「
「それからが
「まだあるの？」
「ええ、それから
「へえ、それで
「やだわ、馬鹿竹だなんて。そんなものになりたくはないわ。
「金田の富子さんて、あの
「ええ、あのハイカラさんよ」
"Curious thing, that Jizō"
"Then came the talk."
"There was more?"
"There was. Yagi continued on and expounded as follows. I chose this story today, to tell at this gathering of ladies, with a purpose in mind. If you'll excuse my candor, I believe that you ladyfolk are wont to avoid tackling matters head-on and resolving them directly. Instead, to your own and others' detrimemt, you beat around the bush, doing this and that here and there. This problem, of course, is not exclusive to ladies. In this present era of Meiji even men, taking on tinges of femininity in the guise of social cultivation, expend their energies in myriad futile forms. Oftentimes they delude themselves with references to gentlemanly conduct and proper course of action. What these modern men are, in fact, are aberrations of nature, rendered impotent by the trappings of civilization. They merit no further discourse. Rather, I implore you ladies to bear in mind the lessons of old, as related by my tale. In times of crisis, handle matters with simple sincerity, just like Foolish Také. If all here today would channel Foolish Také, I ensure you that a good degree of rancorous conflict, whether arising between husband and wife or arising between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, could well be avoided. The more a person schemes and connives, the greater their fall from grace. Why is it the average lady is less content than the average gentleman? I'll tell you. Too much scheming and too much conniving. My ask of you, then, is to become Foolish Také. Such was the gist of Yagi's talk."
"Given all that, will we be seeing less Yukie and more Foolish Také going forward?"
"Not on your life! Who would aspire after Foolish Také? Tomiko, from the Kanedas, was greatly offended and quite upset."
"You mean the Tomiko Kaneda who lives down the way?"
"Yes, that's her. The stylish gal."