kwaidan-第12节

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were　few　and　far　between；　and　on　the　second　day　of　his　journey；　after　a

weary　ride　of　hours；　he　was　dismayed　to　find　that　he　could　not　reached　his

intended　halting…place　until　late　in　the　night。　He　had　reason　to　be

anxious；　for　a　heavy　snowstorm　came　on；　with　an　intensely　cold　wind；　and

the　horse　showed　signs　of　exhaustion。　But　in　that　trying　moment；　Tomotada

unexpectedly　perceived　the　thatched　room　of　a　cottage　on　the　summit　of　a

near　hill；　where　willow…trees　were　growing。　With　difficulty　he　urged　his

tired　animal　to　the　dwelling；　and　he　loudly　knocked　upon　the　storm…doors；

which　had　been　closed　against　the　wind。　An　old　woman　opened　them；　and　cried

out　compassionately　at　the　sight　of　the　handsome　stranger：　〃Ah；　how

pitiful！　　a　young　gentleman　traveling　alone　in　such　weather！。。。　Deign；

young　master；　to　enter。〃







Tomotada　dismounted；　and　after　leading　his　horse　to　a　shed　in　the　rear；

entered　the　cottage；　where　he　saw　an　old　man　and　a　girl　warming　themselves

by　a　fire　of　bamboo　splints。　They　respectfully　invited　him　to　approach　the

fire；　and　the　old　folks　then　proceeded　to　warm　some　rice…wine；　and　to

prepare　food　for　the　traveler；　whom　they　ventured　to　question　in　regard　to

his　journey。　Meanwhile　the　young　girl　disappeared　behind　a　screen。　Tomotada

had　observed；　with　astonishment；　that　she　was　extremely　beautiful；　though

her　attire　was　of　the　most　wretched　kind；　and　her　long；　loose　hair　in

disorder。　He　wondered　that　so　handsome　a　girl　should　be　living　in　such　a

miserable　and　lonesome　place。





The　old　man　said　to　him：





〃Honored　Sir；　the　next　village　is　far；　and　the　snow　is　falling　thickly。

The　wind　is　piercing；　and　the　road　is　very　bad。　Therefore；　to　proceed

further　this　night　would　probably　be　dangerous。　Although　this　hovel　is

unworthy　of　your　presence；　and　although　we　have　not　any　comfort　to　offer；

perhaps　it　were　safer　to　remain　to…night　under　this　miserable　roof。。。　We

would　take　good　care　of　your　horse。〃





Tomotada　accepted　this　humble　proposal；　　secretly　glad　of　the　chance

thus　afforded　him　to　see　more　of　the　young　girl。　Presently　a　coarse　but

ample　meal　was　set　before　him；　and　the　girl　came　from　behind　the　screen；　to

serve　the　wine。　She　was　now　reclad；　in　a　rough　but　cleanly　robe　of

homespun；　and　her　long；　loose　hair　had　been　neatly　combed　and　smoothed。　As

she　bent　forward　to　fill　his　cup；　Tomotada　was　amazed　to　perceive　that　she

was　incomparably　more　beautiful　than　any　woman　whom　he　had　ever　before

seen；　and　there　was　a　grace　about　her　every　motion　that　astonished　him。　But

the　elders　began　to　apologize　for　her；　saying：　〃Sir；　our　daughter；　Aoyagi；

＇1＇　has　been　brought　up　here　in　the　mountains；　almost　alone；　and　she　knows

nothing　of　gentle　service。　We　pray　that　you　will　pardon　her　stupidity　and

her　ignorance。〃　Tomotada　protested　that　he　deemed　himself　lucky　to　be

waited　upon　by　so　comely　a　maiden。　He　could　not　turn　his　eyes　away　from　her

　though　he　saw　that　his　admiring　gaze　made　her　blush；　and　he　left　the

wine　and　food　untasted　before　him。　The　mother　said：　〃Kind　Sir；　we　very　much

hope　that　you　will　try　to　eat　and　to　drink　a　little；　though　our

peasant…fare　is　of　the　worst；　as　you　must　have　been　chilled　by　that

piercing　wind。〃　Then；　to　please　the　old　folks；　Tomotada　ate　and　drank　as　he

could；　but　the　charm　of　the　blushing　girl　still　grew　upon　him。　He　talked

with　her；　and　found　that　her　speech　was　sweet　as　her　face。　Brought　up　in

the　mountains　as　she　might　have　been；　but；　in　that　case；　her　parents　must

at　some　time　been　persons　of　high　degree；　for　she　spoke　and　moved　like　a

damsel　of　rank。　Suddenly　he　addressed　her　with　a　poem　　which　was　also　a

question　　inspired　by　the　delight　in　his　heart：



〃Tadzunetsuru；

Hana　ka　tote　koso；

Hi　wo　kurase；

Akenu　ni　otoru

Akane　sasuran？〃







＇〃Being　on　my　way　to　pay　a　visit；　I　found　that　which　I　took　to　be　a

flower：　therefore　here　I　spend　the　day。。。　Why；　in　the　time　before　dawn；　the

dawn…blush　tint　should　glow　　that；　indeed；　I　know　not。〃＇　＇2＇







Without　a　moment's　hesitation；　she　answered　him　in　these　verses：



〃Izuru　hi　no

Honomeku　iro　wo

Waga　sode　ni

Tsutsumaba　asu　mo

Kimiya　tomaran。〃







＇If　with　my　sleeve　I　hid　the　faint　fair　color　of　the　dawning　sun；　then；

perhaps；　in　the　morning　my　lord　will　remain。〃＇　＇3＇







Then　Tomotada　knew　that　she　accepted　his　admiration；　and　he　was　scarcely

less　surprised　by　the　art　with　which　she　had　uttered　her　feelings　in　verse；

than　delighted　by　the　assurance　which　the　verses　conveyed。　　He　was　now

certain　that　in　all　this　world　he　could　not　hope　to　meet；　much　less　to　win；

a　girl　more　beautiful　and　witty　than　this　rustic　maid　before　him；　and　a

voice　in　his　heart　seemed　to　cry　out　urgently；　〃Take　the　luck　that　the　gods

have　put　in　your　way！〃　In　short　he　was　bewitched　　bewitched　to　such　a

degree　that；　without　further　preliminary；　he　asked　the　old　people　to　give

him　their　daughter　in　marriage；　telling　them；　at　the　same　time；　his　name

and　lineage；　and　his　rank　in　the　train　of　the　Lord　of　Noto。





They　bowed　down　before　him；　with　many　exclamations　of　grateful

astonishment。　But；　after　some　moments　of　apparent　hesitation；　the　father

replied：





〃Honored　master；　you　are　a　person　of　high　position；　and　likely　to　rise　to

still　higher　things。　Too　great　is　the　favor　that　you　deign　to　offer　us；

indeed；　the　depth　of　our　gratitude　therefor　is　not　to　be　spoken　or

measured。　But　this　girl　of　ours；　being　a　stupid　country…girl　of　vulgar

birth；　with　no　training　or　teaching　of　any　sort；　it　would　be　improper　to

let　her　become　the　wife　of　a　noble　samurai。　Even　to　speak　of　such　a　matter

is　not　right。。。　But；　since　you　find　the　girl　to　your　liking；　and　have

condescended　to　pardon　her　peasant…manners　and　to　overlook　her　great

rudeness；　we　do　gladly　present　her　to　you；　for　an　humble　handmaid。　Deign；

therefore；　to　act　hereafter　in　her　regard　according　to　your　august

pleasure。〃





Ere　morning　the　storm　had　passed；　and　day　broke　through　a　cloudless　east。

Even　if　the　sleeve　of　Aoyagi　hid　from　her　lover's　eyes　the　rose…blush　of

that　dawn；　he　could　no　longer　tarry。　But　neither　could　he　resign　himself　to

part　with　the　girl；　and；　when　everything　had　been　prepared　for　his　journey；

he　thus　addressed　her　parents：





〃Though　it　may　seem　thankless　to　ask　for　more　than　I　have　already

received；　I　must　again　beg　you　to　give　me　your　daughter　for　wife。　It　would

be　difficult　for　me　to　separate　from　her　now；　and　as　she　is　willing　to

accompany　me；　if　you　permit；　I　can　take　her　with　me　as　she　is。　If　you　will

give　her　to　me；　I　shall　ever　cherish　you　as　parents。。。　And；　in　the

meantime；　please　to　accept　this　poor　acknowledgment　of　your　kindest

hospitality。〃





So　saying；　he　placed　before　his　humble　host　a　purse　of　gold　ryo。　But　the

old　man；　after　many　prostrations；　gently　pushed　back　the　gift；　and　said：





〃Kind　master；　the　gold　would　be　of　no　use　to　us；　and　you　will　probably

have　need　of　it　during　your　long；　cold　journey。　Here　we　buy　nothing；　and　we

could　not　spend　so　much　money　upon　ourselves；　even　if　we　wished。。。　As　for

the　girl；　we　have　already　bestowed　her　as　a　free　gift；　she　belongs　to

you：　therefore　it　is　not　necessary　to　ask　our　leave　to　take　her　away。

Already　she　has　told　us　that　she　hopes　to　accompany　you；　and　to　remain　your

servant　for　as　long　as　you　may　be　willing　to　endure　her　presence。　We　are

only　too　happy　to　know　that　you　deign　to　accept　her；　and　we　pray　that　you

will　not　trouble　yourself　on　our　account。　In　this　place　we　could　not

provide　her　with　proper　clothing；　much　less　with　a　dowry。　Moreover；　being

old；　we　should　in　any　event　have　to　separate　from　her　before　long。

Therefore　it　is　very　fortunate　that　you　should　be　willing　to　take　her　with

you　now。〃







It　was　in　vain　that　Tomotada　tried　to　persuade　the　old　people　to　accept　a

present：　he　found　that　they　cared　nothing　for　money。　But　he　saw　that　they

were　really　anxious　to　trust　their　daughter's　fate　to　his　hands；　and　he

therefore　decided　to　take　her　with　him。　So　he　placed　her　upon　his　horse；

and　bade　the　old　folks　farewell　for　the　time　being；　with　many　sincere

expressions　of　gratitude。





〃honored　Sir；〃　the　father　made　answer；　〃it　is　we；　and　not　you；　who　have

reason　for　gratitude。　We　are　sure　that　you　will　be　kind　to　our　girl；　and　we

have　no　fears　for　her　sake。〃。。。







＇Here；　in　the　Japanese　original；　there　is　a　queer　break　in　the　natural

course　of　the　narration；　which　therefrom　remains　curiously　inconsistent。

Nothing　further　is　said　about　the　mother　of　Tomotada；　or　about　the　parents

of　Aoyagi；　or　about　the　daimyo　of　Noto。　Evidently　the　writer　wearied　of　his

work　at　this　point；　and　hurried　the　story；　very　carelessly；　to　its

startling　end。　I　am　not　able　to　supply　his　omissions；　or　to　repair　his

faults　of　construction；　but　I　must　venture　to　put　in　a　few　explanatory

details；　without　which　the　rest　of　the　tale　would　not　hold　together。。。　It

app