Shank's Mare Read online

  From the opposite direction a train of light baggage horses was coming, their bells going shan-shan-shan, and the postboys singing:—

  The smoke goes up into the sky

  From Fuji's crest. I wonder why.

  The girls at Mishima should know ;

  They light the fires of love below.

  Then a postboy coming the other way called out as he passed:—' Halloa, how's the teacher from Dewa?'

  'Fool!' said the other, 'if I'm a teacher you're a robber.'

  'Hin, hin!' whinnied the horses.

  Just then they saw coming from the opposite direction a bevy of four or five girls riding in kago, going up to Edo as part of a daimyō's train. They were making a great chatter.

  'Halloa!' said Yaji. 'That looks good.'

  'Lively girls!' said Kita. 'Very fine. I say, Yaji, is it true that it makes a man's face look whiter and handsomer if he covers his head with a white towel?'

  'No mistake about it,' said Yaji.

  'Then I'll do it,' said Kita.

  He took out of his sleeve a piece of white cloth and wrapped his head in it. When the girls came up they all peeped at Kita's face and laughed.

  'There, what do you think of that?' asked Kita. ' Did you see how pleased they were when they saw my face? Ah, there's nothing like a lover.'

  'They had to laugh,' said Yaji. ' They couldn't help it. Look at what you've got on your head. Look at the strings hanging down.'

  'Oh, oh!' said Kita, looking at it. ''Tain't a towel after all; it's a loin-cloth.'

  'Last night when you went to the bath,' said Yaji, 'you put your loin-cloth in your sleeve. It's funny you forgot about it. I suppose when you washed your face this morning you dried it with that. How dirty!'

  'Ah, that's it,' said Kita. 'I thought it had a funny smell.'

  'If you weren't so stingy you wouldn't be put to shame like that,' said Yaji.

  'Why?'

  'It's because you wear a cotton loin-cloth that you always mistake it for a towel. Look at me, I always wear a silk one.'

  'That's all right for you,' said Kita. 'But I'm not going to repair the roof of a court lady so I don't have to wear such a thing. When you're travelling you don't have to be too particular.'

  Then they came to the Helmet Stone, where Yaji made the following poem:

  By dangers of the road oppressed

  He threw his helmet down,—

  A token of defeat confessed.

  In this way they reached Yamanaka, where the girls from the teahouses on both sides of the road were calling, ' Walk in! Walk in! Try our best Westcountry wine and rice cakes. Please walk in and have a snack.'

  'Let's rest a bit, Kita,' said Yaji.

  They went into a teahouse, where they found a lot of the carriers gathered round an oven in the courtyard. Some had quilts wrapped round them, some oiled paper, some pieces of matting and others again had paper waterproofs. Then another came in smoking a bamboo pipe.

  'That Red Bear of Dobuhachi,' he said, 'he's a terribly greedy chap. He asked six hundred coppers to go to Togé.'

  'All right,' said another. 'We'll take forty or fifty away from him for drinks.'

  'That we will,' said the other. 'That chap's too much of a swell,—going about in a cloak with a crest on it.'

  'I got this yesterday at a wine-shop in Odawara,' said another carrier, who was dressed in a straw bag, ' but the tails are so long that it makes me look like a blooming doctor.

  'You chaps are all so rich' said another carrier, who had no clothes on at all; 'you can wear what you like. The other day when I went in without anything on, old Mother Garakichi was jawing about how she'd give me an old umbrella, so as I could strip the cover off and wear that. Old fool! "I ain't a pig," I says. "How d'ye think I'm going to wear a thing like that?" "Well, just put this on then," she says, and she give me a straw mat. But last night, when I was going to the bath, I took it off and laid it down and one of the pack-horses come along and eat it up. Blooming shame, I call it.'

  After amusing themselves by listening to the carriers' talk, Yaji and Kita started off. Soon after they had passed Nagasaka Oshiguré they were overtaken by a traveller in a blue raincoat, who was carrying a bundle and a basket. After he had passed and repassed them several times, the traveller at last spoke to them.

  'May I ask where you gentlemen hail from?' he said.

  'We're from Edo,' replied Yaji.

  'I also am from Edo,' replied the traveller, whose name was J ūkichi. 'May I ask what part of Edo you come from?'

  'From Kanda,' said Yaji.

  'Why, that's where I live,' said Jūkichi. 'I thought I'd seen you somewhere. May I ask what part of Kanda?'

  'At Yajirobei Tochimenya's in Hatchō-bōri,' said Yaji. 'It's quite a big place, with a frontage of a hundred and fifty feet and a backage of two hundred and fifty. It's a corner house, built of plaster.'

  'I see,' said Jūkichi. 'You live behind that house.'

  'Nonsense!' said Yaji. 'Mine's not a house in a back lane. It's a detached house.'

  'Oh, indeed!' said Jūkichi. 'What's the value of the property?'

  'One thousand eight hundred gold pieces.'

  'Do you get the first commission on the sale? If so I'll split it with you.'

  'Whatever are you talking about?' asked Yaji.

  'I thought you'd got a commission to sell the place.'

  'No, no, that's not it at all,' said Yaji. ' Why, when I go out I usually have five or ten retainers with me, but I got tired of that, so I just take this one fellow now. I've got a whim for roughing it when I walk.'

  'Yes, yes, I see,' said Jūkichi. ' By the way I met your respected mother the other day. I know her well. It was in Asakusa, just opposite the Monzeki Temple I saw her. She had a bundle in her hand and was walking with the aid of a stick. She must be very old.'

  'Yes, yes,' said Yaji. 'She was probably going to worship at one of the temples. As she knows you she must certainly have spoken to you.'

  'Yes,' said Jūkichi. 'When she saw me she came hobbling up, and did me the honour to say, 'Won't you give me a copper, kind master?'

  At this Kita burst into a roar of laughter.

  'You had me that time,' acknowledged Yaji.

  'Capital, capital!' said Kita. 'I say, let's put up together to-night.'

  Jūkichi agreed, and they went along joking till they got to Kunizawa, where there is a seven-sided hail erected as an offering to the gods by an Ashikaga general. Yaji paid reverence to it from a distance.

  Soon the three arrived at Ichinoyama, where they saw two or three mop-headed children playing with a big turtle which they had caught.

  'I say, Yaji,' cried Kita when he saw them, ' I've got a good idea. Let's buy that turtle and eat it to-night at the inn.'

  'All right,' said Yaji. 'Here, boy, will you sell that turtle?'

  'We'll give it you if you want it,' said the children. 'Will you give us some coppers for it?'

  'Of course,' said Yaji. 'There's a lot of coppers for you.'

  He gave the children some coppers, and wrapping the turtle in grass they carried it off, much to the delight of Kita.

  'It's a good idea,' said Jūkichi. " But hadn't we better hurry on. It's nearly sunset.'

  Quickening their pace the three walked on. It was now nearly dusk and far away in the distance they could hear faintly the ringing of the sunset bell. The birds were returning to their nests, and the songs of the hungry postboys, as they hurried their packhorses along, sounded spiritless. At last the three travellers arrived at Mishima, where the girls at the inns on both sides of the road began their usual chorus of 'Walk in! Walk in!'

  'Don't catch hold of me,' said Yaji to one of the girls, who caught hold of his sleeve. 'Let go and I'll stop here.'

  'Well, there then,' said the girl letting go.

  'Wouldn't you like to catch me?' said Yaji.

  But in eluding the girl he bumped into a blind shampooer.

  'Oh, oh!' cried the blind man.'Can't you s
ee I'm blind, you fool? Amma kembiki.'

  'Have some spirit,' called another man. 'Here's the stuff that'll make your eyes go round in your head.'

  'Now we've got away from them let's stop here,' said Kita.

  'Please come in,' said the landlady. 'San, San, guests have come.'

  'Welcome, gentlemen,' said the landlord. 'How many may there be in your company?'

  'Six, counting our shadows,' said Yaji.

  'Dear me!' said the landlord. 'Where's Santarō? Bring some hot water. Is there some tea made? Perhaps you gentlemen would like to take a bath at once. Supper is ready, so please take a bath.'

  The three travellers washed their feet and were conducted into an inner room.

  'Will your honours take a bath?' asked the maid.

  'I'll go in first,' said Yaji.

  Quickly stripping himself he rushed at the first door he saw.

  'Excuse me,' said the maid, 'that's the closet. This way.'

  'Oh, that's the way, is it?' said Yaji, and he went off to the bath.

  'By the way, what did you do with the turtle?' asked Jūkichi.

  'I put it in the alcove,' replied Kita. 'We'll get them to cook it to eat with our nightcaps.'

  Soon Yaji came back from the bath and Jūkichi went in his turn. Meanwhile the landlord, accompanied by the inn clerk, came in with the inn register and pen and ink. In the inn register all the addresses of travellers have to be entered.

  'Excuse me,' said the landlord. 'I see one gentleman has gone to the bath. I wish to enter your names in the register. May I ask where you come from?'

  'I come from Senshū,' said Kita.

  'May I ask what part of Senshū?' said the landlord.

  'Sakai,' said Kita, 'by name Gihei of the Amakawa.'

  'Eh?' said the landlord. 'And you, sir?'

  'Me?' said Yaji. 'From Yamazaki in Joshū, by name Yoichibei.'

  'Dear me!' said the landlord. 'Are you Master Yoichibei? I've had the pleasure of hearing about you. How is your son-in-law, Master Kampei?'

  'Kampei died before he was thirty-one,' said Yaji.

  'Ah, that was very disappointing. And Karu?'

  'She's very well, thank you,' said Yaji.

  'And then there are Master Tanuki-no-Kakubei and Master Meppo Yahachi. They must certainly have lived in your neighbourhood.'

  'Yes, yes,' said Yaji.

  'And the wild boar, where is that?'

  'Ah, where is that wild boar?'

  'Tentsuru, tentsuru, tentsuru,' chanted the landlord. 'How's that?'

  'Ha-ha-ha!' they all laughed.

  'Botheration!' said Yaji. 'You've taken the joke out of my mouth.'

  Meanwhile the maid had brought in the supper.

  'Supper is served,' she said. 'Here, Tandon, just bring the rice-box.'

  'By the way, have you got any white goods here?' asked Kita.

  'Two came from Oiwaké on the Kisokaidō the other day,' said the maid. 'If you're lonely I'll call them for you.'

  'That would be amusing,' said Yaji. 'Are they good-looking?'

  'Not very,' said the maid. 'Just about ordinary.'

  'Ha-ha-ha!' laughed Kita. 'Ordinary, eh? How funny! Just call them.'

  'I'll call them then,' said the maid.

  She went out to call them and just then Jūkichi came back from the bath.

  'I can see from your talk that you've travelled a bit,' he said.

  'How about you?' asked Yaji.

  'Not for me,' replied Jūkichi. 'I know all about that kind of woman.' Meanwhile the maid had come back.

  'I've called them,' she said. 'Please patronise them. They're here now. Come in, come in. I'll bring them in.' She jumped up and peering behind the screen caught hold of the girl standing there.

  'Come in, come in,' she said.

  'I'll come by myself, don't pull me,' said one of the girls, who was called Take.

  'We must go in,' said the other girl, who was named Tsumé. 'Come on, Take. Let's go in quickly.'

  Finally the two came in. One of them was dressed in blue cotton with a sorrel crest and a girdle with a broad striped pattern on it. The other was in a quilted scarlet dress embroidered in red, with a velvet girdle of a striped pattern. Their scarlet petticoats fluttered in and out of the folds of their dresses as they walked. They had long black pipes in their hands.

  'Come along,' said Kita. ' Here, girl, take away the trays and bring some saké.'

  The girl took away the trays and brought a sake bottle and some cups, together with some comestibles.

  'Please have a drop,' she said.

  'Well, well,' said Yaji. He took the cup and gulped it down and handed it back, and the girl, understanding what he meant, presented it to Také.

  'Dear me, is this for me?' said Také.

  She pretended to drink and then handed the cup to Kita, who took a drop and handed it to Tsumé.

  'I'm much obliged to you,' said Tsumé.

  'Just have one,' said Kita.

  'I don't drink very much,' said Tsumé. 'But give these gentlemen plenty to drink.'

  'Do all the girls at your place wear these pins, Take?' asked the maid.

  She took a gold-plated pin from the head of the girl.

  'They're quite fashionable in Edo, ' said the girl. 'Our Kinya bought one from Hikoju of Nojiri, and she was so proud of showing it and put on such airs about it that I couldn't stand it any longer, and I made her sell it to me for twenty-four coppers.'

  'Show me your comb, Tsumé,' said the maid.

  'No, no, no,' said Tsumé, but as she turned her head away the maid snatched it. It was of red lacquer, gold-dusted, with a crest on it.

  'Dear me,' said the maid. 'That's the crest of Master Taro-zaemon of Fuda-no-tsuji.'

  'I know that,' said Tsumé, and pulling it away she pretended to strike at the maid with the comb before she stuck it in her hair.

  Both of the girls spoke the dialect of Oiwaké, the place from which they had come, and the others, stifling their laughter, listened in silence. Much more was said, but I will not set it down here for fear of tiring the reader.

  'Shall I spread the beds?' asked the maid at last.

  'I'll sleep in the next room,' said Jūkichi.

  'There's no reason for that,' said Yaji. 'You'd better sleep here.'

  'No, I'll be in the way,' said Jūkichi.

  'Please change your clothes,' said the maid.

  She brought nightclothes, quilts and bedding, and all lay down on the quilts. Then she set small twofold screens between the beds. In the meantime Yaji's companion, Take, had come to him.

  'Are you asleep?' she asked. 'It's very cold to-night, isn't it?'

  'Come closer,' said Yaji. 'Don't be shy. Shall we have a little talk?'

  'I feel so shy with gentlemen from Edo,' said Take. 'I don't know what to say to them.'

  'Well, if you are bashful you don't show it,' said Yaji. 'How old are you?'

  'I'm the same age as the moon,' said Take.

  'That's thirteen and seven, making twenty,' said Yaji. 'You are a joker.'

  'Ho ho-ho!' laughed Také. 'I only came from Oiwaké the other day and I don't know how to treat guests here, especially when they come from Edo. They make me feel so shy.'

  With the bed quilt drawn tightly over them, for a time they lay silent.

  Meanwhile Kita's companion, Tsumé, had also come, and there was more talk, but I will not repeat it. Already the night had deepened, and the sound of the horses' bells was stilled. All that could be heard was the far-off bark of the dogs chasing the wild boar, and the sighing of the night wind as it blew coldly round the inn. Soon the oil in the night-lamp became exhausted and the light went out, leaving the room in complete darkness.

  Meanwhile the turtle, which they had left lying in the alcove wrapped in straw, had bitten its way through and crept out. Softly it crawled along the floor, but not so softly that it did not waken Jūkichi, who lay and wondered what it was. Slowly the turtle crawled along, till finally it crept among
Kita's bedclothes, causing Kita to wake up with a start.

  'What's that?' he cried.

  He lifted up his head, whereupon the turtle got alarmed and tried to run across his chest. At this Kita gave a yell, caught hold of it and flung it away. It fell on Yaji's face, and he also woke up with a start and caught hold of the turtle, which promptly bit his finger.

  'Oh! Oh! Oh!' yelled Yaji.

  This startled Take out of her sleep. 'What's the matter?' she cried.

  'Light the lamp,' yelled Yaji. 'Oh! Oh! Oh!'

  'Whatever have you done?' asked Take.

  Feeling about her fingers came in contact with the turtle, whereupon, with an exclamation of surprise, she fell backwards, knocking over the screen with a bang as she did so. Then she began to clap her hands wildly.

  'I can't see what's happening in the dark,' said Kita.

  'Tatsudon! Tatsudon!' called Take. 'The guests have been calling you for a long time. Bring a light quickly.'

  'Quick, quick!' said Yaji. 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' and he began to howl in his anguish.

  Meanwhile Jūkichi had stolen the money in Yaji's loin-belt, which Yaji had placed under his bedding, and had substituted for the money a packet of pebbles which he had prepared beforehand, afterwards carefully putting the belt back where it was before under the bedding. In truth this Jūkichi was a thief, who lived by robbing travellers on the road. He had seen that Yaji was carrying some money and had picked up an acquaintance with him in order to steal it.

  At last the landlady appeared with a light and was much surprised to see the turtle.

  'Dear me, how did that get in here?' she asked.

  'That must be the turtle we bought last night,' said Kita. 'It's eaten its way through the grass and come out. It's caught you this time, hasn't it?'

  'It's nothing to laugh about,' said Yaji. 'Look how it's made the blood come. Oh! Oh! Oh! '

  'I was wondering what it was,' said Take, 'and it turns out to be a turtle. You must put your finger in water and it will soon let go.'

  'Yes, that's what you must do,' said the landlady. The shutters were opened and Yaji rushed to the washbasin and stuck his finger into the water, whereupon the turtle let go.

  'There,' said Yaji. 'Look what he's done to me.'

  'Dear me,' said Kita. 'What an extraordinary thing! Wonderful, unheard of, most astonishing and inexplicable. Ha-ha-ha!'