掏摸と泥棒たちThe Pickpockets and the Thieves

About this story

After Mr. Y gets pickpocketed on the train, he and his wife debate whether to still see a play.

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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): 「燈火節」月曜社
2004（平成16）年11月30日第1刷発行

Typed in by 竹内美佐子. Proofread by 伊藤時也.

Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, replaced classical grammar and some archaic words with modern ones, and rephrased some sentences, keeping their meaning.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The narrator recounts Y's experience of being pickpocketed on the Yamanote Line, and other anecdotes about organized pickpocketing and solitary thieves, ending with a philosophical reflection on crime from Father Brown.

Key vocabulary

掏摸すり	pickpocket
奪られるうばわれる	to be robbed (passive of 奪う)
災難さいなん	disaster, misfortune

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ために (purpose) N3Indicates purpose: 'for the sake of', 'in order to'.

  Ｙ氏しが山手やまて線せん電車でんしゃの中なかで集団しゅうだん掏摸すりのためにポケツトの中なかをみんな奪だつられて帰きつて来きた。

• ～かもしれない N4Expresses possibility: 'might', 'maybe'.

  一いち人にんでも行あるきつて観みて来きたらとＹ氏しは言げんつたが、奥おくさんは掏摸すりと並ならんで芝居しばいを見みることになるかもしれないから止とめると言げんつた。

• ～たことがある N5Indicates past experience: 'have done something'.

  前まえに一いち度どこの配達はいたつ人じんを或あるる夜よふけに大井おおいの庚塚かのえづかあたりで見みかけたことのある刑事けいじが、

Cultural notes

• Father BrownA fictional detective and Catholic priest created by G.K. Chesterton. In the text, the narrator references Father Brown's wisdom about crime.
• Kogoro AkechiA famous fictional detective in Japanese literature, created by Edogawa Ranpo. The text mentions '銭形平次' and 'あご十郎' as similar Japanese detectives.
• Ooka Echizen-no-kamiA historical magistrate in Edo-period Japan, known for his wise judgments in criminal cases. He is mentioned as a real-life great detective.

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