Page:Eminent Authors of Contemporary Japan, volume 2.pdf/173

Rh “Your confession as a whole seems to have been truthful. But have you no regret or sorrow for the death of your poor wife?”

“No, none at all, sir. I never imagined it possible that I should be able to speak of my wife’s death with so light a heart as possesses me now, even though at times I have felt a kind of irritated love for her.”

“All right. Now you may retire,” said the judge. Fan without answering bowed his head slightly and left the courtroom.

The judge felt that some unspeakable excitement had taken possession of him. He hastily took up his brush and wrote down these words: