私は何の分別もなくまた私の室に歸りました。さうして八疊の中をぐる／＼廻り始めました。私の頭は無意味でも當分さうして動いてゐろと私に命令するのです。私は何うかしなければならないと思ひました。同時にもう何うする事も出來ないのだと思ひました。座敷の中をぐる／＼廻らなければゐられなくなつたのです。檻の中へ入れられた熊の樣の態度で。
translation
"I went back to my room without thinking." And so, I began to circle around the Yatsura. My head commands me to keep moving, even if it means nothing. I thought I should do something. At the same time, I thought there was nothing I could do. I had to go around the tatami room. With an attitude like a bear in a cage.
kanji (pronunciations & definitions)
| 私: I (わたし), me, I (あたくし), I (あたし), I (アタシ) | 何: what (なに), what (ナニ), you-know-what, you-know-what, that thing | 分別: discretion (ふんべつ), prudence, good sense, judgement, judgment | 室: room (しつ), wife (of someone of high rank), scabbard, Chinese “Encampment” constellation (one of the 28 mansions), greenhouse (むろ) |
| 頭: counter for large animals (e.g. head of cattle) (とう), counter for insects in a collection, counter for helmets, masks, etc., head (あたま), head (かしら) | 無意味: nonsense (むいみ), no meaning, meaningless | 動: motion (どう) | 命令: order (めいれい), command, decree, directive, (software) instruction |
| 事: thing (こと), thing (こん), matter, matter, incident | 座敷: tatami room (ざしき), tatami mat room, formal Japanese room, dinner party in a tatami room (esp. when a geisha or maiko attends) | 檻: cage (おり), pen, (jail) cell | 入: entering (いり), setting (of the Sun), containing, content, audience |
| 態度: attitude (たいど), manner, behaviour, demeanour, bearing |