ＷＥＢ絵本『いなか、の、じけん（大きな手がかり）』

Someone stole 4 bags of rice from the warehouse of the headman of a village.
Early in the next morning, a residential policeman in the village came for investigation.
And the policeman found clear tracks of a cart on the ground after the rain.
Perhaps, the tracks were made by the load of the bags.
So, the Policeman followed them.

村長さんの所の米倉から、白米を4俵盗んで行ったものがある．

あくる朝早く駐在のお巡りさんが来て調べたら、俵を積んで行ったらしい車の輪の跡が、雨上がりの土にハッキリとついていた．

その跡をつけて行くと・・・

The cart with the bags was standing under the eaves of a house on the outskirt of a village on the way to the city.
A man with a hood was stretching himself on the bench next to the cart and was snoring heavily.

・・・町へ出る途中の、と或る村はずれの一軒屋の軒下に、その米俵を積んだ車が置いてあって、その横の縁台の上に、頬かぶりをした男が大の字になって、グウグウとイビキをかいていた．

The Policeman arrested him.
He was a gambler and nuisance to the vicinity.
The gambler was on the way to the city for selling the stolen rice.
But he was tired due to the activity after a long interval.
And so, he took a rest for a while and overslept in spite of himself.
The gambler was tied with a rope and was made to draw the cart.
People saw the back of the gambler and sighed.
"Evil plans cannot succeed."

引っ捕まえて見るとそれは、その界隈で持てあまし者の、ばくち打ちであった．

ばくち打ちは盗んだ米を町へ売りに行く途中、久し振りに体を使ってクタビレたので、チョットのつもりで休んだのが、思わず寝過ごしたのであった．

腰縄を打たれたまま車を引っ張って行く男の、うしろ姿を見送った人々は、溜息して云った．

「悪い事は出来んなあ」
（了）

――　奥付　――
ＷＥＢ絵本『いなか、の、じけん（大きな手がかり）』
絵・訳：茜町春彦
原作：夢野久作

A Picture Book : "Local Cases (An important clue)"
Illustrated and translated by : Akanemachi Haruhiko
Original author : Yumeno Kyusaku

参考文献：
夢野久作全集4　1992年9月24日第1刷発行　夢野久作著　ちくま文庫