日记一段
3 may 1868, meiji 1/4/11
1868年5月3日，明治元年四月十一日
Over a few drinks Ryuto and I talked over times past; and thereminders stirred up a thousand emotions in me. At dusk we passed theembankment at Sakuranomiya. While the rain poured down, I paid my respects tothe spirit of young Katsu (Katsura Katsuzaburo) as we sailed by.
る柳东と小酌し已往の事を谈す感慨不少薄暮樱ノ宫堤下を过く雨尤甚シ胜儿遗灵を拜し
注释：Katsura Katsuzaburo (1848-1864) had been the adopted heir of Kido while he was known as Katsura Kogoro. The boy was the third son of Wada Bunjo; and his mother was Kido's elder half-sister, Yaeko. Kido held great hopes for his intelligent and studious heir; but the young man died in the Choshu charge on Hamaguri Gate of the Imperial Palace, Kyoto, on 20 August 1864.
直到看见原文亲而轻的“胜儿”二字，才突然意识到，这个至死也算不上年老的人，已经体会了无数次的白发人送黑发人。
在黎明前最后的黑暗中长眠的，不仅有他的老师、战友、同志、发小，还有孩子。