Transcription
Chapter 3
After nine o'clock the next morning, the man from The Troop called on me at my Inn. I had just awakened, so I invited him along to the bath. It was a cloudless, almost spring-like day in southern Izu. The water had risen in the stream beside the inn and reflected the warm sun.
My previous night's anguish seemed like a dream. Still, I broached the subject with the man. "You were having quite a time last night. The drum was going until late."
"What? Could he hear it?"
"Yes, I could. It was for some local folks. They make such a racket. It's not much fun."
He appeared unconcerned, so I said no more. "Look, they're over at the other bath. I think they've noticed us. They're laughing." He pointed across the stream toward the public bath on the other side. I could distinguish seven or eight bodies through the steam.
Suddenly, a naked woman ran out from the rear of the dark bath house. She stood at the edge of the changing area as if she might come flying down the bank. She was shouting with her arms outstretched. She was stark naked, without even a towel. It was the dancing girl.
When I gazed at her white body, legs stretched, standing like a young Polonia tree, I felt pure water flowing through my heart. I breathed a sigh of relief and laughed out loud. "She's a child! A child who can run out naked in broad daylight, overcome with joy at finding me, and stand tall on her tiptoes!" I kept laughing with delight. My head was clear, as though wiped clean. I could not stop smiling.
The dancing girl's hair had been arranged too elaborately for her age. She had looked 17 or 18. What's more, she had been dressed like a young woman in her prime. I had made a ridiculous mistake.
After I returned to my room with the man, the oldest girl came to the garden at my Inn and stood looking at the chrysanthemum bed. The dancing girl had stopped halfway across the bridge. The older woman came out of the public bath and glanced over at the two of them. The dancing girl smiled and shrugged her shoulders at me, as if to indicate that she would be scolded if she didn't go back. She hurried away.
The older woman walked out as far as the bridge and called to me, "Please come visit us! Please come visit us!" the oldest girl repeated. Then they left. However, the man stayed until late afternoon.
That evening, I was playing go with a traveling paper wholesaler when I heard a drum in the garden. I started to get up. "Some entertainers have come looking for customers."
"What? Them? They're nothing."
"Well, then, it's your turn." I put my stone here. The paper seller pointed at the board, intent on the game. But now I was restless. It sounded as though the entertainers were leaving. The man called from the garden, "Good night."
I went out to the window in the hall and motioned for them to come up. The entertainers whispered among themselves in the garden, then walked around to the entrance. "Good evening." After the man, the three girls each bowed to the two of us, kneeling on the floor like geisha.
It suddenly became apparent that I lost the go game. "It doesn't appear to be any way out. I give up."
"You think so? I think I'm the one who's on the short side. Either way, it's close." The paper dealer kept playing, studying the board and counting points without even a glance at the entertainers. The girls placed their drums and shamisen in the corner of the room, then started playing a game of five in a row on a Chinese chessboard. Meanwhile, I indeed lost the go game that I had previously been winning.
"How about it? One more round?"
"Just one more round," the paper dealer pleaded. He was persistent, but I just smiled vacantly. He gave up and left the room.
The girls came over to the go board. "Are you making the rounds again this evening?" I asked.
"Yes, we are. But..." the man looked toward the girls. "What do you think? Shall we just forget about it and have a good time instead?"
"That would be wonderful! Won't you get in trouble?"
"What do you mean? We wouldn't find any customers anyway, even if we did make the rounds." We played five in a row and enjoyed ourselves until past midnight.
After the entertainers left, I could not get to sleep. My mind was so keen. I stepped into the hall and called out, "Hey, Mr. Paper dealer!" The man, who was about 60, sprang out of his room, elated. "It's all night tonight! We're going to play until morning!" Now I too felt ready for a good battle.