暗号音盤事件The Cipher Record Incident

What you'll learn

The narrator and his companion Hakuboku Hyōji arrive in Lisbon and discuss their mission. Hyōji reveals they must leave for Zelcy Island that night to stop Britain.

The duo arrives on Zelcy Island and is greeted by local girls. Hyōji pretends to be Count Nibyō and the narrator Baron Rokusyō. They discuss the mysterious Marquis Mentole and his tuning fork.

Back at the lodging, Hyōji explains the real mission: to find a hidden British code key in the castle. The narrator learns the key is related to the Marquis Mentole's disappearance and a tuning fork.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～がち N3Tends to; prone to. Used to describe a tendency or habit.
  引込思案はそもそも日本人の共通な損な性質だ。
• ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regret. Often used to express that something is done completely or unfortunately.
  白木は、常になく、はあはあと息せき切っていうことには、
• ～というわけではない N2It doesn't mean that...; it is not that...
  白木の話は、何を指しているか、さっぱり分らなかった。

Cultural notes

• Lisbon as a Neutral CityDuring World War II, Lisbon was a neutral city where people from both Axis and Allied powers coexisted. This made it a hub for espionage and international intrigue.
• 呉越同舟 (Gōetsu Dōshū)A Japanese idiom meaning 'bitter enemies sailing in the same boat', used to describe strange bedfellows or adversaries forced to cooperate. In the text, it describes the mixed presence of different nationalities in Lisbon.

Try a comprehension question

Read a sample in Japanese

Topics

Short Storymysteryhistoricalespionagewartimesuspensefulaozora bunko