Page:Tayama Katai and His Novel Entitled Futon (Reece).pdf/191

 Tokio became unable to control himself and cried out in his mind, "This whole affair is related to my responsibility as her teacher!" He thought that he could not let matters stand as they were. He could not give such freedom to a woman who was so changeable. He must supervise and protect her. Her letter said that both of them were passionate but had reason. What did she mean by the words "both of us"? Why didn't she write "I"? Why did she use the plural? Tokio's heart beat with excitement. It was six o'clock yesterday when the young man arrived; if Tokio wanted he could go to his sister-in-law's house to find out what time last night Yoshiko returned home; but he wondered what she was doing today, or what she was doing at the moment.

At the dinner table, he found fresh sliced raw tunny together with cold bean-curds spiced with beefsteak plant, which his wife had carefully prepared, but he did not enjoy them, instead he drank cup after cup of saké.

After putting their youngest child to bed, his wife sat down in front of the hibachi. When she saw Yoshiko's letter by her husband's side, she said to him, "What did Yoshiko-san say?"

Tokio, without replying, threw her the letter. While receiving the letter, she threw him a searching glance realizing that her husband's mood was taxed, like the calm before a storm.

She finished reading the letter. Rolling it up, she said, "He came here didn't he?"

"Um. . . ."

"Will he stay in Tokyo for a long time?"