kwaidan-第14部分

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At　last　there　came　to　him　a　happy　thought：　he　remembered　a　way　by　which

the　perishing　tree　might　be　saved。　（It　was　the　sixteenth　day　of　the　first

month。）　Along　he　went　into　his　garden；　and　bowed　down　before　the　withered

tree；　and　spoke　to　it；　saying：　〃Now　deign；　I　beseech　you；　once　more　to

bloom；　because　I　am　going　to　die　in　your　stead。〃　（For　it　is　believed　that

one　can　really　give　away　one's　life　to　another　person；　or　to　a　creature　or

even　to　a　tree；　by　the　favor　of　the　gods；　and　thus　to　transfer　one's　life

is　expressed　by　the　term　migawari　ni　tatsu；　〃to　act　as　a　substitute。〃）　Then

under　that　tree　he　spread　a　white　cloth；　and　divers　coverings；　and　sat　down

upon　the　coverings；　and　performed　hara…kiri　after　the　fashion　of　a　samurai。

And　the　ghost　of　him　went　into　the　tree；　and　made　it　blossom　in　that　same

hour。





And　every　year　it　still　blooms　on　the　sixteenth　day　of　the　first　month；　in

the　season　of　snow。









THE　DREAM　OF　AKINOSUKE





In　the　district　called　Toichi　of　Yamato　Province；　（1）　there　used　to　live　a

goshi　named　Miyata　Akinosuke。。。　＇Here　I　must　tell　you　that　in　Japanese

feudal　times　there　was　a　privileged　class　of　soldier…farmers；

free…holders；　corresponding　to　the　class　of　yeomen　in　England；　and　these

were　called　goshi。＇





In　Akinosuke's　garden　there　was　a　great　and　ancient　cedar…tree；　under

which　he　was　wont　to　rest　on　sultry　days。　One　very　warm　afternoon　he　was

sitting　under　this　tree　with　two　of　his　friends；　fellow…goshi；　chatting　and

drinking　wine；　when　he　felt　all　of　a　sudden　very　drowsy；　so　drowsy　that

he　begged　his　friends　to　excuse　him　for　taking　a　nap　in　their　presence。

Then　he　lay　down　at　the　foot　of　the　tree；　and　dreamed　this　dream：





He　thought　that　as　he　was　lying　there　in　his　garden；　he　saw　a　procession；

like　the　train　of　some　great　daimyo　descending　a　hill　near　by；　and　that　he

got　up　to　look　at　it。　A　very　grand　procession　it　proved　to　be；　more

imposing　than　anything　of　the　kind　which　he　had　ever　seen　before；　and　it

was　advancing　toward　his　dwelling。　He　observed　in　the　van　of　it　a　number　of

young　men　richly　appareled；　who　were　drawing　a　great　lacquered

palace…carriage；　or　gosho…guruma；　hung　with　bright　blue　silk。　When　the

procession　arrived　within　a　short　distance　of　the　house　it　halted；　and　a

richly　dressed　man　　evidently　a　person　of　rank　　advanced　from　it；

approached　Akinosuke；　bowed　to　him　profoundly；　and　then　said：





〃Honored　Sir；　you　see　before　you　a　kerai　＇vassal＇　of　the　Kokuo　of　Tokoyo。

＇1＇　My　master；　the　King；　commands　me　to　greet　you　in　his　august　name；　and

to　place　myself　wholly　at　your　disposal。　He　also　bids　me　inform　you　that　he

augustly　desires　your　presence　at　the　palace。　Be　therefore　pleased

immediately　to　enter　this　honorable　carriage；　which　he　has　sent　for　your

conveyance。〃





Upon　hearing　these　words　Akinosuke　wanted　to　make　some　fitting　reply；　but

he　was　too　much　astonished　and　embarrassed　for　speech；　and　in　the　same

moment　his　will　seemed　to　melt　away　from　him；　so　that　he　could　only　do　as

the　kerai　bade　him。　　He　entered　the　carriage；　the　kerai　took　a　place　beside

him；　and　made　a　signal；　the　drawers；　seizing　the　silken　ropes；　turned　the

great　vehicle　southward；　and　the　journey　began。





In　a　very　short　time；　to　Akinosuke's　amazement；　the　carriage　stopped　in

front　of　a　huge　two…storied　gateway　（romon）；　of　a　Chinese　style；　which　he

had　never　before　seen。　Here　the　kerai　dismounted；　saying；　〃I　go　to

announced　the　honorable　arrival；〃　and　he　disappeared。　After　some　little

waiting；　Akinosuke　saw　two　noble…looking　men；　wearing　robes　of　purple　silk

and　high　caps　of　the　form　indicating　lofty　rank；　come　from　the　gateway。

These；　after　having　respectfully　saluted　him；　helped　him　to　descend　from

the　carriage；　and　led　him　through　the　great　gate　and　across　a　vast　garden；

to　the　entrance　of　a　palace　whose　front　appeared　to　extend；　west　and　east；

to　a　distance　of　miles。　Akinosuke　was　then　shown　into　a　reception…room　of

wonderful　size　and　splendor。　His　guides　conducted　him　to　the　place　of

honor；　and　respectfully　seated　themselves　apart；　while　serving…maids；　in

costume　of　ceremony；　brought　refreshments。　When　Akinosuke　had　partaken　of

the　refreshments；　the　two　purple…robed　attendants　bowed　low　before　him；　and

addressed　him　in　the　following　words；　each　speaking　alternately；

according　to　the　etiquette　of　courts：







〃It　is　now　our　honorable　duty　to　inform　you。。。　as　to　the　reason　of　your

having　been　summoned　hither。。。　Our　master；　the　King；　augustly　desires　that

you　become　his　son…in…law；。。。　and　it　is　his　wish　and　command　that　you　shall

wed　this　very　day。。。　the　August　Princess；　his　maiden…daughter。。。　We　shall

soon　conduct　you　to　the　presence…chamber。。。　where　His　Augustness　even　now

is　waiting　to　receive　you。。。　But　it　will　be　necessary　that　we　first　invest

you。。。　with　the　appropriate　garments　of　ceremony。〃　＇2＇





Having　thus　spoken；　the　attendants　rose　together；　and　proceeded　to　an

alcove　containing　a　great　chest　of　gold　lacquer。　They　opened　the　chest；　and

took　from　it　various　roes　and　girdles　of　rich　material；　and　a　kamuri；　or

regal　headdress。　With　these　they　attired　Akinosuke　as　befitted　a　princely

bridegroom；　and　he　was　then　conducted　to　the　presence…room；　where　he　saw

the　Kokuo　of　Tokoyo　seated　upon　the　daiza；　＇3＇　wearing　a　high　black　cap　of

state；　and　robed　in　robes　of　yellow　silk。　Before　the　daiza；　to　left　and

right；　a　multitude　of　dignitaries　sat　in　rank；　motionless　and　splendid　as

images　in　a　temple；　and　Akinosuke；　advancing　into　their　midst；　saluted　the

king　with　the　triple　prostration　of　usage。　The　king　greeted　him　with

gracious　words；　and　then　said：





〃You　have　already　been　informed　as　to　the　reason　of　your　having　been

summoned　to　Our　presence。　We　have　decided　that　you　shall　become　the　adopted

husband　of　Our　only　daughter；　and　the　wedding　ceremony　shall　now　be

performed。〃





As　the　king　finished　speaking；　a　sound　of　joyful　music　was　heard；　and　a

long　train　of　beautiful　court　ladies　advanced　from　behind　a　curtain　to

conduct　Akinosuke　to　the　room　in　which　he　bride　awaited　him。





The　room　was　immense；　but　it　could　scarcely　contain　the　multitude　of

guests　assembled　to　witness　the　wedding　ceremony。　All　bowed　down　before

Akinosuke　as　he　took　his　place；　facing　the　King's　daughter；　on　the

kneeling…cushion　prepared　for　him。　As　a　maiden　of　heaven　the　bride　appeared

to　be；　and　her　robes　were　beautiful　as　a　summer　sky。　And　the　marriage　was

performed　amid　great　rejoicing。





Afterwards　the　pair　were　conducted　to　a　suite　of　apartments　that　had　been

prepared　for　them　in　another　portion　of　the　palace；　and　there　they　received

the　congratulations　of　many　noble　persons；　and　wedding　gifts　beyond

counting。







Some　days　later　Akinosuke　was　again　summoned　to　the　throne…room。　On　this

occasion　he　was　received　even　more　graciously　than　before；　and　the　King

said　to　him：





In　the　southwestern　part　of　Our　dominion　there　is　an　island　called　Raishu。

We　have　now　appointed　you　Governor　of　that　island。　You　will　find　the　people

loyal　and　docile；　but　their　laws　have　not　yet　been　brought　into　proper

accord　with　the　laws　of　Tokoyo；　and　their　customs　have　not　been　properly

regulated。　We　entrust　you　with　the　duty　of　improving　their　social　condition

as　far　as　may　be　possible；　and　We　desire　that　you　shall　rule　them　with

kindness　and　wisdom。　All　preparations　necessary　for　your　journey　to　Raishu

have　already　been　made。〃







So　Akinosuke　and　his　bride　departed　from　the　palace　of　Tokoyo；　accompanied

to　the　shore　by　a　great　escort　of　nobles　and　officials；　and　they　embarked

upon　a　ship　of　state　provided　by　the　king。　And　with　favoring　winds　they

safety　sailed　to　Raishu；　and　found　the　good　people　of　that　island　assembled

upon　the　beach　to　welcome　them。







Akinosuke　entered　at　once　upon　his　new　duties；　and　they　did　not　prove　to

be　hard。　During　the　first　three　years　of　his　governorship　he　was　occupied

chiefly　with　the　framing　and　the　enactment　of　laws；　but　he　had　wise

counselors　to　help　him；　and　he　never　found　the　work　unpleasant。　When　it　was

all　finished；　he　had　no　active　duties　to　perform；　beyond　attending　the

rites　and　ceremonies　ordained　by　ancient　custom。　The　country　was　so　healthy

and　so　fertile　that　sickness　and　want　were　unknown；　and　the　people　were　so

good　that　no　laws　were　ever　broken。　And　Akinosuke　dwelt　and　ruled　in　Raishu

for　twenty　years　more；　making　in　all　twenty…three　years　of　sojourn；

during　which　no　shadow　of　sorrow　traversed　his　life。





But　in　the　twenty…fourth　year　of　his　governorship；　a　great　misfortune　came

upon　him；　for　his　wife；　who　had　borne　him　seven　children；　five　boys　and

two　girls；　fell　sick　and　died。　She　was　buried；　with　high　pomp；　on　the

summit　of　a　beautiful　hill　in　the　district　of　Hanryoko；　and　a　monument；

exceedingly　splendid；　was　placed　upon　her　grave。　But　Akinosuke　felt　such

grief　at　her　death　that　he　no　longer　ca