ＷＥＢ絵本『露店商人（金子文子）』第１０巻
だがそれにもかかわらず私はもうどうにもこうにもならなくなっていた．
そこでふと思いついて、冬の衣類を２、３枚風呂敷に包んで質屋の暖簾をくぐった．
But nevertheless, I was living in extreme hardship.
Then, an idea unexpectedly came to me. I wrapped a few winter clothes with my carrying cloth and went to a pawnshop.
「へえ、いらっしゃい」と、薄暗い店で算盤をはじいていた番頭が顔をあげて私を迎えたが、多分私のみすぼらしいなりを見て、物にならないと思ったのであろう．
再びまた算盤と帳簿との上に目を注いだ．
"Hello. Can I help you?" said the clerk, who was doing a calculation with a calculator in the dim shop and lifted his head. And he looked at my shabby appearance.
Maybe, he thought that he couldn't make much profit. His eyes were focused on the calculator and the account book again.
もじもじしながら、私は質種を出して金の融通を頼んだ．番頭は小うるさそうにしていたが、私の顔をじろじろと眺めながら言った．
「へえ・・・どなたかの紹介でもお持ちでしょうか．手前共の方では初めてのお方とは取り引きを致しませんのですが・・・」
「いいえ、紹介は別に持っていませんが、私の住居はすぐそこですから、何なら、ちょっと見届けて下さってもいいんですが・・・」
だが、番頭はもう私を相手にはしなかった．面倒臭そうに、帳簿に目を落としたまま答えた．
「ええ、ですけど、どうも規則として紹介のない方のは頂くわけには参りませんので・・・」
I hesitantly showed my pawn to the clerk and asked him to lend me money.
He was showing signs of annoying.
He scrutinized my face and said, "Well. Do you have any introduction from anyone? We cannot handle the articles of the first-time customer."
"No, I don't have any introduction. But my dwelling is near here. I will guide you along if you like."
The clerk didn't serve me anymore. Keeping to look at the account book, he unpleasantly answered.
"Well. But, according to our regulations, we are not to take the articles of the customer that we don't know."
仕方なく私はすごすごと帰った．
I just had to go home dejectedly.
そして今度は、何か売るものがないかと考えて、行李の中をひっくりかえしてみた．
新聞店にいた頃、古本屋で１円５０銭で買った代数の参考書と、３円いくらした英和辞典とのみが金に代りそうな品物であった．
And then, I thought about something to sell. I rummaged in my strage box.
When I worked for the newspaper sales agent, I bought a book of algebra for 1 dollar 50 cents and an English-Japanese dictionary for about 3 dollars at a secondhand bookstore. These appeared from the box. I seemed that only these would be exchanged for money.
私はそのうち、差し当たり必要でない代数の参考書をもって古本屋に行った．
私はそれで、少なくとも７、８０銭はもらえると思っていた．が、売ってみるとそれはたった２０銭でしかなかった．
―――その後私は、同じ古本屋で、その本が１円７０銭という札を貼られているのを見て恨めしかった．
とはいえこの際２０銭でも結構であった．
I didn't need the book of algebra for the time being. So, I took it to the secondhand bookstore.
I expected that the book would be exchanged for at least 70 or 80 cents. But, I just sold it for 20 cents.
------ After that, I saw the book with the price tag of 1 dollar 70 cents at the same secondhand bookstore. I felt bitter.
But, the money of 20 cents was fine under the circumstances.
私はその金をもらうとすぐ、簡易食堂に走った．
そしてガツガツしている私の胃の腑を充たした．
I received the money.
And I rushed to the snack bar immediately. I filled my starving stomack.
（つづく）
（つづく）
―― 奥付 ――
ＷＥＢ絵本『露店商人（金子文子）』第１０巻
ＷＥＢ絵本『露店商人（金子文子）』第１０巻
絵・訳：茜町春彦
原作：金子文子
原作：金子文子
Title: A Street Vendor (Kaneko Fumiko) volume 10
Illustrated and translated by: Akanemachi Haruhiko
Original author: Kaneko Fumiko
Illustrated and translated by: Akanemachi Haruhiko
Original author: Kaneko Fumiko
