阿部一族 The Abe Clan (1/8)
by 森鴎外 Ogai MORI(1862－1922)
二キル・ライ/ ブヴィエ・友子による日英抄訳 English excerpted translation by Nikhil Ray/Tomoko
世界がこうなった原因は何なのでしょうか。疫病は自然に反した人間の傲慢に突き付けられた警告と思われます。しかしながら、GAFAM(ビッグテック、情報技術産業における最大かつ支配的な企業、特にGoogle, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft）はこの難を好機に、富を肥やしています。世の中不公平です。情報産業の一員にならず、もっと古くから残る文芸作品に価値を見直すべきではないか、と思います。
11月から12月にかけては、私の優秀な日本語の生徒であった二キル・ライさんともう10年近く前に苦労して手掛けた明治大正時代の文豪森鴎外作『阿部一族』の日英抄訳をブログで連載しようと思います。8回くらいに渡る予定です。
作品の舞台は江戸初期ですが、作中人物の心理が描かれていることが、近代小説であると言えます。鴎外がこの作品を書いたのは1913年で100年以上前になります。驚くことは、江戸時代の主従の関係が現代の今なお続く縦社会の日本に通じており、人びとは依然として解放されておらず、苦悩する状態が変わっていないことです。自由、平等、友愛の精神が生かされた民主的な日本になるのはいつのことでしょうか。(Tomoko)
森鴎外 Ogai MORI
肥後の領主細川忠利は、その手柄から、徳川将軍家光に重んじられていた家臣であったが、病気を患って、寛永18年（1641年）の春、五十六歳で亡くなった。
三月二十四日は忠利の初七日であった。この殿様の火葬されていた岫雲院で儀式がわれていた時、家臣の誰かが、「見ろ、鷹だ、鷹だ」と叫んだ。人々の見る中、二羽の鷹が、空に大きく輪を描いて、それから、まっ逆さまに、桜の下の井戸の中に舞い込んだ。二人の男が急いで井戸に駆け寄り、中を覗いた。その時にはすでに、鷹は水の底深く、沈んでしまっていた。
この男たちとは、忠利の可愛がっていた鷹、有明、明石の鷹使いであった。このことが分った時、人々が、「それではお鷹も殉死したのか」と囁くのが聞こえた。それは、殿様が亡くなってから、殉死した家臣が十人以上もいて、誰もが殉死のことを考えていたからである。
殉死には決まりがない。自然の掟があるだけである。殿様のことをいくら大切に思っても、誰でも勝手に殉死できるわけではない。殉死には、殿様の許しを得なくてはならない。許しの出ない殉死は、犬死と同じである。武士というものは、名誉を重んじるから、犬死はしない。
内藤長十郎の例は、許しを得て殉死した家臣の、良い例である。長十郎は、殿様の身の回りの世話をする十七歳の若輩であったが、酒が好きでよく失敗をした。忠利は、長十郎の失敗を、「あれは、長十郎の失敗ではない。酒がしたのだ。」と言って、笑っていた。
長十郎は、殿様に恩がある。自分の過ちを償うには、殉死の他はないと思っていた。そこで、病床にある殿様に、「長十郎にお供をさせて下さい」と願い出た。こう言いながら長十郎は忠利の足をそっと持ち上げて、うやうやしく自分の額に押し当て、いつまでも放さなかった。目には涙が一杯浮かんでいた。忠利は「いかんいかん」と顔を背けていたが、ついに「強情な奴」と怒ったような声で言いながら、二度頷いた。
長十郎は、忠利の足を抱えたまま、うつ伏して、じっと動かなかった。心の中は、やっと行き着くところへ来ることができた時の安堵感に溢れていた。心の奥底で長十郎は、殉死は自分の発意でしなくてはならないものではあるが、一方、人が自分の殉死を当然と思っているだろうから、自分は殉死をせざるを得ないとも感じていた。もし自分が殉死せずにいたら、恐ろしい屈辱を受けるに違いない。
しかし長十郎は、こういう弱みにも拘らず、死を恐れていたわけでは決してない。だから、殿様に殉死の許しを戴くことしか考えなかった。暫くして殿様の足をさすりはじめた長十郎の頭を掠めたのは、老母と妻のことであった。殉死者の遺族は主家の優待を受ける。自分が殉死すれば、家族は安穏に暮して行ける。こう思ったとき、長十郎の顔は晴々しいものになった。
四月十七日の朝、長十郎は殉死の身ごしらえを整え、母の前に出て、初めて殉死のことを明かした。母は少しも驚かなかった。互いにそのことについて話をすることはなかったが、今日が倅が切腹する日だということは、母は疾うに思っていた。まだ貰ったばかりの長十郎の嫁も呼ばれた。嫁も母と同じように、夫が今日切腹するということを疾うに知っていた。身奇麗にし、真面目な顔をしていたのは母と同じであるが、嫁の目の縁は赤くなっていて、今しがたいた勝手で泣いていたのがわかる。
弟の平次も呼ばれ四人が酒を交わした後、長十郎は鼾をかいてゆっくりと寝た。もう昼を過ぎた。若い嫁は食事の事など心配するのは自分だけだと思われないかと心配し、姑に聞きに行くのをためらった。ちょうどその時、介錯人の関小平次が来た。嫁は死なせに夫を起こすのだと思って、長十郎にしばらく声をかけられずにいた。武士はいざという時には飽食はしない。しかし、形ばかりではあるが、一家四人は、普段のように膳に向かい、食事をした。長十郎は心静かに支度をして、関を連れて、菩提所東光院へ腹を切りに行った。
長十郎を加えて、忠利に殉死を許された者は十八人いた。これらの家臣を、深く信頼していたから、忠利は跡継ぎの光尚の保護のために、彼らを残しておきたい気持ちは山々であった。また、彼らを自分と一緒に死なせるのも残酷だとも十分感じていた。しかし、忠利は、一人一人に、「許す」という一言を、身を裂く思いで与えざるを得なかった。家臣たちは、命を惜しまぬ。殉死は苦痛でもない。しかし、もし自分が殉死を許さなかったら、彼らは生き延びることはできるが、家中の者が、死ぬべき時に死ななかったとし、恩知らず、卑怯者として、仲間に入れてもらえなくなるだろう。
それでも彼らは、光尚のために命を捧げるのを待って、耐えて生きて行くかもしれない。彼らが最も忍び得ないことは、仕えていた主人が、自分たちを恩知らず、卑怯者と知らずに使っていた、という人々がいるかも知れないことであろう。（このような、主人に対する批判は、どうしても耐え難いことであろう。）そう思うと忠利は、苦しみながらも「許す」と言ったのである。
殉死を許した家臣の数が十八人になった時、忠利は自分の身を振り返って思った。五十年以上も、治乱の中にいて、人の世の人情世故にはすべて通じている積もりだった。だが、病気で苦しんでいる今、忠利はつくづく自分の死と十八人の侍の死について考えた。
命は必ず滅する時が来る。若い嫡子光尚にとって、自分の老家臣たちは邪魔にもなるだろう。光尚に、彼らを奉公させておけば、人から嫉妬の的にもなろう。そう考えれば、自分の家臣に、生きながらえろと言うのは、酷である。殉死を許してやったのは、むしろ慈悲かも知れない。こう思うと、忠利は多少慰められるような気持ちになった。
こうして、殉死を願って許された十八人は、次々に切腹した。切腹の様子も様々である。(続く）
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08.11.2020 Tomoko's Preface :【On starting a Jap/En Weekly Bilingual Version】
In France, following the first wave of Covid19 in spring, the second wave came in fall, and since the end of October, the confinement has been ordered. Shops and restaurants are closed, and the streets are deserted. If you want to get around, you have to carry an attestation to prove the reason of your going out.
What has caused the world to become this way? The epidemy seems to be a warning thrown upon man's arrogance against Nature. Whereas GAFAM (Big Tech, the largest and most dominant companies in the information technology industry, especially Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft) are using the present disaster as an opportunity to increase their wealth. The world is full of injustice, which is not fair! I think we should esteem more the value of ancient and longlasting literary and artistic works instead of becoming part of the information industry.
Throughout November and December, I would like to publish a series of Japanese to English abridged translations of "Clan Abe" by Mori Ogai, a great writer of the Meiji-Taisho period, which I worked on with my excellent Japanese language student, Nikhil-san, nearly ten years ago.
Although this work is set in the early Edo period, it can be said that it is a modern novel in that it depicts the psychology of the characters in the work. Ogai wrote this work in 1913, more than 100 years ago. What is surprising is that the hierarchical relationship of the Edo period has led to the vertically structured society of modern Japan that still continues today, and people are still in an struggling and distressed state. When will Japan become a democratic country, where the spirit of freedom, equality and fraternity be convinced? (Tomoko)
Lord
Hosokawa Tadatoshi, Governor of Higo Province and a vassal esteemed
by the Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu due to his distinguished service, fell
ill and died at the age of 56 in the spring of the 18th
year of the Kan’ei Era (1641).
The shonanoka1 for him took place on the 24th of March. During the ritual taking place at the Shūunin temple, the site of his cremation, one of his retainers cried: “Look! A hawk! A hawk!”
As the people looked on, two hawks drew large circles in the sky and then dived headlong into the well below the cherry blossom tree.
Two men rushed over to the well and peered inside. Alas, by then the hawks had already sunk deep into the water. In fact, these men were the falconers of Ariake and Akashi, Tadatoshi’s cherished hawks.
Upon realising who these birds and men were, people could be heard whispering: “For Lord Tadatoshi’s death, even the hawks committed junshi2”
This was because, after the lord had died, no fewer than ten vassals followed him into death and everyone was preoccupied by the question of junshi.
Regarding junshi, there are no fixed rules. There was only a code that had arisen naturally. Howsoever strongly one feels about the departed lord, it is not the case that one can commit junshi at one’s own behest.
Junshi cannot be committed without obtaining the lord’s permission. Committing junshi without permission is tantamount to a meaningless death.
Due to their respect for honour, samurai will not die such a death.
The case of Naitō Chōjūrō is a good example of a vassal committing junshi with permission. Though Chōjūrō was a 17 year youth attending the lord, he liked sake and often made mistakes. Tadatoshi would laugh at Chōjūrō’s mistakes and say: “That wasn’t his fault. It was because of the sake!”
Chōjūrō had a debt of gratitude to his lord. He felt that there was nothing besides junshi that would make up for his failings. Accordingly, Chōjūrō pleaded to the lord in his sickbed: “Would you please allow me to accompany you in death.”
As he said this, Chōjūrō gently lifted Tadatoshi’s foot and pressed it respectfully against his own forehead and would not let go. Tears were welling up to fill his eyes.
Tadatoshi said “No, no” and turned his face away from Chōjūrō, but at last he nodded twice, all the while saying “Stubborn fellow” in an angry voice.
While still holding Tadatoshi’s foot, Chōjūrō prostrated himself and did not move. Within his heart, there brimmed the sense of relief that one gets when one can at last reach their goal.
In the depths of his heart, Chōjūrō knew that junshi was an action that should come of his own volition, but at the same time, he also felt that people would think of it as the natural thing to do. If he did not commit junshi, he would certainly suffer terrible disgrace.
However, in spite of this aforesaid weakness, Chōjūrō was in no way afraid of death. Therefore, he had only been thinking about receiving his lord’s permission for junshi.
While Chōjūrō begun stroking the foot of his lord, his elderly mother and young wife came to mind. The surviving relatives of the junshisha3 will be treated with respect by the Lord’s household. Were he to commit junshi, his family could go on living comfortably. Upon having these thoughts, Chōjūrō’s face brightened.
On the morning of the 17th of April, Chōjūrō, dressed formally, appeared before his mother and revealed for the first time his plan to commit junshi. She was not in the least bit surprised.
For, though they had not spoken of this matter to each other, his mother had been thinking for a long time that today would be the day when her son would commit seppuku4.
Chōjūrō’s young wife, who had only recently become a family member, was also summoned. Just like her mother-in-law, she too knew for a long time that today would be the day when her husband would commit seppuku.
His wife, just like his mother, also appeared neatly dressed and with a serious expression, looked different though. The edges of her eyes were red, showing that she had been crying in the kitchen until now.
Saheiji, Chōjūrō’s younger brother, was also called and the four of them shared saké, Chōjūrō fell asleep peacefully, gaving a loud snore.
Noon passed. His young wife, feeling ashamed of having been preoccupied with preparing the meal, hesitated to go ask her mother-in-law for her opinion.
At that point Seki Koheiji, Chōjūrō’s second, arrived. For a long time, Chōjūrō’s wife could not bring herself to call her husband, since she would only be waking him to go to his death.
At crucial moments, samurai will not gorge themselves. Although it was just a formality, the four family members sat facing the table and ate as usual. Chōjūrō calmly prepared himself and, accompanied by Seki, proceeded to the Tōkōin Funerary Temple to disembowel himself.
Notes : 1) Buddhist 7th Day Mourning Ritual 2 )To follow one’s Lord into death 3) One who commits junshi 4) Ritual suicide
Including Chōjūrō, eighteen people were authorized to commit junshi by Tadatoshi. Because he deeply trusted those eighteen vassals, Tadatoshi had a very strong desire to let them live so that they might safeguard his heir, Mitsuhisa. He felt that making them die with him would be cruel.
Nonetheless, though it was heart-wrenching, Tadatashi felt compelled to say “I permit it” to each of them. Vassals do not regret losing their lives. Junshi is no agony for them.
If he did not permit them to commit junshi, they would be able to survive. Yet, the families of those vassals would be considered ungrateful cowards and not be accepted as comrades if they(those vassals) had not died when they should have.
Even so, they might bear to go on living until they could sacrifice their lives for Mitsuhisa.
For them, the most unbearable would be people thinking that the departed lord had employed ungrateful cowards without knowing it. For the vassals, such criticism regarding their lord would surely be hard to endure.
With such thoughts, Tadatoshi said “I permit it” with great pain.
When the number of vassals authorized to commit junshi had reached eighteen, Tadatoshi looked back on his own life. Through more than 50 years of living in both war and peace, he believed himself to have a complete understanding of human affairs and the spirits. But now, as he suffered from his illness, Tadatoshi reflected deeply on his own death and those of the eighteen samurai.
A time comes when life must perish. As for Mitsuhisa, his young successor, Tadatoshi’s old retainers may become an encumbrance. If they were made to serve Mitsuhisa, they would become the target of the jealousy of the others. Accordingly, it would be cruel to tell them to keep on living. Rather, wouldn't it be an act of mercy to permit them to commit junshi? With this in mind, Tadatoshi could feel somewhat consoled.
Subsequently, the eighteen vassals, authorized to commit junshi did so one after another. They committed seppuku in various ways. (to be continued)
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