二 1

When the steamer went "boo" and stopped, a barge pulled away from the shore and rowed over. The boatman was stark naked with only a red loincloth around his waist. What a barbaric place. Though I suppose no one could wear clothes in this heat. The sun was so strong the water glittered with a greasy sheen. Just staring at it made my eyes ache. I asked a clerk and it turned out I was to get off here. From the look of it, it was a fishing village about the size of Omori. Thinking they must be making a fool of me—how could anyone put up with a place like this—but I had no choice. I leapt in boldly, first of all. Then five or six others must have boarded. After loading about four large crates on top, the red-loincloth rowed back to shore. When we landed, I was the first to jump up, and grabbing the snot-nosed brat standing on the shore, asked him where the middle school was. The brat looked blank and said he didn't know. What a witless country bumpkin. For a town no bigger than a cat's forehead, to have someone who didn't even know where the middle school was. Just then a man in a strange tube-like outfit came and said come this way, so I followed him and he led me to an inn called Minatoya. A disagreeable woman said in unison, "Please come in," which made me not want to go in. Standing in the doorway I demanded they tell me where the middle school was, and was told you had to take the train about two ri from here, which made me even less inclined to enter. I took my two leather satchels from the tube-outfit man and slouched off. The inn people made strange faces.

The station was easy to find. I bought a ticket without trouble. Getting on, it was a train like a matchbox. I thought it rattled along for about five minutes when I had to get off already. No wonder the ticket was cheap. Only three sen. Then I hired a cart and came to the middle school, but it was after school and no one was there. The custodian told me the night watch had just stepped out on an errand. They sure have a carefree night watch. I thought of looking up the principal, but since I was tired, I told the cart man to take me to an inn. The cart man cheerfully pulled right up to a place called Yamashiroya. Since Yamashiroya was the same shop name as Kanataro the pawnbroker's, I found it rather amusing.

For some reason they showed me to a dark room under the staircase on the second floor. Too hot to stay in. I said I wouldn't take such a room, and they said, "I'm afraid they're all full," and tossed my satchels inside and left. Having no choice, I went in and endured the sweat. Presently they said to take a bath, so I plunged in with a splash and got out right away. On my way back I peeked in and found plenty of cool rooms empty. The rude devils. They lied. Then a maid brought a tray. The room was hot, but the food was much better than at my boarding house. While serving, the maid asked where I'd come from, and I answered Tokyo. Then she said Tokyo must be a fine place, so I told her that went without saying. After the maid took the tray to the kitchen, I heard a big laugh. It was silly, so I went to sleep at once, but couldn't sleep a wink. Not just the heat. Noisy. About five times noisier than my boarding house. As I dozed, I dreamed of Kiyo. Kiyo was munching Echigo bamboo-grass candy, bamboo and all. I said the grass was poisonous, better stop, and she said, "No, this grass is medicine," and ate it looking delicious. I was dumbfounded and opened my big mouth and laughed "hahaha" and woke up. The maid was opening the shutters. Same as ever, weather like the bottom of the sky had been punched through.

I'd heard you give a tip when traveling. Heard if you don't tip they treat you rough. Shoving me into that narrow dark room must be for lack of a tip. Probably because I was dressed shabbily, carrying a duck cloth satchel and a figured-silk parasol. Country bumpkins judging a book by its cover. I'll give the biggest tip and shock them. Even I left Tokyo with some thirty yen surplus of my school funds in my pocket. After subtracting train and steamer fares and miscellaneous, I still have about fourteen yen. Even if I give it all, I'll be drawing a salary from now, so no matter. Country folks are stingy, so five yen should shock them silly. Watch what I do, I thought, washed my face coolly, went back to the room and waited, and the evening maid brought a tray. She served off the tray with a sly grin. Rude wench. Not like she'd seen a festival in my face. Even this maid's face is far below mine. I'd meant to wait till after eating, but it rankled, so mid-meal I pulled out a five-yen bill and said take this to the front desk later, and the maid made a strange face. Then I finished and headed straight to school. Shoes unpolished.

I'd driven there by cart yesterday, so I had the general lay of it. After turning a few corners I was right at the gate. From gate to entrance was paved with granite. When the cart rattled over this paving yesterday, the needless loud noise rather unnerved me. On the way I met many students in Ogura uniforms, all entering this gate. Some were taller and looked stronger than me. Thinking I'd be teaching such fellows gave me a queer feeling. I gave my card and was shown to the principal's room. The principal was a man like a tanuki—thin beard, dark, big-eyed. He put on quite an air. "Do your best and study," he said, and solemnly handed me a commission with a big seal. This commission I rolled up and threw into the sea when I returned to Tokyo. The principal said he'd introduce me to the staff presently, and I was to show each this commission, and made me listen. Needless trouble. Rather than such bother, better post this commission in the staff room three days.

For teachers to gather in the waiting room, the first-period bugle must sound. Plenty of time yet. The principal pulled out his watch, said he'd speak leisurely by and by, but first wanted me to grasp the gist, and then lectured long on the spirit of education. I of course listened half-heartedly, but midway thought I'd come to a fine place. As the principal said, impossible. Catching a reckless one like me, be a model for students, be revered as the teacher of a school, without influencing personal virtue beyond study can't be an educator—demands absurd and outrageous. Would such a great man come all this way to the country for forty yen a month? People are much the same. I thought anyone would fight if angry, but by the looks, scarce speak, scarce walk. If such a hard role, say so before hiring. I hate lying, so no help, resigned I'd been fooled, and thought I'd cut it off here and go home. Gave the inn five yen so only nine-odd yen in purse. Nine yen can't get to Tokyo. Shouldn't have tipped. A pity. But nine yen, something can be done. Even if travel funds fall short, better than lying, so I said, "I simply can't as you say; I return this commission," and the principal blinked his tanuki eyes and stared at my face. Presently he said, "That was only a hope; I know well you can't meet the hope, so don't worry," and laughed. If he knew that well, why scare me from the start.

So, while this went on the bugle sounded. The school side suddenly buzzed. Told the teachers must be gathered, I followed the principal into the teachers' waiting room. Desks lined the perimeter of a long narrow room, all seated. Seeing me enter, all looked at my face as if agreed. Not a sideshow. Then as instructed, went to each, showed commission, bowed. Most just left chair and bent waist, but the punctilious took the offered commission, looked at it, returned solemnly. Just like court theater. By the fifteenth, the gymnastics teacher, repeating same thing many times, got a bit tiresome. They finish in one. I repeat same motion fifteen times. Show some consideration.

Among those bowed to was the head teacher, one so-and-so. A Bachelor of Literature, they said. Bachelor means university graduate, so great man maybe. A man with a strangely womanish gentle voice. Most startling, in this heat he wore a flannel shirt. Thinner cloth sure, but hot no doubt. For a Bachelor, troubled attire. And it was red-shirt, mocking. Heard later this man wears red shirt year-round. Queer sickness. His explanation: red is medicine to body, so for hygiene he has it made, but needless worry. Then make clothes and hakama red too. Then English teacher, a Koga, very pale bad complexion. Usually pale ones are thin, but this man was pale and swollen. Long ago in primary school, a boy called Asai no Min was in my class, and his father had just such color. I asked Kiyo if becoming a farmer made that face, and she said no, he eats only Indian eggplant, so swells pale. Since, see pale swollen, I think eaten Indian eggplant. This English teacher sure eats only that. Though what Indian eggplant is I still don't know. Asked Kiyo, she laughed no answer. Probably Kiyo doesn't know either. Then same math teacher as me, a Horita. Sturdy chestnut-burr crop, face of Enryakuji's evil monk. When I politely showed commission, he didn't look, said, "Ah, you the new one? Come visit, ahahaha." What's ahahaha. No manners such

“Stories of the world, in your language.”