Pathway to Japanese Literature

1

It was a cold afternoon. I was crossing Azuma Bridge, buffeted by the river wind, hurrying toward Kaminarimon. When something suddenly jabbed me in the back through my coat, I turned around in surprise to find an unfamiliar young man standing there laughing. Tall and slender, he wore a bulky speckled overcoat with only the back collar stiffly upturned; perhaps owing to the round-framed glasses with large pale crimson lenses, his cheeks beneath the eyes bore a faint reddish hue. He flicked away his half-smoked cigarette, slipped past me, and had taken but a few steps when—as if reconsidering—he whirled around and came back. I saw that face and gasped.

“Mrs. S!” I knew Madam’s disguise techniques were ingenious, but I never imagined she could execute them so flawlessly. However, while it might be excusable for a stranger, the fact that the assistant couldn’t see through it left me feeling somewhat insecure; I found myself growing oddly uncomfortable.

“I thought you were some ruffian from god knows where,” “following me around and then go and—” In an attempt to hide my embarrassment, I pretended to glare at Madam. Mrs. S giggled amusedly, “Do I look like the real deal? Actually, today I went out disguised as a ruffian to investigate a case—I’m just returning from that now.” I gazed intently at Madam’s figure and marveled. It was truly masterful. No matter how I scrutinized her, she was undeniably a man. Her attitude, her expression—everything had completely transformed into that of a man. Not a trace of femininity could be found no matter where one looked.

Mrs. S and I entered the market street without either of us suggesting it, walking shoulder to shoulder as we were jostled by the crowd.

In the back alley beside the Kannon statue, a circus had been erected.

Madam stopped before the advertisement flyer and looked at it for a moment, then abruptly proposed we go inside. What on earth were we doing here when we'd come to investigate the case? When she noticed my hesitant response, she coaxed: "Doesn't it look intriguing?" "South Seas Dance, the Iron Maiden—why, they've even got cannibals!" "What is this Iron Maiden?" "It was an execution device from olden times." "A large box-like contraption with blade teeth protruding all over the interior. They'd put a prisoner inside, and when they shut the door, those blades would pierce through their entire body at once—that's how it worked."

“That does sound interesting.” “Well then, shall we go in?” “Every person carries cruelty within them—” Mrs. S said with a hint of sarcasm and laughed, but suddenly put on a serious face and added. “To tell you the truth, I’m searching for a certain woman.” “She’s a star performer at a circus, but I don’t know which one she’s in.” “So if you’re not inclined, I’ll go in alone.”

The two promptly bought tickets.

On stage, the South Seas Dance had already begun. Five or six burly men with ferocious faces danced in a circle, bellowing an incomprehensible song as they flapped their thick crimson lips. At their center, a young woman who might as well have been called a chief’s daughter and a large baboon frolicked about, lavishly showering the audience with charm. Their comical antics sent the audience into raptures.

“He’s putting on quite a show, that baboon bastard!” “I wonder if it’s the real thing.” “Who knows?” “That guy’s got some real flair, ain’t he?”

“But—damn, that’s skilled. Is that a man or a woman?” “What if that’s a woman?” “If she’s a looker, maybe I’ll take her for myself, hell.”

“You idiot, why’d a real beauty bother wearin’ baboon fur?” “Even if it’s a dame under there, she’d be some ugly hag.” “Get a load o’ that!” “Now that’s a twofer shocker!” While we got caught up in this banter, before we knew it, the dance had ended and a clown bounded onto the stage, launching into his spiel. According to his spouting, the baboon—smitten with the chief’s comely daughter—had pulled one too many wicked pranks in his lovesick frenzy, finally earning the chief’s wrath and a death sentence in the “Iron Maiden.” After the clown finished hamming up this flimsy tale—where opening the post-execution contraption revealed no trace of the beast—he scampered offstage. In his place shuffled out the baboon, trussed up with rough rope and dragged by tribesmen, its steps dragging like a broken marionette.

We had been sitting in the audience seats for about an hour or so, but ultimately could not find the crucial woman Mrs. S was searching for. “But if we keep searching patiently, we’ll find her somewhere.” “Moreover, since the woman isn’t single.” “Does she have a husband?” “They’re doing something bad in collusion with her husband.” The two left that place and circled around the back of the hut. As they passed by the backstage area, the terrifying crack, crack of a whip—as though someone were disciplining a wild beast—struck their ears. At the same time as a woman’s shrill, wailing cry, I shuddered and clung to Madam while peering into the dressing room through a tear in the enclosure.

The circus leader in a garish green equestrian uniform faced away as he raised his whip. At his feet lay a young woman prostrate, as though she had been crushed flat. That was undoubtedly the star performer of the troupe we had seen earlier—the woman who had ridden the zebra.

The circus leader shouted in a voice trembling with anger, hurling his words as if dousing her with them. “You keep chasing after that damn baboon—. You bitch! I’ll beat you to death!” Before his voice had even finished echoing, sudden applause erupted from the front. Four or five men and women came bustling in through the dressing room entrance, but upon catching sight of the circus leader, they all huddled in a corner and began whispering furtively. “He’s jealous again.”

“How pitiful!” “He doesn’t need to hit her.” “Even the Circus Leader has his troubles.” From a spot somewhat removed, watching this spectacle out of the corner of his eye, there was a man quietly removing his baboon fur costume to take a brief rest. We stared in astonishment at his refined features and splendid, athlete-like bearing. “If he didn’t wear that baboon fur and showed his real face instead, he’d be much more popular—”

At Madam’s words, I couldn’t help but laugh. The two made their way back to the market stalls, walking shoulder-to-shoulder through the jostling throng.

The area was already growing quite dark. When we reached Kaminarimon, the soul-stirring chime of an evening newspaper seller’s bell resonated amidst the clamor of dusk.

I immediately bought a copy and opened it facing Madam as we looked. In that moment I thought Oh? “Murder or Suicide? The Utterly Bizarre Mysterious Death of Countess Higashi” Under that headline，the evening paper reported her death.

The name Countess Higashi was far too famous. A peerless beauty and star of high society who also possessed considerable skill as a social worker—it was she who stood better known to society than even her husband, the Count and Vice-Minister of ××. “Has that lady died?” “And to think she committed suicide—how shocking—”

While I was peering into the evening paper, truly struck by surprise, Madam— “Since I had a long association with her, we became quite close.” “Especially recently, due to a certain matter—” She hesitated slightly before continuing with resolve, “Actually, that woman we’re searching for— “—about that woman at the circus— “I had come to rely on her somewhat, and we met frequently. She was a splendid lady—intelligent, beautiful...”

Even Mrs. S seemed overwhelmed by emotion and fell into a profound silence.

2

I could hardly wait for the next morning's newspaper. It was because I wanted to know the detailed report of Countess Higashi’s suicide. Just as expected, detailed articles appeared in every newspaper alongside photographs of the beautiful Countess.

According to the report, Countess Higashi had been staying at Hakone’s Fujiya Hotel for about a week prior, but on the night before last, she returned home late at night. Upon entering the entranceway, she collapsed unconscious and passed away on the spot. Due to the busyness of the ongoing parliamentary session, it was said that Count Higashi was absent. Afterward, as stated by the Higashi household’s butler: “When Her Ladyship returned from an outing, it was customary for her to telephone in advance.” “And while the mansion would always dispatch a car to meet Her Ladyship at the station upon her return from outings, last night alone—suddenly, and at such a late hour—she chose to return home, only to abruptly fall into critical condition. For us, it has all been utterly dreamlike, and we simply cannot bring ourselves to believe Her Ladyship has passed away.”

Furthermore, according to the account of the maid who had greeted her at the entrance: “Upon later reflection, I believe it was not Her Ladyship who rang the entrance bell, but rather the rickshaw driver.” “Just as I opened the front door, a black shadow ran toward the main gate, and soon I heard the sound of a car starting.” “When Her Ladyship first ascended the entranceway, she staggered unsteadily along the white wall for two or three steps, reached out to grasp it, then collapsed as though crumbling to the ground.” “Her Ladyship had been suffering frequent bouts of dizziness lately, so I assumed it was another such episode.” “Moreover, as Her Ladyship had recently experienced a bereavement among close relatives and was in mourning—when wearing Western attire, she donned a thick black veil that made her complexion utterly impossible to discern—I lightly assumed that entering abruptly from the cold outdoors into the warm, steam-heated house must have induced a dizzy spell, yet—”

Statement by Dr. Nishii (The doctor is the Countess’s biological brother). “By the time I arrived, she had already passed away—there was nothing I could do.” “My sister was a composed woman—not the weak sort who would commit suicide.” “Although they had no children, their marital relationship was supremely harmonious—so much so that it became the envy of their relatives. Moreover, there was not a single reason for her to commit suicide.” “However, claiming that her health had recently declined somewhat, whenever she came to my house, I had the pharmacy prepare sleeping pills for her to take home.” “Although she was a doctor’s daughter and thoroughly understood matters like medication, she was absolutely not the kind of woman to commit suicide out of despair without cause—but it seems she had considerable enemies due to her reputation.” “The direct cause of death was of course due to her ingesting medication exceeding the maximum dose.” “Whether she took it herself or was forced to take it—that is not within my purview to state.” “The body is to be autopsied at Imperial University.”

Moreover, some newspapers carried statements from the manager of Fujiya Hotel where the Countess had been staying, “Yesterday afternoon, Countess Higashi received a telephone call from the Count stating that he would come to meet her partway, and she departed in good health.” “We would normally send Her Ladyship in the hotel’s automobile, but yesterday, as she remarked that the weather was fine and she wished to take some exercise, she chose to walk as she departed.” “Given that Their Excellencies were such a devoted couple, we assumed they had decided to take a stroll together and thought nothing of it.” “But, and so on...”

According to Count Higashi’s own account,

“I have no notion how many impersonated me to call my wife.” “Had my wife answered herself, she would have discerned my voice from an impostor’s.” “One can only conclude she was lured out, poisoned elsewhere, and returned—yet my wife remained ever composed.” “She was neither easily deceived nor prone to despair. Though her health had lately faltered, she’d immersed herself in a new philanthropy—toiling tirelessly as one might nurture a child, declaring this endeavor her progeny since we had none. A slight ailment could never drive her to extremity.” “As a husband bereft without warning, much demands saying—yet I withhold it now.” “I place my faith solely in the Metropolitan Police Department’s capable hands.”

Mrs. S abruptly looked up from the newspaper and said. “The woman I’m searching for.” “Would that be the woman at the circus?” “I had been secretly consulted by Countess Higashi about that woman.”

“A secret consultation?” “Did Her Ladyship have some secret?” “It’s less Her Ladyship’s secret and more her husband’s, you see.” “This happened while the Count was staying in Paris for an important conference—you know how every town has its so-called men-about-town? One or two at least.” “Among them was a bachelor painter who’d been idling away in a pension for years—a friend of the Count’s from his student days. Under this man’s guidance, he secretly visited a disreputable dance hall.” “There he became acquainted with a woman and grew deeply involved before finally realizing she had a husband and performed in a circus—at which point the Count suddenly lost interest.” “He tried to break it off cleanly, but from her perspective, he was too fine a catch to release—she clung to him with every excuse imaginable.” “And she ended up following him all the way to Japan.” “That’s precisely why Her Ladyship engaged me to investigate her background.” “At the time of my inquiry, she was the star of a circus magic troupe—a woman who did have a husband, but one who could be managed with money.” “Yet that woman had the audacity to visit Her Ladyship and extort a considerable sum.” “Naturally this was conditional on her leaving Japan—officially she went to Singapore, but that’s mere pretense. In truth she seems to be lurking somewhere inland. Her Ladyship asked me to monitor her movements, but we don’t know which circus shelters her now.”

As she said this, Mrs. S took out a small photograph from the desk drawer and showed it to me. "She isn't much of a beauty, is she?"

I said while returning the photograph. "But there must be something appealing about her in men's eyes." "A great many people have been tormented by this woman and suffered cruel treatment." Mrs. S carefully put away the photograph and continued. "After visiting the Countess and receiving the money, that woman suddenly seemed to change her disposition." "In other words, it must have been that the Countess was far too beautiful and her lifestyle more opulent than imagined, which made she grow jealous, while on the other hand, resentment emerged at being driven abroad with money." "'I may be a woman wandering from town to town to scrape by, but even I have a husband.'" "'Thanks to the Count, my family has been completely shattered.'" "'My husband discovered their relationship and went mad, ranting about killing or sparing them.'" "'And he finally chased after me and showed up at my hut two or three days ago. Since he's an exceedingly tenacious man, with just a word from me, there's no telling what tragedies might unfold—and I daresay it could even lead to significant matters concerning your husband's position.'" "'If you think you can settle this with a paltry sum and rest easy, that would be disastrous.'" "'I'll do my utmost to avoid trouble,' she said with a laugh. And since then, Her Ladyship felt so unsettled—constantly sensing she was being targeted—that her anxiety became unbearable. She consulted me, desperate to prevent calamity before it struck."

Upon hearing that, I finally understood the reason Mrs. S was searching for the circus woman.

3

At a time when it remained unclear even whether the case was murder or suicide, it was nearly on the verge of becoming a cold case.

One day, Mrs. S received a visit from Count Higashi at her Kanda office.

“Now that things have come to this, I can no longer rely solely on the Metropolitan Police Department.” “I ask you to grant me this one favor—we must absolutely find the culprit, for the plight of the one who was killed is too pitiable.” Count Higashi persistently insisted on the murder theory and even divulged a certain secret before Mrs. S.

According to this account, there had been a man who clung to the Countess’s side like a shadow for the past two or three months. The recent decline in her health was in fact due to this, and it was said that she greatly feared the man. “Couldn’t it be the husband of that circus woman?” Drawing from the Countess’s request, Mrs. S asked on impulse. Count Higashi merely formed a lonely smile on his lips and did not answer. Instead, he pleaded repeatedly that he would cover any expense necessary and absolutely wanted the culprit found.

When Count Higashi left, Mrs. S immediately began preparing to go out and, taking me—her assistant—along, decided to investigate Asakusa’s circus once more as a precaution. Judging from Count Higashi’s tone, it seemed the husband was likely the suspicious one. Mrs. S had also reversed her initial plan; perhaps she now intended to search for the husband rather than that woman. In any case, if they could discover either the woman or the man, they might be able to find a lead in the case as a result.

Through the bustling market, Mrs. S walked silently, deep in thought. I, too, hurried after her in silence, trying not to fall behind.

The two abruptly went to the backstage entrance, presented a business card, and requested a meeting with the circus leader. The circus leader immediately rushed out and, while grinning, bent at the waist in a half-crouch. Is this the fearsome backstage tyrant who resembles a Nio statue? I couldn’t help but glance at Mrs. S’s face and let out a bitter smile. The circus leader tilted his head repeatedly in thought, but “I’m afraid there’s no such woman or man here. There is one who claims to be from Singapore, but—”

With that, he cast his eyes toward the backstage corner. There, next to the fur that the baboon-costumed man had discarded some time before, crouched its owner—the very same figure now staring wide-eyed at us from beside his abandoned costume. “Is that person,” Mrs. S pressed with surgical precision, “the one claiming Singaporean provenance?” Her words struck like a whipcrack; beneath his matted disguise I saw muscles tense as those yellowed eyes locked onto ours with feral intensity.

Mrs. S whispered something to the circus leader, then strode briskly to the man's side and murmured something in a low voice. The man appeared slightly flustered, but Mrs. S paid no heed; she gave a curt nod to the circus leader and led me outside. After a brief wait, the Baboon-Costumed Man—now clad in Western attire—timidly approached us. His face looked thoroughly haggard, cheekbones jutting so sharply that his sunken eyes seemed cavernous. Yet despite this, his reasonably handsome features and skin tone—weatherworn as if from years in tropical climes—stirred a vague sense of recognition in me. Try as I might, I couldn't place where I might have seen him before.

Mrs. S suddenly thrust photographs of the circus woman in question and Countess Higashi before him and said with emphasis, "You're acquainted with one of these, are you not?" At this, the man fell silent and looked down. But after a slight pause, he finally raised his face and spoke stammeringly. "I don't know this one, but—" He pointed toward the circus woman. Mrs. S cut him off. "Then you know this one?"

“Of course I know. I did something pitiable.” “How did you know?” “Why?” The man looked back and forth between Madam and me, then gave a lonely smile.

“Chieko was my fiancée.” “And now she has become my younger brother’s wife—Countess Higashi.” Madam too seemed terribly shocked by this unexpected revelation; I held my breath. “Then are you claiming to be Count Higashi’s esteemed brother?” “I am his brother.” “I am the brother who was supposedly killed by a tiger in the South Seas.” “But as you can see, I’m actually alive.” “To my younger brother, I am his only sibling—his blood-related older brother.”

We were completely at a loss. Now that he mentioned it, he did bear a strong resemblance to Count Higashi. The reason I had felt I’d seen him somewhere before was because he resembled the Count. However, I had never heard any rumors of Count Higashi having an older brother; having only heard secondhand that their facial features bore some resemblance, and given that this man was a drifter, he might be trying to exploit this for some purpose. Though he had a kindly face, if we were to take the words of a circus man like him at face value, who knew what consequences might follow? However, there was likely still a need to at least inquire into his background. It might not be entirely without its uses as a reference.

Mrs. S must have thought the same. She turned toward the man and said.

“Since I’ve already informed the circus leader, that should be acceptable? I’d like to find somewhere we can have a meal while I listen to your story at leisure—”

4 Mrs. S listened to the man’s story without properly eating.

"My younger brother and I are the only siblings, but we have different mothers—he was born to the woman who became my mother after my biological mother passed away." "Looking back now, my stepmother and her biological brother—that is, my uncle—were in collusion. I believe they intended to have my younger brother inherit the Higashi earldom while simultaneously making him sole heir to the entire family fortune."

“I was indulged by my stepmother and uncle and grew up spoiled, while my younger brother was raised strictly,” he said. “My stepmother was truly kind to me—letting me have my way in everything. She gave me as much pocket money as I wanted behind my father’s back, and in all matters I behaved exactly as I pleased. I grew up thoroughly spoiled.”

About a year before I graduated middle school, my uncle—who at that time managed a large plantation in Johor—returned to Japan after many years away. “My uncle doted on me far more than on his own nephew’s younger brother and took me along wherever he went.” “That was when I first learned to indulge myself.” “And wasn’t my very own uncle himself my guide?”

“With money at my disposal and status to my name, I was immensely popular wherever I went.” “I was coddled as ‘Young Master this, Young Master that,’ living comfortably through indulgence until I even began staying out overnight.” “My strict father remained none the wiser because Mother skillfully smoothed things over before him, shielding me both openly and behind the scenes.”

"I entered middle school late while my younger brother entered early, making us classmates. There we were—one forced to study with sparks-flying intensity, the other wallowing in wine and women while barely attending school. When we both took the First Higher School exams, there should’ve been nothing strange about him passing splendidly while I failed. Yet I grew fiercely indignant and resented him. Just as this bitterness took root, Father—oblivious to everything—began doting on him more each day instead of me. Every time he saw my face, he’d berate me as a ‘slacker’ or ‘dimwit.’ I could endure it no longer. So when my uncle prepared to return to Johor, I followed him straight to the South Seas."

“The sun doesn’t shine only on Japan,” my uncle’s words had filled me with immense relief. I shelved all my own misdeeds and resented my father, my mother—even my younger brother. Shortly after arriving in Johor, my uncle—likely meaning to console me—took me on a tiger hunt. “I still can’t forget being tormented by mountain leeches, but there was something far more terrible I’ll never escape.” “The sight of a coolie I’d brought along—fleeing too late—being devoured by a tiger.” “Even now, remembering it makes me shudder to my core.”

“Uncle said jokingly, ‘You were killed by a tiger,’ adding that it would be amusing to surprise the folks back in Tokyo. I clapped my hands in delight, thinking it was a clever plan.” *What expressions will those household wretches make? Will they be shocked? Will they grieve?* “While thinking such trivial things, I carelessly fell for my uncle’s sweet talk and had them informed that I had died. And secretly imagining the astonished faces of everyone—I was so delighted, so utterly delighted I couldn’t contain myself. Being alive and watching everyone’s attitudes after my death—what an amusing plan it was!”

“My uncle’s wife was Italian.” “They had no children.” “Uncle said there was no need for me to inherit the Higashi earldom—I should just take over his household instead. There’s no point being shackled by titles and living in cramped Japan.” “He said that as long as you have money, you can live an amusingly free life no matter where you go.” “Indeed, my uncle’s household was extremely wealthy.” “Soon after, telegrams of condolence arrived from Tokyo, and newspapers carrying large obituaries were sent.” “My stepmother sent a letter lamenting daily, regretting that she had sent the precious heir—even if it was his own wish—to someplace like the South Seas, and sighing that if it had been my younger brother instead, she might have been able to resign herself.” I felt a certain satisfaction. “My younger brother insisted on going to retrieve the remains immediately.” “Every time there was news that my younger brother insisted on going to retrieve them himself, I became utterly engrossed in witnessing firsthand how matters unfolded after my supposed death.”

Since my younger brother coming would have been disastrous, my uncle promptly brought the skeletal remains of the deceased coolie to Tokyo. Smirking at how well my ruse had succeeded, I watched how things unfolded from there. And I continued my dissipated lifestyle—bringing in native girls, cohabiting with Westerners, indulging in every form of debauchery—yet even within my corrupted soul, there remained one pure, soul-cleansing memory I could not forget. "That was about my cousin Chieko, who had been my betrothed since we were children."

"I wondered what had become of Chieko, but even though I had become such a degenerate, for some reason I felt too ashamed about her to even ask my uncle about her whereabouts."

Ten years passed like a dream.

"My uncle died suddenly from a cerebral hemorrhage without leaving a will. My inheritance had not yet been formalized. The entire inheritance became the wife’s property, and after she had completely settled the affairs, she returned to her hometown in Italy. 'And there I was, stripped bare, left all alone in Johor.'"

My life from then on was too wretched to even speak of.

5

Several more years passed.

One day, as I was casually looking through a local newspaper, I discovered my younger brother’s name among a delegation heading to Paris for an important conference. Suddenly feeling nostalgic, I desperately wanted to meet him. After scrambling to gather funds, I traveled to Singapore and requested an audience with my younger brother through the Japanese association, but I wasn’t even given a chance to see him. “Far from it—no one believed a word I said or took me seriously. They merely looked at me with scornful eyes and laughed at this man claiming to be his real older brother.” It was then, for the first time, that I realized the vast gulf between my younger brother and me, and in wretched despair, I cried until dawn while watching the ships in the night.

Half a year later, the delegation returning to Japan ended up staying overnight in Singapore once again.

Resolved that this time I would succeed, I disguised myself as a vendor and infiltrated his cabin. When ships arrived at the port, natives and Chinese people carrying local specialties would often noisily bustle in. I blended into that crowd, entered my younger brother’s cabin, and locked the door from the inside. When my younger brother first saw me, he was greatly startled, changed color, and suddenly tried to press the nearby bell. When I pressed down that hand, he glared at me with a pale face,

“Don’t be impertinent!” He shouted, but then—for some reason—suddenly lowered his voice and said... “I’m not with her—don’t get the wrong idea.”

He said with a bitter smile. As my younger brother’s attitude softened, I too began to feel somewhat lighter, “What’re you saying? Hey—it’s me!”

When I placed my hand on his shoulder, he retreated two or three steps back, “Aren’t you that woman’s husband?” With that, he wiped the sweat from his forehead, let out a relieved sigh as if waking from a dream, and spoke as though making an excuse.

“Well, with all sorts of riffraff coming around, I thought you were yakuza again.” “Ha ha ha ha!” “And who exactly were you again?”

My younger brother, who had finally regained his composure and calmness, gazed quietly at me, trying to recall my name—but then he suddenly gasped, drew a sharp breath, and stared at my face as if drilling holes through it. This time, his shock was unlike before—his large eyes opened wide, his lips spasmed and twitched, and a low, groaning-like sound was forced from his throat. “Ah! Brother!” “Brother!” “Yeah. It’s me.”

“Brother!”

He nearly collapsed. That too was only natural. Since someone they had believed dead until now had suddenly appeared before their eyes, it was only natural for anyone to be terrified. The two men leaned against the sofa for a long time and talked. Since they were each other’s only brothers, even if the older one had fallen into ruin, the fact that he was alive seemed to greatly please the younger brother. “However, since on the surface I was already a person who no longer existed in this world, we couldn’t suddenly announce that we were brothers. Thus, it would be best to part ways quietly as things were for now and then have me follow on the next ship back to Tokyo after all.” Following his words that he would discuss matters further later on, I withdrew for the time being. My younger brother provided not only travel expenses but even spending money for the time being, so I deeply felt that after all, we were brothers.

I returned to Japan by the next ship as promised. With my younger brother, who had come to meet me all the way to Yokohama, I entered Tokyo, my heart leaping with nostalgia and indescribable joy. But would you believe it? He deceived me. He said he was taking me to his residence, but instead brought me to a private mental hospital on the outskirts of the city. It was then that I first learned of my younger brother’s unscrupulous scheme and became enraged—he had strictly ordered me to keep it secret until he deemed the time right to reveal it—yet I ended up fully disclosing my identity to the director. And though I explained in detail that I was truly the rightful heir to the Count’s family, the director merely smiled and listened without addressing a word of it. From that day on, I was treated as a madman under the nickname ‘Count.’

I spent several months under strict surveillance, but my younger brother never once came to visit me. I burned with indignation. And so I lived each day consumed by thoughts of revenge against him. I later learned that my lifetime hospitalization fee had been prepaid by him to the director. One night, I exploited a lapse in the nurses' vigilance and escaped from the hospital.

“Not knowing the way and walking aimlessly，before I knew it，night deepened．I didn’t clearly remember where or how I had wandered around，but when I suddenly noticed a light still on in a makeshift building，exhausted as I was，I desperately rushed inside．”

That was the circus where I now found myself. Fearing prying eyes and evading my younger brother’s search efforts, I concealed myself within a large baboon fur costume. The shame of performing nonsensical acts like the South Seas Dance was something I had to endure with closed eyes to survive each day. Yet the Iron Maiden was an act I chose myself. Though I had done nothing wrong, I believed even the most brutal execution—the Iron Maiden—would still have been preferable to being locked away as a madman in that mental hospital. To keep my resentment toward my younger brother from fading, I entered that terrifying iron door each day. He had not only embezzled my assets and plotted to bury my entire life—crimes unforgivable in themselves—but had even stolen away the woman I loved most.

By chance, I learned that Chieko had become my younger brother’s wife. I wanted to see her even just once—to meet her, recount this whole affair, and have Chieko herself comfort me with her own words. However, the opportunity to meet her did not readily come.

6

Finally, the day my wish would be granted came. There was a tea gathering at Kanei-ji Temple in Ueno, and I learned from the newspaper that Chieko would be attending. I immediately went to Ueno, wandering near Kanei-ji Temple until I glimpsed the figure I had yearned to see for so many years. Certain this might be my last chance to meet her, I trailed her while concealing myself. Chieko spoke briefly to the chauffeur before slipping out through the temple gates alone and entering the Teiten in silence.

After thirty years pass, fashion trends are bound to return. The Chieko etched in my memory often wore a wisteria-colored arrow-feather patterned silk kimono. It suited her perfectly. She had her bangs cut straight across just above her eyebrows, lending her slender face a slightly rounded softness.

But would you believe it? Chieko today was wearing that same wisteria-colored arrow-feather patterned kimono, wasn't she? And she had curled her bangs and let them down. Chieko, in the same cherished form as thirty years ago, was now within ten steps of me. I trembled uncontrollably with nostalgia. I was so happy that I couldn't bear to just stand there silently watching. Having waited for the evening crowd to thin, I quietly followed behind.

The annex was particularly sparse in visitors. When Chieko stood before the statue of an athlete, absorbed in gazing at its masculine musculature, I could no longer restrain myself and abruptly materialized before her, declaring—

“Chieko, it’s me.” “Have you forgotten me?” “It’s me—the one who’s supposed to have died in Johor.” Chieko stood frozen for a moment, not moving a muscle. This sun-tanned face of mine, this voice of mine—they were enough to stir her memory. In that moment, I had returned to my former self. Chieko’s face rapidly paled, and it was clear her tightly clasped hands were trembling violently.

“Do you remember me now?” “I’ve been living like this.” “The me standing before your eyes isn’t a ghost or anything at all.” She put her hand to her forehead. Her bangs swayed slightly.

“Somehow I don’t understand any of this.” “Please do come to the residence—we cannot speak properly in such a place.”

With that, Chieko turned on her heel and quickly began to walk away. However, if I were to go to that residence, I would surely be captured again and thrown into a mental hospital. I hurriedly said: “I will meet my younger brother again properly. Today I want to speak only to you. Please wait, Chieko. Countess Higashi! Chieko!”

I deliberately raised my voice. Because I thought she would fear being overheard by those nearby. As expected, she seemed startled, stopped while looking around,

“In any case, let us go outside.” “Let us go outside and partake of tea.”

The automobile bearing the Higashi family crest had been parked sideways at the exit, but the chauffeur was nowhere to be seen. Probably because she had come out too quickly. The two of them walked together into the sparsely populated garden of Seiyōken.

There, I told Chieko everything. She was simply astonished. Of course, she had known nothing. It seems my younger brother had not spoken a single word about me. “It’s far too late to undo things now.” “It’s not that I intend to do anything about you—who have become my younger brother’s wife and are living happily.” “But my younger brother is truly an outrageous and wicked man.” “Although my appearance may have caused him untold suffering, the sin of trying to bury me alive cannot be forgiven.” “Deceiving me, summoning me to Tokyo, suddenly throwing me into a mental hospital—trying to seal me away forever—”

“I truly knew nothing of it.”

“Even were I to beg your forgiveness, you’d have no cause to grant it—yet I’ve no right to make such audacious entreaties as asking your pardon anew—”

Chieko’s voice grew subdued, and anguish was etched vividly on her beautiful face.

“There’s no forgiving or not forgiving—hasn’t everything already been settled today? Ahahahaha!”

My voice echoed hollowly. “Then what would you have me do?” “I shall leave that to your consideration.”

Chieko paled, "Yes. I understand perfectly. I will have my husband offer you a formal apology." "And I must restore both my current position and assets to you." "Please, I beg you to believe me and endure this situation a little longer." "Your heart remains unchanged from the past, but I cannot say what my younger brother might do." "He will try to capture me again." "Please do not say such frightening things anymore; I will take responsibility." "And your current residence?"

“Your residence? “Ahahahaha! “I’m afraid I cannot say that.” “Then how should I convey my response to you?”

“Should you need my services, place an advertisement in the newspaper—a cipher will do.” “But even if you try to flee now, I won’t let you slip away.” “Know that I’m always at your back.” “For I’ll be watching—always watching—from somewhere unseen.”

Chieko shuddered in the dusk.

7

From that day on, I did not see Chieko again. I had been quite cautious, but thought she likely hadn’t gone out since then. When about a month passed with no word from Chieko, I began to doubt her sincerity. When she met me—a sudden encounter after all—she might have made that promise in her shock as a temporary escape. But reconsidering, how absurd: why would they foolishly return what had finally become theirs? Perhaps greed had stirred within them. Maybe she conspired with my brother to deceive me. I couldn’t afford carelessness. With people like them, one never knew what wicked schemes they might devise. Anxiety grew as I imagined them secretly expanding their search to seize me suddenly, sensing danger closing in somehow. Yet another thought came: Was Chieko ill? Her complexion hadn’t been good when we met in Ueno either. Thinking this, my worry took a different turn.

One night, driven to desperation after much deliberation, I finally sneaked into the Count’s residence.

Evidently, there had been visitors, for lights were on in various rooms; however, as the night had grown late, the interior was as silent as a forest. Since I knew the house’s layout thoroughly, I passed through the thick plantings, circled around the pond, and headed toward Chieko’s living quarters.

Fortunately, one of the window blinds there was open about two inches at the bottom, so I peered intently into the room. After the guests had left, the couple were warming themselves by the fireplace while engaged in an intense discussion. However, an indescribable look of bewilderment lingered on their faces, and they seemed enveloped in a melancholic air. Above all, Chieko had wasted away completely in the little over a month since I last saw her, her face turned ghastly pale. I tried to hear the conversation inside, pressing my ear tightly against the glass and straining to listen.

“I cannot remain like this any longer. Now that I know everything, if your heart does not change… I have my own resolve.” Chieko’s voice was filled with grief; my younger brother tossed his half-smoked cigar into the fireplace and, furrowing his brow deeply, said: “How could anyone believe such nonsense now?” “Brother died back then—his remains were delivered; we held a proper funeral—Brother is unquestionably dead.” “He’s not in this world, do you hear me?” “Understood?” “Never speak of that again.”

“But he is alive.” “Now that I’ve heard everything, if you still refuse to believe me, I will bring Brother here.”

“Who would believe it’s Brother now, even if he suddenly appeared? I can’t be bothered with such trivial matters. You should stop taking those absurd things seriously and worrying about them. There’s no way Brother could truly be alive.” “But I saw him with my own eyes and heard his voice with my own ears.”

“There’s such a thing as auditory illusions, and seeing hallucinations.” “If you’re seeing people who don’t exist in this world, you’d better get a grip on yourself.” “Are you calling me a madman?” “Why don’t you have me committed to the mental hospital while you’re at it—with a lifetime stipend—”

Chieko’s voice was sharp like a sword and seemed to pierce the Count’s chest.

The younger brother stood upright and took a step toward Chieko. Seeing the dreadful expression on his face, I involuntarily let out a small cry of “Ah!” My brother seemed not to notice, but Chieko turned toward the window—likely having glimpsed my face there—and swayed to her feet only to collapse back into the chair instantly. She must have fainted. The brother rang the bell, voices shouted for maids, and abruptly the house erupted into commotion.

I stealthily escaped through the back door. After that, I never went to the Count’s residence again. After about ten days had passed, the news of Chieko’s death appeared in the newspaper, leaving me utterly shocked. The article questioned whether it was murder or suicide—I was struck to the core. If it were murder, that would be another matter, but if suicide… then I was the one who led her to death. Chieko must have felt responsible for failing to keep her promise to me, resolving to atone through death—it could not be otherwise. When I think that way, even without laying hands directly, isn’t it just as if I had killed her? Since then, day and night my conscience has tormented me—the pain unbearable. Had I never met Chieko, none of this would have happened—no, not just Chieko. I should never have met my brother either. My life should have ended long ago; clinging to it out of lingering attachment only bred unforeseen sins. If I had resolved to become Johor’s soil from the start, I would not have tormented Chieko to death nor made a villain of my brother. “The root cause was this—a man declared dead still drawing breath.”

When he finished speaking, the man dejectedly bowed his head. An expression of anguish was vividly etched across his face.

Mrs. S took out a copy of the family register from her handbag—when she had obtained it remained unclear—and showed it to him as she spoke.

“So, the one listed as deceased here is you?”

“Yes. I was born in Meiji 17 and am supposed to have died in Meiji 41.” Having heard that, we parted with him.

In any case, thinking to return to the office for the time being, the two hurried out to the tramway when a chauffeur-like man, as if lying in wait, strode briskly up to them, removed his hat, and bowed. I had no recollection of the man’s face, but he appeared to be acquainted with Madam, “I will return shortly, so please go back to the office ahead of me.” With those words, Mrs. S vanished into the bustling evening town with the man.

8

The next day, Mrs. S ultimately did not show her face at the office until near dusk.

Even during the busiest times, she would always show her face in the morning, so I was wondering what could have happened as I was looking into some documents when suddenly the door behind me opened and a large man in a bulky Chinese-style outfit hurriedly entered—of course, it was Mrs. S. “I’ve finally found the whereabouts of that woman we’ve been searching for.” “Is it the circus woman? How did you find out?” “Though I hadn’t told you, I had actually bribed the Count’s chauffeur.”

Now that you mention it, the man I saw yesterday—that must have been the Count’s chauffeur. For a taxi driver, his attire was quite elegant, and there was something oddly polite about his demeanor. “That chauffeur was reporting each and every one of the Count’s actions to me.” “The fact that there was a house in Kōjimachi that he frequented; how he would abandon his car near Gobanchō and proceed on foot—though at times one had to wait four or five hours.” “Upon returning, he would always complain with excuses like, ‘I can’t fathom the mindset of someone living in such a cramped back alley,’ or ‘It’s enough to make visitors weep.’” “It’s a bit odd, don’t you think?” “When I thought that house seemed suspicious and had it investigated—what do you know?—absurdly enough, that woman I’ve been searching for was confined right there.”

“What kind of woman was she?” “She was the femme fatale type with an air of unscrupulousness.” “They say even men thoroughly versed in worldly pleasures can’t break free once entangled with her—no wonder the Count, inexperienced in affairs of the heart, became utterly infatuated.” “He pretended she’d departed for Singapore to maintain appearances before the Countess, but in truth built her a house right under their noses and lets her live in luxury.” “The Count can’t be taken lightly either.” “Moreover, that woman has a Chinese lover.” “A delicate-looking man who performed magic tricks in the same circus—he’s now running shows in Shanghai.” “Naturally, Count Higashi remains unaware of this man’s existence.” “Having discovered the woman was keeping this secret too, I visited her today posing as that man’s friend.” “She happily agreed to meet me at once.”

As always, I couldn’t help but admire Madam’s boldness. I said in a joking tone. “Didn’t your disguise come off?” “That’s where it worked out perfectly.” “Because I went babbling away, jumbling Chinese and Japanese together, she became completely convinced I was a genuine Chinese person.” “Then suddenly I threatened her—‘You’re the one who killed Countess Higashi!’” “What?! Did that woman kill her?” “Did that woman kill her?”

I asked again in surprise. Mrs. S continued speaking without answering that question. “Then the woman turned pale and started making excuses. ‘It wasn’t me who killed her! I hated her, hated her—but I didn’t do anything,’ she said.” “I kept pressing harder, but she proved a formidable opponent—a true schemer.” “It must have been a split-second decision—she pulled money from the safe, stuffed it into my pocket, then brought her lips to my ear and whispered: ‘It was the Count who killed her.’”

“Oh! Was it the Count?” “I suppose that might indeed be possible. The Countess must have become a hindrance—even before that, she was insistently demanding he return the estate to his brother. Count Higashi, driven by greed, had no intention of returning it, but leaving things as they were would mean the Countess would never accept it.” “According to the maids’ gossip, the Count and Countess have been constantly arguing about something lately—I suppose Count Higashi must have found her unbearable. So he secretly poisoned her, smeared the blame on that hidden man—his brother—and planned to bury him permanently in this world through a murder charge this time.” “He’s a terrifying person, isn’t he?”

Mrs. S listened to my theory with an amused smile, "We still can't conclusively identify the Count as the culprit." "From the very beginning, I had been ninety percent certain of my judgment, but I've agonized over the remaining ten percent that eludes me." "Well, please wait until matters resolve themselves naturally."

At that moment, a waiter brought the evening paper. Mrs. S immediately unfolded it and scanned the contents, then wordlessly turned the paper around and pressed her finger against a specific spot to indicate it.

“Goodness!” I involuntarily widened my eyes in surprise. There, under the title *The Bizarre Death of the Baboon*, were written just a few lines of text. It stated that during a performance of the notorious *Iron Maiden* act by the Baboon-Costumed Man—a crowd favorite at the circus currently running in Asakusa—he had failed to escape a trapdoor and was instantly killed by a sword piercing his heart. Some called it an accident, while others claimed it resulted from someone envious of his popularity or a grudge over romantic entanglements—the crucial trapdoor had not been prepared specifically for that day. It was said to be under investigation, but in Madam’s and my mind, whether by accident or design, there seemed to be something discernible there.

9

Having made some grave resolution, Mrs. S visited Count Higashi late that night, accompanied by me, her assistant.

Count Higashi immediately ushered them into his parlor, “Did you find any clues?” he asked worriedly. Just as the two entered the room, Count Higashi was sitting before a life-sized portrait of the late Countess, burning incense and praying for her repose. The incense smoke wafted thinly upward from her beautiful chest to her face.

I watched this hollow display of piety with eyes full of contempt. Mrs. S said quietly to the Count in her usual gentle manner. “Count, don’t you think it’s about time we brought this charade to a close?”

“―”

“Your brother has committed suicide, as you can see here.” Mrs. S took out the evening paper from her pocket and pointed to the section marked with a red line.

The Count’s complexion changed rapidly; Mrs. S, in a calm tone, recounted the entire story that had been told from his lips. After a prolonged silence, Count Higashi wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke. “The one who killed my wife is neither my brother nor me.” “The truth is, it was suicide.” “When my wife unexpectedly encountered my brother in Ueno and was told the entire story, my honest wife became unable to bear it—she insisted that we must at least return all our property to him and offer our apologies.” “Blinded by greed and determined to have my way—caught between these forces, suffering and agonizing—in the end, she committed suicide.” “My wife was in an even more painful position than I. Though they never married, the man she was once engaged to marry—whom she believed dead—was not only alive but living in such wretched circumstances. She simply couldn’t bear to witness it.” “Whenever she met my gaze, my wife would immediately bring up that issue and berate me.”

“I was the one who called Fujiya Hotel.” “My wife kept insisting she absolutely had to meet him immediately and wouldn’t listen.” “I went partway to pick her up, and we went to Yokohama.” “From midway onward, that issue had already begun—my wife remained unyielding in her stance, not bending an inch, while I, for my part, persisted in asserting my own position.” “In the end, I too lost my temper and declared that I would track down my brother again and have him committed to the mental hospital.”

“My wife looked sorrowful.” “Soon, we went to the Grand Hotel’s dining room to have dinner.” “The guests were almost all Westerners, and we didn’t encounter anyone we knew.” “During the meal, my wife didn’t say a single word.” “I saw a look of deep resolve appear on her face, but I dismissed it.” “I was also angry, so when I saw my wife take out the medicine right before my eyes, I thought, ‘Is she doing this to spite me? Fine—do as you please.’” “But it wasn’t an act—my wife swallowed it all in one gulp.” “When she brought it to her lips, she looked at me with eyes faintly brimming with resentment.” “I suddenly thought to grab her hand, but then I realized—weren’t there numerous people at the surrounding tables? A waiter was also standing respectfully behind us, watching.” “If I made a scene there, my identity would be known, and it would immediately become news material.” “And I couldn’t bear having all sorts of things exposed.” “My wife would also be exposed to public disgrace.” “While oozing greasy sweat all over my body, I had no choice but to watch in frozen silence—for even a cold-blooded man like myself, what a terrifying thing it is to have to stand by helplessly as my beloved wife drank poison before my very eyes.”

My body stiffened as if frozen solid, and my cheeks spasmed into a twisted grimace. “Could there be such a cruel punishment? I later thought—my wise wife, knowing ordinary means could never overturn my will, must have deliberately chosen this place as a final means to prompt reflection.”

“Even after returning to the salon, my wife did not speak. By the time we left the hotel, she seemed so distressed that I hailed a taxi and accompanied her from Yokohama to the estate, where I escorted her inside the gate.” “Supporting my nearly unconscious wife by force, I made her walk to the entrance, pressed the bell, then rushed outside the gate and watched from there.” “Then the maid came out, and after seeing my wife drawn into the doorway as if sucked inside, I felt relieved and went straight to the club to spend the night.”

"In case of any unforeseen circumstances, and to avoid suspicion, I thoroughly instructed my mistress to say that the time I had spent with my wife was actually time I had been at her residence in Gobanchō." "However, if my wife’s death is ruled a suicide, another problem arises." "They’ll suspect something happened within the household, won’t they?" "In the end, my brother’s issues would come to light, and the shame lurking in darkness would have to be exposed." "I dreaded that more than anything." "So I devised a scheme to make it look like murder and have them catch my brother as the culprit." "And I thought it would be best to brand him a madman through and through."

“After all, not knowing my brother’s whereabouts caused me immense anxiety, so I thought that by having Mrs. S locate him, immediately getting the police to arrest him, and having the mental hospital’s director evaluate him, everything would proceed exactly as I desired.” Mrs. S had listened quietly to the Count’s story until the very end, a faint smile playing on her lips. She had likely seen through this from the beginning. Our work here was done; having decided to leave the rest to the Count himself, we left the mansion.