United States or Zambia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
No wonder that poor Asako could not sleep that night in the cramped promiscuity of the family dead. Fujinami Takeshi had been sickly for some time; but then his course of life could hardly be called a healthy one. On his return from his summer holiday, red patches had appeared on the palms of his hands, and afterwards on his forehead. He had complained of the irritation caused by this "rash."
Hers was a graceful figure; but her expression was spoiled by the blue-tinted spectacles which completely hid her features. "Miss Sadako Fujinami, daughter of Mr. Fujinami Gentaro," said Ito. "She has been University undergraduate, and she speaks English quite well." Miss Sadako bowed three times. Then she said, "How do you do" in a high unnatural voice.
In return for the hospitalities of the Maple Club the Barringtons invited a representative gathering of the Fujinami clan to dinner at the Imperial Hotel, to be followed by a general adjournment to the theatre. It was a most depressing meal. Nobody spoke. All of the guests were nervous; some of them about their clothes, some about their knives and forks, all of them about their English.
They remove from his side the thick warm mattresses upon which his wife has been lying, the hard wooden pillow like the block of history, the white sheets and the heavy padded coverlet with sleeves like an enormous kimono. Mr. Fujinami Gentaro still snores. After a while his wife returns.
His Excellency answered, but his tone conveyed to the lady's instinct that he personally would not wish to know them. "But you know the name, do you not?" "Yes, I have heard the name; there are many families called Fujinami in Japan." "Are they very rich?" "Yes, I believe there are some who are very rich," said the little diplomat, who clearly was ill at ease.
The room was filling up with the little humming-bird women who had been present at the entrance. They were handing cigarettes and tea cups to the guests. They looked bright and pleasant; and they interested Geoffrey. "Are these ladies relatives of the Fujinami family?" he asked Ito. "Oh, no, not at all," the lawyer gasped; "you have made great mistake, Mr. Barrington.
The head of the house of Fujinami, therefore, being a monarch in a small way, had much to think of besides "the quarrels of women and savages." Moreover, he was not quite sure of his ground with regard to Asako. To take a wife from her husband against his will, seems to the Japanese mind so flagrantly illegal a proceeding; and old Mr.
Ito had found in Asako the physical beauty of his own race together with the character and energy which had pleased him so much in white women. Everything seemed to favor his suit. Asako clearly seemed to prefer his company to that of other members of the family. He had a hold over the Fujinami which would compel them to assent to anything he might require.
'If it is a boy, she said, 'everybody will be happy; if it is a girl, Fujinami San will be very anxious for the family's sake; and the fortune-tellers say that it will surely be a little girl. But, she used to say, 'I could play better with a little girl; I know what makes them laugh! When you were born she became very ill. She never spoke again, and in a few days she died.
My father does not believe in any gods or Buddhas; but he says it does no harm, and it may do good. We think that with all this prayer we can turn away the trouble of Takeshi." "Why, what is the matter with Mr. Takeshi? Why is he not here? and Matsuko San and the children?" "It is a great secret," said the Fujinami cousin, "you will tell no one.
Word Of The Day