Yomibunko

作品さくひんFree Graded Reading

吝嗇神の宿The Miser God's Inn

Rinshokushin no Yado

by 坂口 安吾 · Sakaguchi Ango

JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready

A mysterious inn run by a miser god. Will a thief succeed?

About this story

A thief proudly shows off his girlfriend's apartment, but a misplaced shoehorn sparks his suspicion.

Read a sample in Japanese

新宿しんじゅく御苑ぎょえんに沿そった裏通うらどおり。焼やけ残のこった侘わびしい長屋ながやが並ならんでいる。とみると、その長屋ながやの一部いちぶを改造かいぞうし、桃色ももいろのカーテンをたらしてネオンをつけたバーもある。ドロボー君くんはその隣となりの長屋ながやを指さして、「あの二に階かいがオレの女おんなのアパートだ」はなはだ御ご自慢じまんの様子ようすである。長屋ながやの二に階かいに外部がいぶから階段かいだんをとりつけ、階下かいかを通とおらずに行いけるようになっている。至いたって人通ひとどおりが少すくなく、しかもアイマイ宿やどのような酒場さかばも点在てんざいしているから深夜しんやや未明みめいに歩あるいてもフシギがられもしない。国電こくでん、都電とでんにも近ちかく、ドロボー君くんのアジトとしては日本にっぽん有数ゆうすうの好こう点てん。「この階段かいだんをこうトントンと登のぼって……」心こころも軽かるく案内あんないに立たつドロボー君くん、二に階かいのドアをあけて、タダイマア――と靴くつをぬごうとすると、土間どまの女おんなの下駄げたの横よこに靴くつべラが落おちているのに目めをとめた。みるみる顔色かおいろが変かわる。それを拾ひろって、慌あわてたようにポケットに入いれて、
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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): 「坂口安吾全集　14」筑摩書房
1999（平成11）年6月20日初版第1刷発行

Typed in by tatsuki. Proofread by 藤原朔也.

Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced classical grammar and some archaic words with modern ones.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The thief introduces the stranger Shishido to his girlfriend Otatsu at her apartment. Otatsu is immediately hostile and suspicious, but the thief tries to calm her down.

The thief becomes suspicious that Otatsu has been unfaithful while he was away. He searches the apartment, but Shishido comments on his behavior. Otatsu returns and a tense dinner scene ensues.

The thief becomes paranoid and desperate, feeling defeated. Otatsu, angered by Shishido's indifference, attacks him with a towel and nearly kills him. The thief revives Shishido, but his anxiety only grows.

Language difficultyAdvanced · 68/100

Key vocabulary

ドロボー君くんThief (nickname for the thief character)
長屋ながやtenement house, row house
靴くつベラshoehorn
パンパンprostitute (slang, post-war)
唐変木とうへんぼくblockhead, idiot

Grammar points you'll meet

  • ～てしまう N4Expresses completion or regret of an action.
  • ～ながら N4While doing something; simultaneous actions.
  • ～そうだ (伝聞) N4Hearsay: 'I hear that...'
  • ～てくれ N4Request (casual, male speech): 'Do [verb] for me.'

Cultural notes

  • 新宿御苑A large park in Shinjuku, Tokyo, originally a feudal lord's garden. It's a famous spot for cherry blossoms and a symbol of post-war reconstruction.
  • 長屋Traditional Japanese row houses, often wooden and cheap. They are associated with lower-class urban life in the Edo and Meiji periods.
  • パンパンSlang for prostitute in post-war Japan, especially those catering to Allied soldiers. Reflects the social upheaval after WWII.

Try a comprehension question

What is Otatsu's initial reaction to Shishido?

  1. She is friendly and welcoming.
  2. She is hostile and insulting.
  3. She is indifferent and ignores him.
  4. She is curious and asks questions.
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Sensei's reading tip

Focus on the dialogue: The characters' speech patterns reveal their personalities and relationships.

Topics & grammar

Short Storymysterysuspiciondeceptionsuspensefuldark〜ながらnagara · while (doing both)〜そうだsou da · I heard that (hearsay)〜てしまうte shimau · ended up (regret)

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