kwaidan-第14章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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
appears that Tomotada rashly took Aoyagi with him to Kyoto； and so got into
trouble； but we are not informed as to where the couple lived afterwards。＇
。。。Now a samurai was not allowed to marry without the consent of his lord；
and Tomotada could not expect to obtain this sanction before his mission
had been accomplished。 He had reason； under such circumstances； to fear
that the beauty of Aoyagi might attract dangerous attention； and that means
might be devised of taking her away from him。 In Kyoto he therefore tried
to keep her hidden from curious eyes。 But a retainer of Lord Hosokawa one
day caught sight of Aoyagi； discovered her relation to Tomotada； and
reported the matter to the daimyo。 Thereupon the daimyo a young prince；
and fond of pretty faces gave orders that the girl should be brought to
the place； and she was taken thither at once； without ceremony。
Tomotada sorrowed unspeakably； but he knew himself powerless。 He was only
an humble messenger in the service of a far…off daimyo； and for the time
being he was at the mercy of a much more powerful daimyo； whose wishes were
not to be questioned。 Moreover Tomotada knew that he had acted foolishly；
that he had brought about his own misfortune； by entering into a
clandestine relation which the code of the military class condemned。 There
was now but one hope for him； a desperate hope： that Aoyagi might be able
and willing to escape and to flee with him。 After long reflection； he
resolved to try to send her a letter。 The attempt would be dangerous； of
course： any writing sent to her might find its way to the hands of the
daimyo； and to send a love…letter to anyinmate of the place was an
unpardonable offense。 But he resolved to dare the risk； and； in the form of
a Chinese poem； he composed a letter which he endeavored to have conveyed
to her。 The poem was written with only twenty…eight characters。 But with
those twenty…eight characters he was about to express all the depth of his
passion； and to suggest all the pain of his loss： ＇4＇
Koshi o…son gojin wo ou；
Ryokuju namida wo tarete rakin wo hitataru；
Komon hitotabi irite fukaki koto umi no gotoshi；
Kore yori shoro kore rojin
＇Closely； closely the youthful prince now follows after the gem…bright maid；
The tears of the fair one； falling； have moistened all her robes。
But the august lord； having one become enamored of her the depth of his
longing is like the depth of the sea。
Therefore it is only I that am left forlorn；
only I that am left to wander along。＇
On the evening of the day after this poem had been sent； Tomotada was
summoned to appear before the Lord Hosokawa。 The youth at once suspected
that his confidence had been betrayed； and he could not hope； if his letter
had been seen by the daimyo； to escape the severest penalty。 〃Now he will
order my death；〃 thought Tomotada； 〃but I do not care to live unless
Aoyagi be restored to me。 Besides； if the death…sentence be passed； I can
at least try to kill Hosokawa。〃 He slipped his swords into his girdle； and
hastened to the palace。
On entering the presence…room he saw the Lord Hosokawa seated upon the
dais； surrounded by samurai of high rank； in caps and robes of ceremony。
All were silent as statues； and while Tomotada advanced to make obeisance；
the hush seemed to his sinister and heavy； like the stillness before a
storm。 But Hosokawa suddenly descended from the dais； and； while taking the
youth by the arm； began to repeat the words of the poem： 〃Koshi o…son
gojin wo ou。〃。。。 And Tomotada； looking up； saw kindly tears in the prince's
eyes。
Then said Hosokawa：
〃Because you love each other so much； I have taken it upon myself to
authorize your marriage； in lieu of my kinsman； the Lord of Noto； and your
wedding shall now be celebrated before me。 The guests are assembled； the
gifts are ready。〃
