kwaidan-第9章

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shadow　appeared　to　give　assent　by　a　slight　motion　of　the　head；　and　the

priest；　rising；　opened　the　top　drawer。　It　was　empty。　Successively　he　opened

the　second；　the　third；　and　the　fourth　drawer；　　he　searched　carefully

behind　them　and　beneath　them；　he　carefully　examined　the　interior　of　the

chest。　He　found　nothing。　But　the　figure　remained　gazing　as　wistfully　as

before。　〃What　can　she　want？〃　thought　the　priest。　Suddenly　it　occurred　to

him　that　there　might　be　something　hidden　under　the　paper　with　which　the

drawers　were　lined。　He　removed　the　lining　of　the　first　drawer：　nothing！

He　removed　the　lining　of　the　second　and　third　drawers：　still　nothing。　But

under　the　lining　of　the　lowermost　drawer　he　found　　a　letter。　〃Is　this　the

thing　about　which　you　have　been　troubled？〃　he　asked。　The　shadow　of　the

woman　turned　toward　him；　　her　faint　gaze　fixed　upon　the　letter。　〃Shall　I

burn　it　for　you？〃　he　asked。　She　bowed　before　him。　〃It　shall　be　burned　in

the　temple　this　very　morning；〃　he　promised；　〃and　no　one　shall　read　it；

except　myself。〃　The　figure　smiled　and　vanished。







Dawn　was　breaking　as　the　priest　descended　the　stairs；　to　find　the　family

waiting　anxiously　below。　〃Do　not　be　anxious；〃　he　said　to　them：　〃She　will

not　appear　again。〃　And　she　never　did。





The　letter　was　burned。　It　was　a　love…letter　written　to　O…Sono　in　the　time

of　her　studies　at　Kyoto。　But　the　priest　alone　knew　what　was　in　it；　and　the

secret　died　with　him。









YUKI…ONNA





In　a　village　of　Musashi　Province　（1）；　there　lived　two　woodcutters：　Mosaku

and　Minokichi。　At　the　time　of　which　I　am　speaking；　Mosaku　was　an　old　man；

and　Minokichi；　his　apprentice；　was　a　lad　of　eighteen　years。　Every　day　they

went　together　to　a　forest　situated　about　five　miles　from　their　village。　On

the　way　to　that　forest　there　is　a　wide　river　to　cross；　and　there　is　a

ferry…boat。　Several　times　a　bridge　was　built　where　the　ferry　is；　but　the

bridge　was　each　time　carried　away　by　a　flood。　No　common　bridge　can　resist

the　current　there　when　the　river　rises。







Mosaku　and　Minokichi　were　on　their　way　home；　one　very　cold　evening；　when　a

great　snowstorm　overtook　them。　They　reached　the　ferry；　and　they　found　that

the　boatman　had　gone　away；　leaving　his　boat　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。

It　was　no　day　for　swimming；　and　the　woodcutters　took　shelter　in　the

ferryman's　hut；　　thinking　themselves　lucky　to　find　any　shelter　at　all。

There　was　no　brazier　in　the　hut；　nor　any　place　in　which　to　make　a　fire：　it

was　only　a　two…mat　＇1＇　hut；　with　a　single　door；　but　no　window。　Mosaku　and

Minokichi　fastened　the　door；　and　lay　down　to　rest；　with　their　straw

rain…coats　over　them。　At　first　they　did　not　feel　very　cold；　and　they

thought　that　the　storm　would　soon　be　over。





The　old　man　almost　immediately　fell　asleep；　but　the　boy；　Minokichi；　lay

awake　a　long　time；　listening　to　the　awful　wind；　and　the　continual　slashing

of　the　snow　against　the　door。　The　river　was　roaring；　and　the　hut　swayed　and

creaked　like　a　junk　at　sea。　It　was　a　terrible　storm；　and　the　air　was　every

moment　becoming　colder；　and　Minokichi　shivered　under　his　rain…coat。　But　at

last；　in　spite　of　the　cold；　he　too　fell　asleep。





He　was　awakened　by　a　showering　of　snow　in　his　face。　The　door　of　the　hut

had　been　forced　open；　and；　by　the　snow…light　（yuki…akari）；　he　saw　a　woman

in　the　room；　　a　woman　all　in　white。　She　was　bending　above　Mosaku；　and

blowing　her　breath　upon　him；　and　her　breath　was　like　a　bright　white

smoke。　Almost　in　the　same　moment　she　turned　to　Minokichi；　and　stooped　over

him。　He　tried　to　cry　out；　but　found　that　he　could　not　utter　any　sound。　The

white　woman　bent　down　over　him；　lower　and　lower；　until　her　face　almost

touched　him；　and　he　saw　that　she　was　very　beautiful；　　though　her　eyes

made　him　afraid。　For　a　little　time　she　continued　to　look　at　him；　then　she

smiled；　and　she　whispered：　〃I　intended　to　treat　you　like　the　other　man。

But　I　cannot　help　feeling　some　pity　for　you；　　because　you　are　so　young。。。

You　are　a　pretty　boy；　Minokichi；　and　I　will　not　hurt　you　now。　But；　if　you

ever　tell　anybody　　even　your　own　mother　　about　what　you　have　seen　this

night；　I　shall　know　it；　and　then　I　will　kill　you。。。　Remember　what　I　say！〃





With　these　words；　she　turned　from　him；　and　passed　through　the　doorway。

Then　he　found　himself　able　to　move；　and　he　sprang　up；　and　looked　out。　But

the　woman　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　the　snow　was　driving　furiously　into

the　hut。　Minokichi　closed　the　door；　and　secured　it　by　fixing　several

billets　of　wood　against　it。　He　wondered　if　the　wind　had　blown　it　open；　he

thought　that　he　might　have　been　only　dreaming；　and　might　have　mistaken　the

gleam　of　the　snow…light　in　the　doorway　for　the　figure　of　a　white　woman：　but

he　could　not　be　sure。　He　called　to　Mosaku；　and　was　frightened　because　the

old　man　did　not　answer。　He　put　out　his　hand　in　the　dark；　and　touched

Mosaku's　face；　and　found　that　it　was　ice！　Mosaku　was　stark　and　dead。。。





By　dawn　the　storm　was　over；　and　when　the　ferryman　returned　to　his　station；

a　little　after　sunrise；　he　found　Minokichi　lying　senseless　beside　the

frozen　body　of　Mosaku。　Minokichi　was　promptly　cared　for；　and　soon　came　to

himself；　but　he　remained　a　long　time　ill　from　the　effects　of　the　cold　of

that　terrible　night。　He　had　been　greatly　frightened　also　by　the　old　man's

death；　but　he　said　nothing　about　the　vision　of　the　woman　in　white。　As　soon

as　he　got　well　again；　he　returned　to　his　calling；　going　alone　every

morning　to　the　forest；　and　coming　back　at　nightfall　with　his　bundles　of

wood；　which　his　mother　helped　him　to　sell。







One　evening；　in　the　winter　of　the　following　year；　as　he　was　on　his　way

home；　he　overtook　a　girl　who　happened　to　be　traveling　by　the　same　road。　She

was　a　tall；　slim　girl；　very　good…looking；　and　she　answered　Minokichi's

greeting　in　a　voice　as　pleasant　to　the　ear　as　the　voice　of　a　song…bird。

Then　he　walked　beside　her；　and　they　began　to　talk。　The　girl　said　that　her

name　was　O…Yuki　＇2＇；　that　she　had　lately　lost　both　of　her　parents；　and　that

she　was　going　to　Yedo　（2）；　where　she　happened　to　have　some　poor　relations；

who　might　help　her　to　find　a　situation　as　a　servant。　Minokichi　soon　felt

charmed　by　this　strange　girl；　and　the　more　that　he　looked　at　her；　the

handsomer　she　appeared　to　be。　He　asked　her　whether　she　was　yet　betrothed；

and　she　answered；　laughingly；　that　she　was　free。　Then；　in　her　turn；　she

asked　Minokichi　whether　he　was　married；　or　pledge　to　marry；　and　he　told　her

that；　although　he　had　only　a　widowed　mother　to　support；　the　question　of　an

〃honorable　daughter…in…law〃　had　not　yet　been　considered；　as　he　was　very

young。。。　After　these　confidences；　they　walked　on　for　a　long　while　without

speaking；　but；　as　the　proverb　declares；　Ki　ga　areba；　me　mo　kuchi　hodo　ni

mono　wo　iu：　〃When　the　wish　is　there；　the　eyes　can　say　as　much　as　the

mouth。〃　By　the　time　they　reached　the　village；　they　had　become　very　much

pleased　with　each　other；　and　then　Minokichi　asked　O…Yuki　to　rest　awhile　at

his　house。　After　some　shy　hesitation；　she　went　there　with　him；　and　his

mother　made　her　welcome；　and　prepared　a　warm　meal　for　her。　O…Yuki　behaved

so　nicely　that　Minokichi's　mother　took　a　sudden　fancy　to　her；　and　persuaded

her　to　delay　her　journey　to　Yedo。　And　the　natural　end　of　the　matter　was

that　Yuki　never　went　to　Yedo　at　all。　She　remained　in　the　house；　as　an

〃honorable　daughter…in…law。〃







O…Yuki　proved　a　very　good　daughter…in…law。　When　Minokichi's　mother　came　to

die；　some　five　years　later；　her　last　words　were　words　of　affection　and

praise　for　the　wife　of　her　son。　And　O…Yuki　bore　Minokichi　ten　children；

boys　and　girls；　handsome　children　all　of　them；　and　very　fair　of　skin。





The　country…folk　thought　O…Yuki　a　wonderful　person；　by　nature　different

from　themselves。　Most　of　the　peasant…women　age　early；　but　O…Yuki；　even

after　having　become　the　mother　of　ten　children；　looked　as　young　and　fresh

as　on　the　day　when　she　had　first　come　to　the　village。







One　night；　after　the　children　had　gone　to　sleep；　O…Yuki　was　sewing　by　the

light　of　a　paper　lamp；　and　Minokichi；　watching　her；　said：





〃To　see　you　sewing　there；　with　the　light　on　your　face；　makes　me　think　of　a

strange　thing　that　happened　when　I　was　a　lad　of　eighteen。　I　then　saw

somebody　as　beautiful　and　white　as　you　are　now　　indeed；　she　was　very　like

you。〃。。。





Without　lifting　her　eyes　from　her　work；　O…Yuki　responded：





〃Tell　me　about　her。。。　Where　did　you　see　her？





Then　Minokichi　told　her　about　the　terrible　night　in　the　ferryman's　hut；

and　about　the　White　Woman　that　had　stooped　above　him；　smiling　and

whispering；　and　about　the　silent　death　of　old　Mosaku。　And　he　said：





〃Asleep　or　awake；　that　was　the　only　time　that　I　saw　a　being　as　beautiful

as　you。　Of　course；　she　was　not　a　human　being；　and　I　was　afraid　of　her；

very　much　afraid；　but　she　was　so　white！。。。　Indeed；　I　have　never　been　sure

whether　it　was　a　dream　that　I　saw；　or　the　Woman　of　theSnow。〃。。。





O…Yuki　flung　down　her　sewing；　and　arose；　and　bowed　above　Minokichi　where

he　sat；　and　shrieked　into　his　face：





〃It　was　I　　I　　I！　　Yuki　it　was！　And　I　told　you　then　that　I　would　kill

you　if　you　ever　said　one　work　about　it！。。。　But　for　those　children　asleep

there；　I　would　kill　you　this　moment！　And　now　you　had　better　take　very；　very

good　care　of　them；　for　if　ever　they　have　reason　to　complain　of　you；　I　will

treat　you　as　you　deserve！〃。。。





Even　as　she　screamed；　her　voice　became　thin；　like　a　crying　of　wind；　then

she　melted　into　a　bright　white　mist　that　spired　to　the　roof…beams；　and

shuddered　away　through　the　smoke…hold。。。　Never　again　was　she　seen。









THE　STORY　OF　AOYAGI





In　the　era　of　Bummei　＇1469…1486＇　there　was　a　young　samurai　called　Tomotada

in　the　service　of　Hatakeyama　Yoshimune；　the　Lord　of　Noto　（1）。　Tomotada　was

a　native　of　Echizen　（2）；　but　at　an　early　age　he　had　been　taken；　as　page；

into　the　palace　of　the　daimyo　of　Noto；　and　had　been　educated；　under　the

supervision　of　that　prince；　for　the　profession　of　arms。　As　he　grew　up；　he

proved　himself　both　a　good　scholar　and　a　good　soldier；　and　continued　to

enjoy　the　favor　of　his　prince。　Being　gifted　with　an　amiable　character；　a

winning　address；　and　a　very　handsome　person；　he　was　admired　and　much　liked

by　his　samurai…comrades。





When　Tomotada　was　about　twenty　years　old；　he　was　sent　upon　a　private

mission　to　Hosokawa　Masamoto；　the　great　daimyo　of　Kyoto；　a　kinsman　of

Hatakeyama　Yoshimune。　Having　been　ordered　to　journey　through　Echizen；　the

youth　requested　and　obtained　permission　to　pay　a　visit；　on　the　way；　to　his

widowed　mother。





It　was　the　coldest　period　of　the　year　when　he　started；　and；　though　mounted

upon　a　powerful　horse；　he　found　himself　obliged　to　proceed　slowly。　The　road

which　he　followed　passed　through　a　mountain…district　where　the　settlements

were　few　and　far　between；　and　on　the　second　day　of　his　journey；　after　a

weary　ride　of　hours；　he　was