孫たちへ

『長兄のお話』

　長兄と私は20才の年齢差があります。父が亡くなったとき、私は生後8ヶ月、兄は20才 でした。

　その兄は家にいるときは何時も無口でむっつりとしていて、他の家族とはまったく話をしませんでした。学生の頃は部屋に入って、机に向かって勉強ばかり。お勤めをしてからも、一人部屋にこもり他の家族とは団欒しませんでした。昔は長男は特別扱いをされていたようで、「偉い人」という感じがしました。読書が好きで、いつも本を読んでいました。

"About my eldest brother"

　There was an age difference of 20 years between my eldest brother and me. When my father died, I was 8 months years old, while my eldest brother was 20 years old.

　When he was at home, he was a person of few words. Sullenly, he never spoke to the other family members. When he was a student, he always stayed in his room, just studying. Even when he entered a company, he also stayed in his room, never sitting in a family circle. In old days the first-born son looked like being treated specially among the family so he looked a great man to me. He was fond of reading. He was often seen reading at home.