私は纖維の強い包み紙を引き掻くやうに裂き破つた。中から出たものは、縱横に引いた罫の中へ行儀よく書いた原稿樣のものであつた。さうして封じる便宜のために、四つ折に疊まれてあつた。私は癖のついた西洋紙を、逆に折り返して讀み易いやうに平たくした。
translation
I tore the wrapping paper with strong fibres. What came out was something like a manuscript neatly written inside the horizontal ruled lines. It was folded in four for the convenience of sealing. I turned the peculiar Western paper over and flattened it so that it would be easier to read.
kanji (pronunciations & definitions)
| 私: I (わたし), me, I (あたくし), I (あたし), I (アタシ) | 強: a little over (きょう), a little more than, strength, the strong, powerhouse | 包: yurt (パオ) | 紙: paper (かみ), newspaper (し) |
| 破: middle section of a song (in gagaku or noh) (は) | 中: inside (なか), interior, among, within, middle | 出: coming out (で), going out, outflow, efflux, rising (of the Sun or the Moon) | 罫: rule (け), rule (けい), (ruled) line, (ruled) line, line (on a go board, shogi board, etc.) |
| 書: letter (ふみ), writings, book (しょ), document, calligraphy (esp. Chinese) | 原稿: manuscript (げんこう), copy, draft, notes, contribution | 封: seal (ふう) | 便宜: convenience (びんぎ), convenience (べんぎ), accommodation, accommodation, advantage |
| 折: opportunity (おり), chance, occasion, time, folding | 疊: tatami mat (たたみ), Japanese straw floor coverings | 癖: habit (usu. a bad one) (くせ), habit (usu. a bad one) (へき), habit (usu. a bad one) (クセ), tendency, tendency | 西洋紙: (western) paper (せいようし) |
| 返: number of times (へん), reply, answer | 易: type of cleromancy divination (described in the Book of Changes) performed with long sticks (えき), The Book of Changes, Yijing, I Ching, easiness (い) | 平: something broad and flat (ひら), something broad and flat (ヒラ), common, common, ordinary |