The Diary of Lady Murasaki - Unabridged #26 紫式部日記(全)

Part 26 　二日、宮の大饗はとまりて、臨時客東面とり払ひて、例のごとしたり。上達部は、傅大納言、右大将、中宮大夫、四条大納言、権中納言、侍従の中納言、左衛門督、有国の宰相、大蔵卿、左兵衛督、源宰相、向かひつつゐたまへり。源中納言、右衛門督、左右の宰相の中将は長押の下に、殿上人の座の上に着きたまへり。 　若宮抱き出でたてまつりたまひて、例のことども言はせたてまつり、うつくしみきこえたまひて、上に、 　「いと宮抱きたてまつらむ。」 と、殿ののたまふを、いとねたきことにしたまひて、 　「ああ。」 とさいなむを、うつくしがりきこえたまひて、申したまへば、右大将など興じきこえたまふ。 　上に参りたまひて、主上、殿上に出でさせたまひて、御遊びありけり。殿、例の酔はせたまへり。わづらはしと思ひて、かくろへゐたるに、 　「なぞ、御父の御前の御遊びに召しつるに、さぶらはで急ぎまかでにける。ひがみたり。」 など、むつからせたまふ。 　「許さるばかり歌一つつかうまつれ。親の代はりに。初子の日なり。詠め詠め。」 とせめさせたまふ。うち出でむに、いとかたはならむ。こよなからぬ御酔ひなめれば、いとど御色合ひきよげに、火影はなやかにあらまほしくて、 　「年ごろ、宮のすさまじげにて、一所おはしますを、さうざうしく見たてまつりしに、かくむつかしきまで、左右に見たてまつるこそうれしけれ。」 と、大殿籠もりたる宮たちを、ひき開けつつ見たてまつりたまふ。 　「野辺に小松のなかりせば」 とうち誦じたまふ。新しからむことよりも折節の人の御ありさま、めでたくおぼえさせたまふ。 　またの日、夕つ方、いつしかと霞みたる空を、造り続けたる軒のひまなさにて、ただ渡殿の上のほどをほのかに見て、中務の乳母と昨夜の御口ずさびをめできこゆ。この命婦こそものの心得て、かとかどしくははべる人なれ。 The Prime Minister took the younger Prince in his arms and the King embraced him lovingly, saying, "Long life and health" as usual. The Lord Prime Minister replied, "I will uphold the younger Prince in my arms"; but at that His Augustness the Crown Prince became jealous and begged [to be taken up too], saying, "Ah! Ah!" The Prime Minister was much pleased, and the General of the Right Bodyguard and others were amused by it. The Lord Prime Minister had an audience with the King and they came out together to find amusement. The Minister was much intoxicated. "Troublesome!" I thought, and hid myself away, but I was found. "You are summoned by the father of the Queen, yet you retire so early! Suspicious person!" said he. "Now, instead of the Queen's father it is you who must compose a poem! It is quite an ordinary occasion, so don't hesitate!" He urged, but it seemed to me very awkward to make one only to have it laughed at. As he was very much in liquor, his face was flushed and flamed out in the torchlight. He said, "The Queen had lived for years alone and solitary. I had seen it with anxiety. It is cheering to behold troublesome children on either side of her." And he went to look at the Princes, who had been put to bed, taking off the bedclothes. He was singing: "If there be no little pines in the field
How shall I find the symbol of 1000 ages?" People thought it more suitable that he should sing this old song than make a new one. The next evening the sky was hazy; as the different parts of the palace are built compactly in close rows I could only catch a slight glimpse of it from the veranda. I admired his recitation of last evening with the nurse Madam Nakadaka. This lady is of deep thought and learning.