kwaidan-stories and studies of strange things(奇谈)-第8节
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Muso made answer：
〃For your kind intention and your generous hospitality and am deeply
grateful。 But I am sorry that you did not tell me of your father's death
when I came； for； though I was a little tired； I certainly was not so tired
that I should have found difficulty in doing my duty as a priest。 Had you
told me； I could have performed the service before your departure。 As it is；
I shall perform the service after you have gone away； and I shall stay by
the body until morning。 I do not know what you mean by your words
about the danger of staying here alone； but I am not afraid ofghosts or
demons： therefore please to feel no anxiety on my account。〃
The young man appeared to be rejoiced by these assurances； and
expressed his gratitude in fitting words。 Then the other members of the
family； and the folk assembled in the adjoining room； having been told of
the priest's kind promises； came to thank him； after which the master of
the house said：
〃Now； reverend Sir； much as we regret to leave you alone； we must
bid you farewell。 By the rule of our village； none of us can stay here after
midnight。 We beg； kind Sir； that you will take every care of your
honorable body； while we are unable to attend upon you。 And if you
happen to hear or see anything strange during our absence； please tell us of
the matter when we return in the morning。〃
All then left the house； except the priest； who went to the room where
the dead body was lying。 The usual offerings had been set before the
corpse； and a small Buddhist lamp tomyo was burning。 The priest
recited the service； and performed the funeral ceremonies； after which he
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entered into meditation。 So meditating he remained through several silent
hours； and there was no sound in the deserted village。 But； when the hush
of the night was at its deepest； there noiselessly entered a Shape； vague
and vast； and in the same moment Muso found himself without power to
move or speak。 He saw that Shape lift the corpse； as with hands； devour it；
more quickly than a cat devours a rat； beginning at the head； and eating
everything： the hair and the bones and even the shroud。 And the monstrous
Thing； having thus consumed the body； turned to the offerings； and ate
them also。 Then it went away； as mysteriously as it had come。
When the villagers returned next morning； they found the priest
awaiting them at the door of the headman's dwelling。 All in turn saluted
him； and when they had entered； and looked about the room； no one
expressed any surprise at the disappearance of the dead body and the
offerings。 But the master of the house said to Muso：
〃Reverent Sir； you have probably seen unpleasant things during the
night： all of us were anxious about you。 But now we are very happy to find
you alive and unharmed。 Gladly we would have stayed with you； if it had
been possible。 But the law of our village； as I told you last evening；
obliges us to quit our houses after a death has taken place； and to leave the
corpse alone。 Whenever this law has been broken； heretofore； some great
misfortune has followed。 Whenever it is obeyed； we find that the corpse
and the offerings disappear during our absence。 Perhaps you have seen the
cause。〃
Then Muso told of the dim and awful Shape that had entered the
death…chamber to devour the body and the offerings。 No person seemed to
be surprised by his narration； and the master of the house observed：
〃What you have told us； reverend Sir； agrees with what has been said
about this matter from ancient time。〃
Muso then inquired：
〃Does not the priest on the hill sometimes perform the funeral service
for your dead？〃
〃What priest？〃 the young man asked。
〃The priest who yesterday evening directed me to this village；〃
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
answered Muso。 〃I called at his anjitsu on the hill yonder。 He refused me
lodging； but told me the way here。〃
The listeners looked at each other； as in astonishment； and； after a
moment of silence； the master of the house said：
〃Reverend Sir； there is no priest and there is no anjitsu on the hill。 For
the time of many generations there has not been any resident…priest in this
neighborhood。〃
Muso said nothing more on the subject； for it was evident that his
kind hosts supposed him to have been deluded by some goblin。 But after
having bidden them farewell； and obtained all necessary information as to
his road； he determined to look again for the hermitage on the hill； and so
to ascertain whether he had really been deceived。 He found the anjitsu
without any difficulty； and； this time； its aged occupant invited him to
enter。 When he had done so； the hermit humbly bowed down before him；
exclaiming： 〃Ah！ I am ashamed ！ I amvery much ashamed！ I am
exceedingly ashamed！〃
〃You need not be ashamed for having refused me shelter；〃 said Muso。
〃you directed me to the village yonder； where I was very kindly treated；
and I thank you for that favor。
〃I can give no man shelter；〃 the recluse made answer； and it is not
for the refusal that I am ashamed。 I am ashamed only that you should have
seen me in my real shape； for it was I who devoured the corpse and the
offerings last night before your eyes。。。 Know； reverend Sir； that I am a
jikininki； ＇1＇ an eater of human flesh。 Have pity upon me； and suffer me
to confess the secret fault by which I became reduced to this condition。
〃A long； long time ago； I was a priest in this desolate region。 There
was no other priest for many leagues around。 So； in that time； the bodies
of the mountain…folk who died used to be brought here； sometimes from
great distances； in order that I might repeat over them the holy service。
But I repeated the service and performed the rites only as a matter of
business； I thought only of the food and the clothes that my sacred
profession enabled me to gain。 And because of this selfish impiety I was
reborn； immediately after my death； into the state of a jikininki。 Since then
I have been obliged to feed upon the corpses of the people who die in this
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district： every one of them I must devour in the way that you saw last
night。。。 Now； reverend Sir； let me beseech you to perform a Segaki…service
＇2＇ for me： help me by your prayers； I entreat you； so that I may be soon
able to escape from this horrible state of existence〃。。。
No sooner had the hermit uttered this petition than he disappeared；
and the hermitage also disappeared at the same instant。 And Muso
Kokushi found himself kneeling alone in the high grass； beside an ancient
and moss…grown tomb of the form called go…rin…ishi； ＇3＇ which seemed to
be the tomb of a priest。
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MUJINA
On the Akasaka Road； in Tokyo； there is a slope called Kii…no…kuni…
zaka； which means the Slope of the Province of Kii。 I do not know why
it is called the Slope of the Province of Kii。 On one side of this slope you
see an ancient moat； deep and very wide； with high green banks rising up
to some place of gardens； and on the other side of the road extend the
long and lofty walls of an imperial palace。 Before the era of street…lamps
and jinrikishas； this neighborhood was very lonesome after dark； and
belated pedestrians would go miles out of their way rather than mount the
Kii…no…kuni…zaka； alone； after sunset。
All because of a Mujina that used to walk there。 （1）
The last man who saw the Mujina was an old merchant of the
Kyobashi quarter； who died about thirty years ago。 This
