Page:Modern Japanese Stories.pdf/94

 He was quite unconscious of the passage of time. Noon came and went, and the quiet spring day moved gradually towards its close. Indefatigably Seikichi’s hand pursued its work without ever waking the girl from her slumber. Presently the moon hung in the sky, pouring its dreamy light over the roof tops on the other side of the river. The tattoo was not yet half done. Seikichi interrupted his work to turn up the lamp, then sat down again and reached for his needle.

Now each stroke demanded an effort, and the artist would let out a sigh, as if his own heart had felt the prick. Little by little there began to appear the outline of an enormous spider. As the pale glow of dawn entered the room, this animal of diabolic mien spread its eight legs over the girl’s back.

The spring night was almost over. Already one could hear the dip of the oars as the row-boats passed up and down the river; above the sails of the fishing smacks, swollen with the morning breeze, one could see the mists lifting. And at last Seikichi brought himself to put down his needle. Standing aside, he studied the enormous female spider tattooed on the girl’s back, and as he gazed at it, he realized that in this work he had expressed the essence of his whole life. Now that it was completed, the artist was aware of a great emptiness.

“To give you beauty I have poured my whole soul into this tattoo,” Seikichi murmured. “From now on there is not a woman in Japan to rival you! Never again will you know fear. All men, all men will be your victims….”

Did she hear his words? A moan rose to her lips, her limbs moved. Gradually she began to regain consciousness, and as she lay breathing heavily in and out, the spider’s legs moved on her back like those of a living animal.

“You must be suffering,” said Seikichi. “That is because the spider is embracing your body so closely.”

She half opened her eyes. At first they had a vacant look, then the pupils began to shine with a brightness that matched the moonlight reflected on Seikichi’s face.