Hunted Down is a short story, not a collection of detective stories. The story centers around events that are recounted by Mr. Sampson, a manager of a life insurance firm. It all begins with his encounter with the odd Mr. Slinkton, noted for the parting of his hair.
One, two, three, four, five. There were five of them. Five couriers, sitting on a bench outside the convent on the summit of the Great St. Bernard in Switzerland, looking at the remote heights, stained by the setting sun as if a mighty quantity of red wine had been broached upon the mountain top, and had not yet had time to sink into the snow. This is not my simile. It was made for the occasion by the stoutest courier, who was a German. None of the others took any more notice of it than they took of me, sitting on another bench on the other side of the convent door, smoking my cigar, like them, and—also like them—looking at the reddened snow, and at the lonely shed hard by, where the bodies of belated travellers, dug out of it, slowly wither away, knowing no corruption in that cold region.
芥川竜之介の短編小説。大正8年（1919）、雑誌「新小説」に発表。ヨーロッパ中世の聖人伝「黄金伝説」に着想を得た作品とされる。キリスト教の聖人伝説集『レゲンダ・アウレア』（黄金伝説）に登場する聖人クリストフォロスの生涯を翻案した小説。キリシタン版の『天草本伊曾保物語』（1594年刊）で使用されている、戦国時代の京阪地方における話し言葉を引用した文体に特徴がある。芥川の小説におけるジャンル「切支丹物」の傑作とされる。
The Cause of it All（一切因由） 立即阅读
CHARACTERSAKULÍNA. An old woman of seventy, brisk, dignified, old-fashioned.MICHAEL. Her son, thirty-five years old, passionate, self-satisfied,vain and strong.MARTHA. Her daughter-in-law, a grumbler, speaks much and rapidly.PARÁSHKA. Ten years old, daughter of Martha and Michael.TARÁS. The village elder's assistant, speaks slowly and gives himselfairs.A TRAMP. Forty years old, restless, thin, speaks impressively; whendrunk is particularly free and easy.IGNÁT. Forty years old, a buffoon, merry and stupid.
The Seven Poor Travellers（七个可怜的旅行者） 立即阅读
Strictly speaking, there were only six Poor Travellers; but, being a Traveller myself, though an idle one, and being withal as poor as I hope to be, I brought the number up to seven. This word of explanation is due at once, for what says the inscription over the quaint old door? RICHARD WATTS, Esq. by his Will, dated 22 Aug. 1579, founded this Charity for Six poor Travellers, who not being ROGUES, or PROCTORS, May receive gratis for one Night, Lodging, Entertainment, and Fourpence each. It was in the ancient little city of Rochester in Kent, of all the good days in the year upon a Christmas-eve, that I stood reading this inscription over the quaint old door in question.
肥後の細川家の家中に、田岡甚太夫と云う侍がいた。これは以前日向の伊藤家の浪人であったが、当時細川家の番頭に陞っていた内藤三左衛門の推薦で、新知百五十石に召し出されたのであった。ところが寛文七年の春、家中の武芸の仕合があった時、彼は表芸の槍術で、相手になった侍を六人まで突き倒した。その仕合には、越中守綱利自身も、老職一同と共に臨んでいたが、余り甚太夫の槍が見事なので、さらに剣術の仕合をも所望した。