Jou

  Itsugoro no hanashi da ka, wakaranai. Kitashina no machi kara machi o watatte aruku noten no misemonoshi ni, Ri Shouji to iu otoko ga atta. Nezumi ni shibai o saseru no o shoubai ni shite iru otoko de aru. Nezumi o irete oku fukuro ga hitotsu, ishou ya men o shimatte oku hako ga hitotsu, sore kara, butai no yaku o suru chiisana yatai no you na mono ga hitotsu -- sono hoka niwa, nani mo motteinai.

  Tenki ga ii to, yotsutsuji no hitodoori no ooi tokoro ni tatte, mazu, sono yatai no you na mono o kata e noseru, sore kara, koban o tataite, hitoyose ni, uta o utau. Monomidakai machinaka no koto da kara, otona demo kodomo demo, sore o kiite, ashi o tomenai mono wa hotondo nai. Sate, mawari ni hito no kaki ga dekiru to, Ri wa fukuro no naka kara nezumi o ippiki dashite, sore ni ishou o kisetari, men o kaburasetari shite, yatai no kimonmichi kara, ba e noborasete yaru. Nezumi wa nareteiru to miete, chokochoko, butai no ue o arukinagara, kinuito no you ni tsuya no aru shippo o, nisando monomonoshiku ugokashite, choi to atoashi dake de tatte miseru. Sarasa no ishou no shita kara mieru maeashi no ashi no ura ga usuakai.-- kono nezumi ga, kore kara zatsugeki no iwayuru sesshi o enjiyou to iu yakusha nano de aru.

  Suruto, kenbutsu no hou dewa, kodomo da to, hajimekara te o utte, omoshirogaru ga, otona wa, youi ni kanshin shita you na kao o misenai. Mushiro, reizen to shite, kiseru o kuwaetari, hanage o nuitari shinagara, baka ni shita you na me de, butai no ue ni shuusen suru nezumi no yakusha o nagameteiru. Keredomo, kyoku ga susumu no ni shitagatte, kingire no ishou o tsuketa seitan no nezumi ya, kuroi men o kabutta jou no nezumi ga, zokuzoku, kimondou kara haidashite kuru you ni naru to, sou shite, sore ga, tondari hanetari shinagara, Ri no utau kyoku ya sono aida e hairu haku ni tsurete, iroiro shosa o suru you ni naru to, kenbutsu mo sasuga ni reitan o yosootte irarenaku naru to miete, oioi mawari no hitodakari no naka kara, soushidai nado to iu koe ga, kakari hajimeru. Suru to, Ri Shouji mo, iyoiyo, abura ga notte, sewashiku koban o tatakinagara, takumi ni ichiza no nezumi o tsukai wakeru. Soushite "Kokkou ni shizumu minpi seichou no urami, yuumu ni taukogan kankyuu no aki" to ka nan to ka, daimoku seimei o tonau koro ni naru to, yatai no mae e dashite aru bon no naka ni, itsunoma ni ka, dousen no yama ga dekiru.

  Ga, kouiu shoubai o shite, kuchi o nori shite yuku no wa, kesshite youi na mono dewa nai. Daiichi, touka to tenki ga warui to kuchi ga hiagatte shimau. Natsu wa, mugi ga jukusu jibun kara, rei no uki e hairu no de, chiisana ishou ya men nimo, shiranai uchi ni kabi ga haeru. Fuyu mo mata, kaze ga fuku yara, yuki ga furu yara suru no de, tokaku, shoubai ga sutari yasui. Souiu toki niwa, hoka ni shikata mo nai kara, usugurai hatago no katasumi de, nezumi o aite ni taikutsu o magirase Nagara, itsumo nara awatadashii hi no kurashi o, machikaneru you ni shite, kurashite shimau. Nezumi no suu wa, minna de, gohiki de, sore ni Ri no chichi no na to haha no na to tsuma no na to, sore kara yukue no shirenai futari no ko no na to ga tsukete aru. Sore ga, fukuro no kuchi kara junjun ni haidashite hi no ke no nai heya no naka o, samusou ni ozuozu aruitari, kutsu no saki kara hiza no ue e, abunai karuwaza o shite haiagarinagara, nankindama no you na kuroi me de, jitto, shujin no kao o mitsumetari suru to, seko no tsurasa ni nareteiru Ri Shouji demo, sasuga ni tokidoki wa namida ga deru. Ga, sore wa, moji doori tokidoki de, dochiraka to ieba, asu no kurashi o kangaeru kuttaku to, souiu kuttaku o yokuatsu shiyou to suru, atedo no nai fuyukai na kanjou to ni kokoro o ubawarete, ijirashii nezumi no sugata mo me ni hairanai koto ga ooi.

  Sono ue, kono goro wa, toshi no kagen to, karada no guai ga warui no to de, yokei, shoubai ni mi ga hairanai. Fushimawashi no nagai tokoro o utau to, iki ga kireru. Nodo mo mukashi no you niwa, saenakunatta. Kono bun dewa, itsu, donna koto ga okoranai to mo kagiranai.-- kouiu fuan wa, choudo, kitashina no fuyu no you ni, kono mijime na misemonoshi no kokoro kara, issai no nikkou to kuuki to o shadan shite, shimai niwa, hitonami ni ikite yukou to iu ki sae, miren mishaku naku karashiteshimau. Naze ikiteyuku no wa kurushii ka, naze, kurushiku to mo, ikite ikanakereba naranai ka. Mochiron, Ri wa ichido mo souiu mondai o kangaete mita koto ga nai. Ga, sono kurushimi o, futou da to wa, omotteiru. Soushite, sono kurushimi o ataeru mono o -- sore ga nan da ka, Ri niwa wakaranai ga -- muishiki nagara nikundeiru. Koto ni yoru to, Ri ga nan ni demo motteiru, bakuzen to shita hankouteki na kokoromochi wa, kono muishiki no nikushimi ga, gen'in ni natteiru no kamo shirenai.

  Shikashi, sou wa iu monono, Ri mo, subete no touyoujin no you ni, unmei no mae niwa, hikakuteki kutsujuu o i to shite inai. Fuusetsu no ichinichi o, hatago no isshitsu de, kurasu toki ni, kare wa, yoku kuufuku o kakaenagara, gohiki no nezumi ni mukatte, konna koto o itta."Shinbou shiro yo. Ore datte, hara ga heru no ya, samui no o shinbou shite iru no da karana. Douse ikiteiru kara niwa, kurushii no wa atarimae da to omoe. Sore mo, nezumi yori wa, ikura ningen no hou ga, kurushii ka shirenai zo "

Chuu

  Yukigumori no sora ga, itsu no ma nika, mizoremajiri no ame o furasete, semai ourai o mojidoori, hagi o bossuru deinei ni mitasou to shite iru, aru samui hi no gogo no koto de atta. Ri Shouji wa choudo, shoubai kara kaeru tokoro de, rei no toori, nezumi o ireta fukuro o kata ni kakenagara, kasa o wasureta kanashisa ni, zubunure ni natte, machihazure no, hitodoori no nai michi o aruite kuru -- to, michibata ni, chiisana byou ga mieta. Orikara, furi ga, mae yori mo hidoku natte, kata o subomete aruite iru to, hana no saki kara wa, shizuku ga tareru. Eri kara wa, mizu ga hairu. Tohou ni kureteita toki da kara, Ri wa, byou o miru to, awatete, sono nokishita e kakekonda. Mazu, kao no shizuku o harau. Sorekara, sode o shiboru. Yatto, hitogokochi ga tsuita tokoro de atama no ue no hengaku o miru to, sore niwa, sanjinbyou to iu sanji ga atta.

  Iriguchi no ishidan o, nisandan noboru to, tobira ga aite iru node, naka ga mieru. Naka wa omotta yori mo, mada semai. Shoumen niwa, isson no Kinkou sanjin ga, kumo no su ni tozasarenagara, bon'yari hi no kure o matteiru. Sono migi niwa, hangan ga ittai, kore wa, dare ni itazura o sareta no da ka, kubi ga nai. Hidari niwa, kooni ga ittai, ryokumen shuhatsu de, soudou na kao o shite iru ga, koremo ainiku, hana ga kaketeiru. Sono mae no, chiri no tsumotta yukani, tsumikasanete aru nowa, shisen de arou. Kore wa, usugurai naka ni, kinshi ya ginshi ga, obotsukanaku hikatteiru node, shireta no de aru.

  Ri wa, koredake, mimeta tokoro de, shisen o, byou no naka kara soto e, tenjiyou to shita. Suru to choudo sono totan ni, shisen no tsunde aru naka kara, ningen ga hitori detekita. Jissai wa, mae kara soko ni uzukumatte ita no ga, sono toki, hajimete, usugurai noni nareta Ri no me ni, miete kita no dearou. Ga, kare niwa, marude, sore ga, shisen no naka kara, kotsuzen to shite, sugata o arawashita you ni omowareta. Sokode, kare wa, isasaka, gyotto shinagara, osoru osoru, miru you na, minai you na kao o shite, sotto sono ningen o ukagatte mita.

  Asejimita doufuku o kite, tori ga su o kuisouna atama o shita, migurushii roujin de aru.(hahaa, kojiki o shite aruku doushi da na -- Ri wa kou omotta.) yaseta hiza o, ryouude de daku you ni shite, sono hiza no ue e, hige no nagai ago o noseteiru. Me wa hiraiteiru ga, doko o miteiru noka wakaranai. Yahari, kono ame ni atta to iu koto wa, doufuku no kata ga gusshori nureteiru node, shireta.

  Ri wa, kono roujin o mita toki ni, nantoka kotoba o kakenakereba, naranai you na ki ga shita. Hitotsu niwa, nurenezumi ni natta roujin no sugata ga, ikubun no doujou o ugokashita kara de, mata hitotsu niwa, seko ga kou iu baai ni, kocchi kara kuchi o kiru shuukan o, itsuka tsuketeshimatta kara de aru. Arui wa, mata, sono hoka ni, hajime no bukimi na kokoromochi o wasureyou to suru doryoku ga, sukoshi wa kuwawatte ita kamo shirenai. Sokode Ri ga itta.

 "Doumo, komatta otenki desu na."

 "Sayousa." roujin wa, hiza no ue kara, o hanashite, hajimete, Ri no hou o mita. Tori no kuchibashi no you ni magatta, kagibana o, nisando oogyou ni ugomekashi nagara, mayu no aida o emakushite, mita no de aru.

 "Watashi no you na shoubai o shite iru ningen niwa, ame gurai, hitonakase no mono wa arimasen."

 "Hahaa, nan no goshoubai kana."

 "Nezumi o tsukatte, shibai o saseru no desu."

 "Sore wa mata omezurashii."

  Konna guai de, futari no aida niwa, sukoshizutsu, kaiwa ga, koukan sareru you ni natta. Sono naka ni, roujin mo shisen no naka kara detekite, Ri to isshoni, iriguchi no ishidan no ue ni koshi o oroshita kara, ima dewa kaokatachi mo, hakkiri mieru. Keiyou no kokou shite iru koto wa, sakki mita toki no hi dewa nai. Ri wa sore demo, ii hanashi aite o mitsuketa tsumori de, fukuro ya hako o ishidan no ue ni oita mama, taitou na kotobadukai de, iroiro na hanashi o shita.

  Doushi wa, mukuchi na hou da to miete, hakabakashiku wa henji mo shinai."Naruhodo na" toka "Sayou sa" toka iu tabi ni, wa no nai kuchi ga, kuuki o kamu you na, undou o suru. Ne no tokoro de, kitanai kiiro ni natteiru hige mo, sore ni tsurete ueshita e ugoku, -- sore ga ika nimo, misuborashii.

  Ri wa, kono roudoushi ni kurabereba, arayuru ten de, jibun no hou ga, seikatsujou no yuusha da to kangaeta. Sou iu jikaku ga, yukai de nai koto wa, mochiron nai. Ga, Ri wa, sore to douji ni, yuusha de aru to iu koto ga, nan to naku kono roujin ni taishite sumanai you na kokoromochi ga shita. Kare wa, danpei o, seikatsu nan ni otoshite, jibun no kurashi no kurushisa o, wazawaza kochou shite, hanashita noha, mattaku, kono sumanai you na kokoromochi ni, wazurawasareta kekka de aru.

 "Mattaku, sore wa nakitakunaru kurai na mono desu yo. Kuwazu ni, ichinichi sugoshita koto datte, tabitabi arimasu. Kono aida mo, shimijimi kou omoimashita. Ore wa nezumi ni shibai o sasete, meshi o kutteiru to omotteiru. Ga, koto ni yoru to hontou wa, nezumi ga onore ni konna shoubai o sasete, kutteiru no kamo shirenai. Jissai, sonna mono desu yo."

  Ri wa buzen to shite, konna koto sae itta. Ga, doushi no mukuchi na koto wa, mae to ikkou, kawari ga nai. Sore ga, Ri no shinkei niwa, mae yori mo issou, hanahadashiku natta you ni omowareta.(sensei, ore no itta koto o, myouni higande totta no darou. Yokei na koto wa iwazu ni, damatte ireba yokatta.) -- Ri wa, kokoro no naka de kou jibun o shikatta. Sou shite, sotto yokome o tsukatte, roujin no yousu o mita. Doushi wa, kao o Ri to hantai no hou ni mukete, ame ni tatakareteiru byougai no koryuu o nagamenagara, katate de, shikiri ni kami o kaiteiru. Kao wa mienai ga, douyara Ri no kokoromochi o misukashite, aite ni narazu ni irurashii. Sou omou to, tashou fukai na ki ga shita ga, jibun no doujou no tesshinai to iu fuman no hou ga, sore yori mo ookii node, kondo wa wadai o, kotoshi no aki no kousai e motte itta. Kono chihou no koumutta sangai no hanashi kara nouka ippan no konkyuu de, roujin no kyuujou o JASUTJIFAI shite yaritai to omotta no de aru.

  Suruto, sono hanashi no tochuu de, roudoushi wa, Ri no hou e, kao o muketa. Shiwa no kasanari atta naka ni, okashisa o koraeteiru you na, kinniku no kinchou ga aru.

 "Anata wa watashi ni doujou shite kudasaru rashii ga, " kou itte, roujin wa koraekirenaku natta you ni, koe o agete waratta. Tori ga naku you na, surudoi, shiwagareta koe de waratta no de aru."Watashi wa, kane niwa fujiyuu o shinai ningen de ne, onozomi nara, anata no okurashi gurai wa otasuke moushite mo, yoroshii."

  Ri wa, hanashi no koshi o orareta mama, bouzen to shite, tada, doushi no kao o mitsumeteita.(koitsu wa, kichigai da.)-- yatto kouiu hansei ga okotte kita noha, shibaraku no aida toumoku shite, damatte ita ato no koto de aru. Ga, sono hansei wa, sugu ni mata roudoushi no tsugi no hanashi ni yotte, dakai sareta."Sen'itsu ya nisen'itsu de yoroshikereba, ima demo sashiageyou. Jitsu wa, watashi wa, tada no ningen deha nai." roujin wa, sorekara, temijika ni, jibun no keireki o hanashita. Moto wa, nan toka iu machi no tosha datta ga, tamatama, Roso ni tte, dou o mananda to iu no de aru. Sore ga sumu to, doushi wa, shizuka ni tatte, byou no naka e haitta. Soushite, katate de Ri o sashimaneki nagara, katate de, yuka no ue no shisen o kakiatsumeta.

  Ri wa gokan o ushinatta hito no you ni, bouzen to shite, byou no naka e haikonda. Ryoute o nezumi no fun to hokori to no ooi yuka no ue ni tsuite, heifuku suru you na katachi o shinagara, kubi dake agete, shita kara doushi no kao o nagameteiru no de aru.

  Doushi wa, magatta koshi o, kurushisou ni, nobashite, kakiatsumeta shisen o ryoute de yuka kara sukuiageta. Sore kara, sore o te no hira de momiawasenagara, sewashiku ashimoto e makichirashihajimeta. Sousouzen to shite, yuka ni ochiru kouhaku no oto ga, niwaka ni, byougai no kan'u no koe o asshite, okotta.-- makakareta shisen wa, te o hanareru to tomoni, tachimachi, musuu no kinsen ya ginsen ni, kawatta no de aru.

  Ri Shouji wa, kono usen no naka ni, itsumademo, yuka ni hatta mama, bon'yari roudoushi no kao o miageteita.

Ge

  Ri Shouji wa, toushu no tomi o eta. Tamatama, sono sennin ni atta to iu koto o utagau mono ga areba, kare wa, sono toki, roujin ni kaite moratta, shiku no go o dashite shimesu no de aru. Kono hanashi o, hisashii izen ni, nanika no hon de mita sakusha wa, ikan nagara, sore o, moji doori ni kioku shite inai. Sokode, taii o shina no mono o hon'yaku shitarashii nipponbun de kaite, kono hanashi no owari ni fushite okou to omou. Tadashi, kore wa, Ri Shouji ga, naze, sen ni shite, kikkai o shite aruku ka to iu koto o nazuneta, kotae na no dasou de aru.

 "Jinsei ku ari, motte tanoshimu beshi. Ningen shisuru ari, motte ikuru o shiru. Shiku tomo ni dasshiete hanahada, buryou nari. Sennin wa shikazu, bonjin no shiku aru ni."

  Osoraku, sennin wa, ningen no seikatsu ga natsukashiku natte, wazawaza, kurushii koto o, sagashite aruiteita no de arou.

(Taishou 4 nen 7 gatsu 23 nichi)

(2006. 8.26)