ボストンののM先生から一枚の掛け軸の写真が届きました。解読の依頼でした。部分的にしか分からない私にはとても無理でカフェによく来て下さるTご夫妻に相談したら興味を示してくださり、医師のK先生と一緒に読み解いて下さいました。「つくつくと君がつく杖、鐵（てつ）の杖行く春秋をかけてつきませ」流石、古文書に造詣深いTご夫妻とK先生。尊敬いたします。真ん中の太い墨は杖を描いたもののようです。さて、作者は誰なのか、落款（らっかん）を解読して下さったのは野洲で京表具の仕事をなさっている辻さんでした。「寸雲仙史（すんうんせんし）」と記してあり、赤松寸雲 1817-1879という江戸後期から明治にかけての儒学者ということです。アメリカ人のM先生は古典がご専門なので、先生には英訳をお願いしました。皆様の博学が結集して一枚の掛け軸の謎が解き明かされました。我が道、どれほどか分かりませんがしっかり歩きたいものです。I received a photo copy of an old Japanese hanging scroll from Prof. M in Boston who requested how to read the cursive Japanese writing style. Since it was too difficult for me to read through, I talked to Mr.& Mrs.T who often come to my cafe. They were very interested in it. A few days later, Mrs. T came to the cafe again, and she said that she, her husband and Dr. K who is their neighbour could read through all of that difficult Japanese. "Tsuku tsuku to kimi ga tsuku tsue tetsu no tsue (The staff that you tap "tap-tap" is an iron staff) yuku shun-jyuu o kakete tsukimase" (Advancing through the passing years, keep using it.) The center bold line must be the staff. Mr. Tsuji who is doing paper mounting in Yasu let me know about the writer from the seal which was stamped at the very end of the poem. According to him, Su-n-Un Akamatsu (1817-1879) created and wrote this poem. He was a Confucian scholar. Prof. M kindly sent the English translation to me. It is amazing to be able clarify this mysterious Japanese scroll after collecting the knowledge from these wise people. I would like to go on my life straight although I don't know how long it will be.
