Page:Eminent Authors of Contemporary Japan, volume 2.pdf/164

138 before your marriage?”

“Of course, sir. The baby was born eight months after our marriage.”

“Your assistant says that the child’s birth was premature….”

“I told him so.”

“I’m told that the child soon died.”

“Yes sir, it died.”

“What caused its death?”

“It was suffocated by her breasts.”

“Did your wife do it intentionally?”

“She said it was an accident.”

The judge said nothing but looked steadlysteadily [sic] at Fan’s face. Fan’s eyes dropped, and he waited for the judge to ask another question.

“Did your wife confess her unlawful relationship to you?”

“No, sir, she didn’t. I didn’t ask. Thinking the death of her child had been a kind of atonement for her unfaithfulness, I determined to be as kind and generous to her as possible.”

“But after that time did you begin to find it hard to be generous and kind to her?”

“I had some feeling that even the death of the child could not drive from my mind, sir. When I was separated from her, to some extent I thought kindly of her, but when she was with me and happened to be doing anything, a feeling of unbearable displeasure took hold of me, especially when I looked upon her body.”