Pathway to Japanese Literature

Japan was more of a free country than America.
Even when they taught the theory of evolution in elementary schools, it didn't cause any problems.

However, in Mr. Torii’s household,

“Mom, are my ancestors monkeys too?”

When their ten-year-old eldest son asked this, the usually virtuous Mrs. Torii—

“Hmm, I wonder.”
“I don’t know about your father’s relatives.”

This answer sparked a heated dispute between the couple.
The protagonist, who was reading the evening newspaper across the long brazier,

“What nonsense are you saying?”

he involuntarily jerked his head up like a rearing snake.

“Because I don’t know, I merely stated that I don’t know—that’s all.”

While responding, Mrs. Torii simultaneously directed the maid with a glance to quickly clear the dining table.
Meanwhile, she was nursing the youngest child.
On yet another front, she was also pondering something.
She was swamped on all fronts.

“There’s no need for you to bring my relatives into this.”
“Aren’t you just stopping short of saying they might be monkeys?”

Mr. Torii pressed further.

Mrs. Torii should have just laughed it off at this point, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to do so.
It was the maid who laughed first.
That seemed like retaliation for earlier.
Even if scolded, appearing before my husband would be taken as though I had declared exactly this.
There was also the matter of appearances before the assembled children.
Thus, driven by the momentum of the situation,

“If you’re human, you might be a monkey,”
she retorted.
By this she meant that if present-day humans exist, their ancestors might be monkeys—thereby acknowledging the theory of evolution.

“If you say ‘if you’re human,’ are you suggesting they might not be human?”

And Mr. Torii reproached her again.
He wasn’t usually this persistent, but the protagonist had particular reason to be on edge today.

For Mrs. Torii, it still wouldn’t have been too late to laugh here.
However, since she had some pride to maintain and the maid had stopped working to listen intently, she found herself compelled to press on given how things had unfolded.
Housewives have their own judgment.

“Must you make such a fuss over something I mentioned without any particular thought?”
“You are quite a strange person, aren’t you?”

Mrs. Torii adjusted her hold on the infant and fixed her husband with a sharp stare.

Just then,

“Telegram!”

A voice echoed from the entrance.
The eldest son promptly delivered it.
Mr. Torii read through the telegram and placed it on his lap.

“Is it from your brother?”

Mrs. Torii asked, peering over.
Mr. Torii, wearing an expression that suggested he had no intention of responding, stared at the telegram again.
The debate over whether Mr. Torii’s lineage originated from monkeys was postponed for the time being.

“Please let me see it too.”

The eldest son took hold of the telegram that his father had eventually placed on the dining table. Having only recently learned about telegrams in school, encountering a real one felt like an academic exercise to him. Especially since he himself had received it from the deliveryman and brought it to his father, he had been unbearably eager to see it all along. However, telegrams arriving at ordinary homes more often brought bad tidings than good. The telegram from the uncle they rarely saw,

“TANOMMONEY HALFONLY TELEGRAM SENDRIGHTNOW”

it read.
An older brother who hits up his younger brother for money doesn’t bother economizing on voiced consonants.

About two hours later, after Mrs. Torii had put all four children to bed, she reappeared before the long brazier.

Mr. Torii placed a radio set on the dining table and was listening to nagauta.
He was in a bad mood to begin with, and his face was naturally as flat and expressionless as a board.
The receiver’s silver rods looked like two horns.

“You.”

Mrs. Torii said immediately upon sitting down.

“What is it?”

Mr. Torii, having already grown weary of it, removed the receiver.

“It’s troubling when you go on making such cutting remarks in front of the children and the maid.”

Mrs. Torii began acting according to the plan she had prepared while nursing.
The evolution debate alone could have been left as it was, but there was that telegram from her brother-in-law.

“Whether there are children present or not, there’s nothing wrong with admonishing impropriety with sincerity.”

While answering, Mr. Torii felt somewhat taken aback by his wife’s unyielding attitude.
However, to show an air of dismissing it as insignificant, he calmly tried to put the receiver back on.

“You are so full of sincerity, after all.”

“You’re being oddly combative, aren’t you?”

“You’re the one being oddly confrontational.”

Mrs. Torii remained defiant to the bitter end.

“I know why you’re being so defensive.”
“You’re resentful about me lending money to my brother, aren’t you?”

And Mr. Torii, too, was no longer in any state for the radio.

“There’s no such thing at all.”
“Since it’s your money that you’re giving away, isn’t that entirely your prerogative?”

Women may see right through things, yet they will never say so outright.
Admittedly, in Mrs. Torii’s case, the troublesome brother’s financial demands were not the immediate issue.
The long-standing general grievances had been provoked by yesterday’s letter and today’s telegram.

“That’s just being snide!”

Mr. Torii felt irritated.

"You do have a way of overcomplicating everything."
"That's not very manly of you."

And Mrs. Torii grew increasingly resolute.

“No matter what you say, I’ll lend it.
I won’t cause you any trouble, so just keep quiet.”

And Mr. Torii flew into a complete rage.

“That’s precisely why I’m not saying anything.”
“Then by all means, do as Your Lordship wishes—that would be most splendid.”
“I’ll do exactly as Your Lordship wishes.”
“But I must be the most insignificant one here. After all, you’ve never once formally consulted me about anything.”
“You’ve never once formally consulted me about a single thing.”
“Then I’ll consult you.”
“Just this once, I’ll lend it, so you’d better agree.”

“I’m not the one making a fuss about you helping your brother.”
“Have I ever once said anything that even resembled a complaint until now?”
“It’s simply that you arbitrarily do everything without consulting me—that’s what angers me.”

“Do I really make decisions so unilaterally?”

“It’s absolutely unilateral! You’re being self-centered. Even yesterday’s letter—if I hadn’t asked, wouldn’t you have kept quiet about it? Even if you must lend the money, if you had just told me honestly how things stood, I might have felt so much better about it.”

And Mrs. Torii’s argument was perfectly reasonable.

“It’s not like I enjoy having money squeezed out of me when there’s none to begin with.”
“I don’t want to let you hear about things that even I find distasteful.”
“There have been times I refused without consulting you.”

“Even if you refused, he wouldn’t accept it anyway, would he?”

“That’s true.”
“The most he’ll do is haggle a little.”
“That’s why, lately, he’s learned to haggle and starts by asking for thirty to forty percent more.”
“But you can’t just abandon someone who’s in trouble while traveling, can you?”
“I’m not trying to cover up my brother’s misconduct at all.”
“I don’t intend to be so standoffish.”
“I just kept quiet because I didn’t want to make you feel unpleasant.”

And Mr. Torii, too, had been well-intentioned from the start.

“Even so, since we are husband and wife, I would like you to consult me at least once.”

Mrs. Torii did not entirely dismiss her husband’s explanations as mere excuses, but seeing clearly how lump sums of two or three hundred yen would permanently vanish from their bankbook with each transaction, she could not help wanting to voice some complaint.

After this back-and-forth continued briefly, Mr. Torii—

“No matter what, he’s such a troublesome brother.”
“The black sheep of the family, that one.”
“In any house with many siblings, there’s bound to be at least one good-for-nothing.”
“I’ve resigned myself to it, but it’s unbearable because it happens every year.”

And he let out a long sigh.

“There have even been times when it happened twice a year.”

And Mrs. Torii remembered it clearly.

“It would be good if he settled into a proper job, but he just talks big and runs around all over the place—truly a burden to his brothers.”

“You call him a ‘burden to his brothers,’ but doesn’t he refrain from making even the slightest request to your Elder Brother or Mr. Yuzo?”

“As for that, Elder Brother is a military man, you see.”
“Elder Brother has no financial leeway, you see.”
“Since there’s a significant age difference between him and Yuzo, it’s awkward for him to approach Yuzo as well.”
“The married-off younger sister has resigned herself.”
“In other words, he trusts only me.”

“What a precious trust that is—coming from someone who never shows up otherwise.”

“But didn’t he rush here from Hokkaido when Father died? He has his redeeming qualities too. After all, it was Brother Jōjirō who wept the most bitterly.”

“It’s only natural.”
“He was the one who caused the most trouble by being out of touch all the time, you know.”
“Has Brother Jōjirō ever shown any sense of obligation beyond that one instance, before or since?”
“Even during the Great Earthquake, he didn’t send a single letter of inquiry.”
“When we finally informed him, he sent word saying something like, ‘I’d already given up, thinking you’d all probably burned to death anyway,’ didn’t he?”
“How hateful!”

“Oh, come on—just drop the whole brother business already.”
“He’s a hopeless case anyway.”
“Not only do I lose money to him, but now you’re squeezing me dry—I’ve got no ground left to stand on.”
“From now on, I’ll consult you sincerely about everything, so stop sulking already.”

And Mr. Torii finally threw in the towel.

“I’m not in a bad mood over your brother.”
“It’s because you’re so self-centered that I wished to speak my mind.”

And Mrs. Torii was now about to get to the main point.

“That’s why I’m saying I’ll consult you with sincerity from now on.”

And Mr. Torii once again raised his voice slightly. Even though he had backed down, she still wouldn’t accept it—he thought she was getting above herself.

“That sincerity you speak of—I simply cannot believe it.”

And Mrs. Torii scoffed mockingly.

"I get it, Okou, I get it.
Is it because I said I’d make you a haori and still haven’t done it?
Then make it!
You should go to Mitsukoshi tomorrow if you like."

And Mr. Torii acknowledged the contradiction of giving two hundred yen to his elder brother without reason while begrudging fifty yen for his wife’s haori.

“That haori has already been made.”

“You made it?
“When did you?”

“I had it made last month.”
“There was a Women’s Association event, you see.”

And Mrs. Torii was perfectly composed.

“Isn’t it you who’s slightly lacking in sincerity?”

And Mr. Torii’s face once again turned hostile.
Mrs. Torii, acting according to a prearranged program, remained coolheaded at all times, but her husband floundered without a coherent strategy.
His ability to turn red or blue as the situation demanded was reminiscent of a turkey.

“No matter what you say, the Women’s Association was indeed a new-pattern exhibition, you see.”
“Well, I can’t go out wearing the same thing all the time.”

“Then you should have consulted me before having it made.”

“Have you ever once consulted me before buying anything?”

“When buying items over thirty yen, you’re supposed to consult without fail, aren’t you? I’ve consulted you every single time I’ve had Western clothes made or a coat tailored!”

“Ohoho…”

“What are you laughing at?”

“Whatever you say. Let’s just go to bed already. How tedious.”

And Mrs. Torii delivered the final jab.

“When did you turn into such a resentful woman?”
“Your attitude—it’s like you’re some kind of vixen!”

And Mr. Torii flew into a raging fury.
The battle was just reaching its climax.

“Being labeled a vixen over a single haori jacket—I can’t stay silent either.”
“You.”
“What?”

“There’s no one as cold as you.”
“You and your not-at-all-manly little tricks!”
“What part of that isn’t manly?”
“Aren’t you always sneaking around hiding things in such a strange way?”

“Let’s hear what I’ve supposedly hidden.”

“I’ve known for quite some time why you, who are such a late riser, occasionally get up in the dim light of dawn.”

Having said this, Mrs. Torii watched her husband’s expression as if gauging how much effect her words had.

“Hmm… So it’s about the bonsai.”

“I know exactly how many pots you’ve bought from spring through autumn.”

“So what about it? I buy them with my allowance—no need for your interference!”

“In that case, there’s no need to hide them from me, is there?”

“I haven’t hidden anything.”

“No, that’s a lie. You buy them in the evening, go out, and hide them in the entrance planting, don’t you? And then you get up early in the morning and stealthily put them on the garden shelf, don’t you? If they’re something you bought with your own allowance, there’s no need to go to such lengths to keep them secret, is there?”

“It’s not that I’m keeping it secret—you just have no taste for these things,”
“I hate seeing you make that ‘here we go again’ face every time.”
“All you women who fuss over bonsai do this! It’s not just me!”
“Don’t go suspecting others when you don’t understand how the world works!”

“But that’s odd.”
“Didn’t you tell your friends about paying eighty yen here and a hundred ten there?”

“I said I bought something worth that much for cheaper!”
“Every bonsai lover brags about their deals!”

“You, I apologize if this seems rather intrusive, but might I be permitted to take a look at your bankbook? After all, for the housewife of the family to remain unaware of whether there’s money in the household or not would be quite a careless state of affairs, wouldn’t it?”

“I won’t show you the bankbook.”

“Might there be a reason you cannot show it?”

“There’s no particular reason, but why should I show it to someone who demands it in such a confrontational manner? If you would bow your head and ask properly, then perhaps…”

“It’s not some treasure.”
“I will not bow my head.”
“That’s why I won’t show it.”

“You’re being stubborn, aren’t you?”

“Exactly.”
“Go ahead and do whatever you want!”

And Mr. Torii, finding himself cornered, blurted out abusive words.
It would be proper to recognize that the first battle had ended in the husband’s defeat.

“You, I still have something more to say, you know.”

And after a brief respite, Mrs. Torii embarked on the second round of her attack.

“Enough already! Shut up!”

“Oh no, we’re just getting started—you’ll be confessing now.”

“Confession? Don’t be absurd!”

“Please confess what you deem to be the worst thing you’ve done this autumn.”
“I too shall confess to one gold-threaded haori jacket—so we’re even, aren’t we?”

“Cut it out already!”

Even as Mr. Torii spoke with such bluster, the weakness in his heart made him lapse into brooding.

“Since there are so many [misdeeds] that you can’t possibly keep track, shall I list them for you?”

And Mrs. Torii displayed unshakable composure,
“You declared you fell for that eighty-five-yen Go board this summer, didn’t you?”

She peered at her husband’s reaction.

“I’m going to bed.”

“Now, wait a moment.”
“As the children will gradually grow up, it would be inconvenient if you were to use such vulgar expressions as ‘fell in love’ within the household.”

“Are you nitpicking my words now?”
“Then I’ll watch my words.”

“I’ll have you watch your words as well—but didn’t you declare that you’d won first prize at the Go tournament early this autumn, then ride home together with that new Go board the very next evening?”

“Hmm.”
“Is that Go board under suspicion?”

And Mr. Torii seemed genuinely taken aback.

“That is correct, sir. It’s precisely because you resort to such underhanded schemes that I say there’s no sincerity.”

“Well now!”
“Of course you’d think that way—you don’t understand Go.”
“In Go, weaker players get handicap stones to level the field.”
“Victory depends on luck in the moment.”
“Even I might achieve a perfect victory once in my lifetime.”
“Go ask the players who visit our house.”
“Besides, didn’t it have ceremonial cords and a congratulatory tag attached as proof of first prize?”

“Any apprentice at a Go board shop could attach cords like those.”
“I hold conclusive evidence.”

“What evidence?”

“Take a look.
Doesn’t it trouble you?”

“Trying to bait me won’t work.
I’ll own up to the bonsai, but the Go board is a false accusation!”

“So you acknowledge only the bonsai, then?”

“I concede to some extent.
I’m going to bed.”

“You truly have nerves of steel, haven’t you?”

Mrs. Torii spoke in thoroughly exasperated tones.

“Why?”
“There’s simply no end to your evasions.”
“Do as you like.”

“Darling, if I were to have the receipt from the Go board shop, what would you do?”

“Huh?”

“Eighty-five yen, from Shiba-ku Imairi-chō.”

“Well, well… I’m thoroughly impressed.”

And Mr. Torii could no longer hold his ground.
The husband, having lost the first round, reluctantly spilled everything in the second.

“There, see?”

“I’ve got nothing to say.”
“Seems I can’t get away with anything after all.”
“How’d something like that end up in your hands?”

“When I sent your summer suit to the cleaners, I checked the pockets.”
“Out it came with the commuter pass cover.”
“Divine punishment, wouldn’t you say?”

Mrs. Torii crowed victoriously.
Though perhaps it wasn’t when she’d sent them for cleaning.
Any husband worth his salt had best assume his suit pockets were inspected daily—safer that way.

“I truly fell for that Go board.”
“I couldn’t give up and went to see it many times, but since I already had two boards, I felt bad about bringing it up with you.”
“So I devised a plan and carried it out the day after the Go tournament.”
“I believe it was September’s payday.”

“I was furious.”
“When I thought you were doing such things, I immediately had a haori jacket made, but since my irritation hadn’t subsided, I bought an obi belt too.”
“Together they cost exactly as much as the Go board.”
“Since you’ve confessed, I shall confess as well.”

“You’re not one to be kept in the shadows either, are you?”

And Mr. Torii had no choice but to praise his wife’s resourcefulness.

“But I have a conscience,”
“I felt guilty about it all along, you know.”

“What do you think?”

“That’s what you say when measured against your own heart.”
“There’s no one as shameless as you.”

“I’m not shameless—I just thought I’d pulled it off splendidly and let my guard down.”

“The very fact you can remain so nonchalant proves your shamelessness.”
“I, for one, regretted it immediately.”
“Even if I had an obi and haori made, there would be no joy whatsoever unless you could see them.”

And Mrs. Torii cast a coquettish look at her husband.
Even past thirty, with some effort, one could still exude a certain charm.

“I see. That must have been the case too.”

And Mr. Torii had utterly forgotten all about having been thoroughly cornered since earlier.

“Am I such a poisonous woman?”

“No, that’s not true at all.”
“That was a slip of the tongue.”
“I retract it.”

“Let’s both show some forbearance, shall we?”

“I was the one in the wrong.”
“From now on, I’ll firmly uphold the constitution.”
“For any expenditure over thirty yen, I’ll definitely consult with you.”

“May I see the bankbook?”

“Just this once, let me save face.”
“I’ve already surrendered completely.”

“If you would just behave prudently from now on, that would be splendid.”

“Of course I’ll be careful.”

“When New Year comes, there will be another Go tournament, won’t there? If there are three Go boards and only two sets of stones, you’ll no doubt win first prize again and go on to receive Go stones worth around a hundred yen. That is exactly what I feared.”

“It’s all right now.”
“If I want to buy anything, I’ll consult you.”
“My only indulgences are Go and bonsai.”
“There’s no need to fret even if I don’t show you the passbook.”
“My other expenditures are quite strict, you know.”

“I am quite reassured.”
“What’s anyone to do with someone like you?”

And Mrs. Torii placed her deep trust in him.

“What a mess.”
“I can’t tell whether I’ve been praised or criticized.”

With mock deference, Mr. Torii said,
“Won’t you make even a cup of tea?
Marital squabbles do leave one parched.”

“If you’re exhausted, I’ll pour you some water.”
“Ohohoho…”

And Mrs. Torii reached the end of the program.

(February 1926, Omoshiro Club)