Page:Eminent Authors of Contemporary Japan, volume 2.pdf/181

Rh and rather unusually for him.

The next morning, soon after getting up, he went to look at his moorhen. He found the bird lying on its side on the floor of the cage, with its long legs stretched out straight in front of it, quite dead. Over its cold body insects and dragon-flies crawled about.

As Ryudo gazed, he was filled with horror.

That evening, when they were sitting together, the student remarked: “Moorhens are very delicious to eat. When I told our neighbour that we had buried our dead moorhen, they were very regretful!”

“In spite of their regret I would never eat a bird I had tried to tame! Even if the day comes when I shall realize my great aspiration, I will never again try to keep a moorhen!” he added with a bitter smile.