
The students are one matter, but on this particular point, I hope the principal will especially caution the person responsible.”

妙な奴だ、ほめたと思ったら、あとからすぐ人の失策をあばいている。  
Strange fellow — no sooner had I thought he was praising me than he was exposing someone else's blunder right after.
おれは何の気もなく、前の宿直が出あるいた事を知って、そんな習慣だと思って、つい温泉まで行ってしまったんだが、なるほどそう云われてみると、これはおれが悪るかった。  
Without thinking anything of it, knowing the previous night-duty man had also gone out, and taking it for the custom, I'd wandered off to the hot spring myself — but now that it's put to me that way, well, that was wrong of me.
攻撃されても仕方がない。  
No help for it if I get attacked over it.
そこでおれはまた起って「私は正に宿直中に温泉に行きました。  
So I stood up again and said, “I did indeed go to the hot spring while on night duty.
これは全くわるい。  
That was entirely wrong of me.
あやまります」と云って着席したら、一同がまた笑い出した。  
I apologize,” and sat back down, and everyone burst out laughing again.
おれが何か云いさえすれば笑う。  
The moment I open my mouth about anything, they laugh.
つまらん奴等だ。  
Sorry lot of them.
貴様等これほど自分のわるい事を公けにわるかったと断言出来るか、出来ないから笑うんだろう。  
Could any of you fellows declare this openly that what you did was wrong? You can't, that's why you're laughing.

それから校長は、もう大抵ご意見もないようでありますから、よく考えた上で処分しましょうと云った。  
The principal then said that since there seemed to be no more opinions from anyone, they'd give it careful thought and decide on a punishment.
ついでだからその結果を云うと、寄宿生は一週間の禁足になった上に、おれの前へ出て謝罪をした。  
Since I'm at it, let me give the result: the boarding students were confined to the dormitory for a week, and on top of that were made to appear before me and apologize.
謝罪をしなければその時辞職して帰るところだったがなまじい、おれのいう通りになったのでとうとう大変な事になってしまった。  
If they hadn't apologized I'd have resigned right then and gone home, but as it happened things did go the way I wanted, and that in the end brought on a great deal of trouble.
それはあとから話すが、校長はこの時会議の引き続きだと号してこんな事を云った。  
I'll tell that part later, but the principal, at this point, declared it a continuation of the meeting and said something like this.
生徒の風儀は、教師の感化で正していかなくてはならん、その一着手として、教師はなるべく飲食店などに出入しない事にしたい。  
The students' conduct must be corrected through the moral influence of the teachers, and as a first step toward that, he wanted the teachers to refrain, as much as possible, from frequenting eating and drinking establishments.
もっとも送別会などの節は特別であるが、単独にあまり上等でない場所へ行くのはよしたい――たとえば蕎麦屋だの、団子屋だの――と云いかけたらまた一同が笑った。  
Of course occasions like farewell parties were an exception, but he wanted them to avoid going alone to places that weren't very refined — for instance, soba shops, dango shops — and no sooner had he started saying this than everyone laughed again.
野だが山嵐を見て天麩羅と云って目くばせをしたが山嵐は取り合わなかった。  
Toady looked at Porcupine, said tempura, and gave him a wink, but Porcupine paid him no attention.
いい気味だ。  
Serves him right.

おれは脳がわるいから、狸の云うことなんか、よく分らないが、蕎麦屋や団子屋へ行って、中学の教師が勤まらなくっちゃ、おれみたような食い心棒にゃ到底出来っ子ないと思った。  
I've got a poor head for these things, and couldn't quite follow what the Badger meant, but I did think that if a middle-school teacher can't hold his post while going to soba shops and dango shops, then a big eater like me could never manage it at all.
それなら、それでいいから、初手から蕎麦と団子の嫌いなものと注文して雇うがいい。  
If that's how it is, fine — they should just find someone who hates soba and dango from the start and hire him instead.
だんまりで辞令を下げておいて、蕎麦を食うな、団子を食うなと罪なお布令を出すのは、おれのような外に道楽のないものにとっては大変な打撃だ。  
Handing a man his appointment without a word and then, afterward, issuing this cruel decree — don't eat soba, don't eat dango — is a heavy blow to someone like me who has no other pleasure in life.
すると赤シャツがまた口を出した。  
Then Red Shirt put his oar in again.
「元来中学の教師なぞは社会の上流にくらいするものだからして、単に物質的の快楽ばかり求めるべきものでない。  
“Middle-school teachers, being properly ranked among the upper class of society, ought not to seek merely material pleasures.
その方に耽るとつい品性にわるい影響を及ぼすようになる。  
Indulging in that sort of thing ends up doing harm to one's character.
しかし人間だから、何か娯楽がないと、田舎へ来て狭い土地では到底暮せるものではない。  
But being human, without some form of amusement, there's simply no living in a cramped little place out here in the country.
それで釣に行くとか、文学書を読むとか、または新体詩や俳句を作るとか、何でも高尚な精神的娯楽を求めなくってはいけない……」  
So one ought to go fishing, or read literature, or compose new-style poetry or haiku — one must seek out some sort of elevated, spiritual amusement, whatever it may be...”

だまって聞いてると勝手な熱を吹く。  
Listening in silence, he just went on blowing his own hot air, however he pleased.
沖へ行って肥料を釣ったり、ゴルキが露西亜の文学者だったり、馴染の芸者が松の木の下に立ったり、古池へ蛙が飛び込んだりするのが精神的娯楽なら、天麩羅を食って団子を呑み込むのも精神的娯楽だ。  
If going out to sea and fishing for fertilizer, or Gorky being a Russian man of letters, or a familiar geisha standing under a pine tree, or a frog jumping into an old pond, all count as spiritual amusement, then eating tempura and swallowing dango is spiritual amusement too.
そんな下さらない娯楽を授けるより赤シャツの洗濯でもするがいい。  
Rather than dole out that kind of useless amusement, he'd do better doing Red Shirt's laundry.
あんまり腹が立ったから「マドンナに逢うのも精神的娯楽ですか」と聞いてやった。  
I was so worked up I asked him straight out, “Is meeting Madonna a spiritual amusement too?”
すると今度は誰も笑わない。  
This time nobody laughed.
妙な顔をして互に眼と眼を見合せている。  
They just made strange faces and exchanged glances with each other.
赤シャツ自身は苦しそうに下を向いた。  
Red Shirt himself looked down, looking pained.
それ見ろ。  
There, see.
利いたろう。  
That one landed.
ただ気の毒だったのはうらなり君で、おれが、こう云ったら蒼い顔をますます蒼くした。  
The only one I felt sorry for was Uranari, since my saying that only made his pale face paler still.
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Source text: public domain (Natsume Sōseki, d. 1916; first published 1906), from Aozora Bunko. English translation and notes: © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC. Narration: synthesized for this edition.