大政奉還という途方もない構想を胸に、京に入る竜馬の姿から、この最後の巻は始まります。中岡慎太郎の奔走により、薩長による倒幕への準備はほぼ整っている中、竜馬の案を受け入れがたく思う向きも多いのでした。しかし、竜馬は放胆にも幕府の高官である永井尚志（なおむね）のもとを訪ね、大政奉還を提案し、その実現へとつなげたのでした。
This volume starts with the scene where Ryoma enters Kyoto with the extreme idea, Taisei Hokan (Tokugawa Shogunate returns its political power to the Emperor) in his mind, Some people are reluctant to accept the idea because Satuma and Choshu are already getting ready to overthrow the shogunate due to the great effort by Nakaoka Shintaro. However, Ryoma is bold enough to visit Nagai Naomune, a high-ranked shogunate officer, to propose the idea trying to realize it.
第8巻の裏表紙に書かれているあらすじは、次の通りです。
The summary written on the back cover of the eighth volume is as follows.
「慶応三年十月十三日、京は二条城の大広間で、十五代将軍徳川慶喜は大政を奉還すると表明した。ここに幕府の三百年近い政権は幕を閉じた。時勢はこの後、坂を転げるように維新にたどりつく。しかし竜馬はそれを見とどけることもなく、歴史の扉を未来へ押しあけたまま、流星のように……。」
“October 13th, the 3rd year of Keio (1867), The 15th Shogun called Tokugawa Yoshinobu announced to return the political power to the Emperor in the large room of a castle called Nijojo. With that statement, the shogunate which had lasted nearly 3 hundred years came to an end. The current of the times rapidly reached the new era. However, Ryoma passed away without seeing it leaving the door of the history open like a shooting star…….”
同時に竜馬は、薩長のために武器を調達するなど、いざ倒幕となったときの準備もぬかりなく進めます。しかし、その胸中、無用な流血は望んでいません。この間、新選組の近藤勇を含む多くの人物に会い、大政奉還のメリットを説いていきます。
Ryoma, at the same time, steadily prepares for overthrowing the shogunate just in case by buying arms for Satsuma and Choshu. Even so, he doesn’t want unnecessary bloody conflict to happen. During that time, he meets many people including Kondo Isami, the leader of Shinsengumi, to tell them the merits of Taisei Hokan.
そうしてついに、将軍徳川慶喜は大政奉還を宣します。その報を聞いて感激した竜馬が言った言葉は、次のようだったそうです。
「大樹公（将軍）、今日の心中さこそと察し奉る。よくも断じ給へるものかな、よくも断じ給へるものかな。予、誓ってこの公のために一命を捨てん。」
Then Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the Shogun, finally announced Taisei Hokan. The following is what Ryoma said when he heard the news and deeply moved.
“I know how the Shogun feels now. I am deeply impressed with his decision, I really do. I swear on my life that I will do everything for him.”
竜馬の活躍は、ここで終わりません。かねて考えていた、新政府についての方針を岩倉具視に伝えます。そこには、憲法や議会、外国との為替にいたるまで、8か条にまとめられていました。当時、幕府を倒したその先まで見通しをもっていた人物が他にいたでしょうか。この竜馬のアイデアは明治政府により打ち出される五か条の御誓文に見事に反映されたのでした。
He doesn’t stop there. He tells his ideas about some policies the new government should take to Iwakura Tomomi, an aristocrat. It is a document consists of eight clauses which mention about a constitution, a national assembly, foreign exchange and so on. I wonder whether there were other people who had ideas about what to do after overthrowing the shogunate. These ideas by Ryoma end up being reflected on the Imperial Covenant Consisting of Five Articles clearly.
竜馬が中岡慎太郎と共に刺客に襲われるのは、大政奉還からほぼ1か月経った慶応三年十一月十五日です。この場面を司馬遼太郎さんは素っ気ないと思えるほどに淡々と綴ります。
It was November 15th, 1867 that Ryoma and Nakaoka Shintaro were attacked by assassins after a month had passed since Taisei Hokan had been announced. Shiba Ryotaro described the scene rather curtly and objectively.
この長い物語は次のように締めくくられます。
「天が、この国の歴史の混乱を収拾するためにこの若者を地上にくだし、その使命がおわったとき惜しげもなく天へ召しかえした。
この夜、京の天は雨気が満ち、星がない。」
This long story ends with the following words.
“This young guy was sent from Heaven to settle the disorder in the history of this country, then summoned as soon as he had achieved the goal.
It was a rainy, starless night in Kyoto.”
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