by A. L. Sadler
(He breaks down. Ko-fuji gazes at him.)
KO-FUJI: Oh, sir, that is too much. Do not the tears of singing-girls and of respectable people come from the same place? Doesn’t the same kind of pain produce both? How can you make such a distinction? But even though I am such a person, and though I do not know the name of my father, yet I can resign myself to have nothing more to do with the young master, and from today I give him up to you completely.
SEIBEI: Then you didn’t tell the truth when you swore to love me?
KO-FUJI: Oh yes, I did. And from now on the remembrance of our love is all I shall have to live for.
SEIBEI: Thank you for those words. That’s a fine idea indeed. I was fully determined to take you and stick to you whatever might happen and so live, and if the worst came to the worst so die. But you can’t depend on anything in this life, not even on promises to meet in the next. And so we must both lead our separate lives, but, anyhow, we can rejoice in the scent that remains though the flower of love itself be denied us.
KO-FUJI: Then you too are resigned?
SEIBEI: I have sworn I will never see you again. Ah! We who promised never to part, now we shall be eternally separated.
KO-FUJI: But let us be together at least in our dreams.
(Falls down weeping.)
RAIZAN: So you consent?
KO-FUJI: Ah, yes. Indeed I do.
RAIZAN: That’s splendid of you. You have made a really wise choice. I am under a deep obligation to you.
CHUĒMON: We must be proud of the young master’s strength of mind, and as for Ko-fuji words fails me. This is all I can do.
(Turns to her and puts his hands together as though in worship.)
RAIZAN: Now we have come to this conclusion, it is better that you should not be together any longer. Seibei, will you go into the house with Chuēmon, while Ko-fuji goes back to the Shimaya. I will see her on her way there myself.
CHUĒMON: No, no, let me do that.
RAIZAN: Allow me to see her as far as the post-house. I have something I want to say to her.
CHUĒMON: Very well, sir, then please excuse me. Now, young master, please come in with me.
(Seibei gets up to go into the house.)
SEIBEI: Ah, Ko-fuji, let me look at you once more!
KO-FUJI: Oh yes, indeed.
(The two stand gazing into each other’s faces with a rapt expression. There is a sound of rain.)
CHUĒMON: It’s hard to part, I know, but please before the rain gets worse.
RAIZAN: Shall we start now, Ko-fuji San? (Gets an umbrella from the house and goes out with Ko-fuji to the gate. The rain grows heavier.) Oh, this is a terrible downpour. We had better wait a little. (They both go back to the house.) Well, I suppose you feel pretty angry with me for a silly old bald-head talking a lot of nonsense, but I too was young once. And in those days I too went to amuse myself in the gay quarter. I remember very well how a friend first took me there on our way back from Noh practice. And so I got into the habit, and I ended by falling in love with a girl there and we were quite devoted to each other. But she was fickle and threw me over, so I threw all my energies into the business and built up quite a substantial fortune. So when I think it over now it was a good thing we parted. Still I was over twenty then; much older than you are, but you seem wise beyond your years. Anyhow I want to do something for you as a little compensation for all this disappointment, so won’t you tell me if there is anything you would particularly like?
KO-FUJI: There isn’t anything at all, thank you. And as for parting from the young master, it seems nothing when I think of what my mother must have suffered.
RAIZAN: Why, had your mother also the same kind of trouble?
KO-FUJI: She had indeed. My mother was a geisha like myself, and she and my father had pledged themselves to marry, but duty forced them to feign a coldness that they did not feel, and though in their hearts they still loved each other, outwardly they pretended to care nothing, and so parted as in duty bound. And afterwards I was born, and so my unhappy mother had one misfortune added to another. And isn’t that just like my lot? To be parted from the young master because of his duty to the family and to live in solitude in the future with tears of regret for my only consolation. Is there anything more cruel than duty?
(While she speaks Raizan is deep in thoughts of the past.)
RAIZAN: But this mother of yours. To which tea-house was she attached?
KO-FUJI: To the Naniwaya at Sonezaki. Her name was Ko-ume.
(At this an expression of amazement passes over the face of Raizan.)
RAIZAN: Then you are Ko-ume’s daughter, are you?
KO-FUJI: You speak as though you knew my mother.
RAIZAN: Ah, when I was young I often met her.
KO-FUJI: Then perhaps you may know my father too?
RAIZAN: Oh yes, indeed I do. There is no day I do not meet him.
KO-FUJI: And is he well, I wonder. Ah, but he knows nothing of my being born. He has never even dreamed of such a thing. And you must never tell him. No, no one must ever tell him. That was my mother’s dying wish.
RAIZAN: But why was he not to be told about your existence, I wonder?
KO-FUJI: Before she died my mother gave me a letter, and in it she has written all the explanation. I have it here.
(Takes a letter from an amulet-case round her neck.)
RAIZAN: May I not read it?
KO-FUJI: Yes, please do so.
(Hands the letter to Raizan who puts on his spectacles and reads):
“Since I now know that there is no hope of recovery from my illness, I shall soon have to leave this world, and so I write here something that I have so far concealed from you. That I parted from your father twenty years ago was not of my doing. It was at the confidential request of your father’s elder brother who urged that duty to the family required it. But though for the sake of this obligation I brought myself to put on an indifference I did not feel, so that he might give me up, yet the love I had then for him is still unchanged. And when I think that after I am dead you will have none to care for you or look after you, and that your future will be all uncertain, my feelings almost overcome me and I can hardly bear not to let your father know of your existence. But that would be to break the promise I gave to your father’s brother, and, moreover, it would be painful to me to think of your father being troubled thus all his life, far better for him to remain in ignorance. And so I have decided to say nothing. And after I am dead I beg of you, out of respect for my feelings, to take the greatest care that what is in this letter is not revealed. This request is all I have to bequeath.
Excuse this poor writing.
Respectfully.”
(Repeatedly wiping his eyes he reads to the end.)
RAIZAN: Ah, then it was because you were afraid of giving me pain that you did not let me know when this girl was born! And I never knew it, but only thought of you with dislike as a cold and wayward girl, and all I can do now is to feel ashamed of myself!
KO-FUJI: Can it be that you are my father? Else why do you weep as you read the letter.
RAIZAN: Oh yes, I am indeed your father.
(They sit gazing at each other.)
KO-FUJI: Oh, father!
(Getting up.)
RAIZAN: Ah, come to me. How like your mother you are!
(They take each other’s hands and stand in tears. Seibei comes in from the house followed by Chuēmon.)
SEIBEI: If I can believe my ears and things are really so, then Ko-fuji must be my own cousin!
RAIZAN: I never dreamed till a moment ago that I had a daughter like this. Well, well, this is what comes of youthful indiscretions. Now, Chuēmon, don’t laugh at me.
CHUĒMON: Laugh? This is a thing to rejoice about. Now that we know Ko-fuji’s pedigree there can be no difficulty about her marrying the young master. It will be a happy family reunion, won’t it? And this time I shall ask you to consent to it.
RAIZAN: I am very grateful to you for your kind
thoughtfulness, and I may seem to you rather arbitrary and self-willed, perhaps, but I cannot receive Ko-fuji into the family.
CHUĒMON: Please do grant me this one favor, master, and I’ll never ask you another. And there is no kind of service that I will not do for you in return.
RAIZAN: No. Whatever you say, I can’t give my consent.
(Meanwhile the samurai Arimura has entered from the left and has been standing by the gate listening. At this point he enters.)
ARIMURA: Yah! Look here! Suppose I adopt Ko-fuji as my younger sister and then marry her to Seibei, how will that do? You’ll consent then, won’t you?
RAIZAN: “Why surely it is the samurai who came before.
KO-FUJI: And how differently he speaks now.
ARIMURA: You may well think it strange, but I quite realize now that my conduct of a while ago was really outrageous. And if Raizan Dono had not been so kind as to stop me I should have certainly cut Ko-fuji down and then had to expiate it by cutting myself open. The life of a samurai is not his own. He must be ready at any moment to sacrifice it for his lord if the need arises. So I cannot be sufficiently grateful to Raizan Dono that he prevented me from wasting mine on a woman. A thousand thanks! (Bows very courteously.) I could not go back to my province without coming to pay my respects and thank you, and now, quite unexpectedly, I find an opportunity of repaying your kindness in a more substantial way. If I adopt Ko-fuji as my sister, it will be a slight return courtesy, for then, since she will be of samurai rank she can marry anyone.
SEIBEI: You were my rival in love affairs, but none can rival you in generosity. If you deign to adopt Ko-fuji and give her to me, we shall both be everlastingly indebted to you. You will have saved us both from wretchedness.
CHUĒMON: I am delighted to make your acquaintance, most honored samurai. You have indeed deigned to arrive at a most opportune moment. A thousand thanks indeed. Now the master will no doubt consent.
RAIZAN: As the sister of Arimura Dono, it will be an honor to receive her into our family.
ARIMURA: So, then you agree?
CHUĒMON: And my request is granted. How can I thank you?
RAIZAN: Arimura Dono. Up till today I thought all women were cold-hearted creatures, but I was mistaken. Their delicate forms hide a splendid spirit. Look at this letter.
(Holds it out to him.)
ARIMURA: And who wrote this letter?
RAIZAN: It is the last will of Ko-fuji’s mother.
(Arimura reads it.)
ARIMURA: But what a letter! Why every character is a tear!
CHUĒMON: But for these two, tears of joy.
RAIZAN
On the sleeve
How can the tears
Dry in two colors?
OSeibei!
SEIBEI: Yes, father!
RAIZAN: That is a living woman. I am but a painted clay doll. Ah! These dreams of this fleeting world— (the clappers are tapped slightly)—have a piquant flavor after all!
(Stands gazing at the clay doll. Seibei and Ko-fuji gaze at each other joyously. Chuēmon’s face wears an expression of content. Arimura stands scanning the letter again and again.)
CURTAIN
* Magistrate
* Cylindrical paper-lantern.
