私は遲くなる迄暗いなかで考へてゐました。無論一つ問題をぐる／＼廻轉させる丈で、外に何の效力もなかつたのです。私は突然Ｋが今隣りの室で何をしてゐるだらうと思ひ出しました。私は半ば無意識においと聲を掛けました。すると向ふでもおいと返事をしました。Ｋもまだ起きてゐたのです。私はまだ寐ないのかと襖ごしに聞きました。もう寐るといふ簡單な挨拶がありました。何をしてゐるのだと私は重ねて問ひました。今度はＫの答がありません。其代り五六分經つたと思ふ頃に、押入をがらりと開けて、床を延べる音が手に取るやうに聞こえました。私はもう何時かと又尋ねました。Ｋは一時二十分だと答へました。やがて洋燈をふつと吹き消す音がして、家中が眞暗なうちに、しんと靜まりました。
translation
"I was thinking in the dark until it got late." Of course, there was no effect other than revolving around one problem. I suddenly remembered what K was doing in the next room. Half unconsciously, I called out. Then he replied that he was on the other side. K was still awake. I asked through the fusuma if I was still sleeping. There was a simple greeting of going to sleep. I asked him again what he was doing. This time there is no answer for K. On the other hand, about 56 minutes later, I heard the sound of the floor being stretched as the closet was opened. I asked again what time it was. K replied that it would be 1:20. Before long, there was the sound of the lamp blowing out, and the house fell silent as it was pitch black.
kanji (pronunciations & definitions)
| 私: I (わたし), me, I (あたくし), I (あたし), I (アタシ) | 考: thought (こう), report on one’s investigation into …, deceased father | 無論: of course (むろん), certainly, naturally | 一: one (いち), 1, best, first, foremost |
| 丈: only (だけ), just, merely, simply, no more than | 外: outside (そと), outside (と), exterior, exterior, the open (air) | 何: what (なに), what (ナニ), you-know-what, you-know-what, that thing | 突然: abrupt (とつぜん), sudden, unexpected |
| 室: room (しつ), wife (of someone of high rank), scabbard, Chinese “Encampment” constellation (one of the 28 mansions), greenhouse (むろ) | 出: coming out (で), going out, outflow, efflux, rising (of the Sun or the Moon) | 半: half (はん), semi-, half-past, odd number, han (unit of land area, approx. 595.8 m^2) | 無意識: unconsciousness (むいしき), unconscious, involuntary, automatic, mechanical |
| 掛: credit (かけ), money owed on an account, bill, hanger, holder | 返事: reply (へんじ), answer, response | Ｋ: K (ケイ), K (ケー), k, k, kilo- | 起: source (おこり), origin, cause, beginning, genesis |
| 挨拶: greeting (あいさつ), greetings, salutation, salute, condolences | 重: chief (おも), main, principal, important, main secondary or supporting role (in kyogen) | 問: question (とい), query, counter for questions (もん) | 今度: this time (こんど), now, next time, another time, shortly |
| 頃: (approximate) time (ころ), (approximate) time (ごろ), around, around, about | 押入: closet (built into the wall of a room) (おしいれ), (built-in) wardrobe | 床: bed (とこ), bedding, sickbed, alcove, riverbed | 音: sound (おと), sound (おん), sound (ね), noise, noise |
| 取: taking (とり), taker, collecting, collector, remover | 何時: when (いつ), at what time, how soon, normal times, ordinary days | 一時: a (short) time (いっとき), a (short) time (ひととき), a while, a while, moment | 十分: 10 minutes (じっぷん), 10 minutes (じゅっぷん), enough (じゅうぶん), sufficient, plenty |
| 家中: whole family (いえじゅう), whole family (うちじゅう), whole family (かちゅう), entire family, entire family |