And Then. Soseki Natsume

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СКАЧАТЬ why is that?”

      Daisuke was again at a loss for a reply. Sincerity and devotion were not ready-made commodities that one kept stored in the heart. Like the sparks produced by rubbing iron and stone, they were phenomena that arose from a genuine encounter between two human beings. They were not so much qualities to be possessed as they were by-products of a spiritual exchange. Hence, without the right individuals, they could not come into being.

      “Father, the words of the Analects or Wang Yang-ming are like gold plate, and you’ve swallowed them whole. That must be why you talk the way you do.”

      “Gold plate?”

      Daisuke was silent for a moment. “The words are still gold plate when they come out of your mouth.” Although his curiosity was aroused, Nagai would not venture to grapple with this bookish, eccentric, naive youth’s epigrammatic words.

      Some forty minutes later, the old man changed into street clothes and took the ricksha somewhere. Daisuke saw him to the entranceway, then returned and opened the door to the living room. This room, a recent addition to the house, was Western in style, and many of its furnishings had been executed by professionals according to Daisuke’s design. Of particular interest to Daisuke was the decorative painting around the transom, the result of lengthy discussion with a certain artist acquaintance. Daisuke stood up and examined the colors unfolding like a picture scroll, and was pained to discover that they were not nearly as pleasing as the last time he had seen the painting. Disturbed, he began to scrutinize each section when suddenly, his sister-in-law entered.

      “Oh, here you are,” she said, adding immediately, “Have you seen my comb anywhere?” It turned out to be at the foot of the sofa. She had loaned it the day before to Nuiko, who had misplaced it. As if supporting her head in both hands, she began to thrust the comb into her hair, which was done in Western style; meanwhile, she looked up at Daisuke and teased, “Standing around, looking blank as usual.”

      “I got another lecture from Father.”

      “Again? You do get scolded a lot. How tactless of him, to get going as soon as he’s home. But you haven’t been very good either. You don’t do a thing your father wants you to.”

      “I never argue with him. I always restrain myself and listen to everything.”

      “That’s what makes it worse. Whenever he says something, you say yes, yes, but you don’t do it.”

      Daisuke gave a wry smile and was silent. Umeko sat down facing him. She was a slender, dark-complexioned woman with clear eyebrows and thin lips. “Come, have a seat. I’ll keep you company for a while.”

      But Daisuke remained standing, studying his sister-in-law’s appearance. “That’s a funny collar you’re wearing today.”

      “This?” Umeko drew in her chin and knit her brows, trying to see her collar. “Oh, I bought this the other day.”

      “It’s a nice color.”

      “Never mind that, just sit down.”

      Daisuke took a seat directly opposite hers. “I’m seated.” “What did you get a scolding about today?”

      “I’m not really sure. But I was a little surprised by Father’s ‘service to society and country.’ It seems that he’s been serving without a moment’s rest since he was eighteen.”

      “That’s how he’s gotten where he has.”

      “If serving society and country earns you as much money as it has Father, I wouldn’t mind doing it either.”

      “So why don’t you get serious and start doing something? You think you can make money lying down.”

      “I’ve never yet tried to make money.”

      “Even if you don’t try to make money, you spend it, so I don’t see the difference.”

      “Did my brother say something?”

      “Your brother was shocked by your behavior long ago; he doesn’t say anything anymore.”

      “That’s pretty stiff. But anyway, I think he’s more admirable than Father.”

      “Why? Oh, you awful thing, trying to flatter me. That’s what’s wrong with you. You put on a serious face and then make fun of people.”

      “Is that right?”

      “Is that right, indeed! As if we were talking about someone else! You ought to do some thinking once in a while.”

      “Every time I come here, I end up feeling like Kadono.” “What’s kadono?”

      “Oh, the houseboy at my place. If you ask him anything, he always answers, ‘Is that the way it is’ or ‘Is that right’.”

      “He says that? He must be terribly strange.”

      Daisuke paused for a moment and looked over Umeko’s shoulder between the curtains at the beautiful sky. Far in the distance there stood a tall tree. It had sprouted light brown shoots all over, and the soft tips of its branches melted into the sky, as if blurred by a drizzle.

      “The weather has turned nice, hasn’t it? Shall we go cherry-blossom viewing somewhere?”

      “Yes, let’s. I’ll go. So tell me.” “Tell you what?”

      “What Father said.”

      “He said a lot of things, but I don’t think I could repeat them so that they would make any sense; I’m not smart enough.”

      “There you go again, playing the fool. I know all about it.” “Then let me hear about it.”

      Umeko drew herself up a little primly. “You’ve become rather free with your tongue these days.”

      “Oh, it’s nothing you can’t handle. Anyway, it’s terribly quiet here today. Where are the children?”

      “The children are at school.”

      A young chambermaid, sixteen or seventeen years old, opened the door and poked her head in to deliver the message that the master was on the phone and wished to speak to the mistress. She stood waiting for an answer. Umeko got up immediately. Daisuke also got up. As he started to follow her out of the room, Umeko turned and said, “You stay here. I want to talk to you about something.”

      Daisuke was always amused when his sister-in-law assumed this commanding stance with him. “Please take your time,” he said, and began to study the painting again. After some time, the colors no longer seemed to be painted upon the wall at all, but were leaping from his pupils and flying out to the wall, where they became glued. Soon, by controlling the colors that flew from his eyes, Daisuke was able to correct all the places that had displeased him, and finally, having achieved the most beautiful hues that his imagination could conjure, he sat in a state of rapture. Just then, Umeko came in and Daisuke was brought back to his usual self.

      As he listened politely to what she had to say, Daisuke understood that she was raising the marriage issue again. Even before he had finished school, Daisuke had been presented with a variety of prospective СКАЧАТЬ