名士訪問記Visit to a Celebrity

About this story

A man visits a lookalike lawyer, leading to a humorous exchange.

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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): 「海野十三全集　別巻2　日記・書簡・雑纂」三一書房
1993（平成5）年1月31日第1版第1刷発行

Typed in by 田中哲郎. Proofread by 土屋隆.

Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The narrator, on assignment from an editor, visits Mr. Sano, a patent attorney, at his office. Sano claims his business is booming despite high fees, and the narrator grows uneasy and decides to leave, feeling defeated.

Key vocabulary

弁理士べんりし	patent attorney
特許とっきょ	patent
出勤簿しゅっきんぼ	attendance book
門前雀羅もんぜんじゃくら	deserted; no visitors (lit. 'sparrows set traps at the gate')
敗退はいたい	defeat; retreat

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～そうだ (hearsay) N4Indicates hearsay or that something is said to be true. Attached to the plain form of verbs or adjectives.

  人ひとの話はなしによると、佐野さの昌一しょういち氏しと僕ぼくとはたいへんよく似にているそうで、途中とちゅうで会あっても佐野さの氏しやら海野うみのやらちょっと見分みわけがつかないそうである。

• ～ねばならない / ～なければならない N3Expresses obligation: 'must do' or 'have to do'. Often used in formal writing.

  弁理べんり士しという職業しょくぎょうはサーヴィス第だい一いちなんだから、なるべく発明はつめい者しゃに面倒めんどうをかけないようにしなければならぬと思おもいます。

• ～次第 (しだい) N2Means 'as soon as' or 'immediately after'. Often used in formal or business contexts.

  電気でんきの特許とっきょに関かんしては、御ご一報いっぽう次第しだい参上さんじょうして、発明はつめい者しゃから十じゅう分間ふんかんぐらいお話はなしを伺うかがうだけで、あとは何なにも御ご面倒めんどうをかけません。

Cultural notes

• 弁理士 (Patent Attorney)A professional who represents clients in obtaining patents and handles related legal matters. In Japan, patent attorneys must pass a national exam and are regulated by the Japan Patent Attorneys Association.
• 出勤簿 (Attendance Book)A traditional physical book used to record employee attendance, often with a personal stamp (hanko). Still common in many Japanese companies as a formal record of work hours.
• 門前雀羅 (Monzen jakura)A Japanese idiom meaning 'a deserted house' or 'no visitors'. Literally, 'sparrows set traps at the gate'. Used to describe a place that once was busy but now has few customers or visitors.

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