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the tea； the perfume of a presence； the sense that something
exquisite had come and gone。
I sat there thinking of her in the abstract； and wondering how many
maids outside Japan were dowried with like grace and the like voice。
With such a one for cupbearer； I could have continued to sip tea； I
thought； for the rest of my natural； or； alas； unnatural existence。
There I stayed； squatting on my feet on the mats； admiring the mimic
volcano which in the orthodox artistic way the charcoal was arranged
to represent； and trying my best to warm myself over the idea。
But the idea proved almost as cold comfort as the brazier itself。
The higher aesthetic part of me was in paradise； and the bodily half
somewhere on the chill confines of outer space。 The spot would no
doubt have proved wholly heaven to that witty individual who was so
anxious to exchange the necessities of life for a certainty of its
luxuries。 For here； according to our scheme of things； was everything
one had no right to expect； and nothing that one had。 My European
belongings looked very gross littering the mats； and I seemed to
myself a boor beside the unconscious breeding of those about me。
Yet it was only a poor village inn； and its people were but peasants；
after all。
I pondered over this as I dined in solitary state； and when I had
mounted my funeral pyre for the night； I remember romancing about it
as I fell asleep。
I was still a knight…errant； and the princess was saying all manner
of charming things to me in her still more charming manner； when I
became aware that it was the voice of the evening before wishing me
good…morning。 I opened my eyes to see a golden gleam flooding the
still…shut shoji； and a diamond glitter stealing through the cracks
that set the blood dancing in my veins。 Then； with a startling
clatter； my princess rolled the panels aside。
Windows are but half…way shifts at best。 The true good…morning comes
afield； and next to that is the thrill that greets the throwing your
whole room wide to it。 To let it trickle in at a casement is to wash
in a dish。 The true way is to take the sunshine with the shock of a
plunge into the sea； and feel it glow and tingle all over you。
The rain had taken itself off in the night； and the air sparkled with
freshness。 The tiny garden court lay in cool； rich shadow； flecked
here and there with spots of dazzle where a ray reflected found a
pathway in； while the roofs above glistened with countless
starpoints。
Nor was mine host less smiling than the day； though he had not
overcharged me for my room。 I was nothing to him； yet he made me
feel half sorry to go。 A small pittance； too； the tea money seemed；
for all that had gone with it。 We pay in this world with copper for
things gold cannot buy。 Humanities are so cheapand so dear。
The whole household gathered in force on its outer sill to wish us
good luck as we took the street； and threw sayonaras （〃if it must be
so〃） after us as we rolled away。
There is a touch of pathos in this parting acquiescence in fate。
If it must be so； indeed！ I wonder did mine host suspect that I did
not all leave；that a part of me； a sort of ghostly lodger； remained
with him who had asked me so little for my stay？ Probably in body I
shall never stir him again from beside his fire； nor follow as he
leads the way through the labyrinth of his house； but in spirit； at
times； I still steal back； and I always find the same kind welcome
awaiting me in the guest room in the ell； and the same bright smile
of morning to gild the tiny garden court。 The only things beyond the
grasp of change are our own memories of what once was。
VI。
On a New Cornice Road。
The sunshine quickened us all； and our kuruma took the road like a
flock of birds； for jinrikisha men in company run as wild geese fly；
crisscross。 It is an artistic habit； inculcated to court ladies in
books on etiquette。 To make the men travel either abreast or in
Indian file； is simply impossible。 After a moment's conformity； they
invariably relapse into their own orderly disorder。
This morning they were in fine figure and bowled us along to some
merry tune within； while the baby…carriages themselves jangled the
bangles on their axles； making a pleasing sort of cry。 The village
folk turned in their steps to stare and smile as we sped past。
It was a strange…appearing street。 On both sides of it in front of
the houses ran an arcade； continuous but irregular； a contribution of
building。 Each house gave its mite in the shape of a covered portico；
which fitted as well as could be expected to that of its next door
neighbor。 But as the houses were not of the same size； and the
ground sloped； the roofs of the porticos varied in level。 A similar
terracing held good of the floors。 The result was rather a
federation than a strict union of interests。 Indeed； the object in
view was communal。 For the arcades were snow galleries； I was told；
to enable the inhabitants in winter to pass from one end of the
village to the other； no inconsiderable distance。 They visored both
sides of the way； showing that then in these parts even a crossing of
the street is a thing to be avoided。 Indeed； by all report the
drifts here in the depth of winter must be worth seeing。 Even at
this moment； May the 6th； there was still neve on some of the lowest
foothills； and we passed more than one patch of dirt…grimed snow
buttressing the highway bank。 The bangles on the axles now began to
have a meaning； a thing they had hitherto seemed to lack。 With the
snow arcades by way of introduction they spoke for themselves。
Evidently they were first cousins of our sleighbells。 Here； then；
as cordially as with us man abhors an acoustic vacuum； and when Nature
has put her icy bell…glass over the noises of the field； he must
needs invent some jingle to wile his ears withal。
Once past the houses we came upon a strip of paddyfields that bordered
the mountain slope to the very verge of the tide。 Some of these
stood in spots where the tilt of the land would have seemed to have
precluded even the thought of such cultivation。 For a paddyfield
must be perfectly level； that it may be kept under water at certain
seasons of the year。 On a slope； therefore； a thing a paddyfield
never hesitates to scale； they rise in terraces； skyward。 Here the
drop was so great that the terraces made bastions that towered
proudly on the very knife…edge of decision between the seaweed and
the cliffs。 A runnel tamed to a bamboo duct did them Ganymede service。
For a paddyfield is perpetually thirsty。
It was the season of repairing of dykes and ditches in rice chronology；
a much more complicated annal than might be thought。 This initial
stage of it has a certain architectural interest。 Every year before
planting begins the dykes have all to be re…made strictly in place；
for they serve for both dams and bounds to the elaborately
partitioned fields。 Adjacent mud is therefore carefully plastered
over the remains of the old dyke； which； to the credit of the former
builders； is no small fraction of it； and the work then finished off
with a sculptor's care。 An easier…going peasantry might often forego
renewal。 Indeed； I cannot but think the farmers take a natural
delight in this exalted form of mud pies； they work away on already
passable specimens with such a will。 But who does quite outgrow his
childish delights？ And to make of the play of childhood the work of
middle life； must be to foil the primal curse to the very letter。
What more enchanting pastime than to wade all day in viscous mud；
hearing your feet plash when you put them in； and suck as you draw
them out； while the higher part of you is busied building a parapet
of gluey soil； smoothing it down on the sides and top； and crowning
your masterpiece with a row of sprigs along the crest？ And then in
the gloaming to trudge homeward； feeling that you have done a
meritorious deed after all！ When I come to my second childhood；
I mean to turn paddyfield farmer myself。
Though the fields took to the slopes so kindly； they had a preference
for plains。 In the deltas； formed by the bigger streams； they
expanded till they made chesswork of the whole。 Laborers knee deep
in the various squares did very well for pawns。 The fields being
still in their pre…natal stage； were not exactly handsome。 There was
too much of one universal brown。 This was relieved only by the
nurseries of young plants； small fields here and there just showing a
delicate downy growth of green； delightful to the eye。 They were not
long sown。 For each still lay cradled under its scarecrow； a pole
planted in the centre of the rectangle with strings stretched to the
four corners； and a bit of rag fluttering from the peak。 The
scarecrows are； no doubt； useful； since they are in general use； b