noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第8章

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a　mere　bar　tracery　of　earth　between　the　sky　above　and　a　sky　beneath。　

Upon　such　lattice　of　a　world　we　journeyed　in　mid…heaven。　　Stealthily

the　shadows　gathered；　and　as　the　hour　for　confidences　drew　on；　nature

took　us　into　hers。　　The　trees　in　the　twilight；　just　breaking　into

leaf；　stood　in　groups　among　the　fields　and　whispered　low　to　one

another；　nodding　their　heads；　and　then　from　out　the　shadow　of　the　May

evening　came　the　croaking　of　the　frogs。　　Strangely　the　sound　fitted

the　hour；　with　its　like　touch　of　mysterious　suggestion。　　As　the

twilight　indefinite；　it　pervaded　everything；　yet　was　never　anywhere。　

Deafening　at　a　distance；　it　hushed　at　our　approach　only　to　begin

again　behind　us。　　Will…o'…the…wisp　of　the　ear；　infatuating　because

forever　illusive！　　And　the　distance　and　the　numbers　blended　what　had

perhaps　been　harsh　into　a　mellow　whole　that　filled　the　gloaming　with

a　sort　of　voice。　　I　began　to　understand　why　the　Japanese　are　so　fond

of　it　that　they　deem　it　not　unworthy　a　place　in　nature's　vocal

pantheon　but　little　lower　than　the　song　of　the　nightingale；　and　echo

its　sentiment　in　verse。　　And　indeed　it　seems　to　me　that　his　soul　must

be　conventionally　tuned　in　whom　this　even…song　of　the　ricefields

stirs　no　responsive　chord。　







VIII。　



Across　the　Etchiu　Delta。　



The　twilight　lingered；　and　the　road　threaded　its　tortuous　course　for

miles　through　the　rice　plain；　bordered　on　either　hand　by　the　dykes　of

the　paddyfields。　　Every　few　hundred　feet；　we　passed　a　farmhouse

screened　by　clipped　hedgerows　and　bosomed　in　trees；　and　at　longer

intervals　we　rolled　through　some　village；　the　country　pike　becoming

for　the　time　the　village　street。　　The　land　was　an　archipelago　of

homestead　in　a　sea　of　rice。　　But　the　trees　about　the　dwellings　so　cut

up　the　view；　that　for　the　moments　of　passing　the　mind　forgot　it　was

all　so　flat　and　came　back　to　its　ocean　in　surprise；　when　the　next

vista　opened　on　the　sides。　



Things　had　already　become　silhouettes　when　we　dashed　into

lantern…lighted　Mikkaichi。　　We　took　the　place　in　form；　and　a　fine

sensation　we　made。　　What　between　the　shouts　of　the　runners　and　the

clatter　of　the　chaises　men；　women　and　children　made　haste　to　clear　a

track；　snatching　their　little　ones　back　and　then　staring　at　us　as　we

swept　past。　　Indeed；　the　teams　put　their　best　feet　foremost　for　local

effect；　and　more　than　once　came　within　an　ace　of　running　over　some

urchin　who　either　would　not　or　could　not　get　out　of　the　way。　

Fortunately　no　casualties　occurred。　　For　it　would　have　been

ignominious　to　have　been　arrested　by　the　police　during　our　first　ten

minutes　in　the　town；　not　to　speak　of　the　sad　dampening　to　our

feelings　an　accident　would　have　caused。　



In　this　mad　manner　we　dashed　up　the　long　main　street。　　We　were　forced

to　take　the　side；　for　the　village　aqueduct　or　gutterit　served　both

purposesmonopolized　the　middle。　　At　short　intervals；　it　was　spanned

by　causeways　made　of　slabs　of　stone。　　Over　one　of　these　we　made　a

final　swirl　and　drew　up　before　the　inn。　　Then　our　shafts　made　their

obeisance　to　the　ground。　



A　warm　welcome　greeted　the　appeal。　　A　crowd　of　servants　came　rushing

to　the　front　of　the　house　with　an　eye　to　business；　and　a　crowd　of

village　folk　with　an　eye　to　pleasure　closed　in　behind。　　Between　the

two　fires　we　stepped　out　and　entered　the　side　court；　to　the

satisfaction　of　the　one　audience　and　the　chagrin　of　the　other。

But　it　is　impossible　to　please　everybody。　



Fortunately　it　was　not　so　hard　to　please　us；　and　certainly　the　inn

people　did　their　best；　for　they　led　the　way　to　what　formerly　were　the

state　apartments；　that　part　of　the　house　where　the　daimyo　of　Kaga　had

been　wont　to　lodge　when　he　stopped　here　over　night　on　his　journey

north。　　Though　it　had　fallen　somewhat　into　disrepair；　it　was　still

the　place　of　honor　in　the　inn；　and　therefore　politely　put　at　the

service　of　one　from　beyond　sea。　　There　I　supped　in　solitary　state；

and　there　I　slept　right　royally　amid　the　relics　of　former　splendor；

doubting　a　little　whether　some　unlaid　ghost　of　bygone　times　might　not

come　to　claim　his　own；　and　oust　me　at　black　midnight　by　the　rats；　his

retinue。　



But　nothing　short　of　the　sun　called　me　back　to　consciousness　and　bade

me　open　to　the　tiny　garden；　where　a　pair　of　ducks　were　preening　their

feathers　after　an　early　bath　in　their　own　little　lake。　　On　the

veranda　my　lake　already　stood　prepared；　a　brass　basin　upon　a　wooden

stand；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　country。　　So　ducks　and　I

dabbled　and　prinked　in　all　innocence　in　the　garden；　which　might　well

have　been　the　garden　of　Eden　for　any　hint　it　gave　of　a　world　beyond。　

It　was　my　fate；　too；　to　leave　it　after　the　same　manner。

For　breakfast　over　we　were　once　more　of　the　road。　



We　had　a　long　day　of　it　before　us；　for　I　purposed　to　cross　the　Etchiu

delta　and　sleep　that　night　on　the　threshold　of　my　hopes。　　The　day；

like　all　days　that　look　long　on　the　map；　proved　still　longer　on　the

march。　　Its　itinerary　diversified　discomfort。　　First　seventeen　miles

in　kuruma；　then　a　ferry；　then　a　tramp　of　twelve　miles　along　the　beach

through　a　series　of　sand　dunes；　then　another　ferry；　and　finally　a

second　walk　of　seven　miles　and　a　half　over　some　foothills　to　top　off

with。　　The　inexpensiveness　of　the　transport　was　the　sole　relieving

feature　of　the　day。　　Not；　I　mean；　because　the　greater　and　worse　half

of　the　journey　was　done　on　our　own　feet；　but　because　of　the　cheap

charges　of　the　chaises　and　even　of　the　porters。　　To　run　at　a　dogtrot；

trundling　another　in　a　baby　carriage；　seventeen　miles　for　twenty

cents　is　not；　I　hold；　an　extortionate　price。　　Certain　details　of　the

tariff；　however；　are　peculiar。　　For　instance；　if　two　men　share　the

work　by　running　tandem；　the　fare　is　more　than　doubled；　a　ratio　in　the

art　of　proportion　surprising　at　first。　　Each　man　would　seem　to　charge

for　being　helped。　　The　fact　is；　the　greater　speed　expected　of　the

pair　more　than　offsets　the　decreased　draft。　



Otherwise；　as　I　say；　the　day　was　depressing。　　It　was　not　merely　the

tramp　through　the　sand　dunes　that　was　regrettable；　though　heaven

knows　I　would　not　willingly　take　it　again。　　The　sand　had　far　too

hospitable　a　trick　of　holding　on　to　you　at　every　step　to　be　to　my

liking。　　Besides；　the　sun；　which　had　come　out　with　summer　insistence；

chose　that　particular　spot　for　its　midday　siesta；　and　lay　there　at

full　length；　while　the　air　was　preternaturally　still。　　It　was　a

stupidly　drowsy　heat　that　gave　no　fillip　to　the　feet。　



But　such　discomfort　was　merely　by　the　way。　　The　real　trouble　began　at

Fushiki；　the　town　on　the　farther　side　of　the　second　ferry。　　In　the

first　place　the　spot　had；　what　is　most　uncommon　in　Japan；　a　very

sorry　look；　which　was　depressing　in　itself。　　Secondly；　its　inhabitants

were　much　too　busy　or　much　too　unemployed；　or　both；　to　be　able　to

attend　to　strangers　at　that　hour　of　the　afternoon。　　Consequently　it

was　almost　impossible　to　get　any　one　to　carry　the　baggage。

We　dispatched　emissaries；　however。　　By　good　luck　we　secured　some　beer；

and　then　argued　ourselves　dry　again　on　the　luggage　question。

The　emissaries　were　at　work；　we　were　assured；　and　at　last　some　one

who　had　been　sent　for　was　said　to　be　coming。　　Still　time　dragged　on；

until　finally　the　burden　bearers　turned　up；　and　turned　out　to

bewomen。　



At　this　I　rebelled。　　The　situation　was　not　new；　but　it　was　none　the

less　impossible。　　In　out…of…the…way　districts　I　had　refused　offers　of

the　kind　before。　　For　Japanese　beasts　of　burden　run　in　a　decreasing

scale　as　follows；　according　to　the　poverty　of　the　place：　jinrikisha；

horses；　bulls；　men；　women。　　I　draw　my　line　at　the　last。　　I　am　well

aware　how　absurd　the　objects　themselves　regard　such　a　protective

policy；　but　I　cling　to　my　prejudices。　　To　the　present　proffer　I　was

adamant。　　To　step　jauntily　along　in　airy　unencumberedness　myself；

while　a　string　of　women　trudged　wearily　after；　loaded　with　my　heavy

personal　effects；　was　more　than　an　Anglo…Saxon　attitude　towards　the

sex　could　stand。　　I　would　none　of　them；　to　the　surprise　and　dismay　of

the　inn　landlord；　and　to　the　no　slight　wonder　of　the　women。

The　discarding　was　not　an　easy　piece　of　work。　　The　fair　ones　were

present　at　it；　and　I　have　no　doubt　misinterpreted　the　motive。

For　women　have　a　weakness　for　a　touch　of　the　slave…master　in　a　man。　

Beside；　〃hell　hath　no　fury　like　a　woman　scorned；〃　though　it　be　only

in　the　capacity　of　a　porter。　　There　was　nothing　for　it；　however；　but

to　let　it　go　at　that。　　For　to　have　explained　with　more　insistence

would　infallibly　have　deepened　their　suspicions　of　wounded　vanity。　

But　it　did　seem　hard　to　be　obliged　to　feel　a　brute　for　refusing　to　be

one。　



The　landlord；　thanks　to　my　importunities；　managed　after　some　further

delay　to　secure　a　couple　of　lusty　lads；　relatives；　I　suspect；　of　the

discarded　fair　ones；　and　with　them　we　eventually　set　out。　　We　had　not

gone　far；　when　I　came　to　consider；　unjustly；　no　doubt；　that　they

journeyed　too　slow。　　I　might　have　thought　differently　had　I　carried

the　chattels　and　they　the　purse。　　I　shuddered　to　think　what　the

situation　would　have　been　with　women；　for　then　even　the　poor　solace

of　remonstrance　would　have　been　denied。　　As　it　was；　I　spent　much

breath　in　trying　to　hurry　them；　and　it　is　pleasanter　now　than　it　was

then　to　reflect　how　futilely。　　For　I　rated　them　roundly；　while　they

accepted　my　verbal　goadings　with　the　trained　stolidity　of　folk　who

were　used　to　it。　



When　at　last　we　approached　the　village　of　our　destination；　which　bore

the　name　of　Himi；　it　was　already　dusk；　and　this　with　the　long　May

twilight　meant　a　late　hour　before　we　should　be　comfortably　housed。　

Indeed；　I　had　been　quartered　in　anticipation　for　the　last　few　miles；

and　was　only　awaiting　arrival　to　enter　into　instant　possession　of　my

fancied　estate。　　Not　content　even　with　pure　insubstantiality；　I　had

interviewed　various　people　through　Yejiro　on　the　subject。　　First；　the

porters　had　been　exhaustively　catechized；　and　then　what　wayfarers　we

chanced　to　meet　had　been　buttonholed　beside；　with　the　result　of　much

contradictory　information。　　There　seemed　to　be　an　inn　which　was；

I　will　not　say　good；　but　the　best；　but　no　two　informants　could　agree

in　calling　it　by　name。　　One　thought　he　remembered　that　the　North　Inn

was　the　place　to　go　to；　another　that　he　had　heard　the　Wistaria　House

specially　commended。　



All　doubts；　however；　were　set　at　rest　when　we　reached　the　town。

For　without　the　slightest　hesitation；　every　one　of　the　houses　in

question　refused　to　take　us　in。　　The　unanimity　was　wonderful

considering　the　lack　of　collusion。　　Yejiro　and　I　made　as　many

unsuccessful　applications　together　as　I　could　stand。　　Then　I　went

and　sat　down　on　the　sill　of　the　first　teahouse　for　a　base　of

operationsI　cannot　say　for　my　headquarters；　because　that　is　just

what　we　could　not　getand　gave　myself　up　to　melancholy。　　Meanwhile

Yejiro　ransacked　the　town；　from　which　excursions　he