Page:Eminent Authors of Contemporary Japan, volume 2.pdf/105

Rh newly reclaimed land and led to her sister’s residence from the tram terminus. The new house stood next to a large vegetable field at the end of a small street, and in the vicinity were rows of new and rather pretty houses irregularly huddled together. Most of them had gates of simple design, and hedges of Chinese-hawthorn. On the drying poles of each house newly washed clothes were hanging out to dry in the warn sunshine. These seemed to be the general features of all the residences round about, and the rather common-place atmosphere of the neighbourhood somewhat disappointed her.

When she knocked at her sister’s door, she was rather surprised to be welcomed by Shunkichi. As she had never been to see them since their marriage, he welcomed her with unusual hilarity with, “Hello! Nobu-ko San!”

Nobu-ko found that her new brother-in-law had quite changed in his appearance. His hair was very carefully trimmed and he wore it long instead of cropped short.

“How do you do, Mr. Shun?” [sic]

“Oh, I’m very well, and how are you? Come in, sister! I’m all alone just now.”

“Where is Teru-ko? Is she out?”

“Yes, she’s out shopping, and so is our maid.”

Feeling strangely bashful, Nobu-ko took off her gaily-lined woolen coat in the corner of the entrance-hall. Then she followed Shunkichi into an eight-matted room, which served as both study and drawing-room.