Shank's Mare Page 8

  'Dear, dear!' said Yaji. 'What a long time it is since I saw you last. How glad I am to see you looking so well. That reminds me, your child was quite small when I saw him last. How he's grown! Is his sister quite well?'

  'I bain't got a child,' said the old woman.

  'Well, your grandchild then,' said Yaji.

  'If I bain't got any children I can't have no grandchildren,' said the old woman.

  'That's true,' said Yaji. 'Well, if he isn't your grandson, whose grandson is he?'

  'It bain't a grandchild at all,' said the old woman. 'It's the son of the bearer next door.'

  'Oh, that's it, is it?' said Yaji. 'Here, my boy, there are two dumplings left. You can have them.'

  'Don't want 'em,' said the boy. 'Don't want them? Why?'

  ''Cause I don't like dumplings covered with bran,' said the boy.

  'Covered with bran?' said Yaji. 'I thought it was bean flour?'

  'No,' said the old woman. 'I covers 'em with bran.'

  'Then that's why they tasted so gritty,' said Yaji. 'Well, I'll give them to the dog. Here, doggie, doggie.'

  'Bow-wow,' said the dog.

  'There you are,' said Yaji. 'Bark for them.'

  'Wow!' said the dog, and Yaji gave them to him, at the same time thinking what a waste it was.

  Feeling rather queer after the bran dumplings they plodded on, the rain coming down harder than ever and putting a damper on all their jokes and idle chatter, till they had passed Ejiri, when the rain stopped, and they were able to walk more easily.

  By-and-by a light pack-horse came along with all its bells jingling bravely. The postboy was singing:—

  Last night I crept

  To where she slept,

  When supper was done,

  And had some fun.

  Then to his horse: 'What a big-bellied brute you are! Do you want to do it again? Then I may as well relieve myself too.'

  'Halloa, Jiro,' called a postboy in front turning round. 'Whose horse is that?'

  'It belongs to the sake shop below,' said the postboy behind. 'That chap there works it hard, but it's a good horse. It went to and from Shimizu four times yesterday, and then it had to go to Fuchū. I spent all the money I got in the fares on sake so I hadn't got anything to give it to eat, but I fastened it up to the back door of the stable and it ate all the thatched roof off the closet.'

  'That woman at the sake shop's a stingy beast,' said the postboy in front. ' She used to mix chaff with my food when I was there. "Why don't you try to learn to write?" she used to say, or "Why don't you practise figuring, and then you can be the clerk?" That's the sort of nonsense she used to tell me, as if I should swallow such stuff.'

  'Could you give me a light, postboy?' asked Kita.

  'Ay, ay,' said the postboy. 'I suppose you two gentlemen are from Edo. Edo people are so kind. Yesterday I had to take an Edo gentleman from Fuchū to Ejiri. Ah, he was a kind gentleman! When we got to Naganuma he said, "Three hundred coppers ain't much for going to Ejiri. I'll increase it by giving you a tip of two hundred more and pay for all the sake you drink." That's what he said, and when we got as far as Yoshida he paid for all the sake, and then he said, "Here, postboy, you must be tired walking all day leading the horse. I'll get down here and you can ride." What do you think of that for kindness? I said "No, no," but he wouldn't listen to me. "You get on," he said, "and I'll give you two hundred as travelling expenses." So I rode from Umenoki to Ejiri, and then as I had to take the horse back to Okitsu, he said, "You must be tired, so I'll give you two hundred more to take you back." You don't meet such a kind gentleman as that every day.'

  Here the passenger who was riding on the horse began to snore.

  'Take care, sir,' cried the postboy. 'Wake up or you'll fall off.'

  'This horse is so slow,' said the passenger, 'that it makes me sleepy. Ah, that was a fine horse I had yesterday from Mishima! And the postboy was so attentive. From Mishima to Numazu the charge is one hundred and fifty coppers, but the postboy said he was so sorry for me as the horse was so quick and I couldn't go to sleep for a minute for fear of falling off, that he wouldn't make any charge. Then when we came to Sammai-bashi, " Master," he said, "you must be tired of riding so long in the saddle. Please get down and rest here. And if master would like to take some sake or anything," he said, "I'll be glad to pay for it," and he gave me a hundred and fifty coppers. Then when we got to Numazu he said he would like to go with me to the next stage but his horse was so lively that he advised me to take another. "I'll pay for the other horse," he said, and he gave me another hundred and fifty coppers for that. Ah, there aren't many postboys like that.'

  But while he was talking the postboy who was leading the horse also began to doze and commenced snoring.

  While amusing themselves by listening to this talk they soon reached Fuchū. They took a room at an inn in Temma-chō, after which Yaji went off to find his friend in the town, where he succeeded in his plan for raising some money and returned to the inn greatly elated. Whatever happened they felt that they must spend the night at Abegawa-chō, of which they had heard so much. Accordingly they both made their preparations and summoned the landlord.

  'We want to go sight-seeing in Nichō-machi,' said Yaji. 'Which is the way there?'

  'That's down by the River Abe,' said the landlord.

  'Is it far?' asked Kita.

  'No, only about a mile and a half,' answered the landlord. 'I'll hire horses for you, if you like.'

  'Ah, that would be good,' said Kita.

  'It will be fun going to buy a girl on horseback,' said Yaji.

  Finally they set out on horseback.

  This Abekawa-chō is in front of the Abekawa Miroku. Turning off the main road you come to two big gates, where you must alight from your horse. Inside are rows of houses, from each of which comes a lively sound of music, meant to attract people to the house. In fact it is much the same as in the Yoshiwara quarter in Edo.

  Visitors to the town were walking about in cotton kimono with crests and with towels laid loosely on their heads, accompanied by teahouse maids, whose clogs made a loud sound as they dragged them along. These all looked very respectable, as most of them wore wide skirts and all had cloaks. But among the townsmen, those who had only come to look on, there seemed to be a competition as to which should wear the most stylish aprons. Some of them were carrying straw bags suspended on sticks laid across their shoulders. Moving in a constant stream as they did, they looked like people who were going to worship an image of Buddha. It was impossible to know to what class they belonged or to tell the state of their fortune. One of them, looking like a gambler or other person who lives by his wits, dressed in a quilted robe of variegated pattern and wearing countrified clogs with bamboo thongs and a cotton towel round his head, was run into by another as he was going along.

  'Here, keep your eyes open,' he said. 'What did you want to bump into me for?'

  A friend of his, of the same type, coming up behind, joined in.

  'Ya! Ichi,' he said. 'What's the matter? Knock him down.'

  'It was so dark I couldn't see you coming,' said the other, and he went on with an apology.

  Some of the same class were standing in front of the cages.

  'That girl's face over by the wall there,' said one of them, 'is like the saintly mask of Sengen. There, she's got up and gone now. She's very short, isn't she? She's like the bamboo grass that Kajiwara's horse bit off, only half grown.'

  'The dresses in this house,' said another, 'are like the lacquer-boxes in Shichiken-chō.'

  'Let's go in somewhere,' said Yaji.

  'Wait a minute,' said Kita. 'The girls all have different prices, —some of them are one bu, some ten mommé, and some two shu. I'll have that one over there by the wall. She'll be ten mommé I expect. What's the name of that place? Shinonoya. And there's the Chojiya, and this is the Yamamotoya. But what do you do to get in? I don't know how they manage things here.'

  While they were wandering about in
front of the cages, they saw a guest arrive and go in.

  'Oh, oh! I see now,' said Kita. 'Let's go in here. Yaji, have you chosen one?'

  'Yes, yes,' said Yaji. 'Come on.' So they went in together.

  'Welcome!' said a young man at the entrance. 'Please come up.'

  He conducted them upstairs and soon led them to the room of the girls they had selected. Looking round they saw there was a harp in the alcove and also some flowers. Altogether it was like a small house in the Yoshiwara at Edo. Apparently it was the custom to pay some drink-money at this stage of the proceedings.

  'Will you have some saké?' asked the young man.

  'Yes, bring some saké,' said Kita.

  Meanwhile the two girls they had selected had come in. Yaji's, whose name was Kozasano, was dressed in a wadded silk robe, with a striped satin girdle and a sky-blue overmantle ; Kita's, whose name was Isagawa, was dressed in a striped crepe-silk robe and a gold embroidered girdle, with a black silk cloak. Both of them had silk lining to their clothes. A plain wooden tobacco-box was brought in and put before them.

  'Welcome!' said Kozasano.

  'How careless,' said Isagawa. 'That girl hasn't put any tobacco in the box. Kosamé! Kosamé!'

  'Well, girls,' said Yaji. 'Come a little closer. Here, young man, be quick with the saké.'

  'It's coming, your honour,' said the youth. He went out and soon came back with a sake bottle and cups, and some comestibles. The formal cups of sake having been exchanged, Yaji offered the cup to the young man.

  'Have a drop,' he said.

  'Thank you,' said the youth.

  At the same time Yaji gave him a silver coin, which he took and went out. In his place a little girl came running in.

  'Isoji's come from the Yoshinoya,' she said, 'and wants to speak to you a minute about something.'

  'I'm coming,' said Isagawa.

  'Kosamé,' said Kozasano, 'is Sen of Kuno there?'

  'No,' said Kosamé.

  'What a nuisance. He promised to come the other day. Making a fool of one!'

  'Come more over here,' said Kita, 'and have a cup.'

  'Let me pour for you,' said Isagawa.

  Then two youths and a maid came in, carrying a nest of boxes.

  'Thank you for your gift,' said the maid to Kita.

  'I'm Kinta,' said one of the youths, 'and this is Gonemon. We shall be glad to have your custom.' They both bowed politely.

  'Aha!' said Yaji. 'Seems they don't charge beforehand here. Kinta and Gonemon are strange names.'

  'What's in the box?' asked Kita. 'Aha, these are the Abekawa cakes. They're giving us something good in return for the two shū. Ha-ha-ha!'

  Just then there was a noise in the passage, with the sound of many voices raised in dispute, and finally the persons disputing went into the next room.

  'What's the row?' asked Kita.

  'It's nothing,' said Isagawa. 'They've found a bad guest and brought him here.'

  'Ah, that's amusing,' said Yaji. 'Let's have a look.'

  He pushed open the sliding doors a little and peeped into the next room, where a large number of girls had surrounded one of the guests.

  'Why do you never come here now?' they asked.

  'You're always going to the Chōjiya now,' said another girl, 'and you've got no reason for it. You've made Tokonatsu quite angry.'

  'Well, look here,' said the guest, who seemed to be a country fellow. 'The day before yesterday and yesterday I was coming, but I had so much to do that I couldn't get here. Then my uncle asked me to accompany him to the Chōjiya, and I went, but as I am under a vow to Tokonatsu I swear by Nitten I did not allow my heart to be turned.'

  'Nonsense!' cried the girls. 'You went with Hanayama of the Chōjiya. We know all about it.'

  'No, no, that's not true,' said the guest looking hurt. 'You mustn't say such things.'

  Then an elder girl of the name of Tokonatsu came in. She had thrown a mantle over her shoulders and came in solemnly carrying a pipe and a tobacco pouch.

  'You are welcome, Master Yatei,' she said.

  'I'm sorry I haven't been able to come and see you lately,' said Yatei. 'You must excuse me.'

  'There's no excuse for you,' said Tokonatsu. 'I'm the oldest here, and the girls call me elder sister. How do you suppose I'm going to maintain my position here if I'm put to shame like this? I'm going to punish you just as a warning to other false guests like you. Here, Natsugiku, bring that razor.'

  'What are you going to do?' asked the guest.

  'What am I going to do?' said Tokonatsu. 'I'm going to cut off your hair.'

  The razor was brought and the girl stood up to carry out her threat.

  'Spare me, spare me,' cried the guest as he tried to shield his head. 'Wait, wait.'

  'There's nothing to wait for,' cried the girls.

  'I can't let you cut a hair of it,' said the guest. 'Forgive me, forgive me.'

  'Forgive you, indeed!' said Tokonatsu.

  'Well, but look here . . .'

  'We must cut it off.'

  'Here, here,' cried the guest. He tried to run away, but they all got round him and caught hold of his head, whereupon all his hair came off. In truth the man had very little hair of his own and was wearing a false queue and side locks, which all fell off when they pulled it.

  'There,' said the man, feeling his head, 'You've pulled off all my hair.'

  At that all the girls burst into laughter. 'Ho-ho-ho!' they laughed.

  'It's no laughing matter,' said the guest. 'Give me my hair and I won't go to he Chōjiya again.'

  'I don't know anything about your hair,' said Tokonatsu.

  'Natsugiku's hidden it,' said the guest. 'Please give me my hair quickly.'

  'Will you promise not to go to the Chōjiya again?'

  'Yes, yes. I won't go again.'

  'Solemnly promise?'

  'By Ten Shōkō Daijingu I promise not to go again.'

  'Then give him his hair, Natsugiku,' said Tokonatsu.

  Thus on Tokonatsu's order the hidden hair was produced and handed to the guest.

  'It's not all here,' he cried.

  'That's all I've got,' said Natsugiku.

  'One of the side locks is missing. Isn't it there? Do look for it.'

  'Is this it?' asked one of the girls.

  'That's it, that's it,' said the guest.

  He tried to put it on by himself but he was so excited he got it on sideways, which made all the girls laugh.

  'Oh, oh!' he panted, 'a pretty game you've had with me.'

  Then some sake was brought in to seal the reconciliation and there was a lot more talking and laughing.

  Yaji and Kita laughed till their sides ached. 'That happens all over the place,' said Yaji, 'but it's very amusing. It was only last spring that Ikku was tied up by Katsuyama at the Nakadaya, although he doesn't like people to know about it.'

  Then a maid came in. 'Shall I spread the beds?' she asked. 'Please move a little over here.'

  Kita went with his companion into another room, and the maid spread the bed, and in a short time they were asleep. But their dreams were short, for the dawn soon came, with its parting. Yaji got up, and Kita came in rubbing his eyes. Their companions accompanied them downstairs, where all were assembled, and after a hurried farewell, they hastened to Temmachō, to find their breakfast at the inn ready for them. The preparations for the road were soon made, and leaving the inn they retraced their steps to the main road and soon reached the Miroku. Here the famous Abekawa rice-cakes were on sale, and pretty teahouses made the road quite gay.

  'Try some of our famous cakes,' cried the girls. 'Try our cakes.'

  'I had some of them last night,' said Yaji. 'I don't want any more.'

  'Nor I,' said Kita.

  Just then a ferryman came to meet them. 'Are you going up to the capital, gentlemen?' he asked.

  'Who are you?' asked Yaji.

  'I'm the waterman,' he replied. 'I'll take you across the river cheap.'

  'Ho
w much?' asked Kita.

  'The rain yesterday has made the river rise,' said the waterman, 'so it will be sixty-four coppers each.'

  'That's dear,' said Kita.

  'Well, just go and look at the river, then,' said the waterman.

  'It is running fast,' said Yaji. 'Don't let us fall in.'

  'Never fear,' said the waterman. 'Just get in.'

  The two got into the hand-barrow, and the watermen commenced to carry them across the river.

  'Oh lor!' said Kita. 'It makes my eyes go round in my head to look at it.'

  'Keep hold of my head,' said the waterman. 'Here, you're putting your hand in front of my eyes and I can't see where I'm going.'

  'It is deep,' said Yaji. 'Don't let us fall.'

  'There's no chance of your falling,' said the waterman.

  'What would happen if you were to let us drop?' asked Yaji.

  'You'd only be carried away by the current and drowned, that's all,' said the waterman.

  'Don't talk of it,' said Yaji. 'Here we are, here we are. Thank you, thank you.'

  He got out of the hand-barrow and paid the men. 'There's sixteen coppers, each extra for you,' he said.

  'Thank 'ee, your honour,' said the watermen, and went back across the river lower down where it was shallow.

  'Here, Yaji, look at that,' cried Kita. ' They took us across the deep part and charged us sixty-four coppers each for it.'

  From there they reached Tegoshi, where it started to rain again and soon was coming down in torrents. But they put their raincoats over their shoulders and trudged along till they got to Mariko. Here they entered a teahouse.

  'Shall we have a meal?' suggested Kita. 'This place is famous for its potato stew.'

  'Landlord,' called Yaji. 'Have you got any potato stew ready?'

  'Yes, sir,' replied the landlord. 'Make it in a minute.'

  'Then you haven't got any ready?' said Yaji. 'That's unfortunate.'

  'Ready in a minute, sir,' said the landlord. 'Please wait a moment.'

  He seized some potatoes and began to cut them up without taking off the skins.

  'Nabé, Nabé,' he called, testily, 'what are you doing out there when I'm so busy? Come in, come in.'

  A touzle-haired woman, with a baby on her back, came in at the back-door dragging her straw sandals along the ground and grumbling.