kwaidan-第13章

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as　on　the　day　when　she　had　first　come　to　the　village。







One　night；　after　the　children　had　gone　to　sleep；　O…Yuki　was　sewing　by　the

light　of　a　paper　lamp；　and　Minokichi；　watching　her；　said：





〃To　see　you　sewing　there；　with　the　light　on　your　face；　makes　me　think　of　a

strange　thing　that　happened　when　I　was　a　lad　of　eighteen。　I　then　saw

somebody　as　beautiful　and　white　as　you　are　now　　indeed；　she　was　very　like

you。〃。。。





Without　lifting　her　eyes　from　her　work；　O…Yuki　responded：





〃Tell　me　about　her。。。　Where　did　you　see　her？





Then　Minokichi　told　her　about　the　terrible　night　in　the　ferryman's　hut；

and　about　the　White　Woman　that　had　stooped　above　him；　smiling　and

whispering；　and　about　the　silent　death　of　old　Mosaku。　And　he　said：





〃Asleep　or　awake；　that　was　the　only　time　that　I　saw　a　being　as　beautiful

as　you。　Of　course；　she　was　not　a　human　being；　and　I　was　afraid　of　her；

very　much　afraid；　but　she　was　so　white！。。。　Indeed；　I　have　never　been　sure

whether　it　was　a　dream　that　I　saw；　or　the　Woman　of　theSnow。〃。。。





O…Yuki　flung　down　her　sewing；　and　arose；　and　bowed　above　Minokichi　where

he　sat；　and　shrieked　into　his　face：





〃It　was　I　　I　　I！　　Yuki　it　was！　And　I　told　you　then　that　I　would　kill

you　if　you　ever　said　one　work　about　it！。。。　But　for　those　children　asleep

there；　I　would　kill　you　this　moment！　And　now　you　had　better　take　very；　very

good　care　of　them；　for　if　ever　they　have　reason　to　complain　of　you；　I　will

treat　you　as　you　deserve！〃。。。





Even　as　she　screamed；　her　voice　became　thin；　like　a　crying　of　wind；　then

she　melted　into　a　bright　white　mist　that　spired　to　the　roof…beams；　and

shuddered　away　through　the　smoke…hold。。。　Never　again　was　she　seen。









THE　STORY　OF　AOYAGI





In　the　era　of　Bummei　＇1469…1486＇　there　was　a　young　samurai　called　Tomotada

in　the　service　of　Hatakeyama　Yoshimune；　the　Lord　of　Noto　（1）。　Tomotada　was

a　native　of　Echizen　（2）；　but　at　an　early　age　he　had　been　taken；　as　page；

into　the　palace　of　the　daimyo　of　Noto；　and　had　been　educated；　under　the

supervision　of　that　prince；　for　the　profession　of　arms。　As　he　grew　up；　he

proved　himself　both　a　good　scholar　and　a　good　soldier；　and　continued　to

enjoy　the　favor　of　his　prince。　Being　gifted　with　an　amiable　character；　a

winning　address；　and　a　very　handsome　person；　he　was　admired　and　much　liked

by　his　samurai…comrades。





When　Tomotada　was　about　twenty　years　old；　he　was　sent　upon　a　private

mission　to　Hosokawa　Masamoto；　the　great　daimyo　of　Kyoto；　a　kinsman　of

Hatakeyama　Yoshimune。　Having　been　ordered　to　journey　through　Echizen；　the

youth　requested　and　obtained　permission　to　pay　a　visit；　on　the　way；　to　his

widowed　mother。





It　was　the　coldest　period　of　the　year　when　he　started；　and；　though　mounted

upon　a　powerful　horse；　he　found　himself　obliged　to　proceed　slowly。　The　road

which　he　followed　passed　through　a　mountain…district　where　the　settlements

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　th