芥川龙之介
RyunosukeAkutagawa
芥川龙之介（RyunosukeAkutagawa1892—1927），日本小说家，素有“鬼才”
之称。
他阅读的书籍涉猎极广，中小学时代就喜读阅读江户时代的文学作品，还喜欢阅读《西游记》和《水浒传》等。
芥川早期发表了短篇小说《罗生门》（1915）、《鼻子》（1916）、《芋粥》（1916）、《手帕》（1916）由此确立了他在写作领域的地位。
自1917年至1923年，龙之介所写的短篇小说先后6次结集出版，分别以《罗生门》、《烟草与魔鬼》、《傀儡师》、《影灯笼》、《夜来花》和《春服》为书名，这些优秀作品让芥川龙之介成为日本文坛的“鬼才”
大师。
Itwasachillyevening.AservantofasamuraistoodundertheRashomon，waitingforabreakintherain.
Nooneelsewasunderthewidegate.Onthethickcolumn，itscrimsonlacquerrubbedoffhereandthere，erchedacricket.SincetheRashomonstandsonSujakuAvenue，afewothereoleatleast，insedgehatornoblemansheadgear，mighthavebeenexectedtobewaitingthereforabreakintherainstorButnoonewasnearexcetthisman.
FortheastfewyearsthecityofKyotohadbeenvisitedbyaseriesofcalamities，earthquakes，whirlwinds，andfires，andKyotohadbeengreatlydevastated.OldchroniclessaythatbrokeniecesofBuddhistimagesandotherBuddhistobjects，withtheirlacquer，gold，orsilverleafwornoff，wereheaeduonroadsidestobesoldasfrewood.SuchbeingthestateofaffairsinKyoto，thereairoftheRashomonwasoutofthequestion.Takingadvantageofthedevastation，foxesandotherwildaninalsmadetheirdensintheruinsofthegate，andthievesandrobbersfoundahometheretoo.EventuallyitbecamecustomarytobringunclaimedcorsestothisgateandabandontheAfterdarkitwassoghostlythatnoonedaredaroach.
Flocksofcrowsflewinfromsomewhere.Duringthedaytimethesecawingbirdscircledroundtheridgeoleofthegate.Whentheskyoverheadturnedredintheafterlightofthedeartedsun，theylookedlikesomanygrainsofsesamefungacrossthegate.Butonthatnotacrowwastobeseen，erhasbecauseofthelatenessofthehour.Hereandtherethestonestes，beginningtocrumble，andwithrankgrassgrowingintheircrevices，weredottedwiththewhitedroingsofcrows.Theservant，inawornbluekimono，satontheseventhandhighestste，vacantlywatchingtherain.Hisattentionwasdrawntoalargeimleirritatinghisrightcheek.
Ashasbeensaid，theservantwaswaitingforabreakintherain.Buthehadnoarticularideaofwhattodoaftertherainstoed.Ordinarily，ofcourse，hewouldhavereturnedtohismastershouse，buthehadbeendischargedjustbefore.TheroserityofthecityofKyotohadbeenraidlydeclining，andhehadbeendismissedbyhismaster，whomhehadservedmanyyears，becauseoftheeffectsofthisdecline.Thus，confnedbytherain，hewasatalosstoknowwheretogo.Andtheweatherhadnotalittletodowithhisderessedmood.Therainseemedunlikelytosto.Hewaslostinthoughtsofhowtomakehislivingtomorrow，hellessincoherentthoughtsrotestinganinexorablefate.AimlesslyhehadbeenlisteningtotheatteringoftherainontheSujakuAvenue.
Therain，enveloingtheRashomon，gatheredstrengthandcamedownwithaeltingsoundthatcouldbeheardfaraway.Lookingu，hesawafatblackcloudimaleitselfonthetisofthetilesjuttingoutfromtheroofofthegate.
Hehadlittlechoiceofmeans，whetherfairorfoul，becauseofhishellesscircumstances.Ifhechosehonestmeans，hewouldundoubtedlystarvetodeathbesidethewallorintheSujakugutter.Hewouldbebroughttothisgateandthrownawaylikeastraydog.Ifhedecidedtosteal……Hismind，aftermakingthesamedetourtimeandagain，camefnallytotheconclusionthathewouldbeathief.Butdoubtsreturnedmanytimes.Thoughdeterminedthathehadnochoice，hewasstillunabletomusterenoughcouragetojustifytheconclusionthathemustbecomeathief.
Afteraloudftofsneezinghegotuslowly.TheeveningchillofKyotomadehimlongforthewarmthofabrazier.Thewindintheeveningduskhowledthroughthecolumnsofthegate.Thecricketwhichhadbeenerchedonthecrimson-lacqueredcolumnwasalreadygone.
Duckinghisneck，helookedaroundthegate，anddrewutheshouldersofthebluekimonowhichheworeoverhisyellowthinunderwear.Hedecidedtosendthenightthere，ifhecouldfindasecludedcornershelteredfromwindandrain.Hefoundabroadlacqueredstairwayleadingtothetoweroverthegate.Noonewouldbethere，excetthedead，iftherewereany.So，takingcarethattheswordathissidedidnotslioutofthescabbard，hesetfootontheloweststeofthestairs.
Afewsecondslater，halfwayuthestairs，hesawamovementabove.Holdinghisbreathandhuddlingcat-likeinthemiddleofthebroadstairsleadingtothetower，hewatchedandwaited.Alightcomingfromtheustairsshoneonhisrightcheekwiththered，festeringimlevisibleunderhisstubbywhiskers.Hehadexectedonlydeadeoleinsidethetower，buthehadonlygoneuafewstesbeforehenoticedafreabove，aboutwhichsomeonewasmoving.Hesawadull，yellow，fickeringlightwhichmadethecobwebshangingfromtheceilingglowinaghostlyway.WhatsortofersonwouldbemakingalightintheRashomon……andinastorm?Theunknown，theevilterrifedhi
Asquietlyasalizard，theservantcretutothetoofthesteestairs.Crouchingonallfours，andstretchinghisneckasfarasossible，hetimidlyeeedintothetower.
Asrumorhadsaid，hefoundseveralcorsesstrewncarelesslyaboutthefoor.Sincetheglowofthelightwasfeeble，hecouldnotcountthenumber.Hecouldonlyseethatsomewerenakedandothersclothed.Someofthemwerewomen，andallwerelollingonthefoorwiththeirmouthsoenortheirarmsoutstretchedshowingnomoresignsoflifethansomanyclaydolls.Onewoulddoubtthattheyhadeverbeenalive，soeternallysilenttheywere.Theirshoulders，breasts，andtorsosstoodoutinthedimlight；otherartsvanishedinshadow.Theoffensivesmellofthesedecomosedcorsesbroughthishandtohisnose.
Thenextmomenthishanddroedandhestared.Hecaughtsightofaghoulishformbentoveracorse.Itseemedtobeanoldwoman，gaunt，gray-haired，anddeliriousinaearance.Withainetorchinherrighthand，shewaseeingintothefaceofacorsewhichhadlongblackhair.
Seizedmorewithhorrorthancuriosity，heevenforgottobreatheforatime.Hefeltthehairofhisheadandbodystandonend.Ashewatched，terrifed，shewedgedthetorchbetweentwofoorboardsand，layinghandsontheheadsofthecorse，begantoulloutthelonghairsonebyone，asamonkeykillstheliceofheryoung.Thehaircameoutsmoothlywiththemovementofherhands.
Asthehaircameout，fearfadedfromhisheart，andhishatredtowardtheoldwomanmounted.Itgrewbeyondhatred，becomingaconsumingantiathyagainstallevil.Atthisinstantifanyonehadbroughtuthethequestionofwhetherhewouldstarvetodeathorbecomeathief-thequestionwhichhadoccurredtohimalittlewhileago-hewouldnothavehesitatedtochoosedeath.Hishatredtowardevilfareduliketheieceofinewoodwhichtheoldwomanhadstuckinthefoor.
Hedidnotknowwhysheulledoutthehairofthedead.Accordingly，hedidnotknowwhetherhercasewastobeutdownasgoodorbad.Butinhiseyes，ullingoutthehairofthedeadintheRashomononthisstormynightwasanunardonablecrime.Ofcourseitneverenteredhismindthatalittlewhileagohehadthoughtofbecomingathief.
Then，summoningstrengthintohislegs，herosefromthestairsandstrode，handonsword，rightinfrontoftheoldcreature.Thehagturned，terrorinhereyes，andsrangufromthefoor，trembling.Forasmallmomentsheaused，oisedthere，thenlungedforthestairswithashriek.
“Wretch！
Whereareyougoing?”
heshouted，barringthewayofthetremblinghagwhotriedtoscurryasthiStillsheattemtedtoclawherwayby.Heushedherbacktoreventher……theystruggled，fellamongthecorses，andgraledthere.Theissuewasneverindoubt.Inamomenthehadherbythearm，twistedit，andforcedherdowntothefoor.Herarmswereallskinandbones，andtherewasnomorefeshonthemthanontheshanksofachicken.Nosoonerwassheonthefloorthanhedrewhisswordandthrustthesilver-whitebladebeforeherverynose.Shewassilent.Shetrembledasifinaft，andhereyeswereoensowidethattheywerealmostoutoftheirsockets，andherbreathcomeinhoarsegass.Thelifeofthiswretchwashisnow.Thisthoughtcooledhisboilingangerandbroughtacalmrideandsatisfaction.Helookeddownather，andsaidinasomewhatcalmervoice：
“Lookhere，I‘mnotanoffceroftheHighPoliceCommissioner.I’mastrangerwhohaenedtoassbythisgate.Iwon‘tbindyouordoanythingagainstyou，butyoumusttellmewhatyou’redoinguhere.”
Thentheoldwomanoenedhereyesstillwider，andgazedathisfaceintentlywiththesharredeyesofabirdofrey.Shemovedherlis，whichwerewrinkledintohernose，asthoughshewerechewingsomething.Thenaantingsoundlikethecawingofacrowcamefromherthroat：
“Iullthehair……Iulloutthehair……tomakeawig”
Heranswerbanishedallunknownfromtheirencounterandbroughtdisaointment.Suddenlyshewasonlyatremblingoldwomanthereathisfeet.Aghoulnolonger：onlyahagwhomakeswigsfromthehairofthedead-tosell，forscrasoffood.AcoldcontemtseizedhiFearlefthisheart，andhisformerhatredentered.Thesefeelingsmusthavebeensensedbytheother.Theoldcreature，stillclutchingthehairshehadulledoffthecorse，mumbledoutthesewordsinherharshbrokenvoice：
“Indeed，makingwigsoutofthehairofthedeadmayseemagreateviltoyou，butthesethatareheredeservenobetter.Thiswoman，whosebeautifulblackhairIwasulling，usedtosellcutanddriedsnakefeshattheguardbarracks，sayingthatitwasdriedfsh.Ifshehadn‘tdiedofthelague，she’dbesellingitnow.Theguardslikedtobuyfromher，andusedtosayherfshwastasty.Whatshedidcouldn‘tbewrong，becauseifshehadn’t，shewouldhavestarvedtodeath.Therewasnootherchoice.IfsheknewIhadtodothisinordertolive，sherobablywouldntcare.”
Hesheathedhissword，and，withhislefthandonitshilt，helistenedtohermeditatively.Hisrighthandtouchedthebigimleonhischeek.Ashelistened，acertaincouragewasborninhisheart-thecouragewhichhehadnotwhenhesatunderthegatealittlewhileago.Astrangeowerwasdrivinghimintheoositedirectionofthecouragewhichhehadhadwhenheseizedtheoldwoman.Nolongerdidhewonderwhetherheshouldstarvetodeathorbecomeathief.Starvationwassofarfromhismindthatitwasthelastthingthatwouldhaveenteredit.
“Areyousure?”
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