noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第22节

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at　it；　first　and　last；　but　the　fidgety　things　always　ended　by　coming

off　at　the　toe　or　the　heel；　or　sluing　round　to　the　side　till　they

were　worse　than　useless。　　They　were　supposed　to　prevent　one　from

slipping；　which　no　doubt　they　would　have　done　had　they　not　begun　by

slipping　off　themselves。　　They　wore　themselves　out　by　their　nervousness；

and　had　to　be　renewed　every　little　while　from　the　stock　the　porters

carried。　　In　honor　of　the　Oni　ga　Jo　I　had　a　fresh　pair　put　on　beside

the　brook　sacred　to　the　memory　of　my　pocket…handkerchief。　　We　then

rose　to　the　Devil　Place；　and　threaded　it　in　single　file。　　Whether　it

were　the　companionship；　or　familiarity；　or　simply　that　my　right　side

instead　of　my　left　next　the　cliff　gave　greater　seeming　security；　I

got　over　it　a　shade　more　comfortably　this　time；　though　it　was　still

far　from　my　ideal　of　an　afternoon's　walk。　　The　road　to　the　next　world

branched　off　too　disturbingly　to　the　left。　



At　last　the　path　descended　to　the　river　bottom　for　good。　　I　sat　down

on　a　stone；　pulled　out　my　tobacco　pouch；　and　lit　a　pipe。　　The　porters

passed　on　out　of　sight。　　Then　I　trudged　along　myself。　　The　tension　of

the　last　two　days　had　suddenly　ceased；　and　in　the　expansion　of　spirit

that　ensued　I　was　conscious　of　a　void。　　I　wanted　some　one　with　me　then；

perhaps；　more　than　I　ever　craved　companionship　before。　　The　great

gorge　about　me　lay　filled　to　the　brim　with　purple　shadow。　　I　drank　in

the　cool　shade…scented　air　at　every　breath。　　The　forest…covered

mountain　sides；　patched　higher　up　with　snow　in　the　gullies；　shut　out

the　world。　　Only　a　gilded　bit　here　and　there　on　some　lofty　spur

lingered　to　hint　a　sun　beyond。　　The　strip　of　pale　blue　sky　far

overhead　bowed　to　meet　the　vista　of　the　valley　behind；　a　vista　of

peaks　more　and　more　snow…clad；　till　the　view　was　blocked　at　last　by

a　white；　nun…veiled　summit；　flushed　now；　in　the　late　afternoon　light；

to　a　tender　rose。　　Past　strain　had　left　the　spirit；　as　past　fatigue

leaves　the　body；　exquisitely　conscious；　and　my　fancy　came　and　walked

with　me　there　in　that　lonely　valley；　as　it　gave　itself　silently　into

the　arms　of　night。　



Probably　none　I　know　will　ever　tread　where　I　was　treading　then；　nor　I

ever　be　again　in　that　strange　wild　cleft；　so　far　out　of　the　world；

and　yet；　if　years　hence　I　should　chance　to　wander　there　alone　once

more；　I　know　the　ghost　of　that　romance　will　rise　to　meet　me　as　I　pass。　



I　own　I　made　no　haste　to　overtake　the　caravan。　



Darkness　fell　upon　us　while　we　were　yet　a　long　way　from　Ashikura；

with　an　uncertain　cliff　path　between　us　and　it：　for　the　path；　like　a

true　mountain　trail；　had　the　passion　for　climbing　developed　into　a

mania；　and　could　never　rest　content　with　the　river's　bed　whenever　it

spied　a　chance　to　rise。　　It　had　just　managed　an　ascent　up　a　zigzag

stairway　of　its　own　invention；　and　had　stepped　out　in　the　dark　upon　a

patch　of　tall　mountain　grass；　as　dry　as　straw；　when　Yejiro　conceived

the　brilliant　idea　of　torches。　　He　had　learned　the　trick　in　the

Hakone　hills；　where　it　was　the　habit；　he　told　the　guide；　when　caught

out　at　night；　and　he　proceeded　to　roll　some　of　the　grass　into　long

wisps　for　the　purpose。　　The　torches　were　remarkably　picturesque；　and

did　us　service　beside。　　Their　ruddy　flare；　bowing　to　the　breeze；　but

only　burning　the　more　madly　for　its　thwarting；　lighted　the　path　like

noonday　through　a　circle　of　fifteen　feet；　and　dropped　brands；　still

flaring；　into　the　stubble；　which　we　felt　it　a　case　of　conscience　to

stop　and　stamp　out。　　The　circle；　small　as　it　was；　sufficed　to

disclose　a　yawning　gulf　on　the　side；　to　which　the　path　clung　with　the

persistency　of　infatuation。　



The　first　thing　to　tell　us　of　approach　to　human　habitation　was　the

croaking　of　the　frogs。　　After　the　wildness　of　our　day　it　sounded　like

some　lullaby　of　Mother　Earth；　speaking　of　hearth　and　home；　and　we

knew　that　we　were　come　back　to　ricefields　and　man。　　It　was　another

half　hour；　however；　before　our　procession　reached　the　outskirts　of

the　village。　　Here　we　threw　aside　our　torches；　and　in　a　weary；

drawn…out　file　found　our　way；　one　by　one；　into　the　courtyard　of　the

inn。　　It　was　not　an　inn　the　year　round；　it　became　such　only　at

certain　seasons；　of　which　the　present　was　not　one。　　It　had　the　habit

of　putting　up　pilgrims　on　their　way　to　the　Dragon　Peak；　between　the

times　of　its　pious　offices　it　relapsed　into　a　simple　farmhouse。

But　the　owner　received　us　none　the　less　kindly　for　our　inopportune

appearance；　and　hasted　to　bring　the　water…tubs　for　our　feet。　　Never

was　I　more　willing　to　sit　on　the　sill　a　moment　and　dabble　my　toes；

for　I　was　footsore　and　weary；　and　glad　to　be　on　man's　level　again。

I　promise　you；　we　were　all　very　human　that　evening；　and　felt　a　deal

aloud。　







XVIII。　



A　Genial　Inkyo。



The　owner　of　the　farmhouse　had　inherited　it　from　his　father。　　There

was　nothing　very　odd　about　this　even　to　our　other…world　notions　of

property；　except　that　the　father　was　still　living；　as　hale　and　hearty

as　you　please；　in　a　little　den　at　the　foot　of　the　garden。　　He　was；　in

short；　what　is　known　as　an　inkyo；　or　one　〃dwelling　in　retirement；〃a

singular　state；　composed　of　equal　parts　of　this　world　and　the　next；

like　dying　in　theory；　and　then　undertaking　to　live　on　in　practice。　

For　an　inkyo　is　a　man　who　has　formally　handed　in　his　resignation　to

the　community；　and　yet　continues　to　exist　most　enjoyably　in　the　midst

of　it。　　He　has　abdicated　in　favor　of　his　eldest　son；　and；　having　put

off　all　responsibilities；　is　filially　supported　in　a　life　of　ease　and

pleasure。　



In　spite　of　being　no　longer　in　society；　the　father　was　greedily　social。

As　soon　as　he　heard　a　foreigner　had　arrived；　he　trotted　over　to　call；

and　nothing　would　do　but　I　must　visit　his　niche　early　in　the　morning；

before　going　away。　



After　breakfast；　therefore；　the　son　duly　came　to　fetch　me；　and　we

started　off　through　the　garden。　　For　his　sire's　place　of　retirement

lay　away　from　the　road；　toward　the　river；　that　the　dear　old　gentleman

might　command　a　view　of　the　peaks　opposite；　of　one　of　which；　called

the　Etchiu　Fuji；　from　its　conical　form；　he　was　dotingly　fond。　



It　was　an　expedition　getting　there。　　This　arose；　not　from　any　special

fault　in　the　path；　which　for　the　first　half　of　the　way　consisted　of　a

string　of　stepping…stones　neatly　laid　in　the　ground；　and　for　the

latter　fraction　of　no　worse　mud　than　could　easily　be　met　with

elsewhere。　　The　trouble　came　from　a　misunderstanding　in　foot…gear。　

It　seemed　too　short　a　walk　to　put　one's　boots　twice　on　and　off　for

the　doing　of　it。　　On　the　other　hand；　to　walk　in　stocking…feet　was　out

of　the　question；　for　the　mud。　　So　I　attempted　a　compromise；

consisting　of　my　socks　and　the　native　wooden　clogs；　and　tried　to　make

the　one　take　kindly　to　the　other。　　But　my　mittenlike　socks　would　have

none　of　my　thongs；　and；　failing　of　a　grip　for　my　toes；　compelled　me

to　scuffle　along　in　a　very　undignified　way。　　Then　every　few　steps　one

or　the　other　of　the　clogs　saw　fit　to　stay　behind；　and　I　had　to　halt

to　recover　the　delinquent。　　I　made　a　sorry　spectacle　as　I　screwed

about　on　the　remaining　shoe；　groping　after　its　fellow。　　Once　I　was

caught　in　the　act　by　my　cicerone；　who　turned　round　inopportunely　to

see　why　I　was　not　following；　and　twice　in　attempting　the　feat　I　all

but　lost　my　balance　into　the　mud。　



The　worthy　virtuoso；　as　he　was；　met　us　at　the　door；　and　escorted　us

upstairs　to　see　his　treasures。　　The　room　was　tapestried　with　all

manner　of　works　of　art；　of　which　he　was　justly　proud；　while　the　house

itself　stood　copied　from　a　Chinese　model；　for　he　was　very　classic。　

But　I　was　pleased　to　find　that　above　all　his　heart　was　given　to　the

view。　　It　was　shared；　as　I　also　discovered；　by　the　tea…ceremonies；　in

which　he　was　a　proficient；　such　a　mixture　is　man。　　But　I　believe　the

view　to　have　been　the　deeper　affection。　　While　I　was　admiring　it；　he

fetched　from　a　cupboard　a　very　suspicious…looking　bottle　of　what

turned　out　to　be　honey；　and　pressed　a　glass　of　it　upon　me。　　I　duly

sipped　this　not　inappropriate　liquor；　since　cordials　savor　of

asceticism；　and　this　one　being　of　natural　decoction　peculiarly

befitted　a　secular　anchorite。　　Then　I　took　my　leave　of　one　who；

though　no　longer　in　the　world；　was　still　so　charmingly　of　it。　



The　good　soul　chanced　to　be　a　widower；　but　such　bereavement　is　no

necessary　preliminary　to　becoming　a　〃dweller　in　retirement。〃

Sometimes　a　man　enters　the　inkyo　state　while　he　still　has　with　him

the　helpmate　of　his　youth；　and　the　two　go　together　to　this　aftermath

of　life。　　Surely　a　pretty　return；　this；　of　the　honeymoon！　　Darby　and

Joan　starting　once　more　hand　in　hand；　alone　in　this　Indian　summer　of

their　love；　as　they　did　years　ago　in　its　spring…tide；　before　other

generations　of　their　own　had　pushed　them　on　to　less　romantic　parts；

Darby　come　back　from　paternal　cares　to　be　once　more　the　lover；　and

Joan　from　mother　and　grandam　again　become　his　girl。　



We　parted　from　our　wa