kwaidan-第2节

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friend　to　help　him。　The　priest　of　the　Amidaji　was　fond　of　poetry　and　music；

and　he　often　invited　Hoichi　to　the　temple；　to　play　and　recite。　Afterwards；

being　much　impressed　by　the　wonderful　skill　of　the　lad；　the　priest　proposed

that　Hoichi　should　make　the　temple　his　home；　and　this　offer　was　gratefully

accepted。　Hoichi　was　given　a　room　in　the　temple…building；　and；　in　return

for　food　and　lodging；　he　was　required　only　to　gratify　the　priest　with　a

musical　performance　on　certain　evenings；　when　otherwise　disengaged。







One　summer　night　the　priest　was　called　away；　to　perform　a　Buddhist　service

at　the　house　of　a　dead　parishioner；　and　he　went　there　with　his　acolyte；

leaving　Hoichi　alone　in　the　temple。　It　was　a　hot　night；　and　the　blind　man

sought　to　cool　himself　on　the　verandah　before　his　sleeping…room。　The

verandah　overlooked　a　small　garden　in　the　rear　of　the　Amidaji。　　There

Hoichi　waited　for　the　priest's　return；　and　tried　to　relieve　his　solitude　by

practicing　upon　his　biwa。　Midnight　passed；　and　the　priest　did　not　appear。

But　the　atmosphere　was　still　too　warm　for　comfort　within　doors；　and　Hoichi

remained　outside。　At　last　he　heard　steps　approaching　from　the　back　gate。

Somebody　crossed　the　garden；　advanced　to　the　verandah；　and　halted　directly

in　front　of　him　　but　it　was　not　the　priest。　A　deep　voice　called　the　blind

man's　name　　abruptly　and　unceremoniously；　in　the　manner　of　a　samurai

summoning　an　inferior：





〃Hoichi！〃





〃Hai！〃　（1）　answered　the　blind　man；　frightened　by　the　menace　in　the

voice；　〃I　am　blind！　　I　cannot　know　who　calls！〃





〃There　is　nothing　to　fear；〃　the　stranger　exclaimed；　speaking　more　gently。

〃I　am　stopping　near　this　temple；　and　have　been　sent　to　you　with　a　message。

My　present　lord；　a　person　of　exceedingly　high　rank；　is　now　staying　in

Akamagaseki；　with　many　noble　attendants。　He　wished　to　view　the　scene　of　the

battle　of　Dan…no…ura；　and　to…day　he　visited　that　place。　Having　heard　of

your　skill　in　reciting　the　story　of　the　battle；　he　now　desires　to　hear　your

performance：　so　you　will　take　your　biwa　and　come　with　me　at　once　to　the

house　where　the　august　assembly　is　waiting。〃





In　those　times；　the　order　of　a　samurai　was　not　to　be　lightly　disobeyed。

Hoichi　donned　his　sandals；　took　his　biwa；　and　went　away　with　the　stranger；

who　guided　him　deftly；　but　obliged　him　to　walk　very　fast。　The　hand　that

guided　was　iron；　and　the　clank　of　the　warrior's　stride　proved　him　fully

armed；　probably　some　palace…guard　on　duty。　Hoichi's　first　alarm　was　over：

he　began　to　imagine　himself　in　good　luck；　　for；　remembering　the

retainer's　assurance　about　a　〃person　of　exceedingly　high　rank；〃　he　thought

that　the　lord　who　wished　to　hear　the　recitation　could　not　be　less　than　a

daimyo　of　the　first　class。　Presently　the　samurai　halted；　and　Hoichi　became

aware　that　they　had　arrived　at　a　large　gateway；　　and　he　wondered；　for　he

could　not　remember　any　large　gate　in　that　part　of　the　town；　except　the　main

gate　of　the　Amidaji。　〃Kaimon！〃　＇4＇　the　samurai　called；　and　there　was　a

sound　of　unbarring；　and　the　twain　passed　on。　They　traversed　a　space　of

garden；　and　halted　again　before　some　entrance；　and　the　retainer　cried　in　a

loud　voice；　〃Within　there！　I　have　brought　Hoichi。〃　Then　came　sounds　of　feet

hurrying；　and　screens　sliding；　and　rain…doors　opening；　and　voices　of　womeni

n　converse。　By　the　language　of　the　women　Hoichi　knew　them　to　be　domestics

in　some　noble　household；　but　he　could　not　imagine　to　what　place　he　had　been

conducted。　Little　time　was　allowed　him　for　conjecture。　After　he　had　been

helped　to　mount　several　stone　steps；　upon　the　last　of　which　he　was　told　to

leave　his　sandals；　a　woman's　hand　guided　him　along　interminable　reaches　of

polished　planking；　and　round　pillared　angles　too　many　to　remember；　and　over

widths　amazing　of　matted　floor；　into　the　middle　of　some　vast　apartment。

There　he　thought　that　many　great　people　were　assembled：　the　sound　of　the

rustling　of　silk　was　like　the　sound　of　leaves　in　a　forest。　He　heard　also　a

great　humming　of　voices；　talking　in　undertones；　and　the　speech　was　the

speech　of　courts。





Hoichi　was　told　to　put　himself　at　ease；　and　he　found　a　kneeling…cushion

ready　for　him。　After　having　taken　his　place　upon　it；　and　tuned　his

instrument；　the　voice　of　a　woman　　whom　he　divined　to　be　the　Rojo；　or

matron　in　charge　of　the　female　service　　addressed　him；　saying；





〃It　is　now　required　that　the　history　of　the　Heike　be　recited；　to　the

accompaniment　of　the　biwa。〃





Now　the　entire　recital　would　have　required　a　time　of　many　nights：

therefore　Hoichi　ventured　a　question：





〃As　the　whole　of　the　story　is　not　soon　told；　what　portion　is　it　augustly

desired　that　I　now　recite？〃





The　woman's　voice　made　answer：





〃Recite　the　story　of　the　battle　at　Dan…no…ura；　for　the　pity　of　it　is　the

most　deep。〃　＇5＇





Then　Hoichi　lifted　up　his　voice；　and　chanted　the　chant　of　the　fight　on　the

bitter　sea；　wonderfully　making　his　biwa　to　sound　like　the　straining　of

oars　and　the　rushing　of　ships；　the　whirr　and　the　hissing　of　arrows；　the

shouting　and　trampling　of　men；　the　crashing　of　steel　upon　helmets；　the

plunging　of　slain　in　the　flood。　And　to　left　and　right　of　him；　in　the　pauses

of　his　playing；　he　could　hear　voices　murmuring　praise：　〃How　marvelous　an

artist！〃　　〃Never　in　our　own　province　was　playing　heard　like　this！〃　

〃Not　in　all　the　empire　is　there　another　singer　like　Hoichi！〃　Then　fresh

courage　came　to　him；　and　he　played　and　sang　yet　better　than　before；　and　a

hush　of　wonder　deepened　about　him。　But　when　at　last　he　came　to　tell　the

fate　of　the　fair　and　helpless；　the　piteous　perishing　of　the　women　and

children；　and　the　death…leap　of　Nii…no…Ama；　with　the　imperial　infant　in

her　arms；　then　all　the　listeners　uttered　together　one　long；　long

shuddering　cry　of　anguish；　and　thereafter　they　wept　and　wailed　so　loudly

and　so　wildly　that　the　blind　man　was　frightened　by　the　violence　and　grief

that　he　had　made。　For　much　time　the　sobbing　and　the　wailing　continued。　But

gradually　the　sounds　of　lamentation　died　away；　and　again；　in　the　great

stillness　that　followed；　Hoichi　heard　the　voice　of　the　woman　whom　he

supposed　to　be　the　Rojo。





She　said：





〃Although　we　had　been　assured　that　you　were　a　very　skillful　player　upon

the　biwa；　and　without　an　equal　in　recitative；　we　did　not　know　that　any　one

could　be　so　skillful　as　you　have　proved　yourself　to…night。　Our　lord　has

been　pleased　to　say　that　he　intends　to　bestow　upon　you　a　fitting　reward。

But　he　desires　that　you　shall　perform　before　him　once　every　night　for　the

next　six　nights　　after　which　time　he　will　probably　make　his　august

return…journey。　To…morrow　night；　therefore；　you　are　to　come　here　at　the

same　hour。　The　retainer　who　to…night　conducted　you　will　be　sent　for　you。。。

There　is　another　matter　about　which　I　have　been　ordered　to　inform　you。　It

is　required　that　you　shall　speak　to　no　one　of　your　visits　here；　during　the

time　of　our　lord's　august　sojourn　at　Akamagaseki。　As　he　is　traveling

incognito；　＇6＇　he　commands　that　no　mention　of　these　things　be　made。。。　You

are　now　free　to　go　back　to　your　temple。〃





After　Hoichi　had　duly　expressed　his　thanks；　a　woman's　hand　conducted　him

to　the　entrance　of　the　house；　where　the　same　retainer；　who　had　before

guided　him；　was　waiting　to　take　him　home。　The　retainer　led　him　to　the

verandah　at　the　rear　of　the　temple；　and　there　bade　him　farewell。





It　was　almost　dawn　when　Hoichi　returned；　but　his　absence　from　the　temple

had　not　been　observed；　as　the　priest；　coming　back　at　a　very　late　hour；

had　supposed　him　asleep。　During　the　day　Hoichi　was　able　to　take　some　rest；

and　he　said　nothing　about　his　strange　adventure。　In　the　middle　of　the

following　night　the　samurai　again　came　for　him；　and　led　him　to　the　august

assembly；　where　he　gave　another　recitation　with　the　same　success　that　had

attended　his　previous　performance。　But　during　this　second　visit　his　absence

from　the　temple　was　accidentally　discovered；　and　after　his　return　in　the

morning　he　was　summoned　to　the　presence　of　the　priest；　who　said　to　him；　in

a　tone　of　kindly　reproach：





〃We　have　been　very　anxious　about　you；　friend　Hoichi。　To　go　out；　blind　and

alone；　at　so　late　an　hour；　is　dangerous。　Why　did　you　go　without　telling　us？

I　could　have　ordered　a　servant　to　accompany　you。　And　where　have　you　been？〃





Hoichi　answered；　evasively；





〃Pardon　me　kind　friend！　I　had　to　attend　to　some　private　business；　and　I

could　not　arrange　the　matter　at　any　other　hour。〃





The　priest　was　surprised；　rather　than　pained；　by　Hoichi's　reticence：　he

felt　it　to　be　unnatural；　and　suspected　something　wrong。　He　feared　that　the

blind　lad　had　been　bewitched　or　deluded　by　some　evil　spirits。　He　did　not

ask　any　more　questions；　but　he　privately　instructed　the　men…servants　of　the

temple　to　keep　watch　upon　Hoichi's　movements；　and　to　follow　him　in　case

that　he　should　again　leave　the　temple　after　dark。







On　the　very　next　night；　Hoichi