kwaidan-第3章

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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　was　seen　to　leave　the　temple；　and　the

servants　immediately　lighted　their　lanterns；　and　followed　after　him。　But　it

was　a　rainy　night；　and　very　dark；　and　before　the　temple…folks　could　get　to

the　roadway；　Hoichi　had　disappeared。　Evidently　he　had　walked　very　fast；　a

strange　thing；　considering　his　blindness；　for　the　road　was　in　a　bad

condition。　The　men　hurried　through　the　streets；　making　inquiries　at　every

house　which　Hoichi　was　accustomed　to　visit；　but　nobody　could　give　them　any

news　of　him。　At　last；　as　they　were　returning　to　the　temple　by　way　of　the

shore；　they　were　startled　by　the　sound　of　a　biwa；　furiously　played；　in　the

cemetery　of　the　Amidaji。　Except　for　some　ghostly　fires　　such　as　usually

flitted　there　on　dark　nights　　all　was　blackness　in　that　direction。　But

the　men　at　once　hastened　to　the　cemetery；　and　there；　by　the　help　of　their

lanterns；　they　discovered　Hoichi；　sitting　alone　in　the　rain　before　the

memorial　tomb　of　Antoku　Tenno；　making　his　biwa　resound；　and　loudly　chanting

the　chant　of　the　battle　of　Dan…no…ura。　And　behind　him；　and　about　him；　and

everywhere　above　the　tombs；　the　fires　of　the　dead　were　burning；　like

candles。　Never　before　had　so　great　a　host　of　Oni…bi　appeared　in　the　sight

of　mortal　man。。。





〃Hoichi　San！　　Hoichi　San！〃　the　servants　cried；　〃you　are　bewitched！。。。

Hoichi　San！〃





But　the　blind　man　did　not　seem　to　hear。　Strenuously　he　made　his　biwa　to

rattle　and　ring　and　clang；　　more　and　more　wildly　he　chanted　the　chant　of

the　battle　of　Dan…no…ura。　They　caught　hold　of　him；　　they　shouted　into　his

ear；





〃Hoichi　San！　　Hoichi　San！　　come　home　with　us　at　once！〃





Reprovingly　he　spoke　to　them：





〃To　interrupt　me　in　such　a　manner；　before　this　august　assembly；　will　not

be　tolerated。〃





Whereat；　in　spite　of　the　weirdness　of　the　thing；　the　servants　could　not

help　laughing。　Sure　that　he　had　been　bewitched；　they　now　seized　him；　and

pulled　him　up　on　his　feet；　and　by　main　force　hurried　him　back　to　the

temple；　where　he　was　immediately　relieved　of　his　wet　clothes；　by　order　of

the　priest。　Then　the　priest　insisted　upon　a　full　explanation　of　his

friend's　astonishing　behavior。





Hoichi　long　hesitated　to　speak。　But　at　last；　finding　that　his　conduct　had

really　alarmed　and　angered　the　good　priest；　he　decided　to　abandon　his

reserve；　and　he　related　everything　that　had　happened　from　the　time　of　first

visit　of　the　samurai。





The　priest　said：





〃Hoichi；　my　poor　friend；　you　are　now　in　great　danger！　How　unfortunate　that

you　did　not　tell　me　all　this　before！　Your　wonderful　skill　in　music　has

indeed　brought　you　into　strange　trouble。　By　this　time　you　must　be　aware

that　you　have　not　been　visiting　any　house　whatever；　but　have　been　passing

your　nights　in　the　cemetery；　among　the　tombs　of　the　Heike；　　and　it　was

before　the　memorial…tomb　of　Antoku　Tenno　that　our　people　to…night　found

you；　sitting　in　the　rain。　All　that　you　have　been　imagining　was　illusion　

except　the　calling　of　the　dead。　By　once　obeying　them；　you　have　put　yourself

in　their　power。　If　you　obey　them　again；　after　what　has　already　occurred；

they　will　tear　you　in　pieces。　But　they　would　have　destroyed　you；　sooner　or

later；　in　any　event。。。　Now　I　shall　not　be　able　to　remain　with　you　to…night：

I　am　called　away　to　perform　another　service。　But；　before　I　go；　it　will　be

necessary　to　protect　your　body　by　writing　holy　texts　upon　it。〃







Before　sundown　the　priest　and　his　acolyte　stripped　Hoichi：　then；　with

their　writing…brushes；　they　traced　upon　his　breast　and　back；　head　and　face

and　neck；　limbs　and　hands　and　feet；　even　upon　the　soles　of　his　feet；　and

upon　all　parts　of　his　body；　the　text　of　the　holy　sutra　called

Hannya…Shin…Kyo。　＇7＇　When　this　had　been　done；　the　priest　instructed　Hoichi；

saying：





〃To…night；　as　soon　as　I　go　away；　you　must　seat　yourself　on　the　verandah；

and　wait。　You　will　be　called。　But；　whatever　may　happen；　do　not　answer；　and

do　not　move。　Say　nothing　and　sit　still　　as　if　meditating。　If　you　stir；　or

make　any　noise；　you　will　be　torn　asunder。　Do　not　get　frightened；　and　do　not

think　of　calling　for　help　　because　no　help　could　save　you。　If　you　do

exactly　as　I　tell　you；　the　danger　will　pass；　and　you　will　have　nothing　more

to　fear。〃







After　dark　the　priest　and　the　acolyte　went　away；　and　Hoichi　seated　himself

on　the　verandah；　according　to　the　instructions　given　him。　He　laid　his　biwa

on　the　planking　beside　him；　and；　assuming　the　attitude　of　meditation；

remained　quite　still；　taking　care　not　to　cough；　or　to　breathe　audibly。

For　hours　he　stayed　thus。





Then；　from　the　roadway；　he　heard　the　steps　coming。　They　passed　the　gate；

crossed　the　garden；　approached　the　verandah；　stopped　　directly　in　front

of　him。





〃Hoichi！〃　the　deep　voice　called。　But　the　blind　man　held　his　breath；　and

sat　motionless。





〃Hoichi！〃　grimly　called　the　voice　a　second　time。　Then　a　third　time　

savagely：





〃Hoichi！〃





Hoichi　remained　as　still　as　a　stone；　and　the　voice　grumbled：





〃No　answer！　　that　won't　do！。。。　Must　see　where　the　fellow　is。〃。。。





There　was　a　noise　of　heavy　feet　mounting　upon　the　verandah。　The　feet

approached　deliberately；　halted　beside　him。　Then；　for　long　minutes；

during　which　Hoichi　felt　his　whole　body　shake　to　the　beating　of　his

heart；　there　was　dead　silence。





At　last　the　gruff　voice　muttered　close　to　him：





〃Here　is　the　biwa；　but　of　the　biwa…player　I　see　　only　two　ears！。。。　So

that　explains　why　he　did　not　answer：　he　had　no　mouth　to　answer　with　

there　is　nothing　left　of　him　but　his　ears。。。　Now　to　my　lord　those　ears　I

will　take　　in　proof　that　the　august　commands　have　been　obeyed；　so　far　as

was　possible〃。。。





At　that　instant　Hoichi　felt　his　ears　gripped　by　fingers　of　iron；　and　torn

off！　Great　as　the　pain　was；　he　gave　no　cry。　The　heavy　footfalls　receded

along　the　veran