Corporation Tax Bribery Spreads to City Officials. College
Towns
Become
Industrial Meccas. Operations Suspended; General Labor Union Council
to Meet Soon
—
Opinion to Be Published. Mother Strangles Two Children:
Takes Poison. Do Frequent Auto Thefts Mean New Mode of Life Breeds
New Crime? Unknown Girl Brings Flowers to Police Box for Three
Years.
Tofeyo
Olympics Budget Trouble. Phantom Stabs Two Girls Again Today.
College Youths Poisoned by Sleeping PHI Spree. Stock Prices Feel
Autumn Winds. Famous Tenor Sax, Blues Jackson, Arrives in Japan.
Rioting Again in Union of South Africa—
280
Fatalities. Co-ed Thieves
School Has No Tuition Fees
—
Graduation Certificate Issued on Successful
Completion of Examination
.
There wasn't a single item of importance. A tower of illusion, all of it,
made of illusory bricks and full of holes. If life were made up only of
important things, it really would be a dangerous house of glass,
scarcely to be handled carelessly. But everyday life was exactly like the
headlines. And so everybody, knowing the meaninglessness of
existence, sets the center of his compass at his own home.
Suddenly his eyes fell on a surprising article.
About 8:00 A.M. on the fourteenth, at the East Asia Housing
construction site, 30 Yokokawa-ch6, a scoop-truck driver for the
Hinohara Co., Mr. Tashiro Tsutomu (aged 28), received serious injuries
when he was buried under a sand slide. He was taken to a nearby
hospital but died shortly after arrival. According to the investigation
carried out by the Yokokawa police, the cause of the accident appears
to be that too much sand was removed from the lower part of a thirty-
foot pile that was being leveled.
Aha! Doubtless this was the article that the villagers had intended him
to see. They had not responded to his request for nothing. It was
commendable that they had not circled the section in red ink. He was
reminded of the dangerous weapon they called a blackjack. A blackjack
is made by packing sand into a leather sack. It is said to have a striking
power comparable to that of an iron or lead bar. No matter how sand
flowed, it was still different from water. One could swim in water, but
sand would enfold a man and crush him to death.
It looked as though he had misjudged the situation.
14
HE needed some time for thought before deciding on a new strategy.
Four hours must have passed since the woman had gone out to clear
away the sand. The second group of basket carriers had finished their
appointed work and were returning in the direction of the three-
wheeled truck. After he had made certain, straining his ears, that the
men were not coming back, he quietly arose and put on his clothes.
Since the woman had taken the lamp away with her, he had to do
everything by touch. His shoes were brimful of sand. He tucked the
cuffs of his trousers into his socks, then took out his leggings and thrust
them into his pocket. He decided to gather his insect-collecting
equipment together near the door so that he could find it easily. Thanks
to the thick carpet of sand on the earthen floor, there was no need to be
cautious about his footsteps.
The woman was completely preoccupied with her work. Her
movements were smooth as she cut into the sand; her breathing was
strong and regular. Her elongated shadow danced around the lamp at
her feet. The man, concealing himself at the corner of the building,
forced himself to breathe softly. In his hands he grasped the two ends
of a towel and stretched it taut; after counting ten he would make a
dash for it. His attack had to come at the instant she leaned forward to
shovel up the heap of sand.
Of course, he could not pretend there was absolutely no danger. There
was no telling—their attitude might suddenly change in a half hour. For
instance, there was that government man. The old man from the village
had at first mistaken him for the government man and shown signs of
extreme caution. They must have expected the government man to
make an inspection in the near future. If that were so, village opinion
would split over him, and they might possibly give up keeping him
prisoner and concealing his existence. But by the same token there was
no guarantee that a half hour would not stretch into a half year, a year,
or even more. It was a fifty-fifty chance whether it would be a year or a
half hour, and he was certainly not ready to lay a wager.
When he considered that relief might be at hand, he realized that
things would go better for him if he were to continue with his pretext of
illness. But this was indeed the point that perplexed him. He lived
under a constitutional government, and therefore it was natural that he
should expect help. People who vanished in a fog of mystery and
remained incommunicado frequently wanted to do just that. As long as
the case didn't seem to be of a criminal nature, it would be entrusted to
the civil rather than the criminal authorities, and thus even the police
could not go too far into the matter.
But in his case the situation was completely different, and he was
desperately reaching out for help. Anyone who saw his empty room
would immediately understand what had happened, even if they hadn't
seen him or directly heard from him. The unfinished book that lay open
to the page he had been reading when he put it down… the small
change he had tossed into the pocket of his office clothes… his
bankbook, which bore no trace of any recent withdrawals, despite the
small amount in his account… his box of drying insects he had not yet
finished arranging… the stamped envelope containing the order blank
for a new collecting bottle, laid out ready for mailing—all this
repudiated discontinuance, everything pointed to his intention to go on
living. A visitor could not help but hear the plaintive voice from the
room.
Well… if it hadn't been for that letter… if it just hadn't been for that
stupid letter. Yet that was the point, it had been. In his dream he had
told the truth, but now he was quibbling with himself. Why? He had
made enough excuses. Lost articles no longer existed. And he had long
since cut his throat with his own hands.
He had assumed an unreasonably mysterious attitude about this
holiday, saying nothing to any of his colleagues about his intended
destination. Not only had he left without saying a word, but he had
deliberately made a point of the mystery. There couldn't be a more
efficient way of teasing his colleagues, glum and gray with their daily
gray routine. He sank into an unbearable self-aversion with the thought
that among the glum and gray, people other than he had colors other
than gray—red, blue, green.
It only happened in novels or movies that summer was filled with
dazzling sun. What existed in reality were humble, small-town
Sundays… a man taking his snooze under the political columns of a
newspaper, enveloped in gunsmoke… canned juices and thermos jugs
with magnetized caps… boats for hire, fifty cents an hour—queue up
here… foaming beaches with the leaden scum of dead fish… and then,
at the end, a jam-packed trolley rickety with fatigue. Everyone knows
this is fact, but no one wants to make a fool of himself and be taken in;
so, on the gray canvas of reality, he zestfully sketches the mere form of
this illusory festival. Miserable, unshaven fathers, shaking their
complaining children by the shoulder trying to make them say it has
been a pleasant Sunday… little scenes everyone has seen in the corner
of some trolley… people's pathetic jealousy and impatience with others'
happiness.
Well, if that were all, it was nothing to get so serious about. If the
Mobius man had not had the same reaction as his other colleagues, it
was doubtful whether he would have been so obstinate.
He had tentatively trusted the man, a pop-eyed fellow, who always
looked as if he had just washed his face and who was enthusiastic
about unions. He had once sincerely tried revealing his inner thoughts,
which he seldom disclosed to anyone.
"What do you think? I have considerable doubt about a system of
education that imputes meaning to life."
"What do you mean by 'meaning'?"
"In other words, an illusory education that makes one believe that
something is when it really isn't. Therefore I'm very interested in sand
in this instance, because, even though it's a solid, it has definite
hydrodynamic properties."
The other, perplexed, had bent forward, arching his back like a cat. But
his expression, as before, had remained open. He had not appeared to
find the idea particularly unpleasant. Someone had once commented
that the man resembled a Mobius strip. A Mobius strip is a length of
paper, twisted once, the two ends of which are pasted together, thus
forming a surface that has neither front nor back. Had they meant that
this man's union life and his private life formed a Mobius circle? He
remembered feeling a certain admiration for the man, and at the same
time cynicism.
"In other words, do you mean realistic education?"
"No. The reason I brought up the example of sand was because in the
final analysis I rather think the world is like sand. The fundamental
nature of sand is very difficult to grasp when you think of it in its
stationary state. Sand not only flows, but this very flow is the sand. I'm
sorry I can't express it better."
"But I understand what you mean. Because in practical education you
can't avoid getting involved in relativism, can you?"
"No, that's not it. You yourself become sand. You see with the eyes of
sand. Once you're dead you don't have to worry about dying any
more."
"You must be an idealist. I think you must be afraid of your students—
aren't you?"
"I am, because I think my students are something like sand."
The man had laughed heartily, showing his white teeth, but- not once
had he appeared disturbed by the discordant exchange. His pop-eyes
had quite disappeared between the folds of skin. Jumpei had not been
able to repress a vague smile. The other was really quite like a Mobius
circle. He was indeed a Mobius circle—in both a good and a bad sense.
On the good face of it, he really deserved praise.
But, speaking of a Mobius circle, the other had frankly shown the same
gray envy of his holiday as his colleagues had. It seemed a far cry from
a Mobius circle. He was disappointed, but at the same time pleased.
Anyone was apt to be ill-natured with virtue. And so, he had come, to
take increasing pleasure in his teasing.
And then the letter… the irretrievable card that had already been
delivered. The obsession in his dream the night before had had a very
definite cause.
It would be false to claim that there was absolutely no love between
him and the other woman. It was simply that theirs was a somewhat
obscure relationship in which, mutually at odds as they were, he could
never be sure of her. If, for example, he were to say that marriage was,
in the final analysis, like cultivating undeveloped land, she would
retort, angrily and unreasonably, that it meant having to make a
cramped house bigger. Or, if he were to say the opposite, she would still
take the contrary stand. It was a seesaw game that had been tirelessly
repeated for a full two years and four months. Perhaps it would be
better to say that, rather than losing their passion, they had frozen it by
over-idealizing it.
And then he had decided quite suddenly to let her know by letter that
he had gone off alone for a time and had purposely told no one of his
destination. The mystery of his holiday, which would have such effect
on his colleagues, would not produce any reaction from her. But he had
thought the letter stupid and had tossed it, stamped and addressed, on
his desk and come away.
This innocent act, as a result, was to be the automatic, thiefproof lock
that only the owner could open. The letter was almost certain to catch
someone's eye. It was as though he had purposely left a statement that
he had disappeared of his own volition. He was just like some moronic
criminal who, observed at the scene of his crime, had thereupon
stupidly wiped away his fingerprints and thus proved his criminal
intent.
His opportunity for escape receded into the distance. Yet, though he
still clung to the possibility of rescue even now, his hopes would
agonize in the poison of his doubts. Now the only way was to break
open the doors by force without waiting for them to be opened. There
was no excuse for hesitating any longer.
He dug his toes into the sand until they hurt, leaned forward, and
prepared to spring out at the count of ten. But still he hesitated, even at
the count of thirteen. At last, taking four deep breaths, he dashed out.
15
IN spite of his intention, his movements were sluggish, for his strength
had been sapped by the sand. Already the woman had turned around
and, with her shovel poised, was gazing at him in blank surprise.
If she really wanted to put up resistance, the result could be completely
different from what he hoped. But his stratagem of taking her by
surprise was completely successful. He had been too eager, but the
woman was paralyzed. The thought of pushing him back with her
poised shovel apparently never occurred to her.
"Don't cry out. I won't hurt you. Just keep quiet."
He kept whispering to her in a tense voice, haphazardly stuffing a towel
into her mouth. She remained as he put her, without resisting—even in
the face of this reckless, bungling act.
Finally he pulled himself together when he realized her passiveness. He
withdrew the towel, which he had already half stuffed in, and
rearranged it over her mouth, tying it firmly at the back of her neck.
Then he bound her hands tightly behind her back with the leggings he
had ready in his pocket.
"All right! Get in the house!"
The woman's spirit seemed greatly weakened, and she was not only
submissive to his acts but obedient to his words as well. She showed
no resistance or antagonism. Perhaps she was in a kind of hypnotized
state. He did not feel he had handled the situation particularly well, but
his unexpected violence had apparently had the effect of taking all
resistance out of her. He forced her up to the raised portion of flooring.
And with the other legging he tied her legs together at the ankles. In the
dark he had to proceed by feel, and just to be on the safe side he
wrapped the remaining portion of the leggings once again around her
ankles.
"Now, don't move! Do you understand? You won't get hurt as long as
you behave yourself. But I'm desperate___"
He kept looking in the direction of the woman's breathing as he backed
away toward the door. From there, he dashed out, grabbed the shovel
and the lamp, and ran back with them at once. The woman had fallen
down on her side and was working her jaw up and down repeatedly as
she breathed. She was probably pushing her jaw forward with each
breath in order to avoid inhaling sand from the matting. And when she
exhaled, on the other hand, she appeared to force the breath from her
nose, thereby blowing the sand away from around her face.
"Well, you'll have to put up with this for a while. You'll have to be
patient until the villagers come back with the baskets. There's no
reason for you to complain after the nonsense I've had to put up with.
Besides, I'll pay honest board. Of course, only the actual expenses I
calculate myself. You can't mind that, can you? Really, my stay here
should be free, but I can't stand not canceling such a debt. I'm going to
make you take it."
For some time, nervous and agitated, holding out his collar to let in the
air, he strained his ears for signs of life outside. Yes, it might be better to
extinguish the lamp. He lifted the chimney and was about to blow—but
no, before that he had better check on the woman. The knots were tight
enough on her legs; there was not even room to insert a finger. Her
wrists were already swollen a dark red, and her spatulate fingernails
had turned the color of an old ink smear.
The gag too was perfect. She had drawn her dull-colored lips so taut
there was almost no blood in them, and she appeared almost ghostly.
Saliva dribbled out of her mouth and made a dark stain on the matting
under her cheek. With the wavering of the lamp he seemed to hear her
voiceless screams.
"It's no use. You started the whole thing yourself anyway," he said
quickly without thinking. "We've tried to get the best of each other, and
we're about even, aren't we? I'm human too, and you can't simply tie
me up like a dog. Anybody would call it legitimate self-defense on my
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