自殺か他殺かSuicide or Murder?

About this story

A young detective and his friend discuss a possible murder case amid the summer heat.

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Source

This text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko

Base edition (底本): 「小酒井不木探偵小説選　〔論創ミステリ叢書8〕」論創社
2004（平成16）年7月25日初版第1刷発行

Typed in by 川山隆. Proofread by 門田裕志.

Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.

The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 3 parts.

What you'll learn

On a hot afternoon, the young detective Tsubura Shun complains about the heat and wishes for a case to cool his mind. His friend (the narrator) notices his discomfort. Soon, Detective Oda from the Metropolitan Police arrives, bringing news of a suspicious death, which Shun eagerly anticipates as a 'evening shower' that will cool him.

Detective Oda explains the case: the elderly Fujita was found hanging in his room. The only clue is an open Heart Sutra on his desk, suggesting suicide. However, Oda is suspicious because there is no clear motive. The old man had no visitors, and his hired maid heard nothing.

Oda finishes his report, still unconvinced of suicide. Shun asks about the nephew and learns he is missing. Shun then asks to visit the Fujita house immediately. They take a car to the house.

Key vocabulary

顕微鏡けんびきょう	microscope
般若心経はんにゃしんぎょう	Heart Sutra (Buddhist text)
夜盲症やもうしょう	night blindness
遺言状ゆいごんじょう	last will and testament
夕立ゆうだち	evening shower

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ては N4Conditional: if... then (often negative consequence)

  「兄にいさん、こう暑あつくては、まったく頭あたまがぼんやりするねえ」

• ～からといって N3Even though; just because... doesn't mean

  それかといって、他殺たさつのあとは、無論むろんはっきり分わかりませんでした。

• ～はずがない N3It cannot be that...; there is no reason for...

  その晩ばん自殺じさつをするものが、そのような手紙てがみを書かくはずがないので、もしや他殺たさつではあるまいかと、その筋すじでは厳重げんじゅうに取とり調しらべ中ちゅうである……

• ～ては～ては N2Repeated actions; doing and then doing

  俊夫としお君くんはそれから、左右さゆうの引ひき出だしの中なかをさらに繰くり返かえして検けんべましたが、ついに一いち枚まいの紙片しへんを発見はっけんするなり、にっこりと笑わらいました。

• ～うちに N3While; during; before (opportunity)

  たぶん犯人はんにんは日ひのうちにしのび込こみ、どこか押おし入いれの中なかにでも隠かくれていて、藤田ふじたさんを絞殺こうさつし、勝手かって知しった仏壇ぶつだんの中なかから般若心経はんにゃしんぎょうを取とりだして自殺じさつを装よそおわせ、それから、朝あさまで待まっていて、老婆ろうばが起おきた後のちに、こっそり家いえを抜ぬけだしたものだろうと推定すいていしたのです

Cultural notes

• 般若心経 (Heart Sutra)A short but highly significant Buddhist sutra, often chanted by Japanese people at funerals or before death. The detective uses the fact that an elderly man with night blindness could not have read this sutra before 'suicide' to prove murder.
• 夕立 (Summer Evening Shower)A sudden, brief rain in late summer that provides relief from heat. In the story, the detective metaphorically 'brings a cool evening shower' by solving the case, linking weather to emotional and intellectual refreshment.
• 高利貸し (Money Lender)Historically, moneylenders in Japan were often seen as greedy and stubborn. The victim's past as a high-interest lender explains his wealth and his difficult personality, which is central to the plot.

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