私が奥さんを疑ぐり始めたのは、極些細な事からでした。然し其些細な事を重ねて行くうちに、疑惑は段々と根を張つて來ます。私は何ういふ拍子か不圖奥さんが、伯父と同じやうな意味で、御孃さんを私に接近させやうと力めるのではないかと考へ出したのです。すると今迄親切に見えた人が、急に狡猾な策略家として私の眼に映じて來たのです。私は苦々しい唇を噛みました。
translation
"I started to get suspicious of my wife because of something very trivial." However, as the trivial matters pile up, the suspicion gradually takes root. For some reason, I began to think that the uncle might be trying to get the daughter to approach me in the same way that my uncle did. Then, the person who had seemed kind until now suddenly appeared to me as a cunning strategist. I bit my bitter lip.
kanji (pronunciations & definitions)
| 私: I (わたし), me, I (あたくし), I (あたし), I (アタシ) | 奥: inner part (おく), interior, back (of a drawer, one’s throat, etc.), depths (e.g. of a forest), recesses (e.g. of a cave) | 疑: doubt (ぎ), distrust, suspicion (of) | 些細: trivial (ささい), trifling, slight, insignificant |
| 然: -like (ぜん), so (さ), like that, in that way, like that (しか) | 些細: trivial (ささい), trifling, slight, insignificant | 重: chief (おも), main, principal, important, main secondary or supporting role (in kyogen) | 行: line (of text) (ぎょう), row, verse, carya (austerities), samskara (formations) |
| 段々: notches (ぎざぎざ), notches (ギザギザ), serration, serration, indentation | 根: root (of a plant) (ね), root (of a tooth, hair, etc.), center (of a pimple, etc.), root (of all evil, etc.), source | 張: Chinese “Extended Net” constellation (one of the 28 mansions) (ちょう), counter for objects with stretched strings (i.e. bows, kotos), curtains, papers, etc. | 何: what (なに), what (ナニ), you-know-what, you-know-what, that thing |
| 不圖: suddenly (ふと), casually, accidentally, incidentally, unexpectedly | 奥: inner part (おく), interior, back (of a drawer, one’s throat, etc.), depths (e.g. of a forest), recesses (e.g. of a cave) | 伯父: uncle (おじ), uncle (しゅくふ), uncle (はくふ), uncle (one’s father’s older brother) (えおじ) | 同: the same (どう), the said, likewise |
| 接近: getting closer (せっきん), drawing nearer, approaching, being not much different, being near (age, skill, etc.) | 力: force (ちから), strength, might, vigour, vigor | 考: thought (こう), report on one’s investigation into …, deceased father | 出: coming out (で), going out, outflow, efflux, rising (of the Sun or the Moon) |
| 親切: kind (しんせつ), gentle, considerate, generous, friendly | 親切: kind (しんせつ), gentle, considerate, generous, friendly | 見: looking (み), viewing, (please) try (to), view (of life, etc.) (けん), outlook | 人: -ian (e.g. Italian) (じん), -ite (e.g. Tokyoite), -er (e.g. performer, etc.), person working with …, man |
| 狡猾: sly (こうかつ), cunning, crafty | 策略家: tactician (さくりゃくか), strategist, schemer, maneuverer | 眼: eye (め), eyeball, eyesight, sight, vision | 唇: lip (くちびる), lips |