それは普通の手紙に比べると餘程目方の重いものであつた。並の状袋にも入れてなかつた。また並の状袋に入れられべき分量でもなかつた。半紙で包んで、封じ目を鄭寧に糊で貼り付けてあつた。私はそれを兄の手から受け取つた時、すぐその書留である事に氣が付いた。裏を返して見ると其所に先生の名がつゝしんだ字で書いてあつた。手の放せない私は、すぐ封を切る譯に行かないので、一寸それを懷に差し込んだ。
translation
It was much heavier than a normal letter. I didn't even put it in a regular bag. Also, it was not the amount that should be put in an ordinary bag. It was wrapped in a piece of paper, and the seams were glued tightly together. When I received it from my brother, I immediately realized that it was the registered mail. When I turned it over, I saw Sensei's name written in careful handwriting. I couldn't let go of it, so I didn't want to open it right away, so I slipped it into my sleeve.
kanji (pronunciations & definitions)
| 普通: normal (ふつう), ordinary, regular, usual, common | 手紙: letter (てがみ), missive, note, mail | 比: ratio (ひ), proportion, match, equal, equivalent | 目方: weight (めかた) |
| 並: average (なみ), medium, common, ordinary, mid-grade (item) | 状袋: envelope (じょうぶくろ) | 入: entering (いり), setting (of the Sun), containing, content, audience | 分量: amount (ぶんりょう), quantity, measuring, weighing |
| 包: yurt (パオ) | 封: seal (ふう) | 目: eye (め), eyeball, eyesight, sight, vision | 糊: paste (のり), glue, clothing starch |
| 付: furnished with (つき), furnished with (づき), furnished with (ツキ), including, including | 私: I (わたし), me, I (あたくし), I (あたし), I (アタシ) | 兄: older brother (あに), elder brother, you (けい), Mr, Mister | 手: hand (て), arm, forepaw, foreleg, handle |
| 取: taking (とり), taker, collecting, collector, remover | 時: time (とき), hour, moment, occasion, case | 書留: registered mail (かきとめ), registered post, registration (of mail), (putting on) record, writing down | 事: thing (こと), thing (こん), matter, matter, incident |
| 裏: inside (うち), within, while (e.g. one is young), during, within (e.g. a day) | 返: number of times (へん), reply, answer | 見: looking (み), viewing, (please) try (to), view (of life, etc.) (けん), outlook | 其所: there (place relatively near listener) (そこ), there (place just mentioned), that place, then (of some incident just spoken of), that (of point just raised) |
| 名: name (な), given name, title, fame, renown | 字: section of village (あざ), character (esp. kanji) (じ), letter, written text, handwriting | 書: letter (ふみ), writings, book (しょ), document, calligraphy (esp. Chinese) | 切: eager (せつ), earnest, ardent, kind, keen |
| 一寸: one sun (approx. 3.03 cm) (いっすん), little bit (of time, distance, etc.), a little (ちょいと), a little (ちょっと), a little (ちょと) | 懷: inside the breast of one’s clothing (esp. kimono) (ふところ), bosom, (breast) pocket, space between one’s chest and outstretched arms, (one’s) reach | 差: difference (さ), variation, difference, between (e.g. two people) (さし), between (e.g. two people) (サシ) |