And Then. Soseki Natsume

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      CHAPTER II

      DAISUKE WAS THINKING of changing and going to Hiraoka’s inn when Hiraoka made a timely appearance. He casually rode the ricksha right up to the gate. The voice that cried “Here it is, here it is,” ordering the driver to lower the shaft, had not changed in the three years since the two had parted. No sooner had he seen the old woman who met him at the door than he was explaining that he had forgotten his wallet at the inn, that he needed to borrow some change; this, too, was the Hiraoka of their school days. Daisuke went running to the door and all but dragged his old friend in.

      “How are things? Come in and relax.”

      “Oh, I see you’ve got chairs,” Hiraoka observed and threw his body heavily into the easy chair. To judge from the way he handled himself, he set not a penny’s value on his rather ample flesh. He leaned his shaven head against the back of the chair and looked around the room for a moment.

      “Not a bad house. Better than I expected,” he praised.

      Without answering, Daisuke opened a cigarette case. “So, how have things been?”

      “How? Why, you know—I’ll tell you all about it by and by.”

      “You used to write a lot, so I could tell how things were. But lately you haven’t written at all.”

      “I must owe letters to everyone I know.” Hiraoka abruptly removed his glasses and, pulling out a wrinkled handkerchief from his breastpocket, began to wipe them, blinking rapidly all the while. He had been nearsighted since their student days. Daisuke watched him intently.

      “But how about you, how have you been?” he asked, pulling the slender bows over his ears and holding them there with his hands.

      “There’s nothing new with me.”

      “That’s the way it should be. There’s been too much new with me.” Hiraoka knitted his brows and began to stare at the garden. Suddenly, in an altered tone, he said, “Look, there’s a cherry tree over there. It’s just begun to bloom, hasn’t it. The climate’s so different here.”

      The conversation had lost its touch of intimacy. Daisuke answered without interest, “It must be pretty warm over there.”

      With unexpected, almost excessive vigor, Hiraoka came back, “Yes, it’s quite warm.” It was as if he had been startled into a sudden awareness of his own presence. Daisuke looked at his face once more. Hiraoka lit a cigarette. The old woman finally appeared with the tea, putting a tray on the table and apologizing all the while that it had taken so long because she had put cold water into the kettle. While she chattered the two stared at the red sandalwood tray; then seeing that they ignored her, the old woman gave a little self-conscious laugh and left the room.

      “What’s that?”

      “The maid I hired. I’ve got to eat, after all.” “Gracious, isn’t she.”

      Daisuke curled his rosy lips and laughed depreciatingly. “She’s never served in a place like this before; it can’t be helped.”

      “Why didn’t you bring someone over from home? There must be a good many of them there.”

      “Yes, but they’re all young,” answered Daisuke seriously.

      At this, Hiraoka laughed heartily for the first time. “Why, so much the better if they’re young!”

      “Anyway, it’s not good to have somebody from home.” “Is there anyone besides that old woman?”

      “There’s the houseboy.”

      Kadono had come back and was talking with the old woman in the kitchen.

      “Is that all?” “That’s all. Why?”

      “You haven’t got a wife yet?”

      The hint of a blush crossed Daisuke’s face, but he quickly resumed his normal, nondescript manner: “You know I would have let you know if I’d gotten married. But how about you …” and he stopped abruptly.

      Daisuke and Hiraoka had known each other since middle school. At one time СКАЧАТЬ