noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第16部分

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buildings　showed　in　still　blacker　silhouette　against　the　black　sky；

and　there；　after　some　groping　in　the　dark　and　a　second　uncanny

conversation　through　a　loophole；for　the　place　was　already　boarded

up　for　the　night；we　were　finally　taken　in。　



The　house　was　a　generous　instance　of　a　mountain　farmhouse。

The　floors　were　innocent　of　mats；　and　the　rooms　otherwise　pitiably

barnlike。　　Yet　an　air　of　largeness　distinguished　the　whole。　　It　was

clearly　the　home　of　a　man　of　standing　in　his　community；　one　who　lived

amply　the　only　life　he　knew。　　You　felt　you　already　knew　the　man　from

his　outer　envelope。　　And　this　in　some　sort　prepared　me　for　a　little

scene　I　was　shortly　to　witness。　　For　while　waiting　for　Yejiro　to　get

dinner　ready　I　became　aware　that　something　was　going　on　in　what　stood

for　hall；　and　on　pushing　the　shoji　gently　apart　I　beheld　the　whole

household　at　evening　prayers　before　an　altar　piece；　lighted　by

candles　and　glittering　with　gilded　Buddhas　and　bronze　lotus　flowers。　

The　father　intoned　the　service　from　a　kind　of　breviary；　and　the

family　joined　from　time　to　time　in　the　responses。　　There　was　a

sincerity　and　a　sweet　simplicity　about　the　act　that　went　to　my　heart

and　held　me　there。　　At　the　close　of　it　the　family　remained　bowed

while　the　intoner　reverently　put　out　the　lights　and　folded　the　doors

upon　the　images　within。　　Locked　in　that　little　case　lay　all　the

luxury　which　the　family　could　afford；　and　to　which　the　rest　of　the

house　was　stranger。　　There　is　something　touching　in　any　heartfelt

belief；　and　something　pathetic　too。　



This　peaceful　parenthesis　was　hardly　past　before　the　trials　of　travel

intruded　themselves　again。　　The　porters　proved　refractory。　　They　had

agreed　to　come　only　as　far　as　they　could；　and　now　they　refused　to

proceed　further。　　Here　was　a　pretty　pass。　　To　turn　back　now　was　worse

than　not　to　have　set　out　at　all。　　Besides；　we　had　not　yet　even　come

in　sight　of　the　enemy。　　Yejiro　reasoned　with　them　for　some　hours　in

the　kitchen；　occasionally　pausing　for　lack　of　further　argument　to

report　his　want　of　progress。　　It　seemed　the　men　valued　their　lives

above　a　money　consideration；　strangely　enough。　　They　made　no　bones

about　it；　the　thing　was　too　dangerous。　　The　streams　they　declared

impassable；　and　the　charcoal　burners　the　only　men　who　knew　the　path。　

Yejiro　at　once　had　these　witnesses　subpoenaed；　and　by　good　luck　one　of

them　came；　who；　on　being　questioned；　repeated　all　the　porters　had

said。　　But　Yejiro's　blood　was　up；　and　he　boldly　played　his　last

trump。　　He　threatened　them　with　the　arm　of　the　law；　a　much　more

effective　weapon　in　Japan　than　elsewhere。　　He　proposed；　in　fine；　to

walk　three　ri　down　the　valley　to　the　nearest　police　station　and　fetch

a　policeman　who　should　compel　them　to　move　on。　　It　is　perhaps　open　to

doubt　whether　even　a　Japanese　policeman's　omnipotence　would　have

extended　so　far。　　But　the　threat；　though　not　conclusive；　had　some

effect。　　This　strategic　stroke　I　only　learnt　of　later；　and　I　laughed

heartily　when　I　did。　　That　night；　however；　it　was　no　laughing　matter；

and　I　began　to　have　doubts　myself。　　But　it　was　no　time　for

misgivings；　so　I　went　in　to　help。　　The　circle　round　the　kitchen　fire

was　not　a　cheerful　sight。　　To　have　the　courage　of　one's　convictions

is　rare　enough　in　this　weak　world；　but　to　have　the　courage　of　one's

doubts　is　something　I　uncover　to。　　To　furnish　pluck　for　a　whole

company　including　one's　self；　to　hearten　others　without　letting　them

see　how　sore　in　need　of　heartening　is　the　heartener；　touches　my

utmost　admiration。　　If　only　another　would　say　to　him　that　he　might

believe　the　very　things　he　does　not　believe；　as　he　says　them　to　that

other；　they　then　might　at　least　seem　true。　　Ignorance　saved　me。　　Had

I　known　what　they　did；　I　should　have　agreed　with　them　on　the　spot。　

As　it　was；　I　did　what　I　could；　and　went　back　to　my　own　room；　the　prey

of　somewhat　lonely　thoughts。　







XV。



Toward　the　Pass。



I　was　waked　by　good　news。　　The　porters　had；　to　a　certain　extent；

come　round。　　If　we　would　halve　their　burdens　by　doubling　their　number；

they　would　make　an　attempt　on　the　pass；　or；　rather；　they　would　go　on

as　far　as　they　could。　　This　was　a　great　advance。　　To　be　already

moving　implies　a　momentum　of　the　mind　which　carries　a　man　farther

than　he　means。　　I　acquiesced　at　once。　　The　recruits　consisted　of　the

master　of　the　househis　father；　the　officiator　at　family　prayers；

had　retired　from　the　cares　of　this　worldand　a　peasant　of　the

neighborhood。　　The　charcoal　burners　were　too　busy　with　their　own

affairs。　　From　the　sill；　as　I　put　on　my　boots；　I　watched　with

complacence　the　cording　of　the　loads；　and　then；　with　quite　a

lightsome　gait；　followed　the　lengthened　file　out　into　the　street。　

One　after　the　other　we　tramped　forth　past　the　few　houses　of　the

place；　whose　people　watched　us　go；　with　the　buoyant　tread　of　those

about　to　do　great　things；　and　so　out　into　the　open。　



The　path　appeared　very　well。　　It　trotted　soberly　along　across　a

mountain　moor　until　it　came　out　above　the　river。　　It　then　wound　up

stream；　clinging　to　the　slope　several　hundred　feet　above　the　valley

bottom。　　It　was　precipitous　in　places；　but　within　reason；　and　I　was

just　coming　to　consider　the　accounts　exaggerated　when　it　descended　to

the　river　bed　at　a　point　where　a　butt　of　neve　stuck　a　foot　into　the

shingle。　　The　stream；　which　had　looked　a　thread　from　above；　turned

out　a　torrent　when　we　stood　upon　its　brink。　　The　valley　was　nothing

but　river　bed；　a　mass　of　boulders　of　all　sizes；　through　the　midst　of

which　the　stream　plunged　with　deafening　roar；　and　so　deep　that

fording　was　out　of　the　question。　　A　man's　life　would　not　have　been

worth　a　rush　in　it。　



We　followed　up　the　boulder　bank　in　search　of　a　more　propitious　spot。　

Then　we　followed　down　again。　　Each　place　promised　at　a　distance；　and

baulked　hope　at　hand。　　At　last；　in　despair；　we　came　to　a　halt

opposite　the　widest　and　shallowest　part；　and　after　no　end　of　urging；

one　of　the　porters　stripped；　and；　armed　with　his　pole；　ventured　in。　

The　channel　lay　well　over　to　the　farther　side；　thrice　he　got　to　its

nearer　edge　and　thrice　he　turned　back；　as　the　rush　of　water　became

too　great。　　His　life　was　worth　too　much　to　him；　he　said；　not

unnaturally；　for　him　to　throw　it　away。　　Yet　cross　the　stream　we　must；

or　return　ignominiously；　for　the　path　we　had　so　far　followed　had

fallen　over　the　cliff　in　front。　



We　improved　the　moments　of　reflection　to　have　lunch。　　While　we　were

still　discussing　viae　and　viands；　and　had　nearly　come　to　the　end　of

both；　we　suddenly　spied　a　string　of　men　defiling　slowly　down　through

the　wide　boulder　desert　on　the　other　side。　　We　all　rose　and　hailed

them。　　They　were　so　far　away　that　at　first　they　failed　to　hear　us；

and　even　when　they　heard　they　stared　vacantly　about　them　like　men　who

hear　they　know　not　what。　　When　at　last　they　caught　sight　of　us；　we

beckoned　excitedly。　　They　consulted；　apparently；　and　then　one　of　them

came　down　to　the　edge　of　the　stream。　　The　torrent　made　so　much　noise

that　our　men　could　make　themselves　intelligible　only　in　part；　and

that　by　bawling　at　the　top　of　their　lungs。　　Through　the　envoy；　they

invited　the　band　to　string　themselves　across　the　stream　and　so　pass

our　things　over。　　The　man　shook　his　head。　　We　rose　to　fabulous　sums

and　still　he　repeated　his　pantomime。　　It　then　occurred　to　Yejiro　that

a　certain　place　lower　down　might　possibly　be　bridged；　and　beckoning

to　the　man　to　follow；　he　led　the　way　to　the　spot　in　mind。　　A　boulder；

two…thirds　way　in　stream；　seemed　to　offer　a　pier。　　He　tried　to　shout

his　idea；　but　the　roar　of　the　torrent；　narrow　though　it　was；　drowned

his　voice；　so；　writing　on　a　piece　of　paper：　〃What　will　you　take　to

build　us　a　bridge？〃　he　wrapped　the　paper　round　a　stone　and　flung　it

over。　　After　reading　this　missive；　the　spokesman　held　a　consultation

with　his　friends　and　a　bargain　was　struck。　　For　the　huge　sum　of　two

yen　（a　dollar　and　a　half）；　they　agreed　to　build　us　a　bridge；　and　at

once　set　off　up　the　mountain　side　for　a　tree。　



The　men；　it　seemed；　were　a　band　of　wood…cutters　who　had　wintered；

as　was　their　custom；　in　a　hut　at　Kurobe；　which　was　this　side　of　the

Harinoki　toge；　and　were　just　come　out　from　their　hibernation。

They　were　now　on　their　way　to　Ashikura；　where　they　belonged；　to

report　to　their　headman；　obtain　supplies　and　start　to　return　on　the

after…morrow。　　It　was　a　two…days'　journey　either　out　or　in。　



Bridges；　therefore；　came　of　their　trade。　　The　distance　across　the

boulder　bed　was　considerable；　and　as　they　toiled　slowly　up　the　face

of　the　opposite　mountain；　they　looked　like　so　many　ants。　　Picking　out

a　trunk；　they　began　to　drag　it　down。　　By　degrees　they　got　it　to　the

river　bed；　and　thence　eventually　to　the　edge　of　the　stream。　　To　lay

it　was　quite　a　feat　of　engineering。　　With　some　pieces　of　drift…wood

which　they　found　lying　about；　they　threw　a　span　to　the　big　boulder；

and　from　the　boulder　managed　to　get　the　trunk　across。　　Then；　with

rope　which　they　carried　at　their　girdles；　they　lashed　the　whole

together　until　they　had　patched　up　a　very　workmanlike　affair。

We　trod　across　in　triumph。　　With　praiseworthy　care　lest　it　should

be　swept　away　they　then　took　the　thing　all　down　again。　



Such　valuable　people　were　not　idly　to　be　parted　with。　　Here　was　a

rare　chance　to　get　guides。　　When；　however；　we　approached　them　on　the

point；　they　all　proved　so　conscientious　about　going　home　first；　that

the　attempt　failed。　　But　they　gave　us　some　important　information　on

the　state　of　the　streams　ahead　and　the　means　of　crossing　them；　and　we

separated　with　much　mutual　good…will。　



For　my　part　I　felt　as　if　we　had　already　arrived　somewhere。　　I　little

knew　what　lay　beyond。　　While　I　was　plodding　along　in　this　blissfully

ignorant　state　of　mind；　communing　with　a　pipe；　the　path；　which　had

frisked　in　and　out　for　some　time　among　the　boulders；　suddenly　took　it

into　its　head　to　scale　a　cliff　on　the　left。　　It　did　th