Page:Tayama Katai and His Novel Entitled Futon (Reece).pdf/195

 "Let's forget it, and let me have another bottle."

And...he drank half of that bottle. The liquor seemed to show its effects. His face took on a red-copper color, and his eyes became slightly set. He suddenly stood up and said, "Hey, bring me an obi!"

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Sanban-Chō."

"To my sister's house?"

"Um. . . ."

"You better not go, as you're in no shape. . . ."

"Never mind, I'm all right. Being entrusted with someone's daughter, I can't neglect the situation. How can I remain indifferent, when her sweetheart comes to Tokyo, goes around doing something with her. Since I can't feel easy about leaving her in the care of Tagawa (his sister-in-law), I'm going there, and if possible, I'll return with Yoshiko. You'd better clean up the upstairs rooms."

"Are you going to have her with us again?"

"Of course."

As his wife was not willing to prepare his kimono and obi he said, "All right, all right, if you don't want to do it, I'll go out as I am."

He quickly went out as he was, wearing a white plain summer kimono with a soiled crepe silk sash around his waist, and without a hat. His wife's voice could be heard trailing after him, "I'll be ready in a minute. . . . Really I don't know what to do with you."

The summer day's sunset was already approaching. Chirping could be heard in Sakai's Grove in Yarai. Supper seemed to be over