Sukeroku and You may be compared to SNOW and INK. Both Umi, the water container, of ink stone and Naruto no Umi, the straits of Naruto, have the same words Umi, but the former is a shallow and the latter is deep just like my feelings toward you, one of my customers, and Sukeroku, my lover. With no real lover, the life of a courtesan is dark, but I would not take you for Sukeroku-san even in the dark.'
「たとえていわば「雪」と「墨」、硯の海も鳴戸の海も、海という字は一つでも、深いと浅いは客と間夫（まぶ＝本命の男）、間夫がなければ遊女は暗闇、暗がりで見てもお前と助六さんを取りちがえてよいものかいナァ」。