作品Free Graded Reading
西東East and West
Seitō
by 坂口 安吾 · Sakaguchi Ango
JLPT N1Short StoryClassical / archaicQuiz ready
A man mistakenly enters his old home and meets a mysterious woman – comedy ensues when he forgets his briefcase.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnKusakichi recounts to Kemurijiro his embarrassing mistake of entering the wrong house and forgetting his briefcase. He details his attempts to retrieve it through formal letters, which lead to a series of misunderstandings and a sarcastic response from the house's occupant.
Language difficultyAdvanced · 85/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 天祐 (てんゆう) | divine blessing, heaven's help |
|---|---|
| 法悦 (ほうえつ) | ecstasy, religious rapture |
| 公明正大 (こうめいせいだい) | fair and square, open and aboveboard |
| てつきり | surely, certainly (often used for mistaken assumption) |
| 蒙を啓く (もうをひらく) | to enlighten, to open someone's eyes (idiom) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～たまへ N1Archaic imperative form of たまう, meaning 'please do' or 'I pray that'.高遠なアナクレオン的冥想の訪れを受け法悦に浸りながら家路を辿つたと思ひたまへ
- ～をる N1Classical form of いる (to be, to exist); often used in literary style.黙つてゐると胸につかへて自殺の発作にかられるのだ
- ～なぞ N1Classical emphatic particle similar to など, often used with a dismissive tone.安寧秩序をみだし良良なる風俗を害ふ底の人騒がせは許しがたい悪徳であるなぞと途方もないことが書いてあつたよ
- ～がたい N1Suffix meaning 'hard to do', attached to verb stem; similar to にくい.安寧秩序をみだし良良なる風俗を害ふ底の人騒がせは許しがたい悪徳であるなぞと途方もないことが書いてあつたよ
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Oden StandOden is a winter dish of various ingredients simmered in a light soy-flavored broth. Oden stands are common casual dining spots in Japan, often frequented by workers after work.
- Diplomatic Correspondence as a MetaphorThe humor in the story comes from treating a trivial personal matter with the seriousness of international diplomacy, using terms like '外交文書' (diplomatic document) and '公明正大' (fair and square).
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat did Kusakichi forget at the house?
- His hat
- His wallet
- His briefcase
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to classical verb endings like ～つた (for past tense) and ～ゐる (for state), which are archaic but common in literary texts.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese路上で煙次郎と草吉が出会った。草吉は浮かない顔付であった。「どうした？ 顔色が悪いな。胃病か女か借金か？」「数々の煩悶が胸にあってね、黙っていると胸につかえて自殺の発作にかられるのだ。誰かをつかまえて喋りまくろうと思っていたが、君に出会ったのは、けだし天祐だな」「いやなことになったな」「十日前の話だが、役所からの帰るさ図らずも霊感の宿るところとなって、高遠なアナクレオン的冥想の訪れを受け法悦に浸りながら家路を辿ったと思ってくれ」「ウム」「御承知の通り一ヶ月ほど前に先の住所から二三町離れたばかりの今の家へ移ったのだが、高遠な冥想に全霊を傾けているから気がつかない。足は数年間歩き馴れたとおり、極めて自然に昔の住所へ辿り着いていたんだね。ガラリと戸をあける、上り框へ腰を下して悠々と靴の紐を解いていると、背中の方に電灯がついて、どなた？ という若い娘の声がした――」「なるほど。
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