BOTCHAN (MASTER DARLING)

By The Late Mr. Kin-nosuke Natsume

TRANSLATED By Yasotaro Morri

Revised by J. R. KENNEDY

1919

A NOTE BY THE TRANSLATOR

No translation can expect to equal, much less to excel, the original. The excellence of a translation can only be judged by noting how far ithas succeeded in reproducing the original tone, colors, style, thedelicacy of sentiment, the force of inert strength, the peculiarexpressions native to the language with which the original is written, or whatever is its marked characteristic. The ablest can do no more, andto want more than this will be demanding something impossible. Strictlyspeaking, the only way one can derive full benefit or enjoyment from aforeign work is to read the original, for any intelligence atsecond-hand never gives the kind of satisfaction which is possible onlythrough the direct touch with the original. Even in the best translatedwork is probably wanted the subtle vitality natural to the originallanguage, for it defies an attempt, however elaborate, to transmit allthere is in the original. Correctness of diction may be there, butspontaneity is gone; it cannot be helped. 

The task of the translator becomes doubly hazardous in case oftranslating a European language into Japanese, or vice versa. Betweenany of the European languages and Japanese there is no visible kinshipin word-form, significance, grammatical system, rhetorical arrangements. It may be said that the inspiration of the two languages is totallydifferent. A want of similarity of customs, habits, traditions, nationalsentiments and traits makes the work of translation all the moredifficult. A novel written in Japanese which had attained nationalpopularity might, when rendered into English, lose its captivatingvividness, alluring interest and lasting appeal to the reader. 

These remarks are made not in way of excuse for any faulty dictions thatmay be found in the following pages. Neither are they made out ofpersonal modesty nor of a desire to add undue weight to the presentwork. They are made in the hope that whoever is good enough to gothrough the present translation will remember, before he may venture tomake criticisms, the kind and extent of difficulties besetting him inhis attempts so as not to judge the merit of the original by thistranslation. Nothing would afford the translator a greater pain than anyunfavorable comment on the original based upon this translation. Ifthere be any deserving merits in the following pages the credit is dueto the original. Any fault found in its interpretation or in the Englishversion, the whole responsibility is on the translator. 

For the benefit of those who may not know the original, it must bestated that "Botchan" by the late Mr. K. Natsume was an epoch-makingpiece of work. On its first appearance, Mr. Natsume's place and name asthe foremost in the new literary school were firmly established. He hadwritten many other novels of more serious intent, of heavier thoughtsand of more enduring merits, but it was this "Botchan" that secured himthe lasting fame. Its quaint style, dash and vigor in its narrationappealed to the public who had become somewhat tired of the stereotypedsort of manner with which all stories had come to be handled. 

In its simplest understanding, "Botchan" may be taken as an episode inthe life of a son born in Tokyo, hot-blooded, simple-hearted, pure ascrystal and sturdy as a towering rock, honest and straight to a fault, intolerant of the least injustice and a volunteer ever ready to championwhat he considers right and good. Children may read it as a "story ofman who tried to be honest. " It is a light, amusing and, at the nametime, instructive story, with no tangle of love affairs, no scheme ofblood-curdling scenes or nothing startling or sensational in the plot orcharacters. The story, however, may be regarded as a biting sarcasm on ahypocritical society in which a gang of instructors of dark character ata middle school in a backwoods town plays a prominent part. The hero ofthe story is made a victim of their annoying intrigues, but finallycomes out triumphant by smashing the petty red tapism, knocking down thesham pretentions and by actual use of the fist on the Head Instructorand his henchman. 

The story will be found equally entertaining as a means of studying thepeculiar traits of the native of Tokyo which are characterised by theirquick temper, dashing spirit, generosity and by their readiness toresist even the lordly personage if convinced of their own justness, orto kneel down even to a child if they acknowledge their own wrong. Incidently the touching devotion of the old maid servant Kiyo to thehero will prove a standing reproach to the inconstant, unfaithfulservants of which the number is ever increasing these days in Tokyo. Thestory becomes doubly interesting by the fact that Mr. K. Natsume, whenquite young, held a position of teacher of English at a middle schoolsomewhere about the same part of the country described in the story, while he himself was born and brought up in Tokyo. 

It may be added that the original is written in an autobiographicalstyle. It is profusely interladed with spicy, catchy colloquials patentto the people of Tokyo for the equals of which we may look to therattling speeches of notorious Chuck Conners of the Bowery of New York. It should be frankly stated that much difficulty was experienced ingetting the corresponding terms in English for those catchy expressions. Strictly speaking, some of them have no English equivalents. Care hasbeen exercised to select what has been thought most appropriate in thejudgment or the translator in converting those expressions into Englishbut some of them might provoke disapproval from those of the "cultured"class with "refined" ears. The slangs in English in this translationwere taken from an American magazine of world-wide reputation editor ofwhich was not afraid to print of "damn" when necessary, by scorning thetimid, conventional way of putting it as "d--n. " If the propriety ofprinting such short ugly words be questioned, the translator is sorry tosay that no means now exists of directly bringing him to account for hemet untimely death on board the Lusitania when it was sunk by the Germansubmarine. 

Thanks are due to Mr. J. R. Kennedy, General Manager, and Mr. HenrySatoh, Editor-in-Chief, both of the Kokusai Tsushin-sha (theInternational News Agency) of Tokyo and a host of personal friends ofthe translator whose untiring assistance and kind suggestions have madethe present translation possible. Without their sympathetic interests, this translation may not have seen the daylight. 

Tokyo, September, 1918. 

BOTCHAN (MASTER DARLING)

CHAPTER I

Because of an hereditary recklessness, I have been playing always alosing game since my childhood. During my grammar school days, I wasonce laid up for about a week by jumping from the second story of theschool building. Some may ask why I committed such a rash act. There wasno particular reason for doing such a thing except I happened to belooking out into the yard from the second floor of the newly-builtschool house, when one of my classmates, joking, shouted at me; "Say, you big bluff, I'll bet you can't jump down from there! O, youchicken-heart, ha, ha!" So I jumped down. The janitor of the school hadto carry me home on his back, and when my father saw me, he yelledderisively, "What a fellow you are to go and get your bones dislocatedby jumping only from a second story!"

"I'll see I don't get dislocated next time, " I answered. 

One of my relatives once presented me with a pen-knife. I was showing itto my friends, reflecting its pretty blades against the rays of the sun, when one of them chimed in that the blades gleamed all right, but seemedrather dull for cutting with. 

"Rather dull? See if they don't cut!" I retorted. 

"Cut your finger, then, " he challenged. And with "Finger nothing! Heregoes!" I cut my thumb slant-wise. Fortunately the knife was small andthe bone of the thumb hard enough, so the thumb is still there, but thescar will be there until my death. 

About twenty steps to the east edge of our garden, there was amoderate-sized vegetable yard, rising toward the south, and in thecentre of which stood a chestnut tree which was dearer to me than life. In the season when the chestnuts were ripe, I used to slip out of thehouse from the back door early in the morning to pick up the chestnutswhich had fallen during the night, and eat them at the school. On thewest side of the vegetable yard was the adjoining garden of a pawn shopcalled Yamashiro-ya. This shopkeeper's son was a boy about 13 or 14years old named Kantaro. Kantaro was, it happens, a mollycoddle. Nevertheless he had the temerity to come over the fence to our yard andsteal my chestnuts. 

One certain evening I hid myself behind a folding-gate of the fence andcaught him in the act. Having his retreat cut off he grappled with me indesperation. He was about two years older than I, and, thoughweak-kneed, was physically the stronger. While I wallopped him, hepushed his head against my breast and by chance it slipped inside mysleeve. As this hindered the free action of my arm, I tried to shake himloose, though, his head dangled the further inside, and being no longerable to stand the stifling combat, he bit my bare arm. It was painful. Iheld him fast against the fence, and by a dexterous foot twist sent himdown flat on his back. Kantaro broke the fence and as the groundbelonging to Yamashiro-ya was about six feet lower than the vegetableyard, he fell headlong to his own territory with a thud. As he rolledoff he tore away the sleeve in which his head had been enwrapped, and myarm recovered a sudden freedom of movement. That night when my motherwent to Yamashiro-ya to apologize, she brought back that sleeve. 

Besides the above, I did many other mischiefs. With Kaneko of acarpenter shop and Kaku of a fishmarket, I once ruined a carrot patch ofone Mosaku. The sprouts were just shooting out and the patch was coveredwith straws to ensure their even healthy growth. Upon this straw-coveredpatch, we three wrestled for fully half a day, and consequentlythoroughly smashed all the sprouts. Also I once filled up a well whichwatered some rice fields owned by one Furukawa, and he followed me withkicks. The well was so devised that from a large bamboo pole, sunk deepinto the ground, the water issued and irrigated the rice fields. Ignorant of the mechanical side of this irrigating method at that time, I stuffed the bamboo pole with stones and sticks, and satisfied that nomore water came up, I returned home and was eating supper when Furukawa, fiery red with anger, burst into our house with howling protests. Ibelieve the affair was settled on our paying for the damage. 

Father did not like me in the least, and mother always sided with my bigbrother. This brother's face was palish white, and he had a fondness fortaking the part of an actress at the theatre. 

"This fellow will never amount to much, " father used to remark whenhe saw me. 

"He's so reckless that I worry about his future, " I often heard mothersay of me. Exactly; I have never amounted to much. I am just as you seeme; no wonder my future used to cause anxiety to my mother. I am livingwithout becoming but a jailbird. 

Two or three days previous to my mother's death, I took it into my headto turn a somersault in the kitchen, and painfully hit my ribs againstthe corner of the stove. Mother was very angry at this and told me notto show my face again, so I went to a relative to stay with. Whilethere, I received the news that my mother's illness had become veryserious, and that after all efforts for her recovery, she was dead. Icame home thinking that I should have behaved better if I had known theconditions were so serious as that. Then that big brother of minedenounced me as wanting in filial piety, and that I had caused heruntimely death. Mortified at this, I slapped his face, and thereuponreceived a sound scolding from father. 

After the death of mother, I lived with father and brother. Father didnothing, and always said "You're no good" to my face. What he meant by"no good" I am yet to understand. A funny dad he was. My brother was tobe seen studying English hard, saying that he was going to be abusinessman. He was like a girl by nature, and so "sassy" that we twowere never on good terms, and had to fight it out about once every tendays. When we played a chess game one day, he placed a chessman as a"waiter, "--a cowardly tactic this, --and had hearty laugh on me by seeingme in a fix. His manner was so trying that time that I banged a chessmanon his forehead which was injured a little bit and bled. He told allabout this to father, who said he would disinherit me. 

Then I gave up myself for lost, and expected to be really disinherited. But our maid Kiyo, who had been with us for ten years or so, intercededon my behalf, and tearfully apologized for me, and by her appeal myfather's wrath was softened. I did not regard him, however, as one to beafraid of in any way, but rather felt sorry for our Kiyo. I had heardthat Kiyo was of a decent, well-to-do family, but being driven topoverty at the time of the Restoration, had to work as a servant. So shewas an old woman by this time. This old woman, --by what affinity, asthe Buddhists say, I don't know, --loved me a great deal. Strange, indeed! She was almost blindly fond of me, --me, whom mother, becamethoroughly disgusted with three days before her death; whom fatherconsidered a most aggravating proposition all the year round, and whomthe neighbors cordially hated as the local bully among the youngsters. Ihad long reconciled myself to the fact that my nature was far from beingattractive to others, and so didn't mind if I were treated as a piece ofwood; so I thought it uncommon that Kiyo should pet me like that. Sometimes in the kitchen, when there was nobody around, she would praiseme saying that I was straightforward and of a good disposition. What shemeant by that exactly, was not clear to me, however. If I were of sogood a nature as she said, I imagined those other than Kiyo shouldaccord me a better treatment. So whenever Kiyo said to me anything ofthe kind, I used to answer that I did not like passing compliments. Thenshe would remark; "That's the very reason I say you are of a gooddisposition, " and would gaze at me with absorbing tenderness. She seemedto recreate me by her own imagination, and was proud of the fact. I felteven chilled through my marrow at her constant attention to me. 

After my mother was dead, Kiyo loved me still more. In my simplereasoning, I wondered why she had taken such a fancy to me. Sometimes Ithought it quite futile on her part, that she had better quit that sortof thing, which was bad for her. But she loved me just the same. Oncein, a while she would buy, out of her own pocket, some cakes orsweetmeats for me. When the night was cold, she would secretly buy somenoodle powder, and bring all unawares hot noodle gruel to my bed; orsometimes she would even buy a bowl of steaming noodles from thepeddler. Not only with edibles, but she was generous alike with socks, pencils, note books, etc. And she even furnished me, --this happened sometime later, --with about three yen, I did not ask her for the money; sheoffered it from her own good will by bringing it to my room, saying thatI might be in need of some cash. This, of course, embarrassed me, but asshe was so insistent I consented to borrow it. I confess I was reallyglad of the money. I put it in a bag, and carried it in my pocket. Whileabout the house, I happened to drop the bag into a cesspool. Helpless, Itold Kiyo how I had lost the money, and at once she fetched a bamboostick, and said she will get it for me. After a while I heard asplashing sound of water about our family well, and going there, sawKiyo washing the bag strung on the end of the stick. I opened the bagand found the edict of the three one-yen bills turned to faint yellowand designs fading. Kiyo dried them at an open fire and handed them overto me, asking if they were all right. I smelled them and said; "Theystink yet. "

"Give them to me; I'll get them changed. " She took those three bills, and, --I do not know how she went about it, --brought three yen in silver. I forget now upon what I spent the three yen. "I'll pay you back soon, "I said at the time, but didn't. I could not now pay it back even if Iwished to do so with ten times the amount. 

When Kiyo gave me anything she did so always when both father andbrother were out. Many things I do not like, but what I most detest isthe monopolizing of favors behind some one else's back. Bad as myrelations were with my brother, still I did not feel justified inaccepting candies or color-pencils from Kiyo without my brother'sknowledge. "Why do you give those things only to me and not to mybrother also?" I asked her once, and she answered quite unconcernedlythat my brother may be left to himself as his father bought himeverything. That was partiality; father was obstinate, but I am sure hewas not a man who would indulge in favoritism. To Kiyo, however, hemight have looked that way. There is no doubt that Kiyo was blind to theextent of her undue indulgence with me. She was said to have come from awell-to-do family, but the poor soul was uneducated, and it could not behelped. All the same, you cannot tell how prejudice will drive one tothe extremes. Kiyo seemed quite sure that some day I would achieve highposition in society and become famous. Equally she was sure that mybrother, who was spending his hours studiously, was only good for hiswhite skin, and would stand no show in the future. Nothing can beat anold woman for this sort of thing, I tell you. She firmly believed thatwhoever she liked would become famous, while whoever she hated wouldnot. I did not have at that time any particular object in my life. Butthe persistency with which Kiyo declared that I would be a great mansome day, made me speculate myself that after all I might become one. How absurd it seems to me now when I recall those days. I asked her oncewhat kind of a man I should be, but she seemed to have formed noconcrete idea as to that; only she said that I was sure to live in ahouse with grand entrance hall, and ride in a private rikisha. 

And Kiyo seemed to have decided for herself to live with me when Ibecame independent and occupy my own house. "Please let me live withyou, "--she repeatedly asked of me. Feeling somewhat that I shouldeventually be able to own a house, I answered her "Yes, " as far as suchan answer went. This woman, by the way, was strongly imaginative. Shequestioned me what place I liked, --Kojimachi-ku or Azabu-ku?--andsuggested that I should have a swing in our garden, that one room beenough for European style, etc. , planning everything to suit her ownfancy. I did not then care a straw for anything like a house; so neitherJapanese nor European style was much of use to me, and I told her tothat effect. Then she would praise me as uncovetous and clean of heart. Whatever I said, she had praise for me. 

I lived, after the death of mother, in this fashion for five or sixyears. I had kicks from father, had rows with brother, and had candiesand praise from Kiyo. I cared for nothing more; I thought this wasenough. I imagined all other boys were leading about the same kind oflife. As Kiyo frequently told me, however, that I was to be pitied, andwas unfortunate, I imagined that that might be so. There was nothingthat particularly worried me except that father was too tight with mypocket money, and this was rather hard on me. 

In January of the 6th year after mother's death, father died ofapoplexy. In April of the same year, I graduated from a middle school, and two months later, my brother graduated from a business college. Soonhe obtained a job in the Kyushu branch of a certain firm and had to gothere, while I had to remain in Tokyo and continue my study. He proposedthe sale of our house and the realization of our property, to which Ianswered "Just as you like it. " I had no intention of depending upon himanyway. Even were he to look after me, I was sure of his startingsomething which would eventually end in a smash-up as we were prone toquarrel on the least pretext. It was because in order to receive hisprotection that I should have to bow before such a fellow, that Iresolved that I would live by myself even if I had to do milk delivery. Shortly afterwards he sent for a second-hand dealer and sold for a songall the bric-a-bric which had been handed down from ages ago in ourfamily. Our house and lot were sold, through the efforts of a middlemanto a wealthy person. This transaction seemed to have netted a goodly sumto him, but I know nothing as to the detail. 

For one month previous to this, I had been rooming in a boarding housein Kanda-ku, pending a decision as to my future course. Kiyo was greatlygrieved to see the house in which she had lived so many years changeownership, but she was helpless in the matter. 

"If you were a little older, you might have inherited this house, " sheonce remarked in earnest. 

If I could have inherited the house through being a little older, Iought to have been able to inherit the house right then. She knewnothing, and believed the lack of age only prevented my coming into thepossession of the house. 

Thus I parted from my brother, but the disposal of Kiyo was a difficultproposition. My brother was, of course, unable to take her along, norwas there any danger of her following him so far away as Kyushu, while Iwas in a small room of a boarding house, and might have to clear outanytime at that. There was no way out, so I asked her if she intended towork somewhere else. Finally she answered me definitely that she wouldgo to her nephew's and wait until I started my own house and getmarried. This nephew was a clerk in the Court of Justice, and beingfairly well off, had invited Kiyo before more than once to come and livewith him, but Kiyo preferred to stay with us, even as a servant, sinceshe had become well used to our family. But now I think she thought itbetter to go over to her nephew than to start a new life as servant in astrange house. Be that as it may, she advised me to have my ownhousehold soon, or get married, so she would come and help me inhousekeeping. I believe she liked me more than she did her own kin. 

My brother came to me, two days previous to his departure for Kyushu, and giving me 600 yen, said that I might begin a business with it, or goahead with my study, or spend it in any way I liked, but that that wouldbe the last he could spare. It was a commendable act for my brother. What! about only 600 yen! I could get along without it, I thought, butas this unusually simple manner appealed to me, I accepted the offerwith thanks. Then he produced 50 yen, requesting me to give it to Kiyonext time I saw her, which I readily complied with. Two days after, Isaw him off at the Shimbashi Station, and have not set my eyes on himever since. 

Lying in my bed, I meditated on the best way to spend that 600 yen. Abusiness is fraught with too much trouble, and besides it was not mycalling. Moreover with only 600 yen no one could open a business worththe name. Were I even able to do it, I was far from being educated, andafter all, would lose it. Better let investments alone, but study morewith the money. Dividing the 600 yen into three, and by spending 200 yena year, I could study for three years. If I kept at one study withbull-dog tenacity for three years, I should be able to learn something. Then the selection of a school was the next problem. By nature, there isno branch of study whatever which appeals to my taste. Nix on languagesor literature! The new poetry was all Greek to me; I could not make outone single line of twenty. Since I detested every kind of study, anykind of study should have been the same to me. Thinking thus, I happenedto pass front of a school of physics, and seeing a sign posted for theadmittance of more students, I thought this might be a kind of"affinity, " and having asked for the prospectus, at once filed myapplication for entrance. When I think of it now, it was a blunder dueto my hereditary recklessness. 

For three years I studied about as diligently as ordinary fellows, butnot being of a particularly brilliant quality, my standing in the classwas easier to find by looking up from the bottom. Strange, isn't it, that when three years were over, I graduated? I had to laugh at myself, but there being no reason for complaint, I passed out. 

Eight days after my graduation, the principal of the school asked me tocome over and see him. I wondered what he wanted, and went. A middleschool in Shikoku was in need of a teacher of mathematics for forty yena month, and he sounded me to see if I would take it. I had studied forthree years, but to tell the truth, I had no intention of eitherteaching or going to the country. Having nothing in sight, however, except teaching, I readily accepted the offer. This too was a blunderdue to hereditary recklessness. 

I accepted the position, and so must go there. The three years of myschool life I had seen confined in a small room, but with no kick comingor having no rough house. It was a comparatively easy going period in mylife. But now I had to pack up. Once I went to Kamakura on a picnic withmy classmates while I was in the grammar school, and that was the firstand last, so far, that I stepped outside of Tokyo since I couldremember. This time I must go darn far away, that it beats Kamakura by amile. The prospective town is situated on the coast, and looked the sizeof a needle-point on the map. It would not be much to look at anyway. Iknew nothing about the place or the people there. It did not worry me orcause any anxiety. I had simply to travel there and that was theannoying part. 

Once in a while, since our house was no more, I went to Kiyo'snephew's to see her. Her nephew was unusually good-natured, andwhenever I called upon her, he treated me well if he happened to be athome. Kiyo would boost me sky-high to her nephew right to my face. Shewent so far once as to say that when I had graduated from school, Iwould purchase a house somewhere in Kojimachi-ku and get a position ina government office. She decided everything in her own way, and talkedof it aloud, and I was made an unwilling and bashful listener. I donot know how her nephew weighed her tales of self-indulgence on me. Kiyo was a woman of the old type, and seemed, as if it was still thedays of Feudal Lords, to regard her nephew equally under obligation tome even as she was herself. 

After settling about my new position, I called upon her three daysprevious to my departure. She was sick abed in a small room, but, onseeing me she got up and immediately inquired;

"Master Darling, when do you begin housekeeping?"

She evidently thought as soon as a fellow finishes school, money comesto his pocket by itself. But then how absurd to call such a "great man""Darling. " I told her simply that I should let the house proposition gofor some time, as I had to go to the country. She looked greatlydisappointed, and blankly smoothed her gray-haired sidelocks. I feltsorry for her, and said comfortingly; "I am going away but will comeback soon. I'll return in the vacation next summer, sure. " Still as sheappeared not fully satisfied, I added;

"Will bring you back a surprise. What do you like?"

She wished to eat "sasa-ame"[1] of Echigo province. I had never heard of"sasa-ame" of Echigo. To begin with, the location is entirely different. 

[Footnote 1: Sasa-ame is a kind of rice-jelly wrapped with sasa, or thebamboo leaves, well-known as a product of Echigo province. ]

"There seems to be no 'sasa-ame' in the country where I'm going, " Iexplained, and she rejoined; "Then, in what direction?" I answered"westward" and she came back with "Is it on the other side of Hakone?"This give-and-take conversation proved too much for me. 

On the day of my departure, she came to my room early in the morning andhelped me to pack up. She put into my carpet-bag tooth powder, tooth-brush and towels which she said she had bought at a dry goodsstore on her way. I protested that I did not want them, but she wasinsistent. [A] We rode in rikishas to the station. Coming up theplatform, she gazed at me from outside the car, and said in a low voice;

"This may be our last good-by. Take care of yourself. "

Her eyes were full of tears. I did not cry, but was almost going to. After the train had run some distance, thinking it would be all rightnow, I poked my head out of the window and looked back. She was stillthere. She looked very small. 

CHAPTER II. 

With a long, sonorous whistle the steamer which I was aboard came to astandstill, and a boat was seen making toward us from the shore. The manrowing the boat was stark naked, except for a piece of red cloth girtround his loins. A barbarous place, this! though he may have beenexcused for it in such hot weather as it was. The sun's rays were strongand the water glimmered in such strange colors as to dazzle one's sightif gazed at it for long. I had been told by a clerk of the ship that Iwas to get off here. The place looked like a fishing village about thesize of Omori. Great Scott! I wouldn't stay in such a hole, I thought, but I had to get out. So, down I jumped first into the boat, and I thinkfive or six others followed me. After loading about four large boxesbesides, the red-cloth rowed us ashore. When the boat struck the sand, Iwas again the first to jump out, and right away I accosted a skinnyurchin standing nearby, asking him where the middle school was. The kidanswered blankly that he did not know. Confound the dull-head! Not toknow where the middle school was, living in such a tiny bit of a town. Then a man wearing a rig with short, queer shaped sleeves approached meand bade me follow. I walked after him and was taken to an inn calledMinato-ya. The maids of the inn, who gave me a disagreeable impression, chorused at sight of me; "Please step inside. " This discouraged me inproceeding further, and I asked them, standing at the door-way, to showme the middle school. On being told that the middle school was aboutfour miles away by rail, I became still more discouraged at putting upthere. I snatched my two valises from the man with queer-shaped [B]sleeves who had guided me so far, and strode away. The people of the innlooked after me with a dazed expression. 

The station was easily found, and a ticket bought without any fuss. Thecoach I got in was about as dignified as a match-box. The train rambledon for about five minutes, and then I had to get off. No wonder the farewas cheap; it cost only three sen. I then hired a rikisha and arrived atthe middle school, but school was already over and nobody was there. Theteacher on night-duty was out just for a while, said the janitor, --thenight-watch was taking life easy, sure. I thought of visiting theprincipal, but being tired, ordered the rikishaman to take me to ahotel. He did this with much alacrity and led me to a hotel calledYamashiro-ya. I felt it rather amusing to find the name Yamashiro-ya thesame as that of Kantaro's house. 

They ushered me to a dark room below the stairway. No one could stay insuch a hot place! I said I did not like such a warm room, but the maiddumped my valises on the floor and left me, mumbling that all the otherrooms were occupied. So I took the room though it took some resolutionto stand the weltering heat. After a while the maid said the bath wasready, and I took one: On my way back from the bathroom, I peeped about, and found many rooms, which looked much cooler than mine, vacant. Sunnovagun! They had lied. By'm-by, she fetched my supper. Although theroom was hot, the meal was a deal better than the kind I used to have inmy boarding house. While waiting on me, she questioned me where I wasfrom, and I said, "from Tokyo. " Then she asked; "Isn't Tokyo a niceplace?" and I shot back, "Bet 'tis. " About the time the maid had reachedthe kitchen, loud laughs were heard. There was nothing doing, so I wentto bed, but could not sleep. Not only was it hot, but noisy, --about fivetimes noisier than my boarding house. While snoozing, I dreamed of Kiyo. She was eating "sasa-ame" of Echigo province without taking off thewrapper of bamboo leaves. I tried to stop her, saying bamboo leaves maydo her harm, but she replied, "O, no, these leaves are very helpful forthe health, " and ate them with much relish. Astounded, I laughed "Ha, ha, ha!"--and so awoke. The maid was opening the outside shutters. Theweather was just as clear as the previous day. 

I had heard once before that when travelling, one should give "teamoney" to the hotel or inn where he stops; that unless this "teamoney" is given, the hostelry would accord him rather rough treatment. It must have been on account of my being slow in the fork over of this"tea money" that they had huddled me into such a narrow, dark room. Likewise my shabby clothes and the carpet bags and satin umbrella musthave been accountable for it. Took me for a piker, eh? those hayseeds!I would give them a knocker with "tea money. " I left Tokyo with about30 yen in my pocket, which remained from my school expenses. Takingoff the railway and steamship fare, and other incidental expenses, Ihad still about 14 yen in my pocket. I could give them all Ihad;--what did I care, I was going to get a salary now. All countryfolk are tight-wads, and one 5-yen bill would hit them square. Nowwatch and see. Having washed myself, I returned to my room and waited, and the maid of the night before brought in my breakfast. Waiting onme with a tray, she looked at me with a sort of sulphuric smile. Rude!Is any parade marching on my face? I should say. Even my face is farbetter than that of the maid. I intended of giving "tea money" afterbreakfast, but I became disgusted, and taking out one 5-yen bill toldher to take it to the office later. The face of the maid became thenshy and awkward. After the meal, I left for the school. The maid didnot have my shoes polished. 

I had had vague idea of the direction of the school as I rode to it theprevious day, so turning two or three corners, I came to the front gate. From the gate to the entrance the walk was paved with granite. When Ihad passed to the entrance in the rikisha, this walk made sooutlandishly a loud noise that I had felt coy. On my way to the school, I met a number of the students in uniforms of cotton drill and they allentered this gate. Some of them were taller than I and looked muchstronger. When I thought of teaching fellows of this ilk, I wasimpressed with a queer sort of uneasiness. My card was taken to theprincipal, to whose room I was ushered at once. With scant mustache, dark-skinned and big-eyed, the principal was a man who looked like abadger. He studiously assumed an air of superiority, and saying he wouldlike to see me do my best, handed the note of appointment, stamped big, in a solemn manner. This note I threw away into the sea on my way backto Tokyo. He said he would introduce me to all my fellow teachers, and Iwas to show to each one of them the note of appointment. What a bother!It would be far better to stick this note up in the teachers' room forthree days instead of going through such a monkey process. 

The teachers would not be all in the room until the bugle for the firsthour was sounded. There was plenty of time. The principal took out hiswatch, and saying that he would acquaint me particularly with the schoolby-and-bye, he would only furnish me now with general matters, andstarted a long lecture on the spirit of education. For a while Ilistened to him with my mind half away somewhere else, but about halfway through his lecture, I began to realize that I should soon be in abad fix. I could not do, by any means, all he expected of me. Heexpected that I should make myself an example to the students, shouldbecome an object of admiration for the whole school or should exert mymoral influence, besides teaching technical knowledge in order tobecome a real educator, or something ridiculously high-sounding. No manwith such admirable qualities would come so far away for only 40 yen amonth! Men are generally alike. If one gets excited, one is liable tofight, I thought, but if things are to be kept on in the way theprincipal says, I could hardly open my mouth to utter anything, nor takea stroll around the place. If they wanted me to fill such an onerouspost, they should have told all that before. I hate to tell a lie; Iwould give it up as having been cheated, and get out of this mess like aman there and then. I had only about 9 yen left in my pocket aftertipping the hotel 5 yen. Nine yen would not take me back to Tokyo. I hadbetter not have tipped the hotel; what a pity! However, I would be ableto manage it somehow. I considered it better to run short in my returnexpenses than to tell a lie. 

"I cannot do it the way you want me to. I return this appointment. "

I shoved back the note. The principal winked his badger-like eyes andgazed at me. Then he said;

"What I have said just now is what I desire of you. I know well that youcannot do all I want, So don't worry. "

And he laughed. If he knew it so well already, what on earth did hescare me for?

Meanwhile the bugle sounded, being followed by bustling noises in thedirection of the class rooms. All the teachers would be now ready, I wastold, and I followed the principal to the teachers' room. In a spaciousrectangular room, they sat each before a table lined along the walls. When I entered the room, they all glanced at me as if by previousagreement. Did they think my face was for a show? Then, as perinstructions, I introduced myself and showed the note to each one ofthem. Most of them left their chairs and made a slight bow ofacknowledgment. But some of the more painfully polite took the note andread it and respectfully returned it to me, just like the cheapperformances at a rural show! When I came to the fifteenth, who was theteacher of physical training, I became impatient at repeating the sameold thing so often. The other side had to do it only once, but my sidehad to do it fifteen times. They ought to have had some sympathy. 

Among those I met in the room there was Mr. Blank who was head teacher. Said he was a Bachelor of Arts. I suppose he was a great man since hewas a graduate from Imperial University and had such a title. He talkedin a strangely effeminate voice like a woman. But what surprised me mostwas that he wore a flannel shirt. However thin it might be, flannel isflannel and must have been pretty warm at that time of the year. Whatpainstaking dress is required which will be becoming to a B. A. ! And itwas a red shirt; wouldn't that kill you! I heard afterwards that hewears a red shirt all the year round. What a strange affliction!According to his own explanation, he has his shirts made to order forthe sake of his health as the red color is beneficial to the physicalcondition. Unnecessary worry, this, for that being the case, he shouldhave had his coat and hakama also in red. And there was one Mr. Koga, teacher of English, whose complexion was very pale. Pale-faced peopleare usually thin, but this man was pale and fat. When I was attendinggrammar school, there was one Tami Asai in our class, and his father wasjust as pale as this Koga. Asai was a farmer, and I asked Kiyo if one'sface would become pale if he took up farming. Kiyo said it was not so;Asai ate always Hubbard squash of "uranari" [2] and that was the reason. Thereafter when I saw any man pale and fat, I took it for granted thatit was the result of his having eaten too much of squash of "uranari. "This English teacher was surely subsisting upon squash. However, whatthe meaning of "uranari" is, I do not know. I asked Kiyo once, but sheonly laughed. Probably she did not know. Among the teachers ofmathematics, there was one named Hotta. This was a fellow of massivebody, with hair closely cropped. He looked like one of the old-timedevilish priests who made the Eizan temple famous. I showed him the notepolitely, but he did not even look at it, and blurted out;

"You're the man newly appointed, eh? Come and see me sometime, ha, ha, ha!"

[Footnote 2: Means the last crop. ]

Devil take his "Ha, ha, ha!" Who would go to see a fellow so void of thesense of common decency! I gave this priest from this time the nicknameof Porcupine. 

The Confucian teacher was strict in his manner as becoming to hisprofession. "Arrived yesterday? You must be tired. Start teachingalready? Working hard, indeed!"--and so on. He was an old man, quitesociable and talkative. 

The teacher of drawing was altogether like a cheap actor. He wore athin, flappy haori of sukiya, and, toying with a fan, he giggled; "Wherefrom? eh? Tokyo? Glad to hear that. You make another of our group. I'm aTokyo kid myself. "

If such a fellow prided himself on being a Tokyo kid, I wished I hadnever been born in Tokyo. I might go on writing about each one ofthem, for there are many, but I stop here otherwise there will be noend to it. 

When my formal introduction was over, the principal said that I might gofor the day, but I should make arrangements as to the class hours, etc. , with the head teacher of mathematics and begin teaching from the dayafter the morrow. Asked who was the head teacher of mathematics, I foundthat he was no other than that Porcupine. Holy smokes! was I to serveunder him? I was disappointed. 

"Say, where are you stopping? Yamashiro-ya? Well, I'll come andtalk it over. "

So saying, Porcupine, chalk in hand, left the room to his class. Thatwas rather humiliating for a head-teacher to come over and see hissubordinate, but it was better than to call me over to him. 

After leaving the school, I thought of returning straight to the hotel, but as there was nothing to do, I decided to take in a little of thetown, and started walking about following my nose. I saw prefecturalbuilding; it was an old structure of the last century. Also I saw thebarracks; they were less imposing than those of the Azabu Regiment, Tokyo. I passed through the main street. The width of the street isabout one half that of Kagurazaka, and its aspect is inferior. Whatabout a castle-town of 250, 000-koku Lord! Pity the fellows who getswell-headed in such a place as a castle-town!

While I walked about musing like this, I found myself in front ofYamashiro-ya. The town was much narrower than I had been led to believe. 

"I think I have seen nearly all. Guess I'll return and eat. " And Ientered the gate. The mistress of the hotel who was sitting at thecounter, jumped out of her place at my appearance and with "Are youback, Sire!" scraped the floor with her forehead. When I took my shoesoff and stepped inside, the maid took me to an upstairs room that hadbecame vacant. It was a front room of 15 mats (about 90 square feet). Ihad never before lived in so splendid a room as this. As it was quiteuncertain when I should again be able to occupy such a room in future, Itook off my European dress, and with only a single Japanese summer coaton, sprawled in the centre of the room in the shape of the Japaneseletter "big" (arms stretched out and legs spread wide[D]). I found itvery refreshing. 

After luncheon I at once wrote a letter to Kiyo. I hate most to writeletters because I am poor at sentence-making and also poor in my stockof words. Neither did I have any place to which to address my letters. However, Kiyo might be getting anxious. It would not do to let her worrylest she think the steamer which I boarded had been wrecked and I wasdrowned, --so I braced up and wrote a long one. The body of the letterwas as follows:

 "Arrived yesterday. A dull place. Am sleeping in a room of 15 mats. Tipped the hotel five yen as tea money. The house-wife of the hotel scraped the floor with her forehead. Couldn't sleep last night. Dreamed Kiyo eat sasa-ame together with the bamboo-leaf wrappers. Will return next summer. Went to the school to-day, and nicknamed all the fellows. 'Badger' for the principal, 'Red Shirt' for the head-teacher, 'Hubbard Squash' for the teacher of English, 'Porcupine' the teacher of mathematics and 'Clown' for that of drawing. Will write you many other things soon. Good bye. "

When I finished writing the letter, I felt better and sleepy. So I sleptin the centre of the room, as I had done before, in the letter "big"shape ([D]). No dream this time, and I had a sound sleep. 

"Is this the room?"--a loud voice was heard, --a voice which woke me up, and Porcupine entered. 

"How do you do? What you have to do in the school----" he began talkingshop as soon as I got up and rattled me much. On learning my duties inthe school, there seemed to be no difficulty, and I decided to accept. If only such were what was expected of me, I would not be surprised wereI told to start not only two days hence but even from the following day. The talk on business over, Porcupine said that he did not think it wasmy intention to stay in such a hotel all the time, that he would find aroom for me in a good boarding house, and that I should move. 

"They wouldn't take in another from anybody else but I can do itright away. The sooner the better. Go and look at the room to-day, move tomorrow and start teaching from the next day. That'll be allnice and settled. "

He seemed satisfied by arranging all by himself. Indeed, I should not beable to occupy such a room for long. I might have to blow in all of mysalary for the hotel bill and yet be short of squaring it. It was pityto leave the hotel so soon after I had just shone with a 5-yen tip. However, it being decidedly convenient to move and get settled early ifI had to move at all, I asked Porcupine to get that room for me. He toldme then to come over with him and see the house at any rate, and I did. The house was situated mid-way up a hill at the end of the town, and wasa quiet. The boss was said to be a dealer in antique curios, calledIkagin, and his wife was about four years his senior. I learned theEnglish word "witch" when I was in middle school, and this woman lookedexactly like one. But as she was another man's wife, what did I care ifshe was a witch. Finally I decided to live in the house from the nextday. On our way back Porcupine treated me to a cup of ice-water. When Ifirst met him in the school, I thought him a disgustingly overbearingfellow, but judging by the way he had looked after me so far, heappeared not so bad after all. Only he seemed, like me, impatient bynature and of quick-temper. I heard afterward that he was liked most byall the students in the school. 

CHAPTER III. 

My teaching began at last. When I entered the class-room and steppedupon the platform for the first time, I felt somewhat strange. Whilelecturing, I wondered if a fellow like me could keep up the professionof public instructor. The students were noisy. Once in a while, theywould holler "Teacher!" "Teacher, "--it was "going some. " I had beencalling others "teacher" every day so far, in the school of physics, butin calling others "teacher" and being called one, there is a wide gap ofdifference. It made me feel as if some one was tickling my soles. I amnot a sneakish fellow, nor a coward; only--it's a pity--I lack audacity. If one calls me "teacher" aloud, it gives me a shock similar to that ofhearing the noon-gun in Marunouchi when I was hungry. The first hourpassed away in a dashing manner. And it passed away without encounteringany knotty questions. As I returned to the teachers' room, Porcupineasked me how it was. I simply answered "well, " and he seemed satisfied. 

When I left the teachers' room, chalk in hand, for the second hourclass, I felt as if I was invading the enemy's territory. On enteringthe room, I found the students for this hour were all big fellows. I ama Tokyo kid, delicately built and small, and did not appear veryimpressive even in my elevated position. If it comes to a scraping, Ican hold my own even with wrestlers, but I had no means of appearingawe-inspiring[E], merely by the aid of my tongue, to so many as fortysuch big chaps before me. Believing, however, that it would set a badprecedent to show these country fellows any weakness, I lectured ratherloudly and in brusque tone. During the first part the students weretaken aback and listened literally with their mouths open. "That's oneon you!" I thought. Elated by my success, I kept on in this tone, whenone who looked the strongest, sitting in the middle of the front row, stood up suddenly, and called "Teacher!" There it goes!--I thought, andasked him what it was. 

"A-ah sa-ay, you talk too quick. A-ah ca-an't you make it a leetle slow?A-ah?" "A-ah ca-an't you?" "A-ah?" was altogether dull. 

"If I talk too fast, I'll make it slow, but I'm a Tokyo fellow, andcan't talk the way you do. If you don't understand it, better waituntil you do. "

So I answered him. In this way the second hour was closed better than Ihad expected. Only, as I was about to leave the class, one of thestudents asked me, "A-ah say, won't you please do them for me?" andshowed me some problems in geometry which I was sure I could not solve. This proved to be somewhat a damper on me. But, helpless, I told him Icould not make them out, and telling him that I would show him how nexttime, hastily got out of the room. And all of them raised "Whee--ee!"Some of them were heard saying "He doesn't know much. " Don't take ateacher for an encyclopaedia! If I could work out such hard questions asthese easily, I would not be in such a backwoods town for forty yen amonth. I returned to the teachers' room. 

"How was it this time?" asked Porcupine. I said "Umh. " But not satisfiedwith "Umh" only, I added that all the students in this school wereboneheads. He put up a whimsical face. 

The third and the fourth hour and the first hour in the afternoon weremore or less the same. In all the classes I attended, I made some kindof blunder. I realised that the profession of teaching not quite so easya calling as might have appeared. My teaching for the day was finishedbut I could not get away. I had to wait alone until three o'clock. Iunderstood that at three o'clock the students of my classes would finishcleaning up the rooms and report to me, whereupon I would go over therooms. Then I would run through the students' roll, and then be free togo home. Outrageous, indeed, to keep on chained to the school, staringat the empty space when he had nothing more to do, even though he was"bought" by a salary! Other fellow teachers, however, meekly submittedto the regulation, and believing it not well for me, --a new comer--tofuss about it, I stood it. On my way home, I appealed to Porcupine as tothe absurdity of keeping me there till three o'clock regardless of myhaving nothing to do in the school. He said "Yes" and laughed. But hebecame serious and in an advisory manner told me not to make manycomplaints about the school. 

"Talk to me only, if you want to. There are some queer guys around. "

As we parted at the next corner, I did not have time to hear more fromhim. 

On reaching my room, the boss of the house came to me saying, "Let meserve you tea. " I expected he was going to treat me to some good teasince he said "Let me serve you, " but he simply made himself at homeand drank my own tea. Judging by this, I thought he might bepractising "Let me serve you" during my absence. The boss said that hewas fond of antique drawings and curios and finally had decided tostart in that business. 

"You look like one quite taken about art. Suppose you begin patronizingmy business just for fun as er--connoisseur of art?"

It was the least expected kind of solicitation. Two years ago, I went tothe Imperial Hotel (Tokyo) on an errand, and I was taken for alocksmith. When I went to see the Daibutsu at Kamakura, haying wrappedup myself from head to toe with a blanket, a rikisha man addressed me as"Gov'ner. " I have been mistaken on many occasions for as many things, but none so far has counted on me as a probable connoisseur of art. Oneshould know better by my appearance. Any one who aspires to be a patronof art is usually pictured, --you may see in any drawing, --with either ahood on his head, or carrying a tanzaku[3] in his hand. The fellow whocalls me a connoisseur of art and pretends to mean it, may be surely ascrooked as a dog's hind legs. I told him I did not like such art-stuff, which is usually favored by retired people. He laughed, and remarkingthat that nobody liked it at first, but once in it, will find it sofascinating that he will hardly get over it, served tea for himself anddrank it in a grotesque manner. I may say that I had asked him the nightbefore to buy some tea for me, but I did not like such a bitter, heavykind. One swallow seemed to act right on my stomach. I told him to buy akind not so bitter as that, and he answered "All right, Sir, " and drankanother cup. The fellow seemed never to know of having enough ofanything so long as it was another man's. After he left the room, Iprepared for the morrow and went to bed. 

[Footnote 3: A tanzaku is a long, narrow strip of stiff paper on which aJapanese poem is written. ]

Everyday thereafter I attended at the school and worked as perregulations. Every day on my return, the boss came to my room with thesame old "Let me serve you tea. " In about a week I understood the schoolin a general way, and had my own idea as to the personality of the bossand his wife. I heard from one of my fellow teachers that the first weekto one month after the receipt of the appointment worried them most asto whether they had been favorably received among the students. I neverfelt anything on that score. Blunders in the class room once in a whilecaused me chagrin, but in about half an hour everything would clear outof my head. I am a fellow who, by nature, can't be worrying longabout[F] anything even if I try to. I was absolutely indifferent as howmy blunders in the class room affected the students, or how much furtherthey affected the principal or the head-teacher. As I mentioned before, I am not a fellow of much audacity to speak of, but I am quick to giveup anything when I see its finish. 

I had resolved to go elsewhere at once if the school did not suit me. Inconsequence, neither Badger nor Red Shirt wielded any influence over me. And still less did I feel like coaxing or coddling the youngsters in theclass room. 

So far it was O. K. With the school, but not so easy as that at myboarding house. I could have stood it if it had been only the bosscoming to my room after my tea. But he would fetch many things to myroom. First time he brought in seals. [4] He displayed about ten of thembefore me and persuaded me to buy them for three yen, which was verycheap, he said. Did he take me for a third rate painter making a roundof the country? I told him I did not want them. Next time he brought ina panel picture of flowers and birds, drawn by one Kazan or somebody. Hehung it against the wall of the alcove and asked me if it was not welldone, and I echoed it looked well done. Then he started lecturing aboutKazan, that there are two Kazans, one is Kazan something and the otheris Kazan anything, and that this picture was the work of that Kazansomething. After this nonsensical lecture, he insisted that he wouldmake it fifteen yen for me to buy it. I declined the offer saying that Iwas shy of the money. 

[Footnote 4: Artists have several seals of stone with which to stamp onthe picture they draw as a guarantee of their personal work or foridentification. The shape and kind of seals are quite a hobby amongartists, and sales or exchange are of common occurrence. ]

"You can pay any time. " He was insistent. I settled him by telling himof my having no intention of purchasing it even if I had the necessarymoney. Again next time, he yanked in a big writing stone slab about thesize of a ridge-tile. 

"This is a tankei, "[5] he said. As he "tankeied" two or three times, Iasked for fun what was a tankei. Right away he commenced lecturing onthe subject. "There are the upper, the middle and the lower stratum intankei, " he said. "Most of tankei slabs to-day are made from the upperstratum, " he continued, "but this one is surely from the middlestratum. Look at this 'gan. '[6] 'Tis certainly rare to have three'gans' like this. The ink-cake grates smoothly on it. Try it, sir, "--and he pushed it towards me. I asked him how much, and heanswered that on account of its owner having brought it from China andwishing to sell if as soon as possible, he would make it very cheap, that I could have it for thirty yen. I was sure he was a fool. I seemedto be able to get through the school somehow, but I would soon give outif this "curio siege" kept on long. 

[Footnote 5: Tankei is the name of a place in China where a certain kindof stone suitable for writing purposes was produced. ]

[Footnote 6: "Gan" may be understood as a kind of natural mark on thestone peculiar to the stone from Tankei. ]

Shortly afterwards, I began to get sick of the school. One certainnight, while I was strolling about a street named Omachi, I happened tonotice a sign of noodles below of which was annotated "Tokyo" in thehouse next to the post office. I am very fond of noodles. While I was inTokyo, if I passed by a noodle house and smelled the seasoning spices, Ifelt uncontrollable temptation to go inside at any cost. Up to this timeI had forgotten the noodle on account of mathematics and antique curios, but since I had seen thus the sign of noodles, I could hardly pass it byunnoticed. So availing myself of this opportunity, I went in. It was notquite up to what I had judged by the sign. Since it claimed to followthe Tokyo style, they should have tidied up a little bit about the room. They did not either know Tokyo or have the means, --I did not know which, but the room was miserably dirty. The floor-mats had all seen betterdays and felt shaggy with sandy dust. The sootcovered walls defied theblackest black. The ceiling was not only smoked by the lamp black, butwas so low as to force one involuntarily bend down his neck. Only theprice-list, on which was glaringly written "Noodles" and which waspasted on the wall, was entirely new. I was certain that they bought anold house and opened the business just two or three days before. At thehead of the price-list appeared "tempura" (noodles served with shrimpfried in batter). 

"Say, fetch me some tempura, " I ordered in a loud voice. Then threefellows who had been making a chewing noise together in a corner, lookedin my direction. As the room was dark I did not notice them at first. But when we looked at each other, I found them all to be boys in ourschool. They "how d'ye do'd" me and I acknowledged it. That night, having come across the noodle after so long a time, it tasted so finethat I ate four bowls. 

The next day as I entered the class room quite unconcernedly, I saw onthe black board written in letters so large as to take up the wholespace; "Professor Tempura. " The boys all glanced at my face and mademerry hee-haws at my cost. It was so absurd that I asked them if it wasin any way funny for me to eat tempura noodle. Thereupon one of themsaid, --"But four bowls is too much. " What did they care if I ate fourbowls or five as long as I paid it with my own money, --and speedilyfinishing up my class, I returned to the teachers' room. After tenminutes' recess, I went to the next class, and there on the black boardwas newly written quite as large as before; "Four bowls of tempuranoodles, but don't laugh. "

The first one did not arouse any ill-temper in me, but this time it mademe feel irritating mad. A joke carried too far becomes mischievous. Itis like the undue jealousy of some women who, like coal, look black andsuggest flames. Nobody likes it. These country simpletons, unable todifferentiate upon so delicate a boundary, would seem to be bent onpushing everything to the limit. As they lived in such a narrow townwhere one has no more to see if he goes on strolling about for one hour, and as they were capable of doing nothing better, they were trumpetingaloud this tempura incident in quite as serious a manner as theRusso-Japanese war. What a bunch of miserable pups! It is because theyare raised in this fashion from their boyhood that there are many punieswho, like the dwarf maple tree in the flower pot, mature gnarled andtwisted. I have no objection to laugh myself with others over innocentjokes. But how's this? Boys as they are, they showed a "poisonoustemper. " Silently erasing off "tempura" from the board, I questionedthem if they thought such mischief interesting, that this was a cowardlyjoke and if they knew the meaning of "cowardice. " Some of them answeredthat to get angry on being laughed at over one's own doing, wascowardice. What made them so disgusting as this? I pitied myself forcoming from far off Tokyo to teach such a lot. 

"Keep your mouth shut, and study hard, " I snapped, and started theclass. In the next class again there was written: "When one eats tempuranoodles it makes him drawl nonsense. " There seemed no end to it. I wasthoroughly aroused with anger, and declaring that I would not teach suchsassies, went home straight. The boys were glad of having an unexpectedholiday, so I heard. When things had come to this pass, the antiquecurious seemed far more preferable to the school. 

My return home and sleep over night greatly rounded off my rugged temperover the tempura affair. I went to the school, and they were there also. I could not tell what was what. The three days thereafter were pacific, and on the night of the fourth day, I went to a suburb called Sumida andate "dango" (small balls made of glutinous rice, dressed withsugar-paste). Sumida is a town where there are restaurants, hot-springsbath houses and a park, and in addition, the "tenderloin. " The dangoshop where I went was near the entrance to the tenderloin, and as thedango served there was widely known for its nice taste, I dropped in onmy way back from my bath. As I did not meet any students this time, Ithought nobody knew of it, but when I entered the first hour class nextday, I found written on the black board; "Two dishes of dango--7 sen. "It is true that I ate two dishes and paid seven sen. Troublesome kids! Ideclare. I expected with certainty that there would be something at thesecond hour, and there it was; "The dango in the tenderloin taste fine. "Stupid wretches!

No sooner I thought, the dango incident closed than the red towel becamethe topic for widespread gossip. Inquiry as to the story revealed it tobe something unusually absurd. Since, my arrival here, I had made it apart of my routine to take in the hot springs bath every day. Whilethere was nothing in this town which compared favorably with Tokyo, thehot springs were worthy of praise. So long as I was in the town, Idecided that I would have a dip every day, and went there walking, partly for physical exercise, before my supper. And whenever I wentthere I used to carry a large-size European towel dangling from my hand. Added to somewhat reddish color the towel had acquired by its havingbeen soaked in the hot-springs, the red color on its border, which wasnot fast enough, streaked about so that the towel now looked as if itwere dyed red. This towel hung down from my hand on both ways whetherafoot or riding in the train. For this reason, the students nicknamed meRed Towel. Honest, it is exasperating to live in a little town. 

There is some more. The bath house I patronized was a newly builtthree-story house, and for the patrons of the first class the houseprovided a bath-robe, in addition to an attendant, and the cost was onlyeight sen. On top of that, a maid would serve tea in a regular politefashion. I always paid the first class. Then those gossipy spottersstarted saying that for one who made only forty yen a month to take afirst class bath every day was extravagant. Why the devil should theycare? It was none of their business. 

There is still some more. The bath-tub, --or the tank in this case, --wasbuilt of granite, and measured about thirty square feet. Usually therewere thirteen or fourteen people in the tank, but sometimes there wasnone. As the water came up clear to the breast, I enjoyed, for athleticpurposes, swimming in the tank. I delighted in swimming in this30-square feet tank, taking chances of the total absence of otherpeople. Once, going downstairs from the third story with a light heart, and peeping through the entrance of the tank to see if I should be ableto swim, I noticed a sign put up in which was boldly written: "Noswimming allowed in the tank. " As there may not have been many who swamin the tank, this notice was probably put up particularly for my sake. After that I gave up swimming. But although I gave up swimming, I wassurprised, when I went to the school, to see on the board, as usual, written: "No swimming allowed in the tank. " It seemed as if all thestudents united in tracking me everywhere. They made me sick. I was nota fellow to stop doing whatever I had started upon no matter whatstudents might say, but I became thoroughly disgusted when I meditatedon why I had come to such a narrow, suffocating place. And, then, when Ireturned home, the "antique curio siege" was still going on. 

CHAPTER IV

For us teachers there was a duty of night watch in the school, and wehad to do it in turn. But Badger and Red Shirt were not in it. Onasking why these two were exempt from this duty, I was told that theywere accorded by the government treatment similar to officials of"Sonin" rank. Oh, fudge! They were paid more, worked less, and werethen excused from this night watch. It was not fair. They maderegulations to suit their convenience and seemed to regard all this asa matter of course. How could they be so brazen faced as this! I wasgreatly dissatisfied relative to this question, but according to theopinion of Porcupine, protests by a single person, with what insistencythey may be made, will not be heard. They ought to be heard whetherthey are made by one person or by two if they are just. Porcupineremonstrated with me by quoting "Might is right" in English. I did notcatch his point, so I asked him again, and he told me that it meant theright of the stronger. If it was the right of the stronger I had knownit for long, and did not require Porcupine explain that to me at thistime. The right of the stronger was a question different from that ofthe night watch. Who would agree that Badger and Red Shirt were thestronger? But argument or no argument, the turn of this night watch atlast fell upon me. Being quite fastidious, I never enjoyed sound sleepunless I slept comfortably in my own bedding. From my childhood, Inever stayed out overnight. When I did not find sleeping under the roofof my friends inviting, night watch in the school, you may be sure, wasstill worse. However repulsive, if this was a part of the forty yen amonth, there was no alternative. I had to do it. 

To remain alone in the school after the faculty and students had gonehome, was something particularly awkward. The room for the night watchwas in the rear of the school building at the west end of the dormitory. I stepped inside to see how it was, and finding it squarely facing thesetting sun, I thought I would melt. In spite of autumn having alreadyset in, the hot spell still lingered, quite in keeping with thedilly-dally atmosphere of the country. I ordered the same kind of mealas served for the students, and finished my supper. The meal wasunspeakably poor. It was a wonder they could subsist on such miserablestuff and keep on "roughing it" in that lively fashion. Not only that, they were always hungry for supper, finishing it at 4. 30 in theafternoon. They must be heroes in a sense. I had thus my supper, but thesun being still high, could not go to bed yet. I felt like going to thehot-springs. I did not know the wrong or right of night watch going out, but it was oppressively trying to stand a life akin to heavyimprisonment. When I called at the school the first time and inquiredabout night watch, I was told by the janitor that he had just gone outand I thought it strange. But now by taking the turn of night watchmyself, I could fathom the situation; it was right for any night watchto go out. I told the janitor that I was going out for a minute. Heasked me "on business?" and I answered "No, " but to take a bath at thehot springs, and went out straight. It was too bad that I had left myred towel at home, but I would borrow one over there for to-day. 

I took plenty of time in dipping in the bath and as it became dark atlast, I came to the Furumachi Station on a train. It was only about fourblocks to the school; I could cover it in no time. When I startedwalking schoolwards, Badger was seen coming from the opposite direction. Badger, I presumed, was going to the hot springs by this train. He camewith brisk steps, and as we passed by, I nodded my courtesy. ThenBadger, with a studiously owlish countenance, asked:

"Am I wrong to understand that you are night watch?"

Chuck that "Am-I-wrong-to-understand"! Two hours ago, did he not say tome "You're on first night watch to-night. Now, take care of yourself?"What makes one use such a roundabout, twisted way of saying anythingwhen he becomes a principal? I was far from smiling. 

"Yes, Sir, " I said, "I'm night watch to-night, and as I am night watch Iwill return to the school and stay there overnight, sure. " With thisparting shot, I left him where we met. Coming then to the cross-streetsof Katamachi, I met Porcupine. This is a narrow place, I tell you. Whenever one ventures out, he is sure to come across some familiar face. 

"Say, aren't you night watch?" he hallooed, and I said "Yes, I am. " "Tiswrong for night watch to leave his post at his pleasure, " he added, andto this I blurted out with a bold front; "Nothing wrong at all. It iswrong not to go out. "

"Say, old man, your slap-dash is going to the limit. Wouldn't look wellfor the principal or the head teacher to see you out like this. "

The submissive tone of his remark was contrary to Porcupine as I hadknown him so far, so I cut him short by saying:

"I have met the principal just now. Why, he approved my taking a strollabout the town. Said it would be hard on night watch unless he took awalk when it is hot. " Then I made a bee-line for the school. 

Soon it was night. I called the janitor to my room and had a chat forabout two hours. I grew tired of this, and thought I would get into bedanyway, even if I could not sleep. I put on my night shirt, lifted themosquito-net, rolled off the red blanket and fell down flat on my backwith a bang. The making of this bumping noise when I go to bed is myhabit from my boyhood. "It is a bad habit, " once declared a student of alaw school who lived on the ground floor, and I on the second, when Iwas in the boarding house at Ogawa-machi, Kanda-ku, and who broughtcomplaints to my room in person. Students of law schools, weaklings asthey are, have double the ability of ordinary persons when it comes totalking. As this student of law dwelt long on absurd accusations, Idowned him by answering that the noise made when I went to bed was notthe fault of my hip, but that of the house which was not built on asolid base, and that if he had any fuss to make, make it to the house, not to me. This room for night watch was not on the second floor, sonobody cared how much I banged. I do not feel well-rested unless I go tobed with the loudest bang I can make. 

"This is bully!" and I straightened out my feet, when something jumpedand clung to them. They felt coarse, and seemed not to be fleas. I was abit surprised, and shook my feet inside the blanket two or three times. Instantly the blamed thing increased, --five or six of them on my legs, two or three on the thighs, one crushed beneath my hip and another clearup to my belly. The shock became greater. Up I jumped, took off theblanket, and about fifty to sixty grasshoppers flew out. I was more orless uneasy until I found out what they were, but now I saw they weregrasshoppers, they set me on the war path. "You insignificantgrasshoppers, startling a man! See what's coming to you!" With this Islapped them with my pillow twice or thrice, but the objects being sosmall, the effect was out of proportion to the force with which theblows were administered. I adopted a different plan. In the manner ofbeating floor-mats with rolled matting at house-cleaning, I sat up inbed and began beating them with the pillow. Many of them flew up by theforce of the pillow; some desperately clung on or shot against my noseor head. I could not very well hit those on my head with the pillow; Igrabbed such, and dashed them on the floor. What was more provoking wasthat no matter how hard I dashed them, they landed on the mosquito-netwhere they made a fluffy jerk and remained, far from being dead. Atlast, in about half an hour the slaughter of the grasshoppers was ended. I fetched a broom and swept them out. The janitor came along and askedwhat was the matter. 

"Damn the matter! Where in thunder are the fools who keep grasshoppersin bed! You pumpkinhead!"

The janitor answered by explaining that he did not know anything aboutit. "You can't get away with Did-not-know, " and I followed thisthundering by throwing away the broom. The awe-struck janitor shoulderedthe broom and faded away. 

At once I summoned three of the students to my room as the"representatives, " and six of them reported. Six or ten made nodifference; I rolled up the sleeves of my night-shirt and fired away. 

"What do you mean by putting grasshoppers in my bed!"

"Grasshoppers? What are they?" said one in front, in a tone disgustinglyquiet. In this school, not only the principal, but the students as well, were addicted to using twisted-round expressions. 

"Don't know grasshoppers! You shall see!" To my chagrin, there was none;I had swept them all out. I called the janitor again and told him tofetch those grasshoppers he had taken away. The janitor said he hadthrown them into the garbage box, but that he would pick them out again. "Yes, hurry up, " I said, and he sped away. After a while he brought backabout ten grasshoppers on a white paper, remarking:

"I'm sorry, Sir. It's dark outside and I can't find out more. I'll findsome tomorrow. " All fools here, down to the janitor. I showed onegrasshopper to the students. 

"This is a grasshopper. What's the matter for as big idiots as you notto know a grasshopper. " Then the one with a round face sitting on theleft saucily shot back:

"A-ah say, that's a locust, a-ah----. "

"Shut up. They're the same thing. In the first place, what do youmean by answering your teacher 'A-ah say'? Ah-Say or Ah-Sing is aChink's name!"

For this counter-shot, he answered:

"A-ah say and Ah-Sing is different, --A-ah say. " They never got rid of"A-ah say. "

"Grasshoppers or locusts, why did you put them into my bed? When Iasked you to?"

"Nobody put them in. "

"If not, how could they get into the bed?"

"Locusts are fond of warm places and probably they got in thererespectfully by themselves. "

"You fools! Grasshoppers getting into bed respectfully! I should smileat them getting in there respectfully! Now, what's the reason for doingthis mischief? Speak out. "

"But there is no way to explain it because we didn't do it. "

Shrimps! If they were afraid of making a clean breast of their own deed, they should not have done it at all. They looked defiant, and appearedto insist on their innocence as long as no evidence was brought up. Imyself did some mischief while in the middle school, but when theculprit was sought after, I was never so cowardly, not even once, toback out. What one has done, has been done; what he has not, has notbeen, --that's the black and white of it. I, for one have been game andsquare, no matter how much mischief I might have done. If I wished tododge the punishment, I would not start it. Mischief and punishment arebound to go together. We can enjoy mischief-making with some show ofspirit because it is accompanied by certain consequences. Where does oneexpect to see the dastardly spirit which hungers for mischief-makingwithout punishment, in vogue? The fellows who like to borrow money butnot pay it back, are surely such as these students here after they aregraduated. What did these fellows come to this middle school for, anyway? They enter a school, tattle round lies, play silly jokes behindsome one by sneaking and cheating and get wrongly swell-headed when theyfinish the school thinking they have received an education. A common lotof jackasses they are. 

My hatred of talking with these scamps became intense, so I dismissedthem by saying:

"If you fellows have nothing to say, let it go at that. You deservepity for not knowing the decent from the vulgar after coming to amiddle school. "

I am not very decent in my own language or manner, but am sure that mymoral standard is far more decent than that of these gangs. Those sixboys filed out leisurely. Outwardly they appeared more dignified than Itheir teacher, it was the more repulsive for their calm behavior. I haveno temerity equal to theirs. Then I went to bed again, and found theinside of the net full of merry crowds of mosquitoes. I could not bothermyself to burn one by one with a candle flame. So I took the net off thehooks, folded it the lengthwise, and shook it crossways, up and down theroom. One of the rings of the net, flying round, accidentally hit theback of my hand, the effect of which I did not soon forget. When I wentto bed for the third time, I cooled off a little, but could not sleepeasily. My watch showed it was half past ten. Well, as I thought itover, I realized myself as having come to a dirty pit. If all teachersof middle schools everywhere have to handle fellows like these in thisschool, those teachers have my sympathy. It is wonderful that teachersnever run short. I believe there are many boneheads of extraordinarypatience; but me for something else. In this respect, Kiyo is worthy ofadmiration. She is an old woman, with neither education nor socialposition, but as a human, she does more to command our respect. Untilnow, I have been a trouble to her without appreciating her goodness, buthaving come alone to such a far-off country, I now appreciated, for thefirst time, her kindness. If she is fond of sasa-ame of Echigo province, and if I go to Echigo for the purpose of buying that sweetmeat to lether eat it, she is fully worth that trouble. Kiyo has been praising meas unselfish and straight, but she is a person of sterling qualities farmore than I whom she praises. I began to feel like meeting her. 

While I was thus meditating about Kiyo, all of a sudden, on the floorabove my head, about thirty to forty people, if I guess by the number, started stamping the floor with bang, bang, bang that well threatened tobang down the floor. This was followed by proportionately loud whoops. The noise surprised me, and I popped up. The moment I got up I becameaware that the students were starting a rough house to get even with me. What wrong one has committed, he has to confess, or his offence is neveratoned for. They are just to ask for themselves what crimes they havedone. It should be proper that they repent their folly after going tobed and to come and beg me pardon the next morning. Even if they couldnot go so far as to apologize they should have kept quiet. Then whatdoes this racket mean? Where we keeping hogs in our dormitory?

"This crazy thing got to stop. See what you get!"

I ran out of the room in my night shirt, and flew upstairs in three andhalf steps. Then, strange to say, thunderous rumbling, of which I wassure of hearing in the act, was hushed. Not only a whisper but evenfootsteps were not heard. This was funny. The lamp was already blownout and although I could not see what was what in the dark, neverthelesscould tell by instinct whether there was somebody around or not. In thelong corridor running from the east to the west, there was not hidingeven a mouse. From other end of the corridor the moonlight flooded inand about there it was particularly light. The scene was somewhatuncanny. I have had the habit from my boyhood of frequently dreaming andof flying out of bed and of muttering things which nobody understood, affording everybody a hearty laugh. One night, when I was sixteen orseventeen, I dreamed that I picked up a diamond, and getting up, demanded of my brother who was sleeping close to me what he had donewith that diamond. The demand was made with such force that for aboutthree days all in the house chaffed me about the fatal loss of preciousstone, much to my humiliation. Maybe this noise which I heard was but adream, although I was sure it was real. I was wondering thus in themiddle of the corridor, when at the further end where it was moonlit, aroar was raised, coming from about thirty or forty throats, "One, two, three, --Whee-ee!" The roar had hardly subsided, when, as before, thestamping of the floor commenced with furious rhythm. Ah, it was not adream, but a real thing!

"Quit making the noise! 'Tis midnight!"

I shouted to beat the band, and started in their direction. My passagewas dark; the moonlight yonder was only my guide. About twelve feetpast, I stumbled squarely against some hard object; ere the "Ouch!" haspassed clear up to my head, I was thrown down. I called all kinds ofgods, but could not run. My mind urged me on to hurry up, but my legwould not obey the command. Growing impatient, I hobbled on one foot, and found both voice and stamping already ceased and perfectly quiet. Men can be cowards but I never expected them capable of becoming suchdastardly cowards as this. They challenged hogs. 

Now the situation having developed to this pretty mess, I would not giveit up until I had dragged them out from hiding and forced them toapologize. With this determination, I tried to open one of the doors andexamine inside, but it would not open. It was locked or held fast with apile of tables or something; to my persistent efforts the door stoodunyielding. Then I tried one across the corridor on the northside, butit was also locked. While this irritating attempt at door-opening wasgoing on, again on the east end of the corridor the whooping roar andrhythmic stamping of feet were heard. The fools at both ends were benton making a goose of me. I realized this, but then I was at a loss whatto do. I frankly confess that I have not quite as much tact as dashingspirit. In such a case I am wholly at the mercy of swaying circumstanceswithout my own way of getting through it. Nevertheless, I do not expectto play the part of underdog. If I dropped the affair then and there, itwould reflect upon my dignity. It would be mortifying to have them thinkthat they had one on the Tokyo-kid and that Tokyo-kid was wanting intenacity. To have it on record that I had been guyed by theseinsignificant spawn when on night watch, and had to give in to theirimpudence because I could not handle them, --this would be an indelibledisgrace on my life. Mark ye, --I am descendant of a samurai of the"hatamato" class. The blood of the "hatamoto" samurai could be traced toMitsunaka Tada, who in turn could claim still a nobler ancestor. I amdifferent from, and nobler than, these manure-smelling louts. The onlypity is that I am rather short of tact; that I do not know what to do insuch a case. That is the trouble. But I would not throw up the sponge;not on your life! I only do not know how because I am honest. Justthink, --if the honest does not win, what else is there in this worldthat will win? If I cannot beat them to-night, I will tomorrow; if nottomorrow, then the day after tomorrow. If not the day after tomorrow, Iwill sit down right here, get my meals from my home until I beat them. 

Thus resolved, I squatted in the middle of the corridor and waited forthe dawn. Myriads of mosquitoes swarmed about me, but I did not mindthem. I felt my leg where I hit it a while ago; it seemed bespatteredwith something greasy. I thought it was bleeding. Let it bleed all itcares! Meanwhile, exhausted by these unwonted affairs, I fell asleep. When I awoke, up I jumped with a curse. The door on my right was halfopened, and two students were standing in front of me. The moment Irecovered my senses from the drowsy lull, I grabbed a leg of one of themnearest to me, and yanked it with all my might. He fell down prone. Lookat what you're getting now! I flew at the other fellow, who was muchconfused; gave him vigorous shaking twice or thrice, and he only keptopen his bewildering eyes. 

"Come up to my room. " Evidently they were mollycoddles, for they obeyedmy command without a murmur. The day had become already clear. 

I began questioning those two in my room, but, --you cannot pound out theleopard's spots no matter how you may try, --they seemed determined topush it through by an insistent declaration of "not guilty, " that theywould not confess. While this questioning was going on, the studentsupstairs came down, one by one, and began congregating in my room. Inoticed all their eyes were swollen from want of sleep. 

"Blooming nice faces you got for not sleeping only one night. And youcall yourselves men! Go, wash your face and come back to hear what I'vegot to tell you. "

I hurled this shot at them, but none of them went to wash his face. Forabout one hour, I had been talking and back-talking with about fiftystudents when suddenly Badger put in his appearance. I heard afterwardthat the janitor ran to Badger for the purpose of reporting to him thatthere was a trouble in the school. What a weak-knee of the janitor tofetch the principal for so trifling an affair as this! No wonder hecannot see better times than a janitor. 

The principal listened to my explanation, and also to brief remarks fromthe students. "Attend school as usual till further notice. Hurry up withwashing your face and breakfast; there isn't much time left. " So theprincipal let go all the students. Decidedly slow way of handling, this. If I were the principal, I would expel them right away. It is becausethe school accords them such luke-warm treatment that they get "fresh"and start "guying" the night watch. 

He said to me that it must have been trying on my nerves, and thatI might be tired, and also that I need not teach that day. To thisI replied:

"No, Sir, no worrying at all. Such things may happen every night, but it would not disturb me in the least as long as I breathe. Iwill do the teaching. If I were not able to teach on account of lackof sleep for only one single night, I would make a rebate of mysalary to the school. "

I do not know how this impressed him, but he gazed at me for a while, and called my attention to the fact that my face was rather swollen. Indeed, I felt it heavy. Besides, it itched all over. I was sure themosquitoes must have stung me there to their hearts' content. Ifurther added:

"My face may be swollen, but I can talk all right; so I will teach;"thus scratching my face with some warmth. The principal smiled andremarked, "Well, you have the strength. " To tell the truth, he did notintend remark to be a compliment, but, I think, a sneer. 

CHAPTER V. 

"Won't you go fishing?" asked Red Shirt He talks in a strangely womanishvoice. One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman. Asa man he should talk like one. Is he not a college graduate? I can talkman-like enough, and am a graduate from a school of physics at that. Itis a shame for a B. A. To have such a squeak. 

I answered with the smallest enthusiasm, whereupon he further asked mean impolite question if I ever did fishing. I told him not much, that Ionce caught three gibels when I was a boy, at a fishing game pond atKoume, and that I also caught a carp about eight inches long, at asimilar game at the festival of Bishamon at Kagurazaka;--the carp, justas I was coaxing it out of the water, splashed back into it, and when Ithink of the incident I feel mortified at the loss even now. Red Shirtstuck out his chin and laughed "ho, ho. " Why could he not laugh justlike an ordinary person? "Then you are not well acquainted with thespirit of the game, " he cried. "I'll show you if you like. " He seemedhighly elated. 

Not for me! I take it this way that generally those who are fond offishing or shooting have cruel hearts. Otherwise, there is no reason whythey could derive pleasure in murdering innocent creatures. Surely, fishand birds would prefer living to getting killed. Except those who makefishing or shooting their calling, it is nonsense for those who are welloff to say that they cannot sleep well unless they seek the lives offish or birds. This was the way I looked at the question, but as he wasa B. A. And would have a better command of language when it came totalking, I kept mum, knowing he would beat me in argument. Red Shirtmistook my silence for my surrender, and began to induce me to join himright away, saying he would show me some fish and I should come with himif I was not busy, because he and Mr. Yoshikawa were lonesome whenalone. Mr. Yoshikawa is the teacher of drawing whom I had nicknamedClown. I don't know what's in the mind of this Clown, but he was aconstant visitor at the house of Red Shirt, and wherever he went, Clownwas sure to be trailing after him. They appeared more like master andservant than two fellow teachers. As Clown used to follow Red Shirt likea shadow, it would be natural to see them go off together now, but whenthose two alone would have been well off, why should they inviteme, --this brusque, unaesthetic fellow, --was hard to understand. Probably, vain of his fishing ability, he desired to show his skill, buthe aimed at the wrong mark, if that was his intention, as nothing of thekind would touch me. I would not be chagrined if he fishes out two orthree tunnies. I am a man myself and poor though I may be in the art, Iwould hook something if I dropped a line. If I declined his invitation, Red Shirt would suspect that I refused not because of my lack ofinterest in the game but because of my want of skill of fishing. Iweighed the matter thus, and accepted his invitation. After the school, I returned home and got ready, and having joined Red Shirt and Clown atthe station, we three started to the shore. There was only one boatmanto row; the boat was long and narrow, a kind we do not have in Tokyo. Ilooked for fishing rods but could find none. 

"How can we fish without rods? How are we going to manage it?" I askedClown and he told me with the air of a professional fisherman that norods were needed in the deep-sea fishing, but only lines. I had betternot asked him if I was to be talked down in this way. 

The boatman was rowing very slowly, but his skill was somethingwonderful. We had already come far out to sea, and on turning back, sawthe shore minimized, fading in far distance. The five-storied pagoda ofTosho Temple appeared above the surrounding woods like a needle-point. Yonder stood Aoshima (Blue Island). Nobody was living on this islandwhich a closer view showed to be covered with stones and pine trees. Nowonder no one could live there. Red Shirt was intently surveying aboutand praising the general view as fine. Clown also termed it "anabsolutely fine view. " I don't know whether it is so fine as to beabsolute, but there was no doubt as to the exhilarating air. I realizedit as the best tonic to be thus blown by the fresh sea breeze upon awide expanse of water. I felt hungry. 

"Look at that pine; its trunk is straight and spreads its top brancheslike an umbrella. Isn't it a Turnersque picture?" said Red Shirt. "Yes, just like Turner's, " responded Clown, "Isn't the way it curves justelegant? Exactly the touch of Turner, " he added with some show of pride. I didn't know what Turner was, but as I could get along without knowingit, I kept silent. The boat turned to the left with the island on theright. The sea was so perfectly calm as to tempt one to think he was noton the deep sea. The pleasant occasion was a credit to Red Shirt. As Iwished, if possible, to land on the island, I asked the boatman if ourboat could not be made to it. Upon this Red Shirt objected, saying thatwe could do so but it was not advisable to go too close the shore forfishing. I kept still for a while. Then Clown made the unlooked-forproposal that the island be named Turner Island. "That's good; We shallcall it so hereafter, " seconded Red Shirt. If I was included in that"We, " it was something I least cared for. Aoshima was good enough forme. "By the way, how would it look, " said Clown, "if we place Madonna byRaphael upon that rock? It would make a fine picture. "

"Let's quit talking about Madonna, ho, ho, ho, " and Red Shirt emitted aspooky laugh. 

"That's all right. Nobody's around, " remarked Clown as he glanced at me, and turning his face to other direction significantly, smileddevilishly. I felt sickened. 

As it was none of my business whether it was a Madonna or a kodanna(young master), they let pose there any old way, but it was vulgar tofeign assurance that one's subject is in no danger of being understoodso long as others did not know the subject. Clown claims himself as aYedo kid. I thought that the person called Madonna was no other than afavorite geisha of Red Shirt. I should smile at the idea of his gazingat his tootsy-wootsy standing beneath a pine tree. It would be betterif Clown would make an oil painting of the scene and exhibit it forthe public. 

"This will be about the best place. " So saying the boatman stoppedrowing the boat and dropped an anchor. 

"How deep is it?" asked Red Shirt, and was told about six fathoms. 

"Hard to fish sea-breams in six fathoms, " said Red Shirt as he dropped aline into the water. The old sport appeared to expect to fetch somebream. Bravo!

"It wouldn't be hard for you. Besides it is calm, " Clown fawninglyremarked, and he too dropped a line. The line had only a tiny bit oflead that looked like a weight. It had no float. To fish without a floatseemed as nearly reasonable as to measure the heat without athermometer, which was something impossible for me. So I looked on. Theythen told me to start, and asked me if I had any line. I told them I hadmore than I could use, but that I had no float. 

"To say that one is unable to fish without a float shows that he is anovice, " piped up Clown. 

"See? When the line touches the bottom, you just manage it with yourfinger on the edge. If a fish bites, you could tell in a minute. Thereit goes, " and Red Shirt hastily started taking out the line. I wonderedwhat he had got, but I saw no fish, only the bait was gone. Ha, good foryou, Gov'nur!

"Wasn't it too bad! I'm sure it was a big one. If you miss that way, with your ability, we would have to keep a sharper watch to-day. But, say, even if we miss the fish, it's far better than staring at a float, isn't it? Just like saying he can't ride a bike without a brake. " Clownhas been getting rather gay, and I was almost tempted to swat him. I'mjust as good as they are. The sea isn't leased by Red Shirt, and theremight be one obliging bonito which might get caught by my line. Idropped my line then, and toyed it with my finger carelessly. 

After a while something shook my line with successive jerks. I thoughtit must be a fish. Unless it was something living, it would not givethat tremulous shaking. Good! I have it, and I commenced drawing in theline, while Clown jibed me "What? Caught one already? Very remarkable, indeed!" I had drawn in nearly all the line, leaving only about fivefeet in the water. I peeped over and saw a fish that looked like a goldfish with stripes was coming up swimming to right and left. It wasinteresting. On taking it out of the water, it wriggled and jumped, andcovered my face with water. After some effort, I had it and tried todetach the hook, but it would not come out easily. My hands becamegreasy and the sense was anything but pleasing. I was irritated; I swungthe line and banged the fish against the bottom of the boat. It speedilydied. Red Shirt and Clown watched me with surprise. I washed my hands inthe water but they still smelled "fishy. " No more for me! I don't carewhat fish I might get, I don't want to grab a fish. And I presume thefish doesn't want to be grabbed either. I hastily rolled up the line. 

"Splendid for the first honor, but that's goruki, " Clown again made a"fresh" remark. 

"Goruki sounds like the name of a Russian literator, " said Red Shirt. "Yes, just like a Russian literator, " Clown at once seconded Red Shirt. Gorky for a Russian literator, Maruki a photographer of Shibaku, andkomeno-naruki (rice) a life-giver, eh? This Red Shirt has a bad hobby ofmarshalling before anybody the name of foreigners. Everybody has hisspecialty. How could a teacher of mathematics like me tell whether it isa Gorky or shariki (rikishaman). Red Shirt should have been a littlemore considerate. And if he wants to mention such names at all, let himmention "Autobiography of Ben Franklin, " or "Pushing to the Front, " orsomething we all know. Red Shirt has been seen once in a while bringinga magazine with a red cover entitled Imperial Literature to the schooland poring over it with reverence. I heard it from Porcupine that RedShirt gets his supply of all foreign names from that magazine. Well, Ishould say!

For some time, Red Shirt and Clown fished assiduously and within aboutan hour they caught about fifteen fish. The funny part of it was thatall they caught were goruki; of sea-bream there was not a sign. 

"This is a day of bumper crop of Russian literature, " Red Shirt said, and Clown answered:

"When one as skilled as you gets nothing but goruki, it's natural for meto get nothing else. "

The boatman told me that this small-sized fish goruki has too manytiny bones and tastes too poor to be fit for eating, but they could beused for fertilising. So Red Shirt and Clown were fishing fertiliserswith vim and vigor. As for me, one goruki was enough and I laid downmyself on the bottom, and looked up at the sky. This was far moredandy than fishing. 

Then the two began whispering. I could not hear well, nor did I care to. I was looking up at the sky and thinking about Kiyo. If I had enough ofmoney, I thought, and came with Kiyo to such a picturesque place, howjoyous it would be. No matter how picturesque the scene might be, itwould be flat in the company of Clown or of his kind. Kiyo is a poorwrinkled woman, but I am not ashamed to take her to any old place. Clownor his likes, even in a Victoria or a yacht, or in a sky-high position, would not be worthy to come within her shadow. If I were the headteacher, and Red Shirt I, Clown would be sure to fawn on me and jeer atRed Shirt. They say Yedo kids are flippant. Indeed, if a fellow likeClown was to travel the country and repeatedly declare "I am a Yedokid, " no wonder the country folk would decide that the flippant are Yedokids and Yedo kids are flippant. While I was meditating like this, Iheard suppressed laughter. Between their laughs they talked something, but I could not make out what they were talking about. "Eh? I don'tknow. . . . . . " ". . . . . . That's true . . . . . . He doesn't know . . . . . . Isn't itpity, though . . . . . . . " "Can that be. . . . . . . " "With grasshoppers . . . . . . That's a fact. "

I did not listen to what they were talking, but when I heard Clown say"grasshoppers, " I cocked my ear instinctively. Clown emphasized, forwhat reason I do not know the word "grasshopers" so that it would besure to reach my ear plainly, and he blurred the rest on purpose. I didnot move, and kept on listening. "That same old Hotta, " "that may be thecase. . . . " "Tempura . . . . . . Ha, ha, ha . . . . . . " ". . . . . . Incited . . . . . . "". . . . . . Dango also? . . . . . . "

The words were thus choppy, but judging by their saying "grasshoppers, ""tempura" or "dango, " I was sure they were secretly talking somethingabout me. If they wanted to talk, they should do it louder. If theywanted to discuss something secret, why in thunder did they invite me?What damnable blokes! Grasshoppers or glass-stoppers, I was not in thewrong; I have kept quiet to save the face of Badger because theprinciple asked me to leave the matter to him. Clown has been makingunnecessary criticisms; out with your old paint-brushes there! Whateverconcerns me, I will settle it myself sooner or later, and they had justto keep off my toes. But remarks such as "the same old Hotta" or ". . . . . . Incited . . . . . . " worried me a bit. I could not make out whether theymeant that Hotta incited me to extend the circle of the trouble, or thathe incited the students to get at me. As I gazed at the blue sky, thesunlight gradually waned and chilly winds commenced stirring. The cloudsthat resembled the streaky smokes of joss sticks were slowly extendingover a clear sky, and by degrees they were absorbed, melted and changedto a faint fog. 

"Well, let's be going, " said Red Shirt suddenly. "Yes, this is the timewe were going. See your Madonna to-night?" responded Clown. "Cut outnonsense . . . . . . Might mean a serious trouble, " said Red Shirt who wasreclining against the edge of the boat, now raising himself. "O, that'sall right if he hears. . . . . . . , " and when Clown, so saying, turned himselfmy way, I glared squarely in his face. Clown turned back as if to keepaway from a dazzling light, and with "Ha, this is going some, " shruggedhis shoulders and scratched his head. 

The boat was now being rowed shore-ward over the calm sea. "You don'tseem much fond of fishing, " asked Red Shirt. "No, I'd rather preferlying and looking at the sky, " I answered, and threw the stub ofcigarette I had been smoking into the water; it sizzled and floated onthe waves parted by the oar. 

"The students are all glad because you have come. So we want you do yourbest. " Red Shirt this time started something quite alien to fishing. "Idon't think they are, " I said. "Yes; I don't mean it as flattery. Theyare, sure. Isn't it so, Mr. Yoshikawa?"

"I should say they are. They're crazy over it, " said Clown with anunctuous smile. Strange that whatever Clown says, it makes me itchingmad. "But, if you don't look out, there is danger, " warned Red Shirt. 

"I am fully prepared for all dangers, " I replied. In fact, I had made upmy mind either to get fired or to make all the students in the dormitoryapologize to me. 

"If you talk that way, that cuts everything out. Really, as a headteacher, I've been considering what is good for you, and wouldn't likeyou to mistake it. "

"The head teacher is really your friend. And I'm doing what I can foryou, though mighty little, because you and I are Yedo kids, and I wouldlike to have you stay with us as long as possible and we can help eachother. " So said Clown and it sounded almost human. I would sooner hangmyself than to get helped by Clown. 

"And the students are all glad because you had come, but there are manycircumstances, " continued Red Shirt. "You may feel angry sometimes butbe patient for the present, and I will never do anything to hurt yourinterests. "

"You say 'many circumstances'; what are they?"

"They're rather complicated. Well, they'll be clear to you by and by. You'll understand them naturally without my talking them over. What doyou say, Mr. Yoshikawa?"

"Yes, they're pretty complicated; hard to get them cleared up in ajiffy. But they'll become clear by-the-bye. Will be understood naturallywithout my explaining them, " Clown echoed Red Shirt. 

"If they're such a bother, I don't mind not hearing them. I only askedyou because you sprang the subject. "

"That's right. I may seem irresponsible in not concluding the thing Ihad started. Then this much I'll tell you. I mean no offense, but youare fresh from school, and teaching is a new experience. And a school isa place where somewhat complicated private circumstances are common andone cannot do everything straight and simple". 

"If can't get it through straight and simple, how does it go?"

"Well, there you are so straight as that. As I was saying, you're shortof experience. . . . . . . . "

"I should be. As I wrote it down in my record-sheet, I'm 23 years andfour months. "

"That's it. So you'd be done by some one in unexpected quarter. "

"I'm not afraid who might do me as long as I'm honest. "

"Certainly not. No need be afraid, but I do say you look sharp; yourpredecessor was done. "

I noticed Clown had become quiet, and turning round, saw him at thestern talking with the boatman. Without Clown, I found our conversationrunning smoothly. 

"By whom was my predecessor done?"

"If I point out the name, it would reflect on the honor of that person, so I can't mention it. Besides there is no evidence to prove it and Imay be in a bad fix if I say it. At any rate, since you're here, myefforts will prove nothing if you fail. Keep a sharp look-out, please. "

"You say look-out, but I can't be more watchful than I'm now. If I don'tdo anything wrong, after all, that's all right isn't it?"

Red Shirt laughed. I did not remember having said anything provocativeof laughter. Up to this very minute, I have been firm in my convictionthat I'm right. When I come to consider the situation, it appears that amajority of people are encouraging others to become bad. They seem tobelieve that one must do wrong in order to succeed. If they happen tosee some one honest and pure, they sneer at him as "Master Darling" or"kiddy. " What's the use then of the instructors of ethics at grammarschools or middle schools teaching children not to tell a lie or to behonest. Better rather make a bold departure and teach at schools thegentle art of lying or the trick of distrusting others, or show pupilshow to do others. That would be beneficial for the person thus taughtand for the public as well. When Red Shirt laughed, he laughed at mysimplicity. My word! what chances have the simple-hearted or the pure ina society where they are made objects of contempt! Kiyo would neverlaugh at such a time; she would listen with profound respect. Kiyo isfar superior to Red Shirt. 

"Of course, that't all right as long as you don't do anything wrong. Butalthough you may not do anything wrong, they will do you just the sameunless you can see the wrong of others. There are fellows you have gotto watch, --the fellows who may appear off-hand, simple and so kind as toget boarding house for you. . . . . . Getting rather cold. 'Tis alreadyautumn, isn't it. The beach looks beer-color in the fog. A fine view. Say, Mr. Yoshikawa, what do you think of the scene along thebeach?. . . . . . " This in a loud voice was addressed to Clown. 

"Indeed, this is a fine view. I'd get a sketch of it if I had time. Seems a pity to leave it there, " answered Clown. 

A light was seen upstairs at Minato-ya, and just as the whistle of atrain was sounded, our boat pushed its nose deep into the sand. "Well, so you're back early, " courtesied the wife of the boatman as she steppedupon the sand. I stood on the edge of the boat; and whoop! I jumped outto the beach. 

CHAPTER VI. 

I heartily despise Clown. It would be beneficial for Japan if such afellow were tied to a quernstone and dumped into the sea. As to RedShirt, his voice did not suit my fancy. I believe he suppresses hisnatural tones to put on airs and assume genteel manner. He may put onall kinds of airs, but nothing good will come of it with that type offace. If anything falls in love with him, perhaps the Madonna will beabout the limit. As a head-teacher, however, he is more serious thanClown. As he did not say definitely, I cannot get to the point, but itappears that he warned me to look-out for Porcupine as he is crooked. Ifthat was the case, he should have declared it like a man. And ifPorcupine is so bad a teacher as that, it would be better to dischargehim. What a lack of backbone for a head teacher and a Bachelor of Arts!As he is a fellow so cautious as to be unable to mention the name of theother even in a whisper, he is surely a mollycoddle. All mollycoddlesare kind, and that Red Shirt may be as kind as a woman. His kindness isone thing, and his voice quite another, and it would be wrong todisregard his kindness on account of his voice. But then, isn't thisworld a funny place! The fellow I don't like is kind to me, and thefriend whom I like is crooked, --how absurd! Probably everything heregoes in opposite directions as it is in the country, the contrary holdsin Tokyo. A dangerous place, this. By degrees, fires may get frozen andcustard pudding petrified. But it is hardly believable that Porcupinewould incite the students, although he might do most anything he wishesas he is best liked among them. Instead of taking in so roundabout away, in the first place, it would have saved him a lot of trouble if hecame direct to me and got at me for a fight. If I am in his way, he hadbetter tell me so, and ask me to resign because I am in his way. Thereis nothing that cannot be settled by talking it over. If what he sayssounds reasonable, I would resign even tomorrow. This is not the onlytown where I can get bread and butter; I ought not to die homelesswherever I go. I thought Porcupine was a better sport. 

When I came here, Porcupine was the first to treat me to ice water. Tobe treated by such a fellow, even if it is so trifling a thing as icewater, affects my honor. I had only one glass then and had him pay onlyone sen and a half. But one sen or half sen, I shall not die in peace ifI accept a favor from a swindler. I will pay it back tomorrow when I goto the school. I borrowed three yen from Kiyo. That three yen is notpaid yet to-day, though it is five years since. Not that I could notpay, but that I did not want to. Kiyo never looks to my pocket thinkingI shall pay it back by-the-bye. Not by any means. I myself do not expectto fulfill cold obligation like a stranger by meditating on returningit. The more I worry about paying it back, the more I may be doubtingthe honest heart of Kiyo. It would be the same as traducing her puremind. I have not paid her back that three yen not because I regard herlightly, but because I regard her as part of myself. Kiyo and Porcupinecannot be compared, of course, but whether it be ice water or tea, thefact that I accept another's favor without saying anything is an act ofgood-will, taking the other on his par value, as a decent fellow. Instead of chipping in my share, and settling each account, to receivemunificence with grateful mind is an acknowledgment which no amount ofmoney can purchase. I have neither title nor official position but I aman independent fellow, and to have an independent fellow kowtow to youin acknowledgment of the favor you extend him should be considered asfar more than a return acknowledgment with a million yen. I madePorcupine blow one sen and a half, and gave him my gratitude which ismore costly than a million yen. He ought to have been thankful for that. And then what an outrageous fellow to plan a cowardly action behind myback! I will give him back that one sen and a half tomorrow, and allwill be square. Then I will land him one. When I thought thus far, Ifelt sleepy and slept like a log. The next day, as I had something in mymind, I went to the school earlier than usual and waited for Porcupine, but he did not appear for a considerable time. "Confucius" was there, sowas Clown, and finally Red Shirt, but for Porcupine there was a piece ofchalk on his desk but the owner was not there. I had been thinking ofpaying that one sen and a half as soon as I entered the room, and hadbrought the coppers to the school grasped in my hand. My hands geteasily sweaty, and when I opened my hand, I found them wet. Thinkingthat Porcupine might say something if wet coins were given him, I placedthem upon my desk, and cooled them by blowing in them. Then Red Shirtcame to me and said he was sorry to detain me yesterday, thought I havebeen annoyed. I told him I was not annoyed at all, only I was hungry. Thereupon Red Shirt put his elbows upon the desk, brought hissauce-pan-like face close to my nose, and said; "Say, keep dark what Itold you yesterday in the boat. You haven't told it anybody, have you?"He seems quite a nervous fellow as becoming one who talks in a feminishvoice. It was certain that I had not told it to anybody, but as I was inthe mood to tell it and had already one sen and a half in my hand, Iwould be a little rattled if a gag was put on me. To the devil with RedShirt! Although he had not mentioned the name "Porcupine, " he had givenme such pointers as to put me wise as to who the objective was, and nowhe requested me not to blow the gaff!--it was an irresponsibility leastto be expected from a head teacher. In the ordinary run of things, heshould step into the thick of the fight between Porcupine and me, andside with me with all his colors flying. By so doing, he might be worthythe position of the head teacher, and vindicate the principle of wearingred shirts. 

I told the head teacher that I had not divulged the secret to anybodybut was going to fight it out with Porcupine. Red Shirt was greatlyperturbed, and stuttered out; "Say, don't do anything so rash as that. Idon't remember having stated anything plainly to you about Mr. Hotta. . . . . . . If you start a scrimmage here, I'll be greatlyembarrassed. " And he asked the strangely outlandish question if I hadcome to the school to start trouble? Of course not, I said, the schoolwould not stand for my making trouble and pay me salary for it. RedShirt then, perspiring, begged me to keep the secret as mere referenceand never mention it. "All right, then, " I assured him, "this robs meshy, but since you're so afraid of it, I'll keep it all to myself. " "Areyou sure?" repeated Red Shirt. There was no limit to his womanishness. If Red Shirt was typical of Bachelors of Arts, I did not see much inthem. He appeared composed after having requested me to do somethingself-contradictory and wanting logic, and on top of that suspects mysincerity. 

"Don't you mistake, " I said to myself, "I'm a man to the marrow, andhaven't the idea of breaking my own promises; mark that!"

Meanwhile the occupants of the desks on both my sides came to the room, and Red Shirt hastily withdrew to his own desk. Red Shirt shows some aireven in his walk. In stepping about the room, he places down his shoesso as to make no sound. For the first time I came to know that making nosound in one's walk was something satisfactory to one's vanity. He wasnot training himself for a burglar, I suppose. He should cut out suchnonsense before it gets worse. Then the bugle for the opening of classeswas heard. Porcupine did not appear after all. There was no other waybut to leave the coins upon the desk and attend the class. 

When I returned to the room a little late after the first hour class, all the teachers were there at their desks, and Porcupine too wasthere. The moment Porcupine saw my face, he said that he was late onmy account, and I should pay him a fine. I took out that one sen and ahalf, and saying it was the price of the ice water, shoved it on hisdesk and told him to take it. "Don't josh me, " he said, and beganlaughing, but as I appeared unusually serious, he swept the coins backto my desk, and flung back, "Quit fooling. " So he really meant totreat me, eh?

"No fooling; I mean it, " I said. "I have no reason to accept your treat, and that's why I pay you back. Why don't you take it?"

"If you're so worried about that one sen and a half, I will take it, butwhy do you pay it at this time so suddenly?"

"This time or any time, I want to pay it back. I pay it back because Idon't like you treat me. "

Porcupine coldly gazed at me and ejaculated "H'm. " If I had not beenrequested by Red Shirt, here was the chance to show up his cowardice andmake it hot for him. But since I had promised not to reveal the secret, I could do nothing. What the deuce did he mean by "H'm" when I was redwith anger. 

"I'll take the price of the ice water, but I want you leave yourboarding house. "

"Take that coin; that's all there is to it. To leave or not, --that's mypleasure. "

"But that is not your pleasure. The boss of your boarding house came tome yesterday and wanted me to tell you leave the house, and when I heardhis explanation, what he said was reasonable. And I dropped there on myway here this morning to hear more details and make sure of everything. "

What Porcupine was trying to get at was all dark to me. 

"I don't care a snap what the boss was damn well pleased to tell you, " Icried. "What do you mean by deciding everything by yourself! If there isany reason, tell me first. What's the matter with you, deciding what theboss says is reasonable without hearing me. "

"Then you shall hear, " he said. "You're too tough and been regardeda nuisance over there. Say, the wife of a boarding house is a wife, not a maid, and you've been such a four-flusher as to make her wipeyour feet. "

"When did I make her wipe my feet?" I asked. 

"I don't know whether you did or did not, but anyway they're pretty soreabout you. He said he can make ten or fifteen yen easily if he sell aroll of panel-picture. "

"Damn the chap! Why did he take me for a boarder then!"

"I don't know why. They took you but they want you leave because theygot tired of you. So you'd better get out. "

"Sure, I will. Who'd stay in such a house even if they beg me on theirknees. You're insolent to have induced me to go to such a false accuserin the first place. "

"Might be either I'm insolent or you're tough. " Porcupine is no lesshot-tempered than I am, and spoke with equally loud voice. All the otherteachers in the room, surprised, wondering what has happened, looked inour direction and craned their necks. I was not conscious of having doneanything to be ashamed of, so I stood up and looked around. Clown alonewas laughing amused. The moment he met my glaring stare as if to say"You too want to fight?" he suddenly assumed a grave face and becameserious. He seemed to be a little cowed. Meanwhile the bugle was heard, and Porcupine and I stopped the quarrel and went to the class rooms. 

In the afternoon, a meeting of the teachers was going to be held todiscuss the question of punishment of those students in the dormitorywho offended me the other night. This meeting was a thing I had toattend for the first time in my life, and I was totally ignorant aboutit. Probably it was where the teachers gathered to blow about their ownopinions and the principal bring them to compromise somehow. Tocompromise is a method used when no decision can be delivered as to theright or wrong of either side. It seemed to me a waste of time to hold ameeting over an affair in which the guilt of the other side was plain asdaylight. No matter who tried to twist it round, there was no ground fordoubting the facts. It would have been better if the principal haddecided at once on such a plain case; he is surely wanting in decision. If all principals are like this, a principal is a synonym of a"dilly-dally. "

The meeting hall was a long, narrow room next to that of the principal, and was used for dining room. About twenty chairs, with black leatherseat, were lined around a narrow table, and the whole scene looked likea restaurant in Kanda. At one end of the table the principal took hisseat, and next to him Red Shirt. All the rest shifted for themselves, but the gymnasium teacher is said always to take the seat farthest downout of modesty. The situation was new to me, so I sat down between theteachers of natural history and of Confucius. Across the table satPorcupine and Clown. Think how I might, the face of Clown was adegrading type. That of Porcupine was far more charming, even if I wasnow on bad terms with him. The panel picture which hung in the alcove ofthe reception hall of Yogen temple where I went to the funeral of myfather, looked exactly like this Porcupine. A priest told me the picturewas the face of a strange creature called Idaten. To-day he was prettysore, and frequently stared at me with his fiery eyes rolling. "Youcan't bulldoze me with that, " I thought, and rolled my own in defianceand stared back at him. My eyes are not well-shaped but their large sizeis seldom beaten by others. Kiyo even once suggested that I should makea fine actor because I had big eyes. 

"All now here?" asked the principal, and the clerk named Kawamuracounted one, two, three and one was short. "Just one more, " said theclerk, and it ought to be; Hubbard Squash was not there. I don't knowwhat affinity there is between Hubbard Squash and me, but I can neverforget his face. When I come to the teachers' room, his face attracts mefirst; while walking out in the street, his manners are recalled to mymind. When I go to the hot springs, sometimes I meet him with apale-face in the bath, and if I hallooed to him, he would raise histrembling head, making me feel sorry for him. In the school there is noteacher so quiet as he. He seldom, if ever, laughs or talks. I knew theword "gentleman" from books, and thought it was found only in thedictionary, but not a thing alive. But since I met Hubbard Squash, I wasimpressed for the first time that the word represented a real substance. 

As he is a man so attached to me, I had noticed his absence as soon as Ientered the meeting hall. To tell the truth, I came to the hall with theintention of sitting next to him. The principal said that the absenteemay appear shortly, and untied a package he had before him, taking outsome hectograph sheets and began reading them. Red Shirt began polishinghis amber pipe with a silk handkerchief. This was his hobby, which wasprobably becoming to him. Others whispered with their neighbors. Stillothers were writing nothings upon the table with the erasers at the endof their pencils. Clown talked to Porcupine once in a while, but he wasnot responsive. He only said "Umh" or "Ahm, " and stared at me withwrathful eyes. I stared back with equal ferocity. 

Then the tardy Hubbard Squash apologetically entered, and politelyexplained that he was unavoidably detained. "Well, then the meeting iscalled to order, " said Badger. On these sheets was printed, first thequestion of the punishment of the offending students, second that ofsuperintending the students, and two or three other matters. Badger, putting on airs as usual, as if he was an incarnation of education, spoke to the following effect. 

"Any misdeeds or faults among the teachers or the students in thisschool are due to the lack of virtues in my person, and wheneveranything happens, I inwardly feel ashamed that a man like me could holdhis position. Unfortunately such an affair has taken place again, and Ihave to apologize from my heart. But since it has happened, it cannot behelped; we must settle it one way or other. The facts are as you alreadyknow, and I ask you gentlemen to state frankly the best means by whichthe affair may be settled. "

When I heard the principal speak, I was impressed that indeed theprincipal, or Badger, was saying something "grand. " If the principal waswilling to assume all responsibilities, saying it was his fault or hislack of virtues, it would have been better stop punishing the studentsand get himself fired first. Then there will be no need of holding suchthing as a meeting. In the first place, just consider it by commonsense. I was doing my night duty right, and the students startedtrouble. The wrong doer is neither the principal nor I. If Porcupineincited them, then it would be enough to get rid of the students andPorcupine. Where in thunder would be a peach of damfool who alwaysswipes other people's faults and says "these are mine?" It was a stuntmade possible only by Badger. Having made such an illogical statement, he glanced at the teachers in a highly pleased manner. But no one openedhis mouth. The teacher of natural history was gazing at the crow whichhad hopped on the roof of the nearby building. The teacher of Confuciuswas folding and unfolding the hectograph sheet. Porcupine was stillstaring at me. If a meeting was so nonsensical an affair as this, Iwould have been better absent taking a nap at home. 

I became irritated, and half raised myself, intending to make aconvincing speech, but just then Red Shirt began saying something and Istopped. I saw him say something, having put away his pipe, and wipinghis face with a striped silk handkerchief. I'm sure he copped thathandkerchief from the Madonna; men should use white linen. He said:

"When I heard of the rough affairs in the dormitory, I was greatlyashamed as the head teacher of my lack of discipline and influence. Whensuch an affair takes place there is underlying cause somewhere. Lookingat the affair itself, it may seem that the students were wrong, but in acloser study of the facts, we may find the responsibility resting withthe School. Therefore, I'm afraid it might affect us badly in the futureif we administer too severe a punishment on the strength of what hasbeen shown on the surface. As they are youngsters, full of life andvigor, they might half-consciously commit some youthful pranks, withoutdue regard as to their good or bad. As to the mode of punishment itself, I have no right to suggest since it is a matter entirely in the hand ofthe principal, but I should ask, considering these points, that someleniency be shown toward the students. "

Well, as Badger, so was Red Shirt. He declares the "Rough Necks" amongthe students is not their fault but the fault of the teachers. A crazyperson beats other people because the beaten are wrong. Very grateful, indeed. If the students were so full of life and vigor, shovel them outinto the campus and let them wrestle their heads off. Who would havegrasshoppers put into his bed unconsciously! If things go on like this, they may stab some one asleep, and get freed as having done the deedunconsciously. 

Having figured it out in this wise, I thought I would state my own viewson the matter, but I wanted to give them an eloquent speech and fairlytake away their breath. I have an affection of the windpipe which clogafter two or three words when I am excited. Badger and Red Shirt arebelow my standing in their personality, but they were skilled inspeech-making, and it would not do to have them see my awkwardness. I'llmake a rough note of composition first, I thought, and started mentallymaking a sentence, when, to my surprise, Clown stood up suddenly. It wasunusual for Clown to state his opinion. He spoke in his flippant tone:

"Really the grasshopper incident and the whoop-la affair are peculiarhappenings which are enough to make us doubt our own future. We teachersat this time must strive to clear the atmosphere of the school. Andwhat the principal and the head teacher have said just now are fit andproper. I entirely agree with their opinions. I wish the punishment bemoderate. "

In what Clown had said there were words but no meaning. It was ajuxtaposition of high-flown words making no sense. All that I understoodwas the words, "I entirely agree with their opinions. "

Clown's meaning was not clear to me, but as I was thoroughly angered, Irose without completing my rough note. 

"I am entirely opposed to. . . . . . . " I said, but the rest did not come atonce. ". . . . . . . I don't like such a topsy-turvy settlement, " I added andthe fellows began laughing. "The students are absolutely wrong from thebeginning. It would set a bad precedent if we don't make them apologize. . . . . . . What do we care if we kick them all out . . . . . . . Darn the kidstrying to guy a new comer. . . . . . . " and I sat down. Then the teacher ofnatural history who sat on my right whined a weak opinion, saying "Thestudents may be wrong, but if we punish them too severely, they maystart a reaction and would make it rather bad. I am for the moderateside, as the head teacher suggested. " The teacher of Confucius on myleft expressed his agreement with the moderate side, and so did theteacher of history endorse the views of the head teacher. Dash thoseweak-knees! Most of them belonged to the coterie of Red Shirt. It wouldmake a dandy school if such fellows run it. I had decided in my mindthat it must be either the students apologize to me or I resign, and ifthe opinion of Red Shirt prevailed, I had determined to return home andpack up. I had no ability of out-talking such fellows, or even if I had, I was in no humor to keeping their company for long. Since I don'texpect to remain in the school, the devil may take care of the rest. IfI said anything, they would only laugh; so I shut my mouth tight. 

Porcupine, who up to this time had been listening to the others, stoodup with some show of spirit. Ha, the fellow was going to endorse theviews of Red Shirt, eh? You and I got to fight it out anyway, I thought, so do any way you darn please. Porcupine spoke in a thunderous voice:

"I entirely differ from the opinions of the head teacher and othergentlemen. Because, viewed from whatever angle, this incident cannot beother than an attempt by those fifty students in the dormitory to makea fool of a new teacher. The head teacher seems to trace the cause ofthe trouble to the personality of that teacher himself, but, begginghis pardon, I think he is mistaken. The night that new teacher was onnight duty was not long after his arrival, not more than twenty daysafter he had come into contact with the students. During those shorttwenty days, the students could have no reason to criticise hisknowledges or his person. If he was insulted for some cause whichdeserved insult, there may be reasons in our considering the act of thestudents, but if we show undue leniency toward the frivolous studentswho would insult a new teacher without cause, it would affect thedignity of this school. The spirit of education is not only inimparting technical knowledges, but also in encouraging honest, ennobling and samurai-like virtues, while eliminating the evil tendencyto vulgarity and roughness. If we are afraid of reaction or furthertrouble, and satisfy ourselves with make-shifts, there is no tellingwhen we can ever get rid of this evil atmosphere[G]. We are here toeradicate this very evil. If we mean to countenance it, we had betternot accepted our positions here. For these reasons, I believe it properto punish the students in the dormitory to the fullest extent and alsomake them apologize to that teacher in the open. "

All were quiet. Red Shirt again began polishing his pipe. I was greatlyelated. He spoke almost what I had wanted to. I'm such a simple-heartedfellow that I forgot all about the bickerings with Porcupine, and lookedat him with a grateful face, but he appeared to take no notice of me. 

After a while, Porcupine again stood up, and said. "I forgot to mentionjust now, so I wish to add. The teacher on night duty that night seemsto have gone to the hot springs during his duty hours, and I think it ablunder. It is a matter of serious misconduct to take the advantage ofbeing in sole charge of the school, to slip out to a hot springs. Thebad behavior of the students is one thing; this blunder is another, andI wish the principal to call attention of the responsible person tothat matter. "

A strange fellow! No sooner had he backed me up than he began talking medown. I knew the other night watch went out during his duty hours, andthought it was a custom, so I went as far out as to the hot springswithout considering the situation seriously. But when it was pointed outlike this, I realised that I had been wrong. Thereupon I rose again andsaid; "I really went to the hot springs. It was wrong and I apologize. "Then all again laughed. Whatever I say, they laugh. What a lot of boobs!See if you fellows can make a clean breast of your own fault like this!You fellows laugh because you can't talk straight. 

After that the principal said that since it appeared that there will beno more opinions, he will consider the matter well and administer whathe may deem a proper punishment. I may here add the result of themeeting. The students in the dormitory were given one week'sconfinement, and in addition to that, apologized to me. If they had notapologized, I intended to resign and go straight home, but as it was itfinally resulted in a bigger and still worse affair, of which morelater. The principal then at the meeting said something to the effectthat the manners of the students should be directed rightly by theteachers' influence, and as the first step, no teacher should patronize, if possible, the shops where edibles and drinks were served, excepting, however, in case of farewell party or such social gatherings. He said hewould like no teacher to go singly to eating houses of lower kind--forinstance, noodle-house or dango shop. . . . And again all laughed. Clownlooked at Porcupine, said "tempura" and winked his eyes, but Porcupineregarded him in silence. Good!

My "think box" is not of superior quality, so things said by Badger werenot clear to me, but I thought if a fellow can't hold the job of teacherin a middle school because he patronizes a noodle-house or dango shop, the fellow with bear-like appetite like me will never be able to holdit. If it was the case, they ought to have specified when calling for ateacher one who does not eat noodle and dango. To give an appointmentwithout reference to the matter at first, and then to proclaim thatnoodle or dango should not be eaten was a blow to a fellow like me whohas no other petty hobby. Then Red Shirt again opened his mouth. 

"Teachers of the middle school belong to the upper class of society andthey should not be looking after material pleasures only, for it wouldeventually have effect upon their personal character. But we are human, and it would be intolerable in a small town like this to live withoutany means of affording some pleasure to ourselves, such as fishing, reading literary products, composing new style poems, or haiku(17-syllable poem). We should seek mental consolation of higher order. "

There seemed no prospect that he would quit the hot air. If it was amental consolation to fish fertilisers on the sea, have goruki forRussian literature, or to pose a favorite geisha beneath pine tree, itwould be quite as much a mental consolation to eat dempura noodle andswallow dango. Instead of dwelling on such sham consolations, he wouldfind his time better spent by washing his red shirts. I became soexasperated that I asked; "Is it also a mental consolation to meet theMadonna?" No one laughed this time and looked at each other with queerfaces, and Red Shirt himself hung his head, apparently embarrassed. Lookat that! A good shot, eh? Only I was sorry for Hubbard Squash who, having heard the remark, became still paler. 

CHAPTER VII. 

That very night I left the boarding house. While I was packing up, theboss came to me and asked if there was anything wrong in the way I wastreated. He said he would be pleased to correct it and suit me if I wassore at anything. This beats me, sure. How is it possible for so manyboneheads to be in this world! I could not tell whether they wanted meto stay or get out. They're crazy. It would be disgrace for a Yedo kidto fuss about with such a fellow; so I hired a rikishaman and speedilyleft the house. 

I got out of the house all right, but had no place to go. The rikishamanasked me where I was going. I told him to follow me with his mouth shut, then he shall see and I kept on walking. I thought of going toYamashiro-ya to avoid the trouble of hunting up a new boarding house, but as I had no prospect of being able to stay there long, I would haveto renew the hunt sooner or later, so I gave up the idea. If I continuedwalking this way, I thought I might strike a house with the sign of"boarders taken" or something similar, and I would consider the firsthouse with the sign the one provided for me by Heaven. I kept on goinground and round through the quiet, decent part of the town when I foundmyself at Kajimachi. This used to be former samurai quarters where onehad the least chance of finding any boarding house, and I was going toretreat to a more lively part of the town when a good idea occurred tome. Hubbard Squash whom I respected lived in this part of the town. Heis a native of the town, and has lived in the house inherited from hisgreat grandfather. He must be, I thought, well informed about nearlyeverything in this town. If I call on him for his help, he will perhapsfind me a good boarding house. Fortunately, I called at his house oncebefore, and there was no trouble in finding it out. I knocked at thedoor of a house, which I knew must be his, and a woman about fifty yearsold with an old fashioned paper-lantern in hand, appeared at the door. Ido not despise young women, but when I see an aged woman, I feel muchmore solicitous. This is probably because I am so fond of Kiyo. Thisaged lady, who looked well-refined, was certainly mother of HubbardSquash whom she resembled. She invited me inside, but I asked her tocall him out for me. When he came I told him all the circumstances, andasked him if he knew any who would take me for a boarder. Hubbard Squashthought for a moment in a sympathetic mood, then said there was an oldcouple called Hagino, living in the rear of the street, who had askedhim sometime ago to get some boarders for them as there are only two inthe house and they had some vacant rooms. Hubbard Squash was kind enoughto go along with me and find out if the rooms were vacant. They were. 

From that night I boarded at the house of the Haginos. What surprised mewas that on the day after I left the house of Ikagin, Clown stepped inand took the room I had been occupying. Well used to all sorts of tricksand crooks as I might have been, this audacity fairly knocked me off myfeet. It was sickening. 

I saw that I would be an easy mark for such people unless I brace upand try to come up, or down, to their level. It would be a high timeindeed for me to be alive if it were settled that I would not get threemeals a day without living on the spoils of pick pockets. Nevertheless, to hang myself, --healthy and vigorous as I am, --would be not onlyinexcusable before my ancestors but a disgrace before the public. Now Ithink it over, it would have been better for me to have startedsomething like a milk delivery route with that six hundred yen ascapital, instead of learning such a useless stunt as mathematics at theSchool of Physics. If I had done so, Kiyo could have stayed with me, and I could have lived without worrying about her so far a distanceaway. While I was with her I did not notice it, but separated thus Iappreciated Kiyo as a good-natured old woman. One could not find anoble natured woman like Kiyo everywhere. She was suffering from aslight cold when I left Tokyo and I wondered how she was getting onnow? Kiyo must have been pleased when she received the letter from methe other day. By the way, I thought it was the time I was in receiptof answer from her. I spent two or three days with things like this inmy mind. I was anxious about the answer, and asked the old lady of thehouse if any letter came from Tokyo for me, and each time she wouldappear sympathetic and say no. The couple here, being formerly ofsamurai class, unlike the Ikagin couple, were both refined. The oldman's recital of "utai" in a queer voice at night was somewhat tellingon my nerves, but it was much easier on me as he did not frequent myroom like Ikagin with the remark of "let me serve you tea. "

The old lady once in a while would come to my room and chat on manythings. She questioned me why I had not brought my wife with me. I askedher if I looked like one married, reminding her that I was only twentyfour yet. Saying "it is proper for one to get married at twenty four" asa beginning, she recited that Mr. Blank married when he was twenty, thatMr. So-and-So has already two children at twenty two, and marshalledaltogether about half a dozen examples, --quite a damper on my youthfultheory. I will then get marred at twenty four, I said, and requested herto find me a good wife, and she asked me if I really meant it. 

"Really? You bet! I can't help wanting to get married. "

"I should suppose so. Everybody is just like that when young. " Thisremark was a knocker; I could not say anything to that. 

"But I'm sure you have a Madam already. I have seen to that with myown eyes. "

"Well, they are sharp eyes. How have you seen it?"

"How? Aren't you often worried to death, asking if there's no letterfrom Tokyo?"

"By Jupiter! This beats me!"

"Hit the mark, haven't I?"

"Well, you probably have. "

"But the girls of these days are different from what they used to be andyou need a sharp look-out on them. So you'd better be careful. "

"Do you mean that my Madam in Tokyo is behaving badly?"

"No, your Madam is all right. "

"That makes me feel safe. Then about what shall I be careful?"

"Yours is all right. Though yours is all right. . . . . . . "

"Where is one not all right?"

"Rather many right in this town. You know the daughter of the Toyamas?

"No, I do not. "

"You don't know her yet? She is the most beautiful girl about here. Sheis so beautiful that the teachers in the school call her Madonna. Youhaven't heard that?

"Ah, the Madonna! I thought it was the name of a geisha. "

"No, Sir. Madonna is a foreign word and means a beautiful girl, doesn't it?"

"That may be. I'm surprised. "

"Probably the name was given by the teacher of drawing. "

"Was it the work of Clown?"

"No, it was given by Professor Yoshikawa. "

"Is that Madonna not all right?"

"That Madonna-san is a Madonna not all right. "

"What a bore! We haven't any decent woman among those with nicknamesfrom old days. I should suppose the Madonna is not all right. "

"Exactly. We have had awful women such as O-Matsu the Devil or Ohyakuthe Dakki. 

"Does the Madonna belong to that ring?"

"That Madonna-san, you know, was engaged to Professor Koga, --who broughtyou here, --yes, was promised to him. "

"Ha, how strange! I never knew our friend Hubbard Squash was a fellow ofsuch gallantry. We can't judge a man by his appearance. I'll be a bitmore careful. "

"The father of Professor Koga died last year, --up to that time they hadmoney and shares in a bank and were well off, --but since then thingshave grown worse, I don't know why. Professor Koga was too good-natured, in short, and was cheated, I presume. The wedding was delayed by onething or another and there appeared the head teacher who fell in lovewith the Madonna head over heels and wanted to many her. "

"Red Shirt? He ought be hanged. I thought that shirt was not an ordinarykind of shirt. Well?"

"The head-teacher proposed marriage through a go-between, but theToyamas could not give a definite answer at once on account of theirrelations with the Kogas. They replied that they would consider thematter or something like that. Then Red Shirt-san worked up some waysand started visiting the Toyamas and has finally won the heart of theMiss. Red Shirt-san is bad, but so is Miss Toyama; they all talk bad ofthem. She had agreed to be married to Professor Koga and changed hermind because a Bachelor of Arts began courting her, --why, that would bean offense to the God of To-day. "

"Of course. Not only of To-day but also of tomorrow and the day after;in fact, of time without end. "

"So Hotta-san a friend of Koga-san, felt sorry for him and went to thehead teacher to remonstrate with him. But Red Shirt-san said that he hadno intention of taking away anybody who is promised to another. He mayget married if the engagement is broken, he said, but at present he wasonly being acquainted with the Toyamas and he saw nothing wrong in hisvisiting the Toyamas. Hotta-san couldn't do anything and returned. Sincethen they say Red Shirt-san and Hotta-san are on bad terms. "

"You do know many things, I should say. How did you get such details?I'm much impressed. "

"The town is so small that I can know everything. "

Yes, everything seems to be known more than one cares. Judging by herway, this woman probably knows about my tempura and dango affairs. Herewas a pot that would make peas rattle! The meaning of the Madonna, therelations between Porcupine and Red Shirt became clear and helped me adeal. Only what puzzled me was the uncertainty as to which of the twowas wrong. A fellow simple-hearted like me could not tell which side heshould help unless the matter was presented in black and white. 

"Of Red Shirt and Porcupine, which is a better fellow?"

"What is Porcupine, Sir?"

"Porcupine means Hotta. "

"Well, Hotta-san is physically strong, as strength goes, but RedShirt-san is a Bachelor of Arts and has more ability. And Red Shirt-sanis more gentle, as gentleness goes, but Hotta-san is more popular amongthe students. "

"After all, which is better?"

"After all, the one who gets a bigger salary is greater, I suppose?"

There was no use of going on further in this way, and I closed the talk. 

Two or three days after this, when I returned from the school, the oldlady with a beaming smile, brought me a letter, saying, "Here you areSir, at last. Take your time and enjoy it. " I took it up and found itwas from Kiyo. On the letter were two or three retransmission slips, andby these I saw the letter was sent from Yamashiro-ya to the Iagins, thento the Haginos. Besides, it stayed at Yamashiro-ya for about one week;even letters seemed to stop in a hotel. I opened it, and it was a verylong letter. 

"When I received the letter from my Master Darling, I intended to writean answer at once. But I caught cold and was sick abed for about oneweek and the answer was delayed for which I beg your pardon. I am notwell-used to writing or reading like girls in these days, and itrequired some efforts to get done even so poorly written a letter asthis. I was going to ask my nephew to write it for me, but thought itinexcusable to my Master Darling when I should take special pains formyself. So I made a rough copy once, and then a clean copy. I finishedthe clean copy, in two days, but the rough copy took me four days. Itmay be difficult for you to read, but as I have written this letter withall my might, please read it to the end. "

This was the introductory part of the letter in which, about four feetlong, were written a hundred and one things. Well, it was difficult toread. Not only was it poorly written but it was a sort of juxtapositionof simple syllables that racked one's brain to make it clear where itstopped or where it began. I am quick-tempered and would refuse to readsuch a long, unintelligible letter for five yen, but I read thisseriously from the first to the last. It is a fact that I read itthrough. My efforts were mostly spent in untangling letters andsentences; so I started reading it over again. The room had become alittle dark, and this rendered it harder to read it; so finally Istepped out to the porch where I sat down and went over it carefully. The early autumn breeze wafted through the leaves of the banana trees, bathed me with cool evening air, rustled the letter I was holding andwould have blown it clear to the hedge if I let it go. I did not mindanything like this, but kept on reading. 

"Master Darling is simple and straight like a split bamboo bydisposition, " it says, "only too explosive. That's what worries me. Ifyou brand other people with nicknames you will only make enemies ofthem; so don't use them carelessly; if you coin new ones, just tell themonly to Kiyo in your letters. The countryfolk are said to be bad, and Iwish you to be careful not have them do you. The weather must be worsethan in Tokyo, and you should take care not to catch cold. Your letteris too short that I can't tell how things are going on with you. Nexttime write me a letter at least half the length of this one. Tipping thehotel with five yen is all right, but were you not short of moneyafterward? Money is the only thing one can depend upon when in thecountry and you should economize and be prepared for rainy days. I'msending you ten yen by postal money order. I have that fifty yen myMaster Darling gave me deposited in the Postal Savings to help you starthousekeeping when you return to Tokyo, and taking out this ten, I havestill forty yen left, --quite safe. "

I should say women are very particular on many things. 

When I was meditating with the letter flapping in my hand on the porch, the old lady opened the sliding partition and brought in my supper. 

"Still poring over the letter? Must be a very long one, Iimagine, " she said. 

"Yes, this is an important letter, so I'm reading it with the windblowing it about, " I replied--the reply which was nonsense even formyself, --and I sat down for supper. I looked in the dish on the tray, and saw the same old sweet potatoes again to-night. This new boardinghouse was more polite and considerate and refined than the Ikagins, butthe grub was too poor stuff and that was one drawback. It was sweetpotato yesterday, so it was the day before yesterday, and here it isagain to-night. True, I declared myself very fond of sweet potatoes, butif I am fed with sweet potatoes with such insistency, I may soon have toquit this dear old world. I can't be laughing at Hubbard Squash; I shallbecome Sweet Potato myself before long. If it were Kiyo she would surelyserve me with my favorite sliced tunny or fried kamaboko, but nothingdoing with a tight, poor samurai. It seems best that I live with Kiyo. If I have to stay long in the school, I believe I would call her fromTokyo. Don't eat tempura, don't eat dango, and then get turned yellow byfeeding on sweet potatoes only, in the boarding house. That's for aneducator, and his place is really a hard one. I think even the priestsof the Zen sect are enjoying better feed. I cleaned up the sweetpotatoes, then took out two raw eggs from the drawer of my desk, brokethem on the edge of the rice bowl, to tide it over. I have to getnourishment by eating raw eggs or something, or how can I stand theteaching of twenty one hours a week?

I was late for my bath to-day on account of the letter from Kiyo. But Iwould not like to drop off a single day since I had been there everyday. I thought I would take a train to-day, and coming to the station withthe same old red towel dangling out of my hand, I found the train hadjust left two or three minutes ago, and had to wait for some time. WhileI was smoking a cigarette on a bench, my friend Hubbard Squash happenedto come in. Since I heard the story about him from the old lady mysympathy for him had become far greater than ever. His reserve alwaysappeared to me pathetic. It was no longer a case of merely pathetic;more than that. I was wishing to get his salary doubled, if possible, and have him marry Miss Toyama and send them to Tokyo for about onemonth on a pleasure trip. Seeing him, therefore, I motioned him to aseat beside me, addressing him cheerfully:

"Hello[H], going to bath? Come and sit down here. "

Hubbard Squash, appearing much awe-struck, said; "Don't mind me, Sir, " and whether out of polite reluctance or I don't know what, remained standing. 

"You have to wait for a little while before the next train starts; sitdown; you'll be tired, " I persuaded him again. In fact, I was sosympathetic for him that I wished to have him sit down by me somehow. Then with a "Thank you, Sir, " he at last sat down. A fellow like Clown, always fresh, butts in where he is not wanted; or like Porcupineswaggers about with a face which says "Japan would be hard up withoutme, " or like Red Shirt, self-satisfied in the belief of being thewholesaler of gallantry and of cosmetics. Or like Badger who appears tosay; "If 'Education' were alive and put on a frockcoat, it would looklike me. " One and all in one way or other have bravado, but I havenever seen any one like this Hubbard Squash, so quiet and resigned, like a doll taken for a ransom. His face is rather swollen but for theMadonna to cast off such a splendid fellow and give preference to RedShirt, was frivolous beyond my understanding. Put how many dozens ofRed Shirt you like together, it will not make one husband of stuff tobeat Hubbard Squash. 

"Is anything wrong with you? You look quite fatigued, " I asked. 

"No, I have no particular ailments. . . . . . . "

"That's good. Poor health is the worst thing one can get. "

"You appear very strong. "

"Yes, I'm thin, but never got sick. That's something I don't like. "

Hubbard Squash smiled at my words. Just then I heard some young girlishlaughs at the entrance, and incidentally looking that way, I saw a"peach. " A beautiful girl, tall, white-skinned, with her head done upin "high-collared" style, was standing with a woman of about forty-fiveor six, in front of the ticket window. I am not a fellow given todescribing a belle, but there was no need to repeat asserting that shewas beautiful. I felt as if I had warmed a crystal ball with perfumeand held it in my hand. The older woman was shorter, but as sheresembled the younger, they might be mother and daughter. The moment Isaw them, I forgot all about Hubbard Squash, and was intently gazing atthe young beauty. Then I was a bit startled to see Hubbard Squashsuddenly get up and start walking slowly toward them. I wondered if shewas not the Madonna. The three were courtesying in front of the ticketwindow, some distance away from me, and I could not hear what they weretalking about. 

The clock at the station showed the next train to start in fiveminutes. Having lost my partner, I became impatient and longed for thetrain to start as soon as possible, when a fellow rushed into thestation excited. It was Red Shirt. He had on some fluffy clothes, loosely tied round with a silk-crepe girdle, and wound to it the sameold gold chain. That gold chain is stuffed. Red Shirt thinks nobodyknows it and is making a big show of it, but I have been wise. RedShirt stopped short, stared around, and then after bowing politely tothe three still in front of the ticket window, made a remark or two, and hastily turned toward me. He came up to me, walking in his usualcat's style, and hallooed. 

"You too going to bath? I was afraid of missing the train andhurried up, but we have three or four minutes yet. Wonder if thatclock is right?"

He took out his gold watch, and remarking it wrong about two minutes satdown beside me. He never turned toward the belle, but with his chin onthe top of a cane, steadily looked straight before him. The older womanwould occasionally glance toward Red Shirt, but the younger kept herprofile away. Surely she was the Madonna. 

The train now arrived with a shrill whistle and the passengers hastenedto board. Red Shirt jumped into the first class coach ahead of all. Onecannot brag much about boarding the first class coach here. It cost onlyfive sen for the first and three sen for the second to Sumida; even Ipaid for the first and a white ticket. The country fellows, however, being all close, seemed to regard the expenditure of the extra two sen aserious matter and mostly boarded the second class. Following Red Shirt, the Madonna and her mother entered the first class. Hubbard Squashregularly rides in the second class. He stood at the door of a secondclass coach and appeared somewhat hesitating, but seeing me coming, tookdecisive steps and jumped into the second. I felt sorry for him--I donot know why--and followed him into the same coach. Nothing wrong inriding on the second with a ticket for the first, I believe. 

At the hot springs, going down from the third floor to the bath room inbathing gown, again I met Hubbard Squash. I feel my throat clogged upand unable to speak at a formal gathering, but otherwise I am rathertalkative; so I opened conversation with him. He was so pathetic and mycompassion was aroused to such an extent that I considered it the dutyof a Yedo kid to console him to the best of my ability. But HubbardSquash was not responsive. Whatever I said, he would only answer "eh?"or "umh, " and even these with evident effort. Finally I gave up mysympathetic attempt and cut off the conversation. 

I did not meet Red Shirt at the bath. There are many bath rooms, and onedoes not necessarily meet the fellows at the same bath room though hemight come on the same train. I thought it nothing strange. When I gotout of the bath, I found the night bright with the moon. On both sidesof the street stood willow trees which cast their shadows on the road. Iwould take a little stroll, I thought. Coming up toward north, to theend of the town, one sees a large gate to the left. Opposite the gatestands a temple and both sides of the approach to the temple are linedwith houses with red curtains. A tenderloin inside a temple gate is anunheard-of phenomenon. I wanted to go in and have a look at the place, but for fear I might get another kick from Badger, I passed it by. Aflat house with narrow lattice windows and black curtain at theentrance, near the gate, is the place where I ate dango and committedthe blunder. A round lantern with the signs of sweet meats hung outsideand its light fell on the trunk of a willow tree close by. I hungered tohave a bite of dango, but went away forbearing. 

To be unable to eat dango one is so fond of eating, is tragic. But tohave one's betrothed change her love to another, would be more tragic. When I think of Hubbard Squash, I believe that I should, not complain ifI cannot eat dango or anything else for three days. Really there isnothing so unreliable a creature as man. As far as her face goes, sheappears the least likely to commit so stony-hearted an act as this. Butthe beautiful person is cold-blooded and Koga-san who is swollen like apumpkin soaked in water, is a gentleman to the core, --that's where wehave to be on the look-out. Porcupine whom I had thought candid was saidto have incited the students and he whom then I regarded an agitator, demanded of the principal a summary punishment of the students. Thedisgustingly snobbish Red Shirt is unexpectedly considerate and warns mein ways more than one, but then he won the Madonna by crooked means. Hedenies, however, having schemed anything crooked about the Madonna, andsays he does not care to marry her unless her engagement with Koga isbroken. When Ikagin beat me out of his house, Clown enters and takes myroom. Viewed from any angle, man is unreliable. If I write these thingsto Kiyo, it would surprise her. She would perhaps say that because it isthe west side of Hakone that the town had all the freaks and crooksdumped in together. [7]

[Footnote 7: An old saying goes that east of the Hakone pass, there areno apparitions or freaks. ]

I do not by nature worry about little things, and had come so farwithout minding anything. But hardly a month had passed since I camehere, and I have begun to regard the world quite uneasily. I have notmet with any particularly serious affairs, but I feel as if I had grownfive or six years older. Better say "good by" to this old spot soon andreturn to Tokyo, I thought. While strolling thus thinking on variousmatters, I had passed the stone bridge and come up to the levy of theNozeri river. The word river sounds too big; it is a shallow stream ofabout six feet wide. If one goes on along the levy for about twelveblocks, he reaches the Aioi village where there is a temple of Kwanon. 

Looking back at the town of the hot springs, I see red lights gleamingamid the pale moon beams. Where the sound of the drum is heard must bethe tenderloin. The stream is shallow but fast, whispering incessantly. When I had covered about three blocks walking leisurely upon the bank, I perceived a shadow ahead. Through the light of the moon, I foundthere were two shadows. They were probably village youngsters returningfrom the hot springs, though they did not sing, and were exceptionallyquiet for that. 

I kept on walking, and I was faster than they. The two shadows becamelarger. One appeared like a woman. When I neared them within about sixtyfeet, the man, on hearing my footsteps, turned back. The moon wasshining from behind me. I could see the manner of the man then andsomething queer struck me. They resumed their walk as before. And Ichased them on a full speed. The other party, unconscious, walkedslowly. I could now hear their voice distinctly. The levy was about sixfeet wide, and would allow only three abreast. I easily passed them, andturning back gazed squarely into the face of the man. The moongenerously bathed my face with its beaming light. The fellow uttered alow "ah, " and suddenly turning sideway, said to the woman "Let's goback. " They traced their way back toward the hot springs town. 

Was it the intention of Red Shirt to hush the matter up by pretendingignorance, or was it lack of nerve? I was not the only fellow whosuffered the consequence of living in a small narrow town. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

On my way back from the fishing to which I was invited by Red Shirt, andsince then, I began to suspect Porcupine. When the latter wanted me toget out of Ikagin's house on sham pretexts, I regarded him a decidedlyunpleasant fellow. But as Porcupine, at the teachers' meeting, contraryto my expectation, stood firmly for punishing the students to thefullest extent of the school regulations, I thought it queer. When Iheard from the old lady about Porcupine volunteering himself for thesake of Hubbard Squash to stop Red Shirt meddling with the Madonna, Iclapped my hands and hoorayed for him. Judging by these facts, I beganto wonder if the wrong-doer might be not Porcupine, but Red Shirt thecrooked one. He instilled into my head some flimsy hearsay plausibly andin a roundabout-way. At this juncture I saw Red Shirt taking a walk withthe Madonna on the levy of the Nozeri river, and I decided that RedShirt may be a scoundrel. I am not sure of his being really scoundrel atheart, but at any rate he is not a good fellow. He is a fellow with adouble face. A man deserves no confidence unless he is as straight asthe bamboo. One may fight a straight fellow, and feel satisfied. Wecannot lose sight of the fact that Red Shirt or his kind who is kind, gentle, refined, and takes pride in his pipe had to be looked sharp, forI could not be too careful in getting into a scrap with the fellow ofthis type. I may fight, but I would not get square games like thewrestling matches it the Wrestling Amphitheatre in Tokyo. Come to thinkof it, Porcupine who turned against me and startled the whole teachers'room over the amount of one sen and a half is far more like a man. Whenhe stared at me with owlish eyes at the teachers' meeting, I branded himas a spiteful guy, but as I consider the matter now, he is better thanthe feline voice of Red Shirt. To tell the truth, I tried to getreconciled with Porcupine, and after the meeting, spoke a word or two tohim, but he shut up like a clam and kept glaring at me. So I becamesore, and let it go at that. 

Porcupine has not spoken to me since. The one sen and a half which Ipaid him back upon the desk, is still there, well covered with dust. Icould not touch it, nor would Porcupine take it. This one sen and ahalf has become a barrier between us two. We two were cursed with thisone sen and a half. Later indeed I got sick of its sight that I hatedto see it. 

While Porcupine and I were thus estranged, Red Shirt and I continuedfriendly relations and associated together. On the day following myaccidental meeting with him near the Nozeri river, for instance, RedShirt came to my desk as soon as he came to the school, and asked me howI liked the new boarding house. He said we would go together for fishingRussian literature again, and talked on many things. I felt a bitpiqued, and said, "I saw you twice last night, " and he answered, "Yes, at the station. Do you go there at that time every day? Isn't it late?"I startled him with the remark; "I met you on the levy of the Nozeririver too, didn't I?" and he replied, "No, I didn't go in thatdirection. I returned right after my bath. "

What is the use of trying to keep it dark. Didn't we meet actually faceto face? He tells too many lies. If one can hold the job of a headteacher and act in this fashion, I should be able to run the position ofChancellor of a university. From this time on, my confidence in RedShirt became still less. I talk with Red Shirt whom I do not trust, andI keep silent with Porcupine whom I respect. Funny things do happen inthis world. 

One day Red Shirt asked me to come over to his house as he had somethingto tell me, and much as I missed the trip to the hot springs, I startedfor his house at about 4 o'clock. Red Shirt is single, but in keepingwith the dignity of a head teacher, he gave up the boarding house lifelong ago, and lives in a fine house. The house rent, I understood, wasnine yen and fifty sen. The front entrance was so attractive that Ithought if one can live in such a splendid house at nine yen and a halfin the country, it would be a good game to call Kiyo from Tokyo and makeher heart glad. The younger brother of Red Shirt answered my bell. Thisbrother gets his lessons on algebra and mathematics from me at theschool. He stands no show in his school work, and being a "migratorybird" is more wicked than the native boys. 

I met Red Shirt. Smoking the same old unsavory amber pipe, he saidsomething to the following effect:

"Since you've been with us, our work has been more satisfactory than itwas under your predecessor, and the principal is very glad to have gotthe right person in the right place. I wish you to work as hard as youcan, for the school is depending upon you. "

"Well, is that so. I don't think I can work any harder than now. . . . . . . "

"What you're doing now is enough. Only don't forget what I told you theother day. "

"Meaning that one who helps me find a boarding house is dangerous?"

"If you state it so baldly, there is no meaning to it. . . . . . . But that'sall right, . . . . . . I believe you understand the spirit of my advice. Andif you keep on in the way you're going to-day . . . . . . We have not beenblind . . . . . . We might offer you a better treatment later on if we canmanage it. "

"In salary? I don't care about the salary, though the more the better. "

"And fortunately there is going to be one teacher transferred, . . . . . . However, I can't guarantee, of course, until I talk it over with theprincipal . . . . . . And we might give you something out of his salary. "

"Thank you. Who is going to be transferred?"

"I think I may tell you now; 'tis going to be Announced soon. Kogais the man. "

"But isn't Koga-san a native of this town?"

"Yes, he is. But there are some circumstances . . . . . . And it is partly byhis own preference. "

"Where is he going?"

"To Nobeoka in Hiuga province. As the place is so far away, he is goingthere with his salary raised a grade higher. "

"Is some one coming to take his place?"

"His successor is almost decided upon. "

"Well, that's fine, though I'm not very anxious to have my salaryraised. "

"I'm going to talk to the principal about that anyway. And, we may haveto ask you to work more some time later . . . . . . And the principal appearsto be of the same opinion. . . . . . . I want you to go[I] ahead with that inyour mind. "

"Going to increase my working hours?"

"No. The working hours may be reduced. . . . . . "

"The working hours shortened and yet work more? Sounds funny. "

"It does sound funny . . . . . . I can't say definitely just yet . . . . . . Itmeans that we way have to ask you to assume more responsibility. "

I could not make out what he meant. To assume more responsibility mightmean my appointment to the senior instructor of mathematics, butPorcupine is the senior instructor and there is no danger of hisresigning. Besides, he is so very popular among the students that histransfer or discharge would be inadvisable. Red Shirt always misses thepoint. And though he did not get to the point, the object of my visitwas ended. We talked a while on sundry matters, Red Shirt proposing afarewell dinner party for Hubbard Squash, asking me if I drink liquorand praising Hubbard Squash as an amiable gentleman, etc. Finally hechanged the topic and asked me if I take an interest in "haiku"[8] Hereis where I beat it, I thought, and, saying "No, I don't, good by, "hastily left the house. The "haiku" should be a diversion of Baseo[9] orthe boss of a barbershop. It would not do for the teacher of mathematicsto rave over the old wooden bucket and the morning glory. [10]

[Footnote 8: The 17-syllable poem]

[Footnote 9: A famous composer of the poem. ]

[Footnote 10: There is a well-known 17-syllable poem describing thescene of morning glories entwining around the wooden bucket. ]

I returned home and thought it over. Here is a man whose mental processdefies a layman's understanding. He is going to court hardships in astrange part of the country in preference of his home and the schoolwhere he is working, --both of which should satisfy mostanybody, --because he is tired of them. That may be all right if thestrange place happens to be a lively metropolis where electric carsrun, --but of all places, why Nobeoka in Hiuga province? This town herehas a good steamship connection, yet I became sick of it and longed forhome before one month had passed. Nobeoka is situated in the heart of amost mountainous country. According to Red Shirt, one has to make anall-day ride in a wagonette to Miyazaki, after he had left the vessel, and from Miyazaki another all-day ride in a rikisha to Nobeoka. Its namealone does not commend itself as civilized. It sounds like a towninhabited by men and monkeys in equal numbers. However sage-like HubbardSquash might be I thought he would not become a friend of monkeys of hisown choice. What a curious slant!

Just then the old lady brought in my supper--"Sweet potatoes again?" Iasked, and she said, "No, Sir, it is tofu to-night. " They are about thesame thing. 

"Say, I understand Koga-san is going to Nobeoka. "

"Isn't it too bad?"

"Too bad? But it can't be helped if he goes there by his ownpreference. "

"Going there by his own preference? Who, Sir?"

"Who? Why, he! Isn't Professor Koga going there by his own choice?"

"That's wrong Mr. Wright, Sir. "

"Ha, Mr. Wright, is it? But Red Shirt told me so just now. If that'swrong Mr. Wright, then Red Shirt is blustering Mr. Bluff. "

"What the head-teacher says is believable, but so Koga-san does notwish to go. "

"Our old lady is impartial, and that is good. Well, what's the matter?"

"The mother of Koga-san was here this morning, and told me all thecircumstances. "

"Told you what circumstances?"

"Since the father of Koga-san died, they have not been quite well off aswe might have supposed, and the mother asked the principal if his salarycould not be raised a little as Koga-san has been in service for fouryears. See?"

"Well?"

"The principal said that he would consider the matter, and she feltsatisfied and expected the announcement of the increase before long. Shehoped for its coming this month or next. Then the principal calledKoga-san to his office one day and said that he was sorry but the schoolwas short of money and could not raise his salary. But he said there isan opening in Nobeoka which would give him five yen extra a month and hethought that would suit his purpose, and the principal had made allarrangements and told Koga-san he had better go. . . . . . . "

"That wasn't a friendly talk but a command. Wasn't it?"

"Yes, Sir, Koga-san told the principal that he liked to stay here betterat the old salary than go elsewhere on an increased salary, because hehas his own house and is living with his mother. But the matter has allbeen settled, and his successor already appointed and it couldn't behelped, said the principal. "

"Hum, that's a jolly good trick, I should say. Then Koga-san has noliking to go there? No wonder I thought it strange. We would have to goa long way to find any blockhead to do a job in such a mountain villageand get acquainted with monkeys for five yen extra. "

"What is a blockhead, Sir?"

"Well, let go at that. It was all the scheme of Red Shirt. Deucedlyunderhand scheme, I declare. It was a stab from behind. And he means toraise my salary by that; that's not right. I wouldn't take that raise. Let's see if he can raise it. "

"Is your salary going to be raised, Sir?"

"Yes, they said they would raise mine, but I'm thinking of refusing it. "

"Why do you refuse?"

"Why or no why, it's going to be refused. Say, Red Shirt is a fool; heis a coward. "

"He may be a coward, but if he raises your salary, it would be best foryou to make no fuss, but accept it. One is apt to get grouchy whenyoung, but will always repent when he is grown up and thinks that it waspity he hadn't been a little more patient. Take an old woman's advicefor once, and if Red Shirt-san says he will raise your salary, just takeit with thanks. "

"It's none of business of you old people. "

The old lady withdrew in silence. The old man is heard singing "utai" inthe off-key voice. "Utai, " I think, is a stunt which purposely makes awhole show a hard nut to crack by giving to it difficult tunes, whereasone could better understand it by reading it. I cannot fathom what is inthe mind of the old man who groans over it every night untired. But I'mnot in a position to be fooling with "utai. " Red Shirt said he wouldhave my salary raised, and though I did not care much about it, Iaccepted it because there was no use of leaving the money lying around. But I cannot, for the love of Mike, be so inconsiderate as to skin thesalary of a fellow teacher who is being transferred against his will. What in thunder do they mean by sending him away so far as Nobeoka whenthe fellow prefers to remain in his old position? Even Dazai-no-Gonnosutsu did not have to go farther than about Hakata; even MatagoroKawai [11] stopped at Sagara. I shall not feel satisfied unless I seeRed Shirt and tell him I refuse the raise. 

[Footnote 11: The persons in exile, well-known in Japanese history. ]

I dressed again and went to his house. The same younger brother of RedShirt again answered the bell, and looked at me with eyes which plainlysaid, "You here again?" I will come twice or thrice or as many times asI want to if there is business. I might rouse them out of their beds atmidnight;--it is possible, who knows. Don't mistake me for one coming tocoax the head teacher. I was here to give back my salary. The youngerbrother said that there is a visitor just now, and I told him the frontdoor will do; won't take more than a minute, and he went in. Lookingabout my feet, I found a pair of thin, matted wooden clogs, and I heardsome one in the house saying, "Now we're banzai. " I noticed that thevisitor was Clown. Nobody but Clown could make such a squeaking voiceand wear such clogs as are worn by cheap actors. 

After a while Red Shirt appeared at the door with a lamp in his hand, and said, "Come in; it's no other than Mr. Yoshikawa. "

"This is good enough, " I said, "it won't take long. " I looked at hisface which was the color of a boiled lobster. He seemed to have beendrinking with Clown. 

"You told me that you would raise my salary, but I've changed my mind, and have come here to decline the offer. "

Red Shirt, thrusting out the lamp forward, and intently staring at me, was unable to answer at the moment. He appeared blank. Did he think itstrange that here was one fellow, only one in the world, who does notwant his salary raised, or was he taken aback that I should come back sosoon even if I wished to decline it, or was it both combined, he stoodthere silent with his mouth in a queer shape. 

"I accepted your offer because I understood that Mr. Koga was beingtransferred by his own preference. . . . . . . "

"Mr. Koga is really going to be transferred by his own preference. "

"No, Sir. He would like to stay here. He doesn't mind his present salaryif he can stay. "

"Have you heard it from Mr. Koga himself?"

"No, not from him. "

"Then, from who?"

"The old lady in my boarding house told me what she heard from themother of Mr. Koga. "

"Then the old woman in your boarding house told you so?"

"Well, that's about the size of it. "

"Excuse me, but I think you are wrong. According to what you say, itseems as if you believe what the old woman in the boarding house tellsyou, but would not believe what your head teacher tells you. Am I rightto understand it that way?"

I was stuck. A Bachelor of Arts is confoundedly good in oratoricalcombat. He gets hold of unexpected point, and pushes the other backward. My father used to tell me that I am too careless and no good, and nowindeed I look that way. I ran out of the house on the moment's impulsewhen I heard the story from the old lady, and in fact I had not heardthe story from either Hubbard Squash or his mother. In consequence, whenI was challenged in this Bachelor-of-Arts fashion, it was a bitdifficult to defend myself. 

I could not defend his frontal attack, but I had already declared in mymind a lack of confidence on Red Shirt. The old lady in the boardinghouse may be tight and a grabber, I do not doubt it, but she is a womanwho tells no lie. She is not double faced like Red Shirt, I washelpless, so I answered. 

"What you say might be right, --anyway, I decline the raise. "

"That's still funnier. I thought your coming here now was because youhad found a certain reason for which you could not accept the raise. Then it is hard to understand to see you still insisting on decliningthe raise in spite of the reason having been eradicated by myexplanation. "

"It may be hard to understand, but anyway I don't want it. "

"If you don't like it so much, I wouldn't force it on you. But if youchange your mind within two or three hours with no particular reason, itwould affect your credit in future. "

"I don't care if it does affect it. "

"That can't be. Nothing is more important than credit for us. Supposing, the boss of the boarding house. . . . . . . "

"Not the boss, but the old lady. "

"Makes no difference, --suppose what the old woman in the boarding housetold you was true, the raise of your salary is not to be had by reducingthe income of Mr. Koga, is it? Mr. Koga is going to Nobeoka; hissuccessor is coming. He comes on a salary a little less than that of Mr. Koga, and we propose to add the surplus money to your salary, and youneed not be shy. Mr. Koga will be promoted; the successor is to start onless pay, and if you could be raised, I think everything be satisfactoryto all concerned. If you don't like it, that's all right, but supposeyou think it over once more at home?"

My brain is not of the best stuff, and if another fellow flourishes hiseloquence like this, I usually think, "Well, perhaps I was wrong, " andconsider myself defeated, but not so to-night. From the time I came tothis town I felt prejudiced against Red Shirt. Once I had thought of himin a different light, taking him for a fellow kind-hearted andfeminished. His kindness, however, began to look like anything butkindness, and as a result, I have been getting sick of him. So no matterhow he might glory himself in logical grandiloquence, or how he mightattempt to out-talk me in a head-teacher-style, I don't care a snap. Onewho shines in argument is not necessarily a good fellow, while the otherwho is out-talked is not necessarily a bad fellow, either. Red Shirt isvery, very reasonable as far as his reasoning goes, but however gracefulhe may appear, he cannot win my respect. If money, authority orreasoning can command admiration, loansharks, police officers or collegeprofessors should be liked best by all. I cannot be moved in the leastby the logic by so insignificant a fellow as the head teacher of amiddle school. Man works by preference, not by logic. 

"What you say is right, but I have begun to dislike the raise, so Idecline. It will be the same if I think it over. Good by. " And I leftthe house of Red Shirt. The solitary milky way hung high in the sky. 

CHAPTER IX. 

When I went to the school, in the morning of the day the farewell dinnerparty was to be held, Porcupine suddenly spoke to me;

"The other day I asked you to quit the Ikagins because Ikagin begged ofme to have you leave there as you were too tough, and I believed him. But I heard afterward that Ikagin is a crook and often passes imitationof famous drawings for originals. I think what he told me about you mustbe a lie. He tried to sell pictures and curios to you, but as you shookhim off, he told some false stories on you. I did very wrong by youbecause I did not know his character, and wish you would forgive me. "And he offered me a lengthy apology. 

Without saying a word, I took up the one sen and a half which was lyingon the desk of Porcupine, and put it into my purse. He asked me in awondering tone, if I meant to take it back. I explained, "Yes. I didn'tlike to have you treat me and expected to pay this back at all hazard, but as I think about it, I would rather have you treated me after all;so I'm going to take it back. "

Porcupine laughed heartily and asked me why I had not taken it backsooner. I told him that I wanted to more than once, in fact, but somehowfelt shy and left it there. I was sick of that one sen and a half thesedays that I shunned the sight of it when I came to the school, I said. He said "You're a deucedly unyielding sport, " and I answered "You'reobstinate. " Then ensued the following give-and-take between us two;

"Where were you born anyway?"

"I'm a Yedo kid. "

"Ah, a Yedo kid, eh? No wonder I thought you a pretty stiff neck. "

"And you?"

"I'm from Aizu. "

"Ha, Aizu guy, eh? You've got reason to be obstinate. Going to thefarewell dinner to-day?"

"Sure. You?"

"Of course I am. I intend to go down to the beach to see Koga-san offwhen he leaves. "

"The farewell dinner should be a big blow-out. You come and see. I'mgoing to get soused to the neck. "

"You get loaded all you want. I quit the place right after I finish myplates. Only fools fight booze. "

"You're a fellow who picks up a fight too easy. It shows up thecharacteristic of the Yedo kid well. "

"I don't care. Say, before you go to the farewell dinner, come to seeme. I want to tell you something. "

Porcupine came to my room as promised. I had been in full sympathy withHubbard Squash these days, and when it came to his farewell dinner, mypity for him welled up so much that I wished I could go to Nobeoka forhim myself. I thought of making a parting address of burning eloquenceat the dinner to grace the occasion, but my speech which rattles offlike that of the excited spieler of New York would not become the place. I planned to take the breath out of Red Shirt by employing Porcupine whohas a thunderous voice. Hence my invitation to him before we started forthe party. 

I commenced by explaining the Madonna affair, but Porcupine, needless tosay, knew more about it than I. Telling about my meeting Red Shirt onthe Nozeri river, I called him a fool. Porcupine then said; "You calleverybody a fool. You called me a fool to-day at the school. If I'm afool, Red Shirt isn't, " and insisted that he was not in the same groupwith Red Shirt. "Then Red Shirt may be a four-flusher, " I said and heapproved this new alias with enthusiasm. Porcupine is physically strong, but when it comes to such terms, he knows less than I do. I guess allAizu guys are about the same. 

Then, when I disclosed to him about the raise of my salary and theadvance hint on my promotion by Red Shirt, Porcupine pished, and said, "Then he means to discharge me. " "Means to discharge you? But you meanto get discharged?" I asked. "Bet you, no. If I get fired, Red Shirtwill have to go with me, " he remarked with a lordly air. I insisted onknowing how he was going to get Red Shirt kicked out with him, and heanswered that he had not thought so far yet. Yes, Porcupine looksstrong, but seems to be possessed of no abundance of brain power. I toldhim about my refusal of the raise of my salary, and the Gov'nur was muchpleased, praising me with the remark, "That's the stuff for Yedo kids. "

"If Hubbard Squash does not like to go down to Nobeoka, why didn't youdo something to enable him remain here, " I asked, and Porcupine saidthat when he heard the story from Hubbard Squash, everything had beensettled already, but he had asked the principal twice and Red Shirt onceto have the transfer order cancelled, but to no purpose. Porcupinebitterly condemned Hubbard Squash for being too good-natured. If HubbardSquash, he said, had either flatly refused or delayed the answer on thepretext of considering it, when Red Shirt raised the question oftransfer, it would have been better for him. But he was fooled by theoily tongue of Red Shirt, had accepted the transfer outright, and allefforts by Porcupine who was moved by the tearful appeal of the mother, proved unavailing. 

I said; "The transfer of Koga is nothing but a trick of Red Shirt to copthe Madonna by sending Hubbard Squash away. "

"Yes, " said Porcupine "That must be. Red Shirt looks gentle, but playsnasty tricks. He is a sonovagun for when some one finds fault with him, he has excuses prepared already. Nothing but a sound thumping will beeffective for fellows like him. "

He rolled up his sleeves over his plump arms as he spoke. I asked him, by the way, if he knew jiujitsu, because his arms looked powerful. Thenhe put force in his forearm, and told me to touch it. I felt its swelledmuscle which was hard as the pumic stone in the public bathhouse. 

I was deeply impressed by his massive strength, and asked him if hecould not knock five or six of Red Shirt in a bunch. "Of course, " hesaid, and as he extended and bent back the arm, the lumpy muscle rolledround and round, which was very amusing. According to the statement ofPorcupine himself, this muscle, if he bends the arm back with force, would snap a paper-string wound around it twice. I said I might do thesame thing if it were a paper-string, and he challenged me. "No, youcan't, " he said. "See if you can. " As it would not look well if Ifailed, I did not try. 

"Say, after you have drunk all you want to-night at the dinner, take afall out of Red Shirt and Clown, eh?" I suggested to him for fun. Porcupine thought for a moment and said, "Not to-night, I guess. " Iwanted to know why, and he pointed out that it would be bad for Koga. 

"Besides, if I'm going to give it to them at all, I've to get them redhanded in their dirty scheme, or all the blame will be on me, " he addeddiscretely. Even Porcupine seems to have wiser judgment than I. 

"Then make a speech and praise Mr. Koga sky-high. My speech becomes sortof jumpy, wanting dignity. And at any formal gathering, I get lumpy inmy throat, and can't speak. So I leave it to you, " I said. 

"That's a strange disease. Then you can't speak in the presence of otherpeople? It would be awkward, I suppose, " he said, and I told him notquite as much awkward as he might think. 

About then, the time for the farewell dinner party arrived, and I wentto the hall with Porcupine. The dinner party was to be held atKashin-tei which is said to be the leading restaurant in the town, but Ihad never been in the house before. This restaurant, I understood, wasformerly the private residence of the chief retainer of the daimyo ofthe province, and its condition seemed to confirm the story. Theresidence of a chief retainer transformed into a restaurant was likemaking a saucepan out of warrior's armor. 

When we two came there, about all of the guests were present. Theyformed two or three groups in the spacious room of fifty mats. Thealcove in this room, in harmony with its magnificence, was very large. The alcove in the fifteen-mat room which I occupied at Yamashiro-ya madea small showing beside it. I measured it and found it was twelve feetwide. On the right, in the alcove, there was a seto-ware flower vase, painted with red designs, in which was a large branch of pine tree. Whythe pine twigs, I did not know, except that they are in no danger ofwithering for many a month to come, and are economical. I asked theteacher of natural history where that seto-ware flower vase is made. Hetold me it was not a seto-ware but an imari. Isn't imari seto-ware? Iwondered audibly, and the natural history man laughed. I heard afterwardthat we call it a seto-ware because it is made in Seto. I'm a Yedo kid, and thought all china was seto-wares. In the center of the alcove washung a panel on which were written twenty eight letters, each letter aslarge as my face. It was poorly written; so poorly indeed that Ienquired of the teacher of Confucius why such a poor work be hung inapparent show of pride. He explained that it was written by Kaioku afamous artist in the writing, but Kaioku or anyone else, I still declarethe work poorly done. 

By and by, Kawamura, the clerk, requested all to be seated. I chose onein front of a pillar so I could lean against it. Badger sat in front ofthe panel of Kaioku in Japanese full dress. On his left sat Red Shirtsimilarly dressed, and on his right Hubbard Squash, as the guest ofhonor, in the same kind of dress. I was dressed in a European suit, andbeing unable to sit down, squatted on my legs at once. The teacher ofphysical culture next to me, though in the same kind of rags as mine, sat squarely in Japanese fashion. As a teacher of his line he appearedto have well trained himself. Then the dinner trays were served and thebottles placed beside them. The manager of the day stood up and made abrief opening address. He was followed by Badger and Red Shirt. Thesetwo made farewell addresses, and dwelt at length on Hubbard Squash beingan ideal teacher and gentleman, expressing their regret, saying hisdeparture was a great loss not only to the school but to them in person. They concluded that it could not be helped, however, since the transferwas due to his own earnest desire and for his own convenience. Theyappeared to be ashamed not in the least by telling such a lie at afarewell dinner. Particularly, Red Shirt, of these three, praised HubardSquash in lavish terms. He went so far as to declare that to lose thistrue friend was a great personal loss to him. Moreover, his tone was soimpressive in its same old gentle tone that one who listens to him forthe first time would be sure to be misled. Probably he won the Madonnaby this same trick. While Red Shirt was uttering his farewell buncomb, Porcupine who sat on the other side across me, winked at me. As ananswer of this, I "snooked" at him. 

No sooner had Red Shirt sat down than Porcupine stood up, and highlyrejoiced, I clapped hands. At this Badger and others glanced at me, andI felt that I blushed a little. 

"Our principal and other gentlemen, " he said, "particularly the headteacher, expressed their sincere regret at Mr. Koga's transfer. I am ofa different opinion, and hope to see him leave the town at the earliestpossible moment. Nobeoka is an out-of-the-way, backwoods town, andcompared with this town, it may have more material inconveniences, butaccording to what I have heard, Nobeoka is said to be a town where thecustoms are simple and untainted, and the teachers and students stillstrong in the straightforward characteristics of old days. I amconvinced that in Nobeoka there is not a single high-collared guy whopasses round threadbare remarks, or who with smooth face, entrapsinnocent people. I am sure that a man like Mr. Koga, gentle and honest, will surely be received with an enthusiastic welcome there. I heartilywelcome this transfer for the sake of Mr. Koga. In concluding, I hopethat when he is settled down at Nobeoka, he will find a lady qualifiedto become his wife, and form a sweet home at an early date andincidentally let the inconstant, unchaste sassy old wench die ashamed. . . . . . A'hum, a'hum!"

He coughed twice significantly and sat down. I thought of clapping myhands again, but as it would draw attention, I refrained. WhenPorcupine finished his speech, Hubbard Squash arose politely, slippedout of his seat, went to the furthest end of the room, and having bowedto all in a most respectful manner, acknowledged the compliments in thefollowing way;

"On the occasion of my going to Kyushu for my personal convenience, I amdeeply impressed and appreciate the way my friends have honored me withthis magnificent dinner. . . . . . . The farewell addresses by our principaland other gentlemen will be long held in my fondest recollection. . . . . . . I am going far away now, but I hope my name be included in the future asin the past in the list of friends of the gentlemen here to-night. "

Then again bowing, he returned to his seat. There was no telling how farthe "good-naturedness" of Hubbard Squash might go. He had respectfullythanked the principal and the head teacher who had been fooling him. Andit was not a formal, cut-and-dried reply he made, either; by his manner, tone and face, he appeared to have been really grateful from his heart. Badger and Red Shirt should have blushed when they were addressed soseriously by so good a man as Hubbard Squash, but they only listenedwith long faces. 

After the exchange of addresses, a sizzling sound was heard here andthere, and I too tried the soup which tasted like anything but soup. There was kamaboko in the kuchitori dish, but instead of being snowwhite as it should be, it looked grayish, and was more like a poorlycooked chikuwa. The sliced tunny was there, but not having been slicedfine, passed the throat like so many pieces of chopped raw tunny. Thosearound me, however, ate with ravenous appetite. They have not tasted, Iguess, the real Yedo dinner. 

Meanwhile the bottles began passing round, and all became more or less"jacked up. " Clown proceeded to the front of the principal andsubmissively drank to his health. A beastly fellow, this! Hubbard Squashmade a round of all the guests, drinking to their health. A very onerousjob, indeed. When he came to me and proposed my health, I abandoned thesquatting posture and sat up straight. 

"Too bad to see you go away so soon. When are you going? I want to seeyou off at the beach, " I said. 

"Thank you, Sir. But never mind that. You're busy, " he declined. Hemight decline, but I was determined to get excused for the day and givehim a rousing send-off. 

Within about an hour from this, the room became pretty lively. 

"Hey, have another, hic; ain't goin', hic, have one on me?" One or twoalready in a pickled state appeared on the scene. I was little tired, and going out to the porch, was looking at the old fashioned garden bythe dim star light, when Porcupine came. 

"How did you like my speech? Wasn't it grand, though!" he remarked in ahighly elated tone. I protested that while I approved 99 per cent, ofhis speech, there was one per cent, that I did not. "What's that one percent?" he asked. 

"Well, you said, . . . . . . There is not a single high-collared guy who withsmooth face entraps innocent people. . . . . . . "

"Yes. "

"A 'high-collared guy' isn't enough. "

"Then what should I say?"

"Better say, --'a high-collared guy; swindler, bastard, super-swanker, doubleface, bluffer, totempole, spotter, who lookslike a dog as he yelps. '"

"I can't get my tongue to move so fast. You're eloquent. In the firstplace, you know a great many simple words. Strange that you can't makea speech. "

"I reserve these words for use when I chew the rag. If it comes tospeech-making, they don't come out so smoothly. "

"Is that so? But they simply come a-running. Repeat that again for me. "

"As many times as you like. Listen, --a high-collared guy, swindler, bastard, super-swanker . . . "

While I was repeating this, two shaky fellows came out of the roomhammering the floor. 

"Hey, you two gents, if won't do to run away. Won't let you off whileI'm here. Come and have a drink. Bastard? That's fine. Bastardly fine. Now, come on. "

And they pulled Porcupine and me away. These two fellows really had cometo the lavatory, but soaked as they were, in booze bubbles, theyapparently forgot to proceed to their original destination, and werepulling us hard. All booze fighters seem to be attracted by whatevercomes directly under their eyes for the moment and forget what they hadbeen proposing to do. 

"Say, fellows, we've got bastards. Make them drink. Get them loaded. Yougents got to stay here. "

And they pushed me who never attempted to escape against the wall. Surveying the scene, I found there was no dish in which any edibles wereleft. Some one had eaten all his share, and gone on a foragingexpedition. The principal was not there, --I did not know when he left. 

At that time, preceded by a coquetish voice, three or four geishasentered the room. I was a bit surprised, but having been pushed againstthe wall, I had to look on quietly. At the instant, Red Shirt who hadbeen leaning against a pillar with the same old amber pipe stuck intohis mouth with some pride, suddenly got up and started to leave theroom. One of the geishas who was advancing toward him smiled andcourtesied at him as she passed by him. The geisha was the youngest andprettiest of the bunch. They were some distance away from me and I couldnot see very well, but it seemed that she might have said "Goodevening. " Red Shirt brushed past as if unconscious, and never showedagain. Probably he followed the principal. 

The sight of the geishas set the room immediately in a buzz and itbecame noisy as they all raised howls of welcome. Some started the gameof "nanko" with a force that beat the sword-drawing practice. Othersbegan playing morra, and the way they shook their hands, intentlyabsorbed in the game, was a better spectacle than a puppet show. 

One in the corner was calling "Hey, serve me here, " but shaking thebottle, corrected it to "Hey, fetch me more sake. " The whole roombecame so infernally noisy that I could scarcely stand it. Amid thisorgy, one, like a fish out of water, sat down with his head bowed. Itwas Hubbard Squash. The reason they have held this farewell dinnerparty was not in order to bid him a farewell, but because they wantedto have a jolly good time for themselves with John Barleycorn. He hadcome to suffer only. Such a dinner party would have been better had itnot been started at all. 

After a while, they began singing ditties in outlandish voices. One ofthe geishas came in front of me, and taking up a samisen, asked me tosing something. I told her I didn't sing, but I'd like to hear, and shedroned out:

"If one can go round and meet the one he wants, banging gongs and drums. . . . . . Bang, bang, bang, bang, bing, shouting after wandering Santaro, there is some one I'd like to meet by banging round gongs and drums. . . . . . Bang, bang, bang, bang, b-i-n-g. "

She dashed this off in two breaths, and sighed, "O, dear!" She shouldhave sung something easier. 

Clown who had come near us meanwhile, remarked in his flippant tone:

"Hello, dear Miss Su-chan, too bad to see your beau go away so soon. "The geisha pouted, "I don't know. " Clown, regardless, began imitating"gidayu" with a dismal voice, --"What a luck, when she met her sweetheart by a rare chance. . . . "

The geisha slapped the lap of Clown with a "Cut that out, " and Clowngleefully laughed. This geisha is the one who made goo-goo eyes[J] atRed Shirt. What a simpleton, to be pleased by the slap of a geisha, thisClown. He said:

"Say, Su-chan, strike up the string. I'm going to dance the Kiino-kuni. "He seemed yet to dance. 

On other side of the room, the old man of Confucius, twisting round histoothless mouth, had finished as far as ". . . . . . Dear Dembei-san" and isasking a geisha who sat in front of him to couch him for the rest. Oldpeople seem to need polishing up their memorizing system. One geisha istalking to the teacher of natural history:

"Here's the latest. I'll sing it. Just listen. 'Margaret, thehigh-collared head with a white ribbon; she rides on a bike, plays aviolin, and talks in broken English, --I am glad to see you. '" Naturalhistory appears impressed, and says;

"That's an interesting piece. English in it too. "

Porcupine called "geisha, geisha, " in a loud voice, and commanded; "Bangyour samisen; I'm going to dance a sword-dance. "

His manner was so rough that the geishas were startled and did notanswer. Porcupine, unconcerned, brought out a cane, and began performingthe sword-dance in the center of the room. Then Clown, having danced theKii-no-kuni, the Kap-pore[K] and the Durhma-san on the Shelf, almoststark-naked, with a palm-fibre broom, began turkey-trotting about theroom, shouting "The Sino-Japanese negotiations came to a break. . . . . . . "The whole was a crazy sight. 

I had been feeling sorry for Hubbard Squash, who up to this time had satup straight in his full dress. Even were this a farewell dinner held inhis honor, I thought he was under no obligation to look patiently in aformal dress at the naked dance. So I went to him and persuaded him with"Say, Koga-san, let's go home. " Hubbard Squash said the dinner was inhis honor, and it would be improper for him to leave the room before theguests. He seemed to be determined to remain. 

"What do you care!" I said, "If this is a farewell dinner, make it likeone. Look at those fellows; they're just like the inmates of a lunaticasylum. Let's go. "

And having forced hesitating Hubbard Squash to his feet, we werejust leaving the room, when Clown, marching past, brandishing thebroom, saw us. 

"This won't do for the guest of honor to leave before us, " he hollered, "this is the Sino-Japanese negotiations. Can't let you off. " He enforcedhis declaration by holding the broom across our way. My temper had beenpretty well aroused for some time, and I felt impatient. 

"The Sino-Japanese negotiation, eh? Then you're a Chink, " and I whackedhis head with a knotty fist. 

This sudden blow left Clown staring blankly speechless for a second ortwo; then he stammered out:

"This is going some! Mighty pity to knock my head. What a blow on thisYoshikawa! This makes the Sino-Japanese negotiations the sure stuff. "

While Clown was mumbling these incoherent remarks, Porcupine, believingsome kind of row had been started, ceased his sword-dance and camerunning toward us. On seeing us, he grabbed the neck of Clown andpulled him back. 

"The Sino-Japane. . . . . . Ouch!. . . . . . Ouch! This is outrageous, " and Clownwrithed under the grip of Porcupine who twisted him sideways and threwhim down on the floor with a bang. I do not know the rest. I parted fromHubbard Squash on the way, and it was past eleven when I returned home. 

CHAPTER X. 

The town is going to celebrate a Japanese victory to-day, and there isno school. The celebration is to be held at the parade ground, andBadger is to take out all the students and attend the ceremony. As oneof the instructors, I am to go with them. The streets are everywheredraped with flapping national flags almost enough to dazzle the eyes. There were as many as eight hundred students in all, and it wasarranged, under the direction of the teacher of physical culture todivide them into sections with one teacher or two to lead them. Thearrangement itself was quite commendable, but in its actual operationthe whole thing went wrong. All students are mere kiddies who, ever toofresh, regard it as beneath their dignity not to break all regulations. This rendered the provision of teachers among them practically useless. They would start marching songs without being told to, and if theyceased the marching songs, they would raise devilish shouts withoutcause. Their behavior would have done credit to the gang of trampsparading the streets demanding work. When they neither sing nor shout, they tee-hee and giggle. Why they cannot walk without these disorder, passes my understanding, but all Japanese are born with their mouthsstuck out, and no kick will ever be strong enough to stop it. Theirchatter is not only of simple nature, but about the teachers when theirback is turned. What a degraded bunch! I made the students apologize tome on the dormitory affair, and considered the incident closed. But Iwas mistaken. To borrow the words of the old lady in the boarding house, I was surely wrong Mr. Wright. The apology they offered was not promptedby repentance in their hearts. They had kowtowed as a matter of form bythe command of the principal. Like the tradespeople who bow their headslow but never give up cheating the public, the students apologize butnever stop their mischiefs. Society is made up, I think it probable, ofpeople just like those students. One may be branded foolishly honest ifhe takes seriously the apologies others might offer. We should regardall apologies a sham and forgiving also as a sham; then everything wouldbe all right. If one wants to make another apologize from his heart, hehas to pound him good and strong until he begs for mercy from his heart. 

As I walked along between the sections, I could hear constantly thevoices mentioning "tempura" or "dango. " And as there were so many ofthem, I could not tell which one mentioned it. Even if I succeeded incollaring the guilty one I was sure of his saying, "No, I didn't meanyou in saying tempura or dango. I fear you suffer from nervousness andmake wrong inferences. " This dastardly spirit has been fostered from thetime of the feudal lords, and is deep-rooted. No amount of teaching orlecturing will cure it. If I stay in a town like this for one year orso, I may be compelled to follow their example, who knows, --clean andhonest though I have been. I do not propose to make a fool of myself byremaining quiet when others attempt to play games on me, with all theirexcuses ready-made. They are men and so am I--students or kiddies orwhatever they may be. They are bigger than I, and unless I get even withthem by punishment, I would cut a sorry figure. But in the attempt toget even, if I resort to ordinary means, they are sure to make it aboomerang. If I tell them, "You're wrong, " they will start an eloquentdefence, because they are never short of the means of sidestepping. Having defended themselves, and made themselves appear sufferingmartyrs, they would begin attacking me. As the incident would have beenstarted by my attempting to get even with them, my defence would not bea defence until I can prove their wrong. So the quarrel, which they hadstarted, might be mistaken, after all, as one begun by me. But the moreI keep silent the more they would become insolent, which, speakingseriously, could not be permitted for the sake of public morale. Inconsequence, I am obliged to adopt an identical policy so they cannotcatch men in playing it back on them. If the situation comes to that, itwould be the last day of the Yedo kid. Even so, if I am to be subjectedto these pin-pricking[L] tricks, I am a man and got to risk losing offthe last remnant of the honor of the Yedo kid. I became more convincedof the advisability of returning to Tokyo quickly and living with Kiyo. To live long in such a countrytown would be like degrading myself for apurpose. Newspaper delivering would be preferable to being degraded sofar as that. 

I walked along with a sinking heart, thinking like this, when the headof our procession became suddenly noisy, and the whole came to a fullstop. I thought something has happened, stepped to the right out of theranks, and looked toward the direction of the noise. There on the cornerof Otemachi, turning to Yakushimachi, I saw a mass packed full likecanned sardines, alternately pushing back and forth. The teacher ofphysical culture came down the line hoarsely shouting to all to bequiet. I asked him what was the matter, and he said the middle schooland the normal had come to a clash at the corner. 

The middle school and the normal, I understood, are as much friendly asdogs and monkeys. It is not explained why but their temper washopelessly crossed, and each would try to knock the chip off theshoulder of the other on all occasions. I presume they quarrel so muchbecause life gets monotonous in this backwoods town. I am fond offighting, and hearing of the clash, darted forward to make the most ofthe fun. Those foremost in the line are jeering, "Get out of the way, you country tax!"[12] while those in the rear are hollowing "Push themout!" I passed through the students, and was nearing the corner, when Iheard a sharp command of "Forward!" and the line of the normal schoolbegan marching on. The clash which had resulted from contending for theright of way was settled, but it was settled by the middle school givingway to the normal. From the point of school-standing the normal is saidto rank above the middle. 

[Footnote 12: The normal school in the province maintains the studentsmostly on the advance-expense system, supported by the country tax. ]

The ceremony was quite simple. The commander of the local brigade read acongratulatory address, and so did the governor, and the audienceshouted banzais. That was all. The entertainments were scheduled for theafternoon, and I returned home once and started writing to Kiyo ananswer which had been in my mind for some days. Her request had beenthat I should write her a letter with more detailed news; so I must getit done with care. But as I took up the rolled letter-paper, I did notknow with what I should begin, though I have many things to write about. 

Should I begin with that? That is too much trouble. Or with this? It isnot interesting. Isn't there something which will come out smoothly, Ireflected, without taxing my head too much, and which will interestKiyo. There seemed, however, no such item as I wanted I grated theink-cake, wetted the writing brush, stared at the letter-paper--staredat the letter-paper, wetted the writing brush, grated the ink-cake--and, having repeated the same thing several times, I gave up the letterwriting as not in my line, and covered the lid of the stationery box. Towrite a letter was a bother. It would be much simpler to go back toTokyo and see Kiyo. Not that I am unconcerned about the anxiety of Kiyo, but to get up a letter to please the fancy of Kiyo is a harder job thanto fast for three weeks. 

I threw down the brush and letter-paper, and lying down with my bentarms as a pillow, gazed at the garden. But the thought of the letter toKiyo would come back in my mind. Then I thought this way; If I amthinking of her from my heart, even at such a distance, my sinceritywould find responsive appreciation in Kiyo. If it does find response, there is no need of sending letters. She will regard the absence ofletters from me as a sign of my being in good health. If I write in caseof illness or when something unusual happens, that will be sufficient. 

The garden is about thirty feet square, with no particular plants worthyof name. There is one orange tree which is so tall as to be seen abovethe board fence from outside. Whenever I returned from the school I usedto look at this orange tree. For to those who had not been outside ofTokyo, oranges on the tree are rather a novel sight. Those oranges nowgreen will ripen by degrees and turn to yellow, when the tree wouldsurely be beautiful. There are some already ripened. The old lady toldme that they are juicy, sweet oranges. "They will all soon be ripe, andthen help yourself to all you want, " she said. I think I will enjoy afew every day. They will be just right in about three weeks. I do notthink I will have to leave the town in so short a time as three weeks. 

While my attention was centered on the oranges, Porcupine[M] came in. 

"Say, to-day being the celebration[N] of victory, I thought I would getsomething good to eat with you, and bought some beef. "

So saying, he took out a package covered with a bamboo-wrapper, andthrew it down in the center of the room. I had been denied the pleasureof patronizing the noodle house or dango shop, on top of getting sick ofthe sweet potatoes and tofu, and I welcomed the suggestion with "That'sfine, " and began cooking it with a frying pan and some sugar borrowedfrom the old lady. 

Porcupine, munching the beef to the full capacity of his mouth, asked meif I knew Red Shirt having a favorite geisha. I asked if that was notone of the geishas who came to our dinner the other night, and heanswered, "Yes, I got the wind of the fact only recently; you're sharp. "

"Red Shirt always speaks of refinement of character or of mentalconsolation, but he is making a fool of himself by chasing round ageisha. What a dandy rogue. We might let that go if he wouldn't makefuss about others making fools of themselves. I understand through theprincipal he stopped your going even to noodle houses or dango shops asunbecoming to the dignity of the school, didn't he?"

"According to his idea, running after a geisha is a mental consolationbut tempura or dango is a material pleasure, I guess. If that's mentalconsolation, why doesn't the fool do it above board? You ought to seethe jacknape skipping out of the room when the geisha came into it theother night, --I don't like his trying to deceive us, but if one were topoint it out for him, he would deny it or say it was the Russianliterature or that the haiku is a half-brother of the new poetry, andexpect to hush it up by twaddling soft nonsense. A weak-knee like him isnot a man. I believe he lived the life of a court-maid in former life. Perhaps his daddy might have been a kagema at Yushima in old days. "

"What is a kagema?"

"I suppose something very unmanly, --sort of emasculated chaps. Say, thatpart isn't cooked enough. It might give you tape worm. "

"So? I think it's all right. And, say, Red Shirt is said to frequentKadoya at the springs town and meet his geisha there, but he keepsit in dark. "

"Kadoya? That hotel?"

"Also a restaurant. So we've got to catch him there with his geisha andmake it hot for him right to his face. "

"Catch him there? Suppose we begin a kind of night watch?"

"Yes, you know there is a rooming house called Masuya in front ofKadoya. We'll rent one room upstairs of the house, and keep peepingthrough a loophole we could make in the shoji. "

"Will he come when we keep peeping at him?"

"He may. We will have to do it more than one night. Must expect to keepit up for at least two weeks. "

"Say, that would make one pretty well tired, I tell you. I sat up everynight for about one week attending my father when he died, and it leftme thoroughly down and out for some time afterward. "

"I don't care if I do get tired some. A crook like Red Shirt should notgo unpunished that way for the honor of Japan, and I am going toadminister a chastisement in behalf of heaven. "

"Hooray! If things are decided upon that way, I am game. And we aregoing to start from to-night?"

"I haven't rented a room at Masuya yet, so can't start it to-night. "

"Then when?"

"Will start before long. I'll let you know, and want you help me. "

"Right-O. I will help you any time. I am not much myself at scheming, but I am IT when it comes to fighting. "

While Porcupine and I were discussing the plan of subjugating Red Shirt, the old lady appeared at the door, announcing that a student was wantingto see Professor Hotta. The student had gone to his house, but seeinghim out, had come here as probable to find him. Porcupine went to thefront door himself, and returning to the room after a while, said:

"Say, the boy came to invite us to go and see the entertainment of thecelebration. He says there is a big bunch of dancers from Kochi to dancesomething, and it would be a long time before we could see the like ofit again. Let's go. "

Porcupine seemed enthusiastic over the prospect of seeing that dance, and induced me to go with him. I have seen many kinds of dance in Tokyo. At the annual festival of the Hachiman Shrine, moving stages come aroundthe district, and I have seen the Shiokukmi and almost any othervariety. I was little inclined to see that dance by the sturdy fellowsfrom Tosa province, but as Porcupine was so insistent, I changed my mindand followed him out. I did not know the student who came to invitePorcupine, but found he was the younger brother of Red Shirt. Of allstudents, what a strange choice for a messenger!

The celebration ground was decorated, like the wrestling amphitheater atRyogoku during the season, or the annual festivity of the Hommonjitemple, with long banners planted here and there, and on the ropes thatcrossed and recrossed in the mid-air were strung the colors of allnations, as if they were borrowed from as many nations for the occasionand the large roof presented unusually cheerful aspect. On the easterncorner there was built a temporary stage upon which the dance of Koehiwas to be performed. For about half a block, with the stage on theright, there was a display of flowers and plant settings arranged onshelves sheltered with reed screens. Everybody was looking at thedisplay seemingly much impressed, but it failed to impress me. Iftwisted grasses or bamboos afforded so much pleasure, the gallantry of ahunchback or the husband of a wrong pair should give as much pleasure totheir eyes. 

In the opposite direction, aerial bombs and fire works were steadilygoing on. A balloon shot out on which was written "Long Live theEmpire!" It floated leisurely over the pine trees near the castletower, and fell down inside the compound of the barracks. Bang! A blackball shot up against the serene autumn sky; burst open straight abovemy head, streams of luminous green smoke ran down in an umbrella-shape, and finally faded. Then another balloon. It was red with "Long Live theArmy and Navy" in white. The wind slowly carried it from the towntoward the Aioi village. Probably it would fall into the yard of Kwanontemple there. 

At the formal celebration this morning there were not quite so many ashere now. It was surging mass that made me wonder how so many peoplelived in the place. There were not many attractive faces among thecrowd, but as far as the numerical strength went, it was a formidableone. In the meantime that dance had begun. I took it for granted thatsince they call it a dance, it would be something similar to the kind ofdance by the Fujita troupe, but I was greatly mistaken. 

Thirty fellows, dressed up in a martial style, in three rows of teneach, stood with glittering drawn swords. The sight was an eye-opener, indeed. The space between the rows measured about two feet, and thatbetween the men might have been even less. One stood apart from thegroup. He was similarly dressed but instead of a drawn sword, he carrieda drum hung about his chest. This fellow drawled out signals the tone ofwhich suggested a mighty easy-life, and then croaking a strange song, hewould strike the drum. The tune was outlandishly unfamiliar. One mightform the idea by thinking it a combination of the Mikawa Banzai and theFudarakuya. 

The song was drowsy, and like syrup in summer is dangling and slovenly. He struck the drum to make stops at certain intervals. The tune was keptwith regular rhythmical order, though it appeared to have neither headnor tail. In response to this tune, the thirty drawn swords flash, withsuch dexterity and speed that the sight made the spectator almostshudder. With live men within two feet of their position, the sharpdrawn blades, each flashing them in the same manner, they looked as ifthey might make a bloody mess unless they were perfectly accurate intheir movements. If it had been brandishing swords alone without movingthemselves, the chances of getting slashed or cut might have been less, but sometimes they would turn sideways together, or clear around, orbend their knees. Just one second's difference in the movement, eithertoo quick or too late, on the part of the next fellow, might have meantsloughing off a nose or slicing off the head of the next fellow. Thedrawn swords moved in perfect freedom, but the sphere of action waslimited to about two feet square, and to cap it all, each had to keepmoving with those in front and back, at right and left, in the samedirection at the same speed. This beats me! The dance of the Shiokumi orthe Sekinoto would make no show compared with this! I heard them say thedance requires much training, and it could not be an easy matter to makeso many dancers move in a unison like this. Particularly difficult partin the dance was that of the fellow with drum stuck to his chest. Themovement of feet, action of hands, or bending of knees of those thirtyfellows were entirely directed by the tune with which he kept themgoing. To the spectators this fellow's part appeared the easiest. Hesang in a lazy tune, but it was strange that he was the fellow who takesthe heaviest responsibility. 

While Porcupine and I, deeply impressed, were looking at the dance withabsorbing interest, a sudden hue and cry was raised about half a blockoff. A commotion was started among those who had been quietly enjoyingthe sights and all ran pell-mell in every direction. Some one was heardsaying "fight!" Then the younger brother of Red Shirt came runningforward through the crowd. 

"Please, Sir, " he panted, "a row again! The middles are going to geteven with the normals and have just begun fighting. Come quick, Sir!"And he melted somewhere into the crowd. 

"What troublesome brats! So they're at it again, eh? Why can'tthey stop it!"

Porcupine, as he spoke, dashed forward, dodging among the running crowd. He meant, I think, to stop the fight, because he could not be an idlespectator once he was informed of the fact. I of course had no intentionof turning tail, and hastened on the heels of Porcupine. The fight wasin its fiercest. There were about fifty to sixty normals, and themiddles numbered by some ninety. The normals wore uniform, but themiddles had discarded their uniform and put on Japanese civilianclothes, which made the distinction between the two hostile camps easy. But they were so mixed up, and wrangling with such violence, that we didnot know how and where we could separate them. 

Porcupine, apparently at a loss what to do, looked at the wild sceneawhile, then turned to me, saying:

"Let's jump in and separate them. It will be hell if cops get on them. "

I did not answer, but rushed to the spot where the scuffle appearedmost violent. 

"Stop there! Cut this out! You're ruining the name of the school! Stopthis, dash you!"

Shouting at the top of my voice, I attempted to penetrate the line whichseemed to separate the hostile sides, but this attempt did not succeed. When about ten feet into the turmoil, I could neither advance norretreat. Right in my front, a comparatively large normal was grapplingwith a middle about sixteen years of ago. 

"Stop that!"

I grabbed the shoulder of the normal and tried to force them apart whensome one whacked my feet. On this sudden attack, I let go the normal andfell down sideways. Some one stepped on my back with heavy shoes. Withboth hands and knees upon the ground, I jumped up and the fellow on myback rolled off to my right. I got up, and saw the big body of Porcupineabout twenty feet away, sandwiched between the students, being pushedback and forth, shouting, "Stop the fight! Stop that!"

"Say, we can't do anything!" I hollered at him, but unable to hear, Ithink, he did not answer. 

A pebble-stone whiffled through the air and hit squarely on my cheekbone; the same moment some one banged my back with a heavy stickfrom behind. 

"Profs mixing in!" "Knock them down!" was shouted. 

"Two of them; big one and small. Throw stones at them!" Another shout. 

"Drat you fresh jackanapes!" I cried as I wallopped the head of a normalnearby. Another stone grazed my head, and passed behind me. I did notknow what had become of Porcupine, I could not find him. Well, I couldnot help it but jumped into the teapot to stop the tempest. I wasn't[O]a Hottentot to skulk away on being shot at with pebble-stones. What didthey think I was anyway! I've been through all kinds of fighting inTokyo, and can take in all fights one may care to give me. I slugged, jabbed and banged the stuffing out of the fellow nearest to me. Thensome one cried, "Cops! Cops! Cheese it! Beat it!" At that moment, as ifwading through a pond of molasses, I could hardly move, but the next Ifelt suddenly released and both sides scampered off simultaneously. Eventhe country fellows do creditable work when it comes to retreating, moremasterly than General Kuropatkin, I might say. 

I searched for Porcupine who, I found his overgown torn to shreds, waswiping his nose. He bled considerably, and his nose having swollen was asight. My clothes were pretty well massed with dirt, but I had notsuffered quite as much damage as Porcupine. I felt pain in my cheek andas Porcupine said, it bled some. 

About sixteen police officers arrived at the scene but, all the studentshaving beat it in opposite directions, all they were able to catch werePorcupine and me. We gave them our names and explained the whole story. The officers requested us to follow them to the police station which wedid, and after stating to the chief of police what had happened, wereturned home. 

CHAPTER XI. 

The next morning on awakening I felt pains all over my body, due, Ithought, to having had no fight for a long time. This is not creditableto my fame as regards fighting, so I thought while in bed, when the oldlady brought me a copy of the Shikoku Shimbun. I felt so weak as to needsome effort even reaching for the paper. But what should be man soeasily upset by such a trifling affair, --so I forced myself to turn inbed, and, opening its second page, I was surprised. There was the wholestory of the fight of yesterday in print. Not that I was surprised bythe news of the fight having been published, but it said that oneteacher Hotta of the Middle School and one certain saucy Somebody, recently from Tokyo, of the same institution, not only started thistrouble by inciting the students, but were actually present at the sceneof the trouble, directing the students and engaged themselves againstthe students of the Normal School. On top of this, something of thefollowing effect was added. 

"The Middle School in this prefecture has been an object of admirationby all other schools for its good and ideal behavior. But since thislong-cherished honor has been sullied by these two irresponsiblepersons, and this city made to suffer the consequent indignity, we haveto bring the perpetrators to full account. We trust that before we takeany step in this matter, the authorities will have those 'toughs'properly punished, barring them forever from our educational circles. "

All the types were italicized, as if they meant to administertypographical chastisement upon us. "What the devil do I care!" Ishouted, and up I jumped out of bed. Strange to say, the pain in myjoints became tolerable. 

I rolled up the newspaper and threw it into the garden. Not satisfied, Itook that paper to the cesspool and dumped it there. Newspapers tellsuch reckless lies. There is nothing so adept, I believe, as thenewspaper in circulating lies. It has said what I should have said. Andwhat does it mean by "one saucy Somebody who is recently from Tokyo?" Isthere any one in this wide world with the name of Somebody? Don'tforget, I have a family and personal name of my own which I am proud of. If they want to look at my family-record, they will bow before every oneof my ancestors from Mitsunaka Tada down. Having washed my face, mycheek began suddenly smarting. I asked the old lady for a mirror, andshe asked if I had read the paper of this morning. "Yes, " I said, "anddumped it in the cesspool; go and pick it up if you want it, "--and shewithdrew with a startled look. Looking in the mirror, I saw bruises onmy cheek. Mine is a precious face to me. I get my face bruised, and amcalled a saucy Somebody as if I were nobody. That is enough. 

It will be a reflection on my honor to the end of my days if it is saidthat I shunned the public gaze and kept out of the school on account ofthe write-up in the paper. So, after the breakfast, I attended theschool ahead of all. One after the other, all coming to the school wouldgrin at my face. What is there to laugh about! This face is my own, gotten up, I am sure, without the least obligation on their part. By andby, Clown appeared. 

"Ha, heroic action yesterday. Wounds of honor, eh?"

He made this sarcastic remark, I suppose, in revenge for the knock hereceived on his head from me at the farewell dinner. 

"Cut out nonsense; you get back there and suck your old drawingbrushes!" Then he answered "that was going some, " and enquired if itpained much?

"Pain or no pain, this is my face. That's none of your business, " Isnapped back in a furious temper. Then Clown took his seat on the otherside, and still keeping his eye on me, whispered and laughed with theteacher of history next to him. 

Then came Porcupine. His nose had swollen and was purple, --it was atempting object for a surgeon's knife. His face showed far worse (is itmy conceit that make this comparison?) than mine. I and Porcupine arechums with desks next to each other, and moreover, as ill-luck wouldhave it, the desks are placed right facing the door. Thus were twostrange faces placed together. The other fellows, when in want ofsomething to divert them, would gaze our way with regularity. They say"too bad, " but they are surely laughing in their minds as "ha, thesefools!" If that is not so, there is no reason for their whisperingtogether and grinning like that. In the class room, the boys clappedtheir hands when I entered; two or three of them banzaied. I could nottell whether it was an enthusiastic approval or open insult. While I andPorcupine were thus being made the cynosures of the whole school, RedShirt came to me as usual. 

"Too bad, my friend; I am very sorry indeed for you gentlemen, " he saidin a semi-apologetic manner. "I've talked with the principal in regardto the story in the paper, and have arranged to demand that the paperretract the report, so you needn't worry on that score. You were plungedinto the trouble because my brother invited Mr. Hotta, and I don't knowhow I can apologize you! I'm going to do my level best in this matter;you gentlemen please depend on that. " At the third hour recess theprincipal came out of his room, and seemed more or less perturbed, saying, "The paper made a bad mess of it, didn't it? I hope the matterwill not become serious. "

As to anxiety, I have none. If they propose to relieve me, I intendto tender my resignation before I get fired, --that's all. However, ifI resign with no fault on my part, I would be simply giving the paperadvantage. I thought it proper to make the paper take back what ithad said, and stick to my position. I was going to the newspaperoffice to give them a piece of my mind on my way back but having beentold that the school had already taken steps to have the storyretracted, I did not. 

Porcupine and I saw the principal and Red Shirt at a convenient hour, giving them a faithful version of the incident. The principal and RedShirt agreed that the incident must have been as we said and that thepaper bore some grudge against the school and purposely published such astory. Red Shirt made a round of personal visits on each teacher in theroom, defending and explaining our action in the affair. Particularly hedwelt upon the fact that his brother invited Porcupine and it was hisfault. All teachers denounced the paper as infamous and agreed that wetwo deserved sympathy. 

On our way home, Porcupine warned me that Red Shirt smelt suspicious, and we would be done unless we looked out. I said he had been smellingsome anyway, --it was not necessarily so just from to-day. Then he saidthat it was his trick to have us invited and mixed in the fightyesterday, --"Aren't you on to that yet?" Well, I was not. Porcupine wasquite a Grobian but he was endowed, I was impressed, with a betterbrain than I. 

"He made us mix into the trouble, and slipped behind and contrived tohave the paper publish the story. What a devil!"

"Even the newspaper in the band wagon of Red Shirt? That surprises me. But would the paper listen to Red Shirt so easily?"

"Wouldn't it, though. Darn easy thing if one has friends in thepaper. "[P]

"Has he any?"

"Suppose he hasn't, still that's easy. Just tell lies and say such andsuch are facts, and the paper will take it up. "

"A startling revelation, this. If that was really a trick of Red Shirt, we're likely to be discharged on account of this affair. "

"Quite likely we may be discharged. "

"Then I'll tender my resignation tomorrow, and back to Tokyo I go. I amsick of staying in such a wretched hole. "

"Your resignation wouldn't make Red Shirt squeal. "

"That's so. How can he be made to squeal?"

"A wily guy like him always plots not to leave any trace behind, and itwould be difficult to follow his track. "

"What a bore! Then we have to stand in a false light, eh? Damn it! Icall all kinds of god to witness if this is just and right!"

"Let's wait for two or three days and see how it turns out. And ifwe can't do anything else, we will have to catch him at the hotsprings town. "

"Leaving this fight affair a separate case?"

"Yes. We'll have to his hit weak spot with our own weapon. "

"That may be good. I haven't much to say in planning it out; I leave itto you and will do anything at your bidding. "

I parted from Porcupine then. If Red Shirt was really instrumental inbringing us two into the trouble as Porcupine supposed, he certainlydeserves to be called down. Red Shirt outranks us in brainy work. Andthere is no other course open but to appeal to physical force. No wonderwe never see the end of war in the world. Among individuals, it is, after all, the question of superiority of the fist. 

Next day I impatiently glanced over the paper, the arrival of which Ihad been waiting with eagerness, but not a correction of the news oreven a line of retraction could be found. I pressed the matter onBadger when I went to the school, and he said it might probably appeartomorrow. On that "tomorrow" a line of retraction was printed in tinytypes. But the paper did not make any correction of the story. I calledthe attention of Badger to the fact, and he replied that that was aboutall that could be done under the circumstance. The principal, with theface like a badger and always swaggering, is surprisingly, wanting ininfluence. He has not even as much power as to bring down a countrynewspaper, which had printed a false story. I was so thoroughlyindignant that I declared I would go alone to the office and see theeditor-in-chief on the subject, but Badger said no. 

"If you go there and have a blowup with the editor, " he continued, "itwould only mean of your being handed out worse stuff in the paper again. Whatever is published in a paper, right or wrong, nothing can be donewith it. " And he wound up with a remark that sounded like a piece ofsermon by a Buddhist bonze that "We must be contented by speedilydespatching the matter from our minds and forgetting it. "

If newspapers are of that character, it would be beneficial for us allto have them suspended, --the sooner the better. The similarity of theunpleasant sensation of being written-up in a paper and beingbitten-down by a turtle became plain for the first time by theexplanation of Badger. 

About three days afterward, Porcupine came to me excited, and said thatthe time has now come, that he proposes to execute that thing we hadplanned out. Then I will do so, I said, and readily agreed to join him. But Porcupine jerked his head, saying that I had better not. I asked himwhy, and he asked if I had been requested by the principal to tender myresignation. No, I said, and asked if he had. He told me that he wascalled by the principal who was very, very sorry for him but under thecircumstance requested him to decide to resign. 

"That isn't fair. Badger probably had been pounding his belly-drum toomuch and his stomach is upside down, " I said, "you and I went to thecelebration, looked at the glittering sword dance together, and jumpedinto the fight together to stop it. Wasn't it so? If he wants you totender your resignation, he should be impartial and should have asked meto also. What makes everything in the country school so dull-head. Thisis irritating!"

"That's wire-pulling by Red Shirt, " he said. "I and Red Shirt cannot goalong together, but they think you can be left as harmless. "

"I wouldn't get along with that Red Shirt either. Consider me harmless, eh? They're getting too gay with me. "

"You're so simple and straight that they think they can handle you inany old way. "

"Worse still. I wouldn't get along with him, I tell you. "

"Besides, since the departure of Koga, his successor has not arrived. Furthermore, if they fire me and you together, there will be blank spotsin the schedule hours at the school. "

"Then they expect me to play their game. Darn the fellow! See if theycan make me. "

On going to the school next day I made straightway for the room of theprincipal and started firing;

"Why don't you ask me to put in my resignation?" I said. 

"Eh?" Badger stared blankly. 

"You requested Hotta to resign, but not me. Is that right?"

"That is on account of the condition of the school. . . . . . "

"That condition is wrong, I dare say. If I don't have to resign, thereshould be no necessity for Hotta to resign either. "

"I can't offer a detailed explanation about that. . . . . . As to Hotta, itcannot be helped if he goes. . . . . . . . . . . . We see no need of yourresigning. "

Indeed, he is a badger. He jabbers something, dodging the point, butappears complacent. So I had to say:

"Then, I will tender my resignation. You might have thought that Iwould remain peacefully while Mr. Hotta is forced to resign, but Icannot do it"

"That leaves us in a bad fix. If Hotta goes away and you follow him, wecan't teach mathematics here. "

"None of my business if you can't. "

"Say, don't be so selfish. You ought to consider the condition of theschool. Besides, if it is said that you resigned within one month ofstarting a new job, it would affect your record in the future. Youshould consider that point also. "

"What do I care about my record. Obligation is more importantthan record. "

"That's right. What you say is right, but be good enough to take ourposition into consideration. If you insist on resigning, then resign, but please stay until we get some one to take your place. At any rate, think the matter over once more, please. "

The reason was so plain as to discourage any attempt to think it over, but as I took some pity on Badger whose face reddened or paledalternately as he spoke, I withdrew on the condition that I would thinkthe matter over. I did not talk with Red Shirt. If I have to land himone, it was better, I thought, to have it bunched together and make ithot and strong. 

I acquainted Porcupine with the details of my meeting with Badger. Hesaid he had expected it to be about so, and added that the matter ofresignation can be left alone without causing me any embarrassmentuntil the time comes. So I followed his advice. Porcupine appearssomewhat smarter than I, and I have decided to accept whatever adviceshe may give. 

Porcupine finally tendered his resignation, and having bidden farewellof all the fellow teachers, went down to Minato-ya on the beach. But hestealthily returned to the hot springs town, and having rented a frontroom upstairs of Masuya, started peeping through the hole he fingeredout in the shoji. I am the only person who knows of this. If Red Shirtcomes round, it would be night anyway, and as he is liable to be seen bystudents or some others during the early part in the evening, it wouldsurely be after nine. For the first two nights, I was on the watch tillabout 11 o'clock, but no sight of Red Shirt was seen. On the thirdnight, I kept peeping through from nine to ten thirty, but he did notcome. Nothing made me feel more like a fool than returning to theboarding house at midnight after a fruitless watch. In four or fivedays, our old lady began worrying about me and advised me to quit nightprowling, --being married. My night prowling is different from that kindof night prowling. Mine is that of administering a deservedchastisement. But then, when no encouragement is in sight after oneweek, it becomes tiresome. I am quick tempered, and get at it with allzeal when my interest is aroused, and would sit up all night to work itout, but I have never shone in endurance. However loyal a member of theheavenly-chastisement league I may be, I cannot escape monotony. On thesixth night I was a little tired, and on the seventh thought I wouldquit. Porcupine, however, stuck to it with bull-dog tenacity. From earlyin the evening up to past twelve, he would glue his eye to the shoji andkeep steadily watching under the gas globe of Kadoya. He would surpriseme, when I come into the room, with figures showing how many patronsthere were to-day, how many stop-overs and how many women, etc. RedShirt seems never to be coming, I said, and he would fold his arms, audibly sighing, "Well, he ought to. " If Red Shirt would not come justfor once, Porcupine would be deprived of the chance of handing out adeserved and just punishment. 

I left my boarding house about 7 o'clock on the eighth night and afterhaving enjoyed my bath, I bought eight raw eggs. This would counteractthe attack of sweet potatoes by the old lady. I put the eggs into myright and left pockets, four in each, with the same old red towel hungover my shoulder, my hands inside my coat, went to Masuya. I opened theshoji of the room and Porcupine greeted me with his Idaten-like facesuddenly radiant, saying:

"Say, there's hope! There's hope!" Up to last night, he had beendowncast, and even I felt gloomy. But at his cheerful countenance, I toobecame cheerful, and before hearing anything, I cried, "Hooray! Hooray!"

"About half past seven this evening, " he said, "that geisha named Kosuzuhas gone into Kadoya. "

"With Red Shirt?"

"No. "

"That's no good then. "

"There were two geishas. . . . . . Seems to me somewhat hopeful. "

"How?"

"How? Why, the sly old fox is likely to send his girls ahead[Q], andsneak round behind later. "

"That may be the case. About nine now, isn't it?"

"About twelve minutes past nine, " said he, pulling out a watch witha nickel case, "and, say put out the light. It would be funny tohave two silhouettes of bonze heads on the shoji. The fox is tooready to suspect. "

I blew out the lamp which stood upon the lacquer-enameled table. Theshoji alone was dimly plain by the star light. The moon has not come upyet. I and Porcupine put our faces close to the shoji, watching almostbreathless. A wall clock somewhere rang half past nine. 

"Say, will he come to-night, do you think? If he doesn't show up, Iquit. "

"I'm going to keep this up while my money lasts. "

"Money? How much have you?"

"I've paid five yen and sixty sen up to to-day for eight days. I pay mybill every night, so I can jump out anytime. "

"That's well arranged. The people of this hotel must have been ratherput out, I suppose. "

"That's all right with the hotel; only I can't take my mind offthe house. "

"But you take some sleep in daytime. "

"Yes, I take a nap, but it's nuisance because I can't go out. "

"Heavenly chastisement is a hard job, I'm sure, " I said. "If he givesus the slip after giving us such trouble, it would have been athankless task. "

"Well, I'm sure he will come to-night. . . --. . . Look, look!" His voicechanged to whisper and I was alert in a moment. A fellow with a blackhat looked up at the gas light of Kadoya and passed on into thedarkness. No, it was not Red Shirt. Disappointing, this! Meanwhile theclock at the office below merrily tinkled off ten. It seems to beanother bum watch to-night. 

The streets everywhere had become quiet. The drum playing in thetenderloin reached our ears distinctively. The moon had risen frombehind the hills of the hot springs. It is very light outside. Thenvoices were heard below. We could not poke our heads out of the window, so were unable to see the owners of the voices, but they were evidentlycoming nearer. The dragging of komageta (a kind of wooden footwear) washeard. They approached so near we could see their shadows. 

"Everything is all right now. We've got rid of the stumbling block. " Itwas undoubtedly the voice of Clown. 

"He only glories in bullying but has no tact. " This from Red Shirt. 

"He is like that young tough, isn't he? Why, as to that young tough, heis a winsome, sporty Master Darling. "

"I don't want my salary raised, he says, or I want to tenderresignation, --I'm sure something is wrong with his nerves. "

I was greatly inclined to open the window, jump out of the second storyand make them see more stars than they cared to, but I restrained myselfwith some effort. The two laughed, and passed below the gas light, andinto Kadoya. 

"Say. "

"Well. "

"He's here. "

"Yes, he has come at last. "

"I feel quite easy now. "

"Damned Clown called me a sporty Master Darling. "

"The stumbling[R] block means me. Hell!"

I and Porcupine had to waylay them on their return. But we knew no morethan the man in the moon when they would come out. Porcupine went downto the hotel office, notifying them to the probability of our going outat midnight, and requesting them to leave the door unfastened so wecould get out anytime. As I think about it now, it is wonderful how thehotel people complied with our request. In most cases, we would havebeen taken for burglars. 

It was trying to wait for the coming of Red Shirt, but it was still moretrying to wait for his coming out again. We could not go to sleep, norcould we remain with our faces stuck to the shoji all the time our mindsconstantly in a state of feverish agitation. In all my life, I neverpassed such fretful, mortifying hours. I suggested that we had better goright into his room and catch him but Porcupine rejected the proposaloutright. If we get in there at this time of night, we are likely to beprevented from preceding much further, he said, and if we ask to seehim, they will either answer that he is not there or will take us into adifferent room. Supposing we do break into a room, we cannot tell of allthose many rooms, where we can find him. There is no other way but towait for him to come out, however tiresome it may be. So we sat up tillfive in the morning. 

The moment we saw them emerging from Kadoya, I and Porcupine followedthem. It was some time before the first train started and they had towalk up to town. Beyond the limit of the hot springs town, there is aroad for about one block running through the rice fields, both sides ofwhich are lined with cedar trees. Farther on are thatch-roofed farmhouses here and there, and then one comes upon a dyke leading straightto the town through the fields. We can catch them anywhere outside thetown, but thinking it would be better to get them, if possible, on theroad lined with cedar trees where we may not be seen by others, wefollowed them cautiously. Once out of the town limit, we darted on adouble-quick time, and caught up with them. Wondering what was comingafter them, they turned back, and we grabbed their shoulders. We cried, "Wait!" Clown, greatly rattled, attempted to escape, but I stepped infront of him to cut off his retreat. 

"What makes one holding the job of a head teacher stay over night atKadoya!" Porcupine directly fired the opening gun. 

"Is there any rule that a head teacher should not stay over night atKadoya?" Red Shirt met the attack in a polite manner. He looked alittle pale. 

"Why the one who is so strict as to forbid others from going even tonoodle house or dango shop as unbecoming to instructors, stayed overnight at a hotel with a geisha!"

Clown was inclined to run at the first opportunity; so kept Ibefore him. 

"What's that Master Darling of a young tough!" I roared. 

"I didn't mean you. Sir. No, Sir, I didn't mean you, sure. " He insistedon this brazen excuse. I happened to notice at that moment that I hadheld my pockets with both hands. The eggs in both pockets jerked so whenI ran, that I had been holding them, I thrust my hand into the pocket, took out two and dashed them on the face of Clown. The eggs crushed, andfrom the tip of his nose the yellow streamed down. Clown was takencompletely surprised, and uttering a hideous cry, he fell down on theground and begged for mercy. I had bought those eggs to eat, but had notcarried them for the purpose of making "Irish Confetti" of them. Thoroughly roused, in the moment of passion, I had dashed them at himbefore I knew what I was doing. But seeing Clown down and finding myhand grenade successful, I banged the rest of the eggs on him, intermingled with "Darn you, you sonovagun!" The face of Clown wassoaked in yellow. 

While I was bombarding Clown with the eggs, Porcupine was firing atRed[S] Shirt. 

"Is there any evidence that I stayed there over night with a geisha?"

"I saw your favorite old chicken go there early in the evening, and amtelling you so. You can't fool me!"

"No need for us of fooling anybody. I stayed there with Mr. Yoshikawa, and whether any geisha had gone there early in the evening or not, that's none of my business. "

"Shut up!" Porcupine wallopped him one. Red Shirt tottered. 

"This is outrageous! It is rough to resort to force before deciding theright or wrong of it!"

"Outrageous indeed!" Another clout. "Nothing but wallopping will beeffective on you scheming guys. " The remark was followed by a showerof blows. I soaked Clown at the same time, and made him think he sawthe way to the Kingdom-Come. Finally the two crawled and crouched atthe foot of a cedar tree, and either from inability to move or tosee, because their eyes had become hazy, they did not even attempt tobreak away. 

"Want more? If so, here goes some more!" With that we gave him moreuntil he cried enough. "Want more? You?" we turned to Clown, and heanswered "Enough, of course. "

"This is the punishment of heaven on you grovelling wretches. Keepthis in your head and be more careful hereafter. You can never talkdown justice. "

The two said nothing. They were so thoroughly cowed that they couldnot speak. 

"I'm going to neither, run away nor hide. You'll find me at Minato-ya onthe beach up to five this evening. Bring police officers or any oldthing you want, " said Porcupine. 

"I'm not going to run away or hide either. Will wait for you at the sameplace with Hotta. Take the case to the police station if you like, or doas you damn please, " I said, and we two walked our own way. 

It was a little before seven when I returned to my room. I startedpacking as soon as I was in the room, and the astonished old lady askedme what I was trying to do. I'm going to Tokyo to fetch my Madam, Isaid, and paid my bill. I boarded a train and came to Minato-ya on thebeach and found Porcupine asleep upstairs. I thought of writing myresignation, but not knowing how, just scribbled off that "because ofpersonal affairs, I have to resign and return, to Tokyo. Yours truly, "and addressed and mailed it to the principal. 

The steamer leaves the harbor at six in the evening. Porcupine and I, tired out, slept like logs, and when we awoke it was two o'clock. Weasked the maid if the police had called on us, and she said no. RedShirt and Clown had not taken it to the police, eh? We laughed. 

That night I and Porcupine left the town. The farther the vessel steamedaway from the shore, the more refreshed we felt. From Kobe to Tokyo weboarded a through train and when we made Shimbashi, we breathed as if wewere once more in congenial human society. I parted from Porcupine atthe station, and have not had the chance of meeting him since. 

I forgot to tell you about Kiyo. On my arrival at Tokyo, I rushed intoher house swinging my valise, before going to a hotel, with "Hello, Kiyo, I'm back!"

"How good of you to return so soon!" she cried and hot tears streameddown her cheeks. I was overjoyed, and declared that I would not go tothe country any more but would start housekeeping with Kiyo in Tokyo. 

Some time afterward, some one helped me to a job as assistant engineerat the tram car office. The salary was 25 yen a month, and the houserent six. Although the house had not a magnificent front entrance, Kiyoseemed quite satisfied, but, I am sorry to say, she was a victim ofpneumonia and died in February this year. On the day preceding herdeath, she asked me to bedside, and said, "Please, Master Darling, ifKiyo is dead, bury me in the temple yard of Master Darling. I will beglad to wait in the grave for my Master Darling. "

So Kiyo's grave is in the Yogen temple at Kobinata. 

--(THE END)--

[A: Insitent][B: queershaped][C: The original just had the Japanese character, Unicode U+5927, sans description][D: aweinspiring][E: about about][F: atomosphere][G: Helloo][H: you go][I: goo-goo eyes][J: proper hyphenation unknown][K: pin-princking][L: Procupine][M: celabration][N: wans't][O: paper. ][P: girl shead][Q: stumblieg][R: Rad]