Page:Tayama Katai and His Novel Entitled Futon (Reece).pdf/233

 visiting Tanaka for a couple of days after that; Yoshiko came home on time from school, but Tokio's heart burned with jealousy and doubt thinking that she might have dropped in to see her lover on the pretence of going to school.

Tokio was worried. His thoughts wavered in judgment several times a day. One time he thought he was prepared to sacrifice himself for their sake. Another time, he thought that he would stop her love affair at one stroke by revealing the true situation to her parents. But, in his present state of mind he could not venture to select either of these plans.

Tokio's wife chanced to whisper to him, "She's upstairs. . . ." imitating sewing with her hands and she continued in a low voice, "I'll bet. . . . she is going to give it to him--a navy blue student's coat with a white splash pattern! She even bought a pair of long white cotton tassels."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," his wife smiled.

Tokio had not the least desire to smile.

Blushing, Yoshiko said to Tokio that she would be a little late returning from school that day.

He asked, "Are you going to his place?"

She replied, "No! I'm just going to drop by a friend's place to talk about a small matter."

That evening, Tokio determined to visit Tanaka at his lodgings.

Tanaka made a formal apology in an eloquent and oratorical tone, "Sensei, I really don't know what excuse to make." Tanaka, who