按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
trouble was quite gratuitous。 Most surprisingly the innkeepers'
story on this occasion proved to be entirely true； a possibility I
had never entertained for a second； and furthermore it appeared that
our present inn was the one in which I had been offered rooms but had
refused； disliking its exterior。
Such is the reward for acting on general principles。
IX。
Over the Arayama Pass。
The morning that was to give me my self…promised land crept on tiptoe
into the room on the third story； and touched me where I slept； and
on pushing the shoji apart and looking out； I beheld as fair a day as
heart could wish。 A faint misty vapor； like a bridal veil； was just
lifting from off the face of things； and letting the sky show through
in blue…eyed depths。 It was a morning of desire； bashful for its
youth as yet； but graced with a depth of atmosphere sure to expand
into a full； warm； perfect noon； and I hastened to be out and become
a part of it。
Three jinrikishas stood waiting our coming at the door； and amidst a
pelting of sayonara from the whole household； we dashed off as
proudly as possible down the main street of the town； to the
admiration of many lookers…on。 The air； laden with moisture； left
kisses on our cheeks as we hurried by； while the sunshine fell in
long scarfs of gauzy shimmer over the shoulders of the eastern hills。
The men in the shafts felt the fillip of it all and encouraged one
another with lusty cries； a light…heartedness that lent them heels。
Even the peasants in the fields seemed to wish us well； as they
looked up from their work to grin good…humoredly。
We value most what we attain with difficulty。 It was on this
principle no doubt that the road considerately proceeded to give out。
It degenerated indeed very rapidly after losing sight of the town；
and soon was no more than a collection of holes strung on ruts； that
made travel in perambulators tiring alike to body and soul。 At last；
after five miles of floundering； it gave up all pretence at a
wheel…way； and deposited us at a wayside teahouse at the foot of a
little valley； the first step indeed up the Arayama pass。 Low hills
had closed in on the right； shutting off the sea； and the ridge
dividing Noto from Etchiu rose in higher lines upon the left。
Here we hired porters； securing them from the neighboring fields；
for they were primarily peasants； and were porters only as we were
tramps； by virtue of the country。 Porterage being the sole means of
transport； they came to carry our things as they would have carried
their own； in skeleton hods strapped to their backs。 In this they
did not differ from the Japanese custom generally； but in one point
they showed a strange advance over their fellows。 They were
wonderfully methodical folk。 They paid no heed to our hurry； and
instead of shouldering the baggage they proceeded to weigh it； each
manload by itself； on a steelyard of wood six feet long； the results
they then worked out conscientiously on an abacus。 After which I
paid accordingly。 Truly an equitable adjustment between man and man；
at which I lost only the time it took。 Then we started。
From the teahouse the path rose steadily enough for so uneducated a
way； leaving the valley to contract into an open glen。 The day；
in the mean time； came out as it had promised； full and warm； fine
basking weather； as a certain snake in the path seemed to think。 So；
I judge； did the porters。 If it be the pace that kills； these simple
folk must be a long…lived race。 They certainly were very careful not
to hurry themselves。 Had they been hired for life； so thrifty a
husbanding of their strength would have been most gratifying to
witness； unluckily they were mine only for the job。 They moved； one
foot after the other； with a mechanical precision； exhausting even to
look at。 To keep with them was practically impossible for an ordinary
pedestrian。 Nothing short of a woman shopping could worthily have
matched their pace。 In sight their speed was snail…like； out of it
they would appear to have stopped； so far did they fall behind。
Once I thought they had turned back。
The path we were following was the least traveled of the only two
possible entrances into Noto by land。 It was a side or postern gate
to the place； over a gap on the northern end of a mountain wall；
the main approach lying along its other flank。 For a high range of
uninhabited hills nearly dams the peninsula across； falling on the
right side straight into the sea； but leaving on the other a lowland
ligature that binds Noto to Kaga。 To get from Kaga into Etchiu； the
range has to be crossed lower down。 Our dip in the chain was called
the Arayama toge or Rough Mountain pass； and was perhaps fifteen
hundred feet high； but pleasingly modeled in its lines after one ten
times its height。
Half…way up the tug of the last furlong； where the ascent became
steep enough for zig…zags； I turned to look back。 Down away from me
fell the valley； slipping by reason of its own slope out into the
great Etchiu plain。 Here and there showed bits of the path in
corkscrew； from my personal standpoint all perfectly porterless。
Over the low hills； to the left； lay the sea； the crescent of its
great beach sweeping grandly round into the indistinguishable
distance。 Back of it stretched the Etchiu plain； but beyond that；
nothing。 The mountains that should have bounded it were lost to
sight in the spring haze。
Mechanically my eyes followed up into the languid blue； when suddenly
they chanced upon a little cloud； for cloud I took it to be。
Yet something about it struck me as strange； and scanning it more
closely； by this most natural kind of second sight； I marked the
unmistakable glisten of snow。 It was a snow peak towering there in
isolated majesty。 As I gazed it grew on me with ineffable grandeur；
sparkling with a faint saffron glamour of its own。 Shifting my look
a little I saw another and then another of the visions； like puffs of
steam； rising above the plain。 Half apparitions； below a certain
line； the snow line； they vanished into air； for between them and the
solid earth there looked to be blue sky。 The haze of distance； on
this soft May day； hid their lower slopes and left the peaks to tower
alone into the void。 They were the giants of the Tateyama range；
standing there over against me inaccessibly superb。
A pair of teahouses； rivals； crowned the summit of the pass； which；
like most Japanese passes； was a mere knife…edge of earth。 With a
quickened pulse if a slackened gait； I topped the crest； walked
straight past the twin teahouses and their importunities to stop
another half…dozen paces to the brink； and in one sweep looked down
over a thousand feet on the western side。 Noto； eyelashed by the
branches of a tree just breaking into leaf； lay open to me below。
After the first glow of attainment； this initial view was； I will
confess； disillusioning。 Instead of what unfettered fancy had led me
to expect； I saw only a lot of terraced rice…fields backed by ranges
of low hills； for all the world a parquet in green and brown tiles。
And yet； as the wish to excuse prompted me to think； was this not；
after all； as it should be？ For I was looking but at the entrance to
the land； its outer hallway； as it were； Nanao； its capital； its
inland sea； all its beyond was still shut from me by the nearer
hills。 And feeling thus at liberty to be amused； I forthwith saw it
as a satire on panoramas generally。
Panoramic views are painfully plain。 They must needs be mappy at
best； for your own elevation flattens all below it to one topographic
level。 Field and woodland； town or lake； show by their colors only
as if they stood in print； and you might as well lay any good atlas
on the floor and survey it from the lofty height of a footstool。
Such being the inevitable； it was refreshing to see the thing in
caricature。 No pains； evidently； had been spared by the inhabitants
to make their map realistic。 There the geometric lines all stood in
ludicrous insistence； any child could have drawn the thing as
mechanically。
The two teahouses were well patronized by wayfarers of both sexes；
resting after their climb。 Some simply sipped tea； chatting； others
made a regular meal of the opportunity。 The greater number sat； as
we did； on the sill； for the trouble of taking off their straw sandals。
Our landlady was the model of what a landlady should be； for it was
apparently a feminine establishment。 If there was a man attached to
it； he kept himself discreetly in the background。 She was a kind；
sympathetic soul； with a word for every one； and a deliberateness of
action as effective as it was efficient。 And in the midst of it all；
she kept up a refrain of welcomes and good…bys； as newcomers appeared
or old comers left。 The unavoidable preliminary exercise and th