第八節 Sec. 8
あらすじ・STORY
万寿は、五郎丸を信濃へ帰らせ、さっそく奉公する仕女の役目を得た。幼い万寿は、親のことを聞かれて言わず、持ち前の聡明さで周りに溶け込んだ。落ち込んだときには更科に励まされ、その中で、奇跡的に唐糸を閉じる石の牢の所在を知った。
Manju had Goromaru return to Shinano, and immediately fund a position as a lady servant. Although being such young, Manju avoid to answer a question about her parents, and got well with the new environment. Manju was encouraged by Sarashina while loosing her hope, and eventually in a miraculous manner learned where her mother was restrained.
母親の所在が分からずに焦る万寿のまえに、思わぬ救いが現れた。どこからともなくこつ然と一人のみづし（料理などに携わる使用人）が現われ、唐糸が閉じ込められているところを指差しながら秘密を教えてくれた。ここに、万寿主従はいまだ旅姿のままなのだ。一方では、釘の門という、名前通りなら釘によって閉ざされているはずのところは、まるで万寿を迎え入れるように扉が大きく開かれている。
In front of Manju who was eager to find out where her mother was, appeared an unexpected saver. A lower servant looks like who is working in a kitchen came from nowhere, pointed at a door and told a secret about Karaito. On this scene, Manju and Sarashina still wore the same clothes from their journey. On the other hand, the door which was referred as "Nail's Door" was not locked, but widely open and ready for Manju to cross.
クリックして朗読動画をご覧ください。Click to view a video and hear a narration of this section.
メモ・COMMENTS
物語と絵の内容において一番大きな違いを見せているのは、この節だろう。みづしの出現は、いうまでもなく劇的な瞬間である。ただ、万寿主従はいまなお旅姿のままであり、万寿一人にのみ秘密が教わったはずの会話は、更科にも付き添われ、かつ関係ない衆人の視線に囲まれたものになった。状況の誤読、無頓着、ひいては不合理とさえ考えられるもろもろの仔細は、絵画成立の背景への考察を強く促していると言えよう。
In this section, the picture presents a huge difference from what told in the story. It focused on a dramatic moment brought up by a lower servant. The truth was told not only to Manju but to Sarashina as well. Even more, surround them, there were people in no connection. Many these details could be argued as careless, inconsistent or even misunderstood, invite a reader to further examine the meaning of the pictures in this piece of work.
唐糸草紙（国会図書館蔵）二十六ゥ Karaito Soshi, National Diet Library, 26b