- Ichirô Aoye: Let me be honest. I won't through clichés at a child as special as you. I already know that your father is deceiving me. But it's not because he's a bad person. He's just weak.
- [His voice chokes as he says]
- Ichirô Aoye: He won't go through with it. I have faith in him. You must, too. I swear I won't let your father go through with it. Otherwise I'd never have hired him. It's all right. Don't worry.
- Otokichi Hiruta: Man is an extremely tragic creature. And so weak. Because he's weak, he pretends to be strong. That's our trouble. When I read about Aoye, I felt sorry for the man. I felt like someone had struck my own son. It's true. That much is true. I had no intention of imposing on him. Then I meet this scoundrel Hori. What an absolute swine! Every cent that pig earns is filthy! To take it all way from him would delight me. Or so I felt, and that's where I made my mistake. Beyond all doubt, Hori is one of the vilest types on earth. He's devoid of shame. Every dirty trick that I know I should be using to get ahead in this world, Hori uses and the bum gets away with it! That's what makes a true villain. He's a horrible monster! But as horrible as the monster - the villain - is, he finally won me over. He defeated me. By the time I realized what had happened, it was too late...
- [He passes out beside his daughter. Masako strokes his head gently]
- Otokichi Hiruta: [drunkenly] Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas!
- Ichirô Aoye: Old man, look! It's a miracle!
- Otokichi Hiruta: Merry Christmas.
- Ichirô Aoye: Look! Stars have fallen down into that filthy pond. Old man, doesn't that bring tears to your eyes? Glittering stars in the midst of this filthy town! And a worthless old crook like you with a daughter as pure as the stars.
- Otokichi Hiruta: She's as pure as a star - a real star. But me, I was a dog in my past life!
- Ichirô Aoye: Quiet! Someday even you may turn into a star. You may shine too. We mortals can't imagine how generous the gods might be.
- [he blows into a party horn]
- Otokichi Hiruta: [in English] Merry Christmas, everybody!
- Ichirô Aoye: Did you come here for a little break?
- Miyako Saijo: Yes. I've had to deal with so many annoyances.
- Ichirô Aoye: That's the price you pay for being so famous. It must be tiring having people gape at you.
- Ichirô Aoye: Aren't you Miyako Saijo?
- Miyako Saijo: Yes.
- Ichirô Aoye: I couldn't place you until I heard the maids gabbing. You have such big eyes.
- Sumie: You're not the type for scandals. Now, Mr. Kawamura -- he's different. But you're safe. I'm very picky about whom I pose nude for. But I never worried with you. You haven't done any nudes for a while. Am I such a lost cause?
- Ichirô Aoye: No, not at all.
- Sumie: It's all right. It's true what they say about giving birth. My stomach got all flabby. But if you want to paint nudes, feel free to use other models. Don't worry about me. It would be hard to find another client like you, but I'm sure I'd get by.
- Ichirô Aoye: It's not that. Stop being foolish. I'm beginning to have doubt about nude art in Japan. We lack both the tradition and the healthy spirit to accept the naked body. People say our nudes lack proportion. What they really lack is spirit.
- Sumie: I get it. You hatch these crazy theories to save me embarrassment.
- Ichirô Aoye: I regret to say that I am not Miss Saijo's lover. The whole story is a lie. Would I hide such a beautiful lover?
- Otokichi Hiruta: It was a delight to read how you slugged that publisher. It may have been reckless, but I think occasional recklessness is part of human nature. An overly prudent life is a shabby thing. As I said, this is a confused age, making a little recklessness practically indispensable. The hard part is finding the balance.
- Otokichi Hiruta: I respect people's privacy. In fact, it makes me furious the way people these days enjoy exposing others' private lives. The public seems to love inflicting misfortune on the fortunate.
- Sumie: You're a good man. Just remember: I'll always be on your side. When you go to court, call me as a witness. I'll yell at the judge, "Mr. Aoe's innocent! I know it! My experience tells me so! He's the only man who never leered at my naked body. Other artist always get fresh."
- Otokichi Hiruta: The world's become a dark place. We used to distinguish clearly between right and wrong. At some point we forgot that distinction. Now we don't have the foggiest idea of right and wrong.
- Ichirô Aoye: A wonderful kid. The gods were in good spirits when they made her. Pure as the stars in the sky.
- Ichirô Aoye: What's wrong? Got a cold?
- Masako Hiruta: No, tuberculosis. I've been in bed for five years. I've gotten used to it. People think I must be bored, but my imagination keeps me busy. Even in this tiny garden, flowers bloom, clouds pass overhead, little birds twitter around.
- Otokichi Hiruta: Next year will be my year too. This year I've been a worm. Next year I'll be a man. This year I was a scoundrel, but next year...
- Ichirô Aoye: It's Christmas. Let's have turkey.
- Otokichi Hiruta: You're too young to know. In this place, the turkey and the chicken are the same thing. Only the price is different.
- Miyako Saijo: [singing] Silent night, holy night, All is calm, and all is bright, Round yon Virgin Mother and Child, Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace...
- Hori: Quite worrying. The kinds of snobs we target think the law is beneath them, even when they have a case. They just get self-righteous and look down on us.
- Hori: Isn't it odd, though? Aoe's the only one making a fuss. Miyako Saijo hasn't said a word. I guess it's true that women are more honest about love.
- Drunk: Ladies and gentlemen! There's only one week left in the year. One more week and we welcome 1950. Year after year, human beings remain oblivious to the present. It's too late for this year, but we believe that next year will be different. Otherwise we just can't go on. Ladies and gentlemen! Next year is going to be my year! No doubt about it. I'm going to do my best! Next year, without fail! I'll build a little house for my family and make things easier for my wife. Yes, next year I'm really going to do it. I swear to you, I'll do it next year. The hell with this year.
- [he begins singing]
- Drunk: Come, my friends, let's sing together! We're all going to do a bang-up job next year!