先生と私は通へ出やうとして墓の前を拔けた。依撒伯拉何々の墓だの、神僕ロギンの墓だのといふ傍に、一切衆生悉有佛生と書いた塔婆などが建てゝあつた。全權公使何々といふのもあつた。私は安得烈と彫り付けた小さい墓の前で、「是は何と讀むんでせう」と先生に聞いた。「アンドレとでも讀ませる積でせうね」と云つて先生は苦笑した。
translation
Sensei and I went through the grave to go out to the street. Near the tombs of Ibarabura and Rogin, the servants of the gods, there were pagodas with the inscription, "All living beings are Buddhas." There was also something called Minister Plenipotentiary. Standing in front of a small tomb carved with the word Antokuretsu, I asked the teacher, "What are you reading?" ``You should be able to read it with Andre,'' said the teacher with a wry smile.
kanji (pronunciations & definitions)
| 先生: teacher (せんせい), instructor, master, sensei, title or form of address for a teacher, master, doctor, lawyer, etc. | 私: I (わたし), me, I (あたくし), I (あたし), I (アタシ) | 通: authority (つう), expert, connoisseur, well-informed person, counter for messages, letters, notes, documents, etc. | 出: coming out (で), going out, outflow, efflux, rising (of the Sun or the Moon) |
| 前: point (さき), tip, end, nozzle, head (of a line) | 何々: what (なになに), so-and-so, such and such, something (or other), what? | 傍: near (そく), near (そば), near (はた), close, close | 一切: all (いっさい), everything, entirety, the whole, absolutely (not) |
| 書: letter (ふみ), writings, book (しょ), document, calligraphy (esp. Chinese) | 塔婆: stupa (とうば), pagoda, wooden grave tablet | 建: contract (たて), commitment, leader of a powerful tribe (たける) | 何々: what (なになに), so-and-so, such and such, something (or other), what? |
| 付: furnished with (つき), furnished with (づき), furnished with (ツキ), including, including | 小: smallness (しょう), small item, short month (i.e. having fewer than 31 days), elementary school, smaller (of two things, places, etc. with the same name) | 是: here (ここ), this place, this point, here, now | 何: what (なに), what (ナニ), you-know-what, you-know-what, that thing |
| 苦笑: bitter smile (くしょう), wry smile, strained laugh, sarcastic laugh |