Page:Tayama Katai and His Novel Entitled Futon (Reece).pdf/217

 time for storage and children's play rooms, the dust was mountain high. But these rooms took on a surprisingly new appearance after they were cleaned and mopped; the which had been torn and soiled by rain were repapered. The grove of big trees in Sakai graveyard back of the house shaded the rooms with their green leaves. One could see a grape-vine trellis, poppies blooming beautifully mixed with weeds in a neighbor's neglected garden. Tokio selected and hung in the alcove a scroll depicting a morning glory drawn by a certain artist, and placed late summer roses in a hanging vase. In the afternoon Yoshiko's belongings arrived--a big Chinese trunk, a wicker trunk, a cloth holdall, bookcases, a desk, and bedding. It was a hard task to take these articles upstairs. Tokio had to take a day off from his work to help her move.

He placed her desk under the south window, the bookcases to its left; a mirror, a powder plate, and bottles were placed on the desk. He set the China trunk and the wicker trunk in one closet. When he placed a set of futon, made of chintz in an another closet, the lingering smell of Yoshiko entered his nostrils and he felt queer.

About two o'clock in the afternoon her room, for the time being, was put in order.

"What do you think? This place won't be too bad for your study, will it?" Tokio proudly said with a smile. "Stay here, and study diligently. It's really no use getting involved in real-life problems and being needlessly hurt."

"Yes, I believe so. . . ." said Yoshiko looking down.

"Later I'll ask you for details, but in any case both of you have no choice but to study hard for a while."