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Updated: June 8, 2025
They took her for what she was worth to them. Since Asako was now a member of the family, custom allowed Mr. Fujinami Gentaro to control her money. But Mr. Ito warned his patron that, legally, the money was still hers, and hers alone, and that in case of her marrying a second time it might again slip away.
Waking and sleeping she could see him, sword in hand, leading his men to desperate hand-to-hand struggles, like those portrayed in the crude Japanese chromographs, which Sadako showed her to play upon her fears. Poor Asako! How she hated Japan now! How she loathed the cramped, draughty, uncomfortable life!
It is a good idea, if only your voice is sufficiently monotonous." "I hope we haven't interrupted you," murmured Asako, who was rather alarmed at the great lady's manner. "It was a shock when I heard the bell ring. I cried out in my sleep didn't I, Gwendolen? and said, 'It's the Beebees!"
He had merely expressed an opinion which, as a sudden instinct told Geoffrey, must be generally prevalent among the white people living in this yellow country. Now that he came to think of it, he remembered curious glances cast at him and Asako by foreigners and also, strange to say, by Japanese, glances half contemptuous.
"Of course not, he's too big," laughed Asako; "but I like to run away from him sometimes, and hide behind the shoji. Then I feel independent." "But you are not really so," said the Japanese, "no woman is. You see the wisteria hanging in the big tree there. What happens when the big tree is taken away? The wisteria becomes independent, but it lies along the ground and dies.
Already she had been questioned on the subject by Tanaka, by boy sans and by shop-attendants. "It is a great pity," said cousin Sadako, "that you have no baby. In Japan if a wife have no baby, she is often divorced. But perhaps it is the fault of Mr. Barrington?" Asako had vaguely hoped for children in the future, but on the whole she was glad that their coming had been delayed.
How fine he must look in uniform, in that cavalry uniform, with the silver cuirass and the plumed helmet like the English soldiers in her father's books at home! "Your husband is very big," she said to Asako. "Yes, he is," said Asako; "much too big for Japan." "Oh, I should like that," said the little Eurasian, "it must be nice."
But she must have looked very thoughtful; for when Geoffrey came in, he saw her still sitting in the lounge, and exclaimed, "Why, my little Yum Yum, how serious we are! We look as if we were at our own funeral. Couldn't you get the things you wanted?" "Oh yes," said Asako, trying to brighten up, "and I've had a visitor. Guess!" "Relations?" "No and yes. It was Mr. Ito, the lawyer."
He had a high, intellectual forehead, the beautiful deep brown eyes of Asako, curling, sarcastic lips, a nose almost aquiline but starting a fraction of an inch too low between his eyes. He had read everything, he remembered everything, and he had played lawn tennis for his university. He was returning to Japan to be married.
He went away from Japan; and everyone said, 'It is a good thing he has gone; he was a bad man; he shamed his country and his family." There was much in the book which Asako could not follow. Her cousin tried to explain it to her; and many nights passed, thus, the two girls sitting up and reading by the pale light of the andon. It was like a renewal of the old friendship.
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