第21章

fourhousestherewere307people！Insometherewerefourfamilies——thegrand-parents，theparents，theeldestsonwithhiswifeandfamily，andadaughterortwowiththeirhusbandsandchildren。Theeldestson，whoinheritsthehouseandland，almostinvariablybringshiswifetohisfather’shouse，wheresheoftenbecomeslittlebetterthanaslavetohermother-in-law。Byrigidcustomsheliterallyforsakesherownkindred，andher“filialduty“istransferredtoherhusband’smother，whooftentakesadisliketoher，andinstigateshersontodivorceherifshehasnochildren。Myhostesshadinducedhersontodivorcehiswife，andshecouldgivenobetterreasonforitthanthatshewaslazy。

TheNumapeople，shesaid，hadneverseenaforeigner，so，thoughtherainstillfellheavily，theywereastirintheearlymorning。

Theywantedtohearmespeak，soIgavemyorderstoItoinpublic。

Yesterdaywasamosttoilsomeday，mainlyspentinstumblingupandslidingdownthegreatpassesofFutai，Takanasu，andYenoiki，allamongforest-coveredmountains，deeplycleftbyforest-chokedravines，withnowandthenoneofthesnowypeaksofAidzubreakingthemonotonyoftheoceanofgreen。Thehorses’shoesweretiedanduntiedeveryfewminutes，andwemadejustamileanhour！AtlastweweredepositedinamostunpromisingplaceinthehamletofTamagawa，andweretoldthataricemerchant，afterwaitingforthreedays，hadgoteveryhorseinthecountry。Attheendoftwohours’chafferingonebaggagecooliewasproduced，someofthethingswereputonthericehorses，andasteedwithapack-saddlewasproducedformeintheshapeofaplumpandprettylittlecow，whichcarriedmesafelyoverthemagnificentpassofOrianddowntothetownofOkimi，amongrice-fields，where，inadrowningrain，Iwasgladtogetshelterwithanumberofcooliesbyawood-firetillanotherpack-cowwasproduced，andwewalkedonthroughtherice-fieldsandupintothehillsagaintoKurosawa，whereIhadintendedtoremain；buttherewasnoinn，andthefarm-housewheretheytakeintravellers，besidesbeingontheedgeofamalariouspond，andbeingdarkandfullofstingingsmoke，wassoawfullydirtyandfulloflivingcreatures，that，exhaustedasIwas，Iwasobligedtogoon。Butitwasgrowingdark，therewasnoTransportOffice，andforthefirsttimethepeoplewereveryslightlyextortionate，anddroveItonearlytohiswits’end。Thepeasantsdonotliketobeoutafterdark，fortheyareafraidofghostsandallsortsofdevilments，anditwasdifficulttoinducethemtostartsolateintheevening。

Therewasnotahousecleanenoughtorestin，soIsatonastoneandthoughtaboutthepeopleforoveranhour。Childrenwithscald-head，scabies，andsoreeyesswarmed。Everywomancarriedababyonherback，andeverychildwhocouldstaggerunderonecarriedonetoo。Notonewomanworeanythingbutcottontrousers。

Onewomanreeledabout“drunkanddisorderly。“Itosatonastonehidinghisfaceinhishands，andwhenIaskedhimifhewereill，herepliedinamostlamentablevoice，“Idon’tknowwhatIamtodo，I’msoashamedforyoutoseesuchthings！“Theboyisonlyeighteen，andIpitiedhim。Iaskedhimifwomenwereoftendrunk，andhesaidtheywereinYokohama，buttheyusuallykeptintheirhouses。Hesaysthatwhentheirhusbandsgivethemmoneytopaybillsattheendofamonth，theyoftenspenditinsake，andthattheysometimesgetsakeinshopsandhaveitputdownasriceortea。“Theold，oldstory！“Ilookedatthedirtandbarbarism，andaskedifthisweretheJapanofwhichIhadread。Yetawomaninthisunseemlycostumefirmlyrefusedtotakethe2or3senwhichitisusualtoleaveataplacewhereyourest，becauseshesaidthatIhadhadwaterandnottea，andafterIhadforceditonher，shereturnedittoIto，andthisredeemingincidentsentmeawaymuchcomforted。