KONOE OZAN'S READY WIT
近衛応山の機転の利いた話し
Ozan was the name taken by Konoe Kwanpaku Nobuhiro when he retired.
応山とは、近衛関白信尋が隠居した後に名乗った号です。
He was most famuse as a calligraphist and was founder of the style of writing known as the Konoe-ryu.
彼は和歌の近衛流の祖として知られています。
He and Honami Koetsu and Shokwado Shojo were known as the Sanpitsu, or Three Pens of their age.
彼と本阿弥光悦、松花堂昭乗は寛永三筆と言われています。
Nobuhiro was also fond of Tea.
信尋は茶の湯にも造詣がありました。
Once with Shigenoi Gon-Dainagon Sueyoshi was invited to a Cha-no-yu party by Fukushima Masanori, and they were waiting in the arbour for the summons to the Tea-room when Masanori himself came in to welcome them.
ある時、滋野井権大納言末吉と共に福島正則の茶会に招待されました。待合に腰掛けていると、正則が出迎えにやって来ます。
As he entered by the middle gate he caught in a spider's web that happened to be ther, but brushed it away with his hand and greeted his guests and hten went into the Tea-room.
露路の中門を通る所で蜘蛛巣を見つけ、彼は素早く手で取り客達を茶室へと案内しました。
Now Masanori was well known for his quick temper, and Sueyoshi felt very uncomfortable at the reflexion that he would almost certainly put to death the servant responsible for the cleaning, but still he could think of no way to prevent it.
正則は激情な性格として知られており、末吉は彼の家来集がこの不手際によって殺される事を心配しました。さりとて、自分たちにはどうする事も出来ません。
When they entered the Tea-room, however, Ozan began: "While we were waiting arbour a spider dropped down from one of the pine trees, and we looked to see what he was going to do.
皆が着席しばらくして、応山がその口火を切り、「待合に居るときに一匹の蜘蛛が松ノ木から降りて来ましてな、我々は彼の動向を見物しておりました。」
Well, he went over to the middle gate and darted about hither and thither very smartly, and befor we were aware of it he had spun a fine web.
「露路の中門までとてもそれはそれは素早い動きで、あっという間に見事な蜘蛛巣を作りましたわ！」
His adroitness was really most wonderfull and we were so intereted that we did not notice the flight of time till you came.
It really seemed as though you had told him to do it."
「その蜘蛛の動きは素晴らしく、我々は正則殿が来るまで楽しませて頂きました。もちろん、そなたがそうするように命じておられたのでしょうね。」
This droll speech convulsed the host and guests with laughter and naturally the servant did not suffer.
この機知に富んだ話に一同は笑いに包まれました。勿論、家来集に罰が課される事は有りませんでした。
On anther occation Ozan was invited to tea by the Kyoto Shoshidai Itakura Suow-no-kami Shigemune, who was good friend of his, and when he got to his mansion he found Shigemune grinding tea in a morter.
又ある時、応山は友人である京都 所司 代板倉周防守重宗の茶会に招待されます。言われた時刻に行って見ると、重宗は臼で茶を挽いていました。
"Ah," he said as he bowed his greeting, "I thought I would serve some Koi-che to-day, but indeed you have come before I have had time to prepare it.
「これはこれは」と臼を挽きながら、「本日は濃茶を差し上げようと準備いたしておりましたところ、ちょっとお早くお着きの様ですね。」
Well now, how would you like to take a turn at yourself, just out of curiosity?"
「その辺をぶらぶらと散策して来て下さりませぬか？」
And he went to put in some more.
そう言うと又臼を挽き始めました。
But Ozan stopped him.
しかし、応山はその言葉をさえぎり。
"Ah, Suwo," he rejoined, "I suppose it is a trick of yours to be able to say you have some tea that was ground by the Kwanpaku, isn't it?"
「周防殿」とニヤリ、「これは本日の趣向でござるな、、、関白を擦ってござるな。」
"You are not far wrong," admitted Shigemune with a grin, scratching his head.
「おみごと！」、重宗は頭を掻きながら笑いました。
In the possession of the house of Konoe is the famous censer called 'Mono ka wa.'
近衛家には有名な香炉が有り、銘が「ものかわ」と言います。
It originally belonged to Ashikaga Yoshimasa and later was obtained by the Kwanpaku Masaie.
足利義政が所有、後に関白政家に移りました。
On the top it has a cock and hen done in silver, and inside the lid is a bell-tower.
てっぺんには銀の鶏の番（つがい）、蓋には鈴が付いています。
There is a silver ring on each side with a cord attached.
両脇に紐の付いた輪っかがあります。
At the attachment of the ring on one side is the word Mono and on the other the words Ka Wa.
その付け根の所、一方には「もの」もう一方には「かわ」と書かれています。
The reference is to the well known verse of Matsuyoi-no-jiju or 'The Eve-awaiting Maid.'
このモチーフは 待宵の小侍従 （まつよ いの こじじゅう） として知られています。
When we keep our tryst
'Tis the temple bell at eve
That we love to hear.
Nothing think we of the cock
Who will part us with the dawn,
「待つ宵のふけゆく鐘のこゑきけばあかね別れの鳥はものかわ」
Which is given in the third chapter of the second book of the Heike Monogatari.
このお話は、平家物語二巻三章の中にあります。
*For this episode see my translation in Selections from the Heike Monogatari.p74.
著書「平家物語」７４ページ参照下さい。