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芥川龍之介
『谷崎潤一郎氏』
僕は或初夏の午後、谷崎氏と神田をひやかしに出かけた。谷崎氏はその日も黒背広に赤い襟飾りを結んでゐた。僕はこの壮大なる襟飾りに、象徴せられたるロマンティシズムを感じた。尤もこれは僕ばかりではない。往来の人も男女を問はず、僕と同じ印象を受けたのであらう。すれ違ふ度に谷崎氏の顔をじろじろ見ないものは一人もなかつた。しかし谷崎氏は何と云つてもさう云ふ事実を認めなかつた。
「ありや君を見るんだよ。そんな道行きなんぞ着てゐるから。」
僕は成程夏外套の代りに親父の道行きを借用してゐた。が、道行きは茶の湯の師匠も菩提寺の和尚も着るものである。衆俗の目を駭かすことは到底一輪の紅薔薇に似た、非凡なる襟飾りに及ぶ筈はない。けれども谷崎氏は僕のやうにロヂックを尊敬しない詩人だから、僕も亦強ひてこの真理を呑みこませようとも思はなかつた。
その内に僕等は裏神保町の或カッフエへ腰を下した。何でも喉の渇いたため、炭酸水か何か飲みにはひつたのである。僕は飲みものを註文した後も、つらつら谷崎氏の喉もとに燃えたロマンティシズムの烽火を眺めてゐた。すると白粉の剥げた女給が一人、両手にコツプを持ちながら、僕等のテエブルへ近づいて来た。コツプは真理のやうに澄んだ水に細かい泡を躍らせてゐた。女給はそのコツプを一つづつ、僕等の前へ立て並べた。それから、――僕はまだ鮮かにあの女給の言葉を覚えてゐる！ 女給は立ち去り難いやうにテエブルへ片手を残したなり、しけじけと谷崎氏の胸を覗きこんだ。
「まあ、好い色のネクタイをしていらつしやるわねえ。」
十分の後、僕はテエブルを離れる時に五十銭のティップを渡さうとした。谷崎氏はあらゆる東京人のやうに無用のティップをやることに軽蔑を感ずる一人である。この時も勿論五十銭のティップは谷崎氏の冷笑を免れなかつた。
「何にも君、世話にはならないぢやないか？」
僕はこの先輩の冷笑にも羞ぢず、皺だらけの札を女給へ渡した。女給は何も僕等の為に炭酸水を運んだばかりではない。又実に僕の為には赤い襟飾りに関する真理を天下に挙揚してくれたのである。僕はまだこの時の五十銭位誠意のあるティップをやつたことはない。
Text from Aozora bunko :https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000879/files/4276_6757.html
Ryunosuke AKUTAGAWA
“ A walk at Kanda with Mr.Tanizaki ”
One early summer afternoon, I went out with Mr. Tanizaki to have a look around Kanda. Mr. Tanizaki was wearing a black suit and a red tie that day. I felt a symbolic romanticism in this magnificent tie. But I was not the only one who felt this way. Passersby, both men and women, seemed to have the same impression as I did. There was not a single person who did not stare at Mr. Tanizaki's face every time they passed him. But Mr. Tanizaki refused to acknowledge this fact.
“ There, ” he said, “ That's because you're wearing something like that Michiyuki. ”
I had borrowed my father's robe, Michiyuki, instead of a summer cloak, but the Michiyuki was worn by both the master of the tea ceremony and the monk of the family temple. There is no way a tie as extraordinary as a single red one can astonish the eyes of the general public. But Tanizaki is a poet who doesn't respect logic as I do, so I didn't want to force him to swallow this truth.
Then we sat down at a café in the back of Jimbocho. We were a bit thirsty, so we went in for a soda or something. After I had ordered my drink, I continued to watch the beacon of romanticism burning in Mr. Tanizaki's throat. Then one of the female waitresses, her make-up almost worn off, approached our table, holding glasses in both hands. The glasses were as clear as truth, with fine bubbles dancing in the water. One by one, the waitress placed the glasses in front of us. And then - I still remember her tone of voice ! She left one hand on the table, as if she could not leave, and stared at Mr. Tanizaki's chest.
“ Well, I see you're wearing a nice colored tie ! ”
Ten minutes later, as I left the table, I tried to give him a fifty-cent tip. Mr. Tanizaki is one of those people who, like all Tokyoites, feels disdain for giving useless tips. Again, of course, the fifty-cent tip did not escape Mr. Tanizaki's scornful laughter.
“ She didn't help you with anything, did she ? ”
I handed the wrinkled bill to the waitress, unashamed of this senior's sneer. She not only brought soda water for us, but also raised the truth about the red necktie to the world for me. I have yet to given a more sincere tip than the 50 sen I gave her.
Translation is my own