kwaidan-第8章

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and　fled；　through　the　other　doorway；　out　into　the　woods。





Eastward　the　sky　was　brightening；　day　was　about　to　dawn；　and　Kwairyo　knew

that　the　power　of　the　goblins　was　limited　to　the　hours　of　darkness。　He

looked　at　the　head　clinging　to　his　sleeve；　its　face　all　fouled　with　blood

and　foam　and　clay；　and　he　laughed　aloud　as　he　thought　to　himself：　〃What　a

miyage！　＇4＇　　the　head　of　a　goblin！〃　After　which　he　gathered　together　his

few　belongings；　and　leisurely　descended　the　mountain　to　continue　his

journey。





Right　on　he　journeyed；　until　he　came　to　Suwa　in　Shinano；　（6）　and　into　the

main　street　of　Suwa　he　solemnly　strode；　with　the　head　dangling　at　his

elbow。　Then　woman　fainted；　and　children　screamed　and　ran　away；　and　there

was　a　great　crowding　and　clamoring　until　the　torite　（as　the　police　in　those

days　were　called）　seized　the　priest；　and　took　him　to　jail。　For　they

supposed　the　head　to　be　the　head　of　a　murdered　man　who；　in　the　moment　of

being　killed；　had　caught　the　murderer's　sleeve　in　his　teeth。　As　the

Kwairyo；　he　only　smiled　and　said　nothing　when　they　questioned　him。　So；

after　having　passed　a　night　in　prison；　he　was　brought　before　the

magistrates　of　the　district。　Then　he　was　ordered　to　explain　how　he；　a

priest；　had　been　found　with　the　head　of　a　man　fastened　to　his　sleeve；　and

why　he　had　dared　thus　shamelessly　to　parade　his　crime　in　the　sight　of

people。





Kwairyo　laughed　long　and　loudly　at　these　questions；　and　then　he　said：　





〃Sirs；　I　did　not　fasten　the　head　to　my　sleeve：　it　fastened　itself　there　

much　against　my　will。　And　I　have　not　committed　any　crime。　For　this　is　not

the　head　of　a　man；　it　is　the　head　of　a　goblin；　　and；　if　I　caused　the

death　of　the　goblin；　I　did　not　do　so　by　any　shedding　of　blood；　but　simply

by　taking　the　precautions　necessary　to　assure　my　own　safety。〃。。。　And　he

proceeded　to　relate　the　whole　of　the　adventure；　　bursting　into　another

hearty　laugh　as　he　told　of　his　encounter　with　the　five　heads。





But　the　magistrates　did　not　laugh。　They　judged　him　to　be　a　hardened

criminal；　and　his　story　an　insult　to　their　intelligence。　Therefore；　without

further　questioning；　they　decided　to　order　his　immediate　execution；　　all

of　them　except　one；　a　very　old　man。　This　aged　officer　had　made　no　remark

during　the　trial；　but；　after　having　heard　the　opinion　of　his　colleagues；　he

rose　up；　and　said：　





〃Let　us　first　examine　the　head　carefully；　for　this；　I　think；　has　not　yet

been　done。　If　the　priest　has　spoken　truth；　the　head　itself　should　bear

witness　for　him。。。　Bring　the　head　here！〃





So　the　head；　still　holding　in　its　teeth　the　koromo　that　had　been　stripped

from　Kwairyo's　shoulders；　was　put　before　the　judges。　The　old　man　turned　it

round　and　round；　carefully　examined　it；　and　discovered；　on　the　nape　of　its

neck；　several　strange　red　characters。　He　called　the　attention　of　his

colleagues　to　these；　and　also　bad　them　observe　that　the　edges　of　the　neck

nowhere　presented　the　appearance　of　having　been　cut　by　any　weapon。　On　the

contrary；　the　line　of　leverance　was　smooth　as　the　line　at　which　a　falling

leaf　detaches　itself　from　the　stem。。。　Then　said　the　elder：　





〃I　am　quite　sure　that　the　priest　told　us　nothing　but　the　truth。　This　is

the　head　of　a　Rokuro…Kubi。　In　the　book　Nan…ho…i…butsu…shi　it　is　written

that　certain　red　characters　can　always　be　found　upon　the　nape　of　the　neck

of　a　real　Rokuro…Kubi。　There　are　the　characters：　you　can　see　for　yourselves

that　they　have　not　been　painted。　Moreover；　it　is　well　known　that　such

goblins　have　been　dwelling　in　the　mountains　of　the　province　of　Kai　from

very　ancient　time。。。　But　you；　Sir；〃　he　exclaimed；　turning　to　Kwairyo；　

〃what　sort　of　sturdy　priest　may　you　be？　Certainly　you　have　given　proof　of　a

courage　that　few　priests　possess；　and　you　have　the　air　of　a　soldier　rather

than　a　priest。　Perhaps　you　once　belonged　to　the　samurai…class？〃





〃You　have　guessed　rightly；　Sir；〃　Kwairyo　responded。　〃Before　becoming　a

priest；　I　long　followed　the　profession　of　arms；　and　in　those　days　I　never

feared　man　or　devil。　My　name　then　was　Isogai　Heidazaemon　Taketsura　of

Kyushu：　there　may　be　some　among　you　who　remember　it。〃





At　the　mention　of　that　name；　a　murmur　of　admiration　filled　the

court…room。；　for　there　were　many　present　who　remembered　it。　And　Kwairyo

immediately　found　himself　among　friends　instead　of　judges；　　friends

anxious　to　prove　their　admiration　by　fraternal　kindness。　With　honor　they

escorted　him　to　the　residence　of　the　daimyo；　who　welcomed　him；　and　feasted

him；　and　made　him　a　handsome　present　before　allowing　him　to　depart。　When

Kwairyo　left　Suwa；　he　was　as　happy　as　any　priest　is　permitted　to　be　in　this

transitory　world。　As　for　the　head；　he　took　it　with　him；　　jocosely

insisting　that　he　intended　it　for　a　miyage。







And　now　it　only　remains　to　tell　what　became　of　the　head。







A　day　or　two　after　leaving　Suwa；　Kwairyo　met　with　a　robber；　who　stopped

him　in　a　lonesome　place；　and　bade　him　strip。　Kwairyo　at　once　removed　his

koromo；　and　offered　it　to　the　robber；　who　then　first　perceived　what　was

hanging　to　the　sleeve。　Though　brave；　the　highwayman　was　startled：　he

dropped　the　garment；　and　sprang　back。　Then　he　cried　out：　〃You！　　what

kind　of　a　priest　are　you？　Why；　you　are　a　worse　man　than　I　am！　It　is　true

that　I　have　killed　people；　but　I　never　walked　about　with　anybody's　head

fastened　to　my　sleeve。。。　Well；　Sir　priest；　I　suppose　we　are　of　the　same

calling；　and　I　must　say　that　I　admire　you！。。。　Now　that　head　would　be　of　use

to　me：　I　could　frighten　people　with　it。　Will　you　sell　it？　You　can　have　my

robe　in　exchange　for　your　koromo；　and　I　will　give　you　five　ryo　for　the

head。〃





Kwairyo　answered：





〃I　shall　let　you　have　the　head　and　the　robe　if　you　insist；　but　I　must　tell

you　that　this　is　not　the　head　of　a　man。　It　is　a　goblin's　head。　So；　if　you

buy　it；　and　have　any　trouble　in　consequence；　please　to　remember　that　you

were　not　deceived　by　me。〃





〃What　a　nice　priest　you　are！〃　exclaimed　the　robber。　〃You　kill　men；　and

jest　about　it！。。。　But　I　am　really　in　earnest。　Here　is　my　robe；　and　here　is

the　money；　and　let　me　have　the　head。。。　What　is　the　use　of　joking？〃





〃Take　the　thing；〃　said　Kwairyo。　〃I　was　not　joking。　The　only　joke　　if

there　be　any　joke　at　all　　is　that　you　are　fool　enough　to　pay　good　money

for　a　goblin's　head。〃　And　Kwairyo；　loudly　laughing；　went　upon　his　way。







Thus　the　robber　got　the　head　and　the　koromo；　and　for　some　time　he　played

goblin…priest　upon　the　highways。　But；　reaching　the　neighborhood　of　Suwa；　he

there　leaned　the　true　story　of　the　head；　and　he　then　became　afraid　that　the

spirit　of　the　Rokuro…Kubi　might　give　him　trouble。　So　he　made　up　his　mind　to

take　back　the　head　to　the　place　from　which　it　had　come；　and　to　bury　it　with

its　body。　He　found　his　way　to　the　lonely　cottage　in　the　mountains　of　Kai；

but　nobody　was　there；　and　he　could　not　discover　the　body。　Therefore　he

buried　the　head　by　itself；　in　the　grove　behind　the　cottage；　and　he　had　a

tombstone　set　up　over　the　grave；　and　he　caused　a　Segaki…service　to　be

performed　on　behalf　of　the　spirit　of　the　Rokuro…Kubi。　And　that　tombstone　

known　as　the　Tombstone　of　the　Rokuro…Kubi　　may　be　seen　（at　least　so　the

Japanese　story…teller　declares）　even　unto　this　day。









A　DEAD　SECRET





A　long　time　ago；　in　the　province　of　Tamba　（1）；　there　lived　a　rich　merchant

named　Inamuraya　Gensuke。　He　had　a　daughter　called　O…Sono。　As　she　was　very

clever　and　pretty；　he　thought　it　would　be　a　pity　to　let　her　grow　up　with

only　such　teaching　as　the　country…teachers　could　give　her：　so　he　sent　her；

in　care　of　some　trusty　attendants；　to　Kyoto；　that　she　might　be　trained　in

the　polite　accomplishments　taught　to　the　ladies　of　the　capital。　After　she

had　thus　been　educated；　she　was　married　to　a　friend　of　her　father's　family

　a　merchant　named　Nagaraya；　and　she　lived　happily　with　him　for　nearly

four　years。　They　had　one　child；　　a　But　O…Sono　fell　ill　and　died；　in　the

fourth　year　after　her　marriage。





On　the　night　after　the　funeral　of　O…Sono；　her　little　son　said　that　his

mamma　had　come　back；　and　was　in　the　room　upstairs。　She　had　smiled　at　him；

but　would　not　talk　to　him：　so　he　became　afraid；　and　ran　away。　Then　some　of

the　family　went　upstairs　to　the　room　which　had　been　O…Sono's；　and　they　were

startled　to　see；　by　the　light　of　a　small　lamp　which　had　been　kindled　before

a　shrine　in　that　room；　the　figure　of　the　dead　mother。　She　appeared　as　if

standing　in　front　of　a　tansu；　or　chest　of　drawers；　that　still　contained　her

ornaments　and　her　wearing…apparel。　Her　head　and　shoulders　could　be　very

distinctly　seen；　but　from　the　waist　downwards　the　figure　thinned　into

invisibility；　it　was　like　an　imperfect　reflection　of　her；　and　transparent

as　a　shadow　on　water。





Then　the　folk　were　afraid；　and　left　the　room。　Below　they　consulted

together；　and　the　mother　of　O…Sono's　husband　said：　〃A　woman　is　fond　of　her

small　things；　and　O…Sono　was　much　attached　to　her　belongings。　Perhaps　she

has　come　back　to　look　at　them。　Many　dead　persons　will　do　that；　　unless

the　things　be　given　to　the　parish…temple。　If　we　present　O…Sono's　robes　and

girdles　to　the　temple；　her　spirit　will　probably　find　rest。〃





I　was　agreed　that　this　should　be　done　as　soon　as　possible。　So　on　the

following　morning　the　drawers　were　emptied；　and　all　of　O…Sono's　ornaments

and　dresses　were　taken　to　the　temple。　But　she　came　back　the　next　night；　and

looked　at　the　tansu　as　before。　And　she　came　back　also　on　the　night

following；　and　the　night　after　that；　and　every　night；　　and　the　house

became　a　house　of　fear。







The　mother　of　O…Sono's　husband　then　went　to　the　parish…temple；　and　told

the　chief　priest　all　that　had　happened；　and　asked　for　ghostly　counsel。　The

temple　was　a　Zen　temple；　and　the　head…priest　was　a　learned　old　man；　known

as　Daigen　Osho。　He　said：　〃There　must　be　something　about　which　she　is

anxious；　in　or　near　that　tansu。〃　　〃But　we　emptied　all　the　drawers；〃

replied　the　woman；　　〃there　is　nothing　in　the　tansu。〃　　〃Well；〃　said

Daigen　Osho；　〃to…night　I　shall　go　to　your　house；　and　keep　watch　in　that

room；　and　see　what　can　be　done。　You　must　give　orders　that　no　person　shall

enter　the　room　while　I　am　watching；　unless　I　call。〃







After　sundown；　Daigen　Osho　went　to　the　house；　and　found　the　room　made

ready　for　him。　He　remained　there　alone；　reading　the　sutras；　and　nothing

appeared　until　after　the　Hour　of　the　Rat。　＇1＇　　Then　the　figure　of　O…Sono

suddenly　outlined　itself　in　front　of　the　tansu。　Her　face　had　a　wistful

look；　and　she　kept　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　tansu。





The　priest　uttered　the　holy　formula　prescribed　in　such　cases；　and　then；

addressing　the　figure　by　the　kaimyo　＇2＇　of　O…Sono；　said：　　〃I　have　come

here　in　order　to　help　you。　Perhaps　in　that　tansu　there　is　something　about

which　you　have　reason　to　feel　anxious。　Shall　I　try　to　find　it　for　you？〃　The

shadow　appeared　to　give　assent　by　a　slight　motion　of　the　h