rubbing

自分が死んだ時の墓地と墓を選ぶために主人公は京都に行きます。そして文房具屋にも立ち寄りました。
"As a matter of fact, there is something I'd like, if you happen to have it."
"What's that?"
"It may sound odd, but I'd like about a two-foot length of red lining silk and a wad of cotton wool." "Oh? What do you plan to use it for?"
"I have to make some rubbings right away, so need a dabber."
"I see. For a dabber, is it? Well, there must be something like that around. I'll ask my wife to look."
"rubbings" と "dabber"何でしょうか？　"rub" は擦ることで、"dab" は軽く叩く意味があるので何か化粧の道具の様でもありますが、そんな物を主人公が硯や墨を売る店で探す訳はないしと疑問に思いつつ読み続けたら、後の場面でその意味が分かる個所が次の様に出てきました。
I took out my new inkstone and placed it on the desk; then I poured in a little water and began slowly rubbing the stick of vermilion back and forth to make ink. I used up about half the stick. Next I tore the cotton wadding into four pieces, two larger and two smaller ones, rolled them into approximately three-inch and one-inch balls, and wrapped them in the red silk to make dabbers.
...
When I was young I traveled through China several times, and both there and here in Japan I have seen people making rubbings.
"rubbing" はいわゆる拓本ですね。それにしてもこの小説の主人公は息子の嫁の足型を自分の墓に仏足跡の代わりに作るなんて、変人としか言い様がない。