Pathway to Japanese Literature

The Mysterious White Mansion

“What do you think, Ryūsuke!”

Dr. Haruta, who had been sipping after-dinner coffee while looking at the boy Ryūsuke, tossed aside the newspaper he had been reading and spoke.

“Lately, that so-called mysterious White Mansion Incident has been ridiculously sensationalized in the newspapers, but what exactly was that whole affair about?”

“Ah, that one?”

The boy Ryūsuke answered while chewing a post-meal apple.

“That’s the most intriguing case we’ve had in recent times, Father. An engineering doctor named Matsukawa Genji was killed in a strange manner at his own residence in Shirokane Sankō-chō, Shiba Ward. The peculiar thing is that about a week before being killed, he kept telling his manservant Gorō, ‘I’ll be killed by a ghost!’ he kept repeating this, they say. And the manservant Gorō also claimed that from then on, he occasionally saw a tall white ghost floating through the mansion’s interior late at night. Dr. Matsukawa was killed late at night on September 8th in his study.”

“At that moment, Gorō—awakened by the sound of the revolver Dr. Matsukawa had fired—rushed over to find a tall white ghost floating out from the locked study and disappearing down the dark corridor toward the parlor, or so he claimed. Trembling violently, Gorō forced open the securely locked door to the study and entered to find Dr. Matsukawa dead in his armchair, a revolver clutched in one hand.”

“What made it even stranger was that according to the examination by the doctor who rushed over from the police, there remained only a small mark on the forehead as if something had lightly pricked it, with no life-threatening injuries anywhere.”

“‘He likely died of cardiac arrest from extreme terror after seeing the ghost up close’—that was the police doctor’s diagnosis.”

“However, of course the police could not believe such a fanciful tale, so they had Dr. Matsukawa’s body autopsied at Tokyo Imperial University Medical School, but the results were the same—there was nothing particularly unusual internally either.”

“They thoroughly investigated the manservant Gorō, but all they discovered was that he had been a loyal servant who had attended to Dr. Matsukawa for many years, always caring for him single-handedly.”

“Dr. Matsukawa had moved to his current residence from Hongo about three months prior along with his manservant. When relocating to this mansion, he would habitually say to Gorō like a mantra: ‘Once we get to this new house, I’ll definitely become a wealthy man! And when I do, I’ll share plenty with you too!’”

Scientist Matsukawa Appears

“I see,” Dr. Haruta nodded.
“It seems like an intriguing case, but it’s gotten rather complicated!”

“I find this case extremely intriguing—please wait a moment.”

With that, the boy Ryūsuke rose from his seat.

“I’ve prepared notes on this case over the past two or three days, so let me share some of that with you, Father!”

And he left for his own room but immediately returned with a thick notebook, continuing to talk while flipping through its pages.

“Hey Father, I investigated at Ueno Library for two full days—the day before yesterday and yesterday—and according to that research, eight people had already been killed at that White Mansion where the doctor was murdered before this latest incident. That white-plastered Western-style mansion was built around the thirtieth year of Meiji, but about half a year after its construction, the owner of the house vanished without a trace. From then on, whenever someone moved in, mysterious incidents would inevitably occur—they’d either be killed or vanish without a trace—until finally it became known as a cursed mansion with no residents, left to crumble into utter ruin. Then three months ago, Dr. Matsukawa purchased it cheaply and moved in.”

“Eight murders in the same mansion?”

“That’s right. Hey Father! With this, the case has gotten even more intriguing, don’t you think?”

“Hmm, but it does seem a bit too complicated. This case is beyond a child like you!”

“Is that so? But I would like to try solving this case.”

While they were discussing this, a student servant brought a name card and informed Ryūsuke of a visitor.

“He says he urgently wishes to meet you.”

The name card read “Scientist Matsukawa Sutezo,” printed in block letters.
Ryūsuke muttered the name two or three times under his breath but suddenly exclaimed joyfully.

“Father, the case has finally necessitated my intervention.”
“Very well. You may show him in.”

After the student servant left, Ryūsuke began pacing around the room as if deep in thought.

“Who was it that came to visit?”

“Scientist Matsukawa Sutezo… In relation to the murdered doctor—let’s see—probably a younger brother, or if not that, perhaps a cousin.”

And, as if having made up his mind, he strode out of the room.

The Cause of the Murder!

“I am Matsukawa Sutezo.”

The man waiting in the parlor was surprised to find Ryūsuke unexpectedly a small child but nevertheless greeted him politely.

“Please state your business!”

Ryūsuke said as he pulled the pencil and notebook closer.

“To put it simply!” Scientist Matsukawa leaned forward, seemingly emboldened by the boy’s composed demeanor unbecoming of a child.

“To tell the truth, I am Dr. Matsukawa’s younger brother, but I am determined to uncover the cause of my brother’s murder. And as I wish to identify the murderer—if at all possible—I have come to request your assistance.”

“Very well!”

Ryūsuke answered clearly with a thoughtful expression.

“I will lend you my assistance. Let me see—I shall come to White Mansion tomorrow at 10 AM. We shall meet there again!”

“Is there anything you require me to prepare?”

“Well, I’d like a thick steak for lunch, Mr. Matsukawa.”

Ryūsuke laughed.
Scientist Matsukawa, similarly prompted,
“Understood. I will prepare a grand feast and await your arrival!”
He left with a laugh.

That night, Ryūsuke secluded himself in the study until nearly two o'clock, engrossed in examining an old Edo-period map and poring over various books with intense focus.

This is it! The black feather!

At ten o'clock the following morning, Ryūsuke arrived at White Mansion in Shirokane Sankō-chō, Shiba Ward.

Scientist Matsukawa had already arrived and, taking the lead in guiding Ryūsuke, made efforts to provide various explanations.

White Mansion stood divided into a parlor and study as though following a separate blueprint.
The study formed a two-story structure with three rooms on the lower level where the manservant Gorō resided in the southernmost chamber.
The second floor served as the doctor's library.

Scientist Matsukawa guided Ryūsuke into the study where the doctor had been murdered.

“It was here that my brother was murdered!”

“The doctor was dead in this chair, correct?”

“Yes, that’s the chair.”

“This room hasn’t been cleaned yet, I suppose?”

“We haven’t touched it at all.”

Ryūsuke, looking thoroughly tense, began earnestly examining the room, centered around the doctor’s deep armchair.

From the chair to the desk, the bookshelf, the fireplace.
He crawled around like a cat all the way to the window and examined every inch, but found nothing.

“Have you found anything that could serve as evidence?”

Scientist Matsukawa asked impatiently, but Ryūsuke did not answer and instead suddenly fixed his gaze on the small rotating window above the entrance door. It was a small rotating window, like those found above entrance doors in elementary school classrooms.

“Excuse me, but could you please summon the manservant?” said Ryūsuke.

“I shall go call him!”
Scientist Matsukawa departed immediately.

When Scientist Matsukawa left, Ryūsuke moved with mouse-like swiftness, pulled a chair over, climbed onto it, and examined the rotating window above the door.

“Found it!” Ryūsuke exclaimed softly as he plucked a single black, soft feather from the window frame.

Imperial fate hinges on this battle

“I’m about to find the breakthrough!”

While muttering this to himself and hurriedly putting the chair back in place, just then Scientist Matsukawa returned with the manservant.

“I am Gorō!”

With that, the manservant Gorō stood before Ryūsuke. At a glance, he appeared to be a sturdy man in his fifties with curiously sharp eyes, a pointed nose, and a somewhat fearsome countenance.

"When you rushed over at the sound of the doctor's revolver, you heard another noise too—didn't you?!"

Ryūsuke declared decisively, his tone brooking no argument.

“What noise… Not really.”

“No—you definitely heard some noise, didn’t you? And that white ghost must have said something, right?”

Ryūsuke glared sharply at Gorō, determined not to miss even the slightest flicker of his eyes as he pressed on.

“Yes, yes—now that you mention it, the ghost did say something, didn’t it?”

Gorō, with his somehow fearsome face, spoke while wearing a smug, icy smile.

“At that moment, I was so startled, wasn’t I?
“Well sir, when that white ghost came slippin’ out from a properly locked room, my guts near turned inside out, wasn’t I? Tremblin’ all over as I watched, that ghostly thing called out three times—‘Gorō, come here!’—it did say.
“And then it went and vanished into the dark corner of the corridor, sir…”

“Alright, that’s enough! Get out now!”

“Right away!”
Gorō glared fixedly at Ryūsuke and shuffled out of the room with dragging steps.

However, Gorō soon returned and said in a sluggish tone:
“Oh... Dunno if this helps none, but the master always looked at that framed writing on the wall mutterin’, ‘If only I could figure this out...’”

Ryūsuke examined the framed work he’d been shown.
It depicted the Battle of the Japan Sea, with black katakana reading *KWAUKOKUNOKOUHAIKONOITSENNIARI* across the top. A red dot marked the “no” character in *KONOITSUSEN*.

Next to it was written: "The sun rises in the east and sets in the west; water flows from north to south."

Ryūsuke carefully copied it into his notebook.

“Well then, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to see the garden.”

Ryūsuke left the study with those words.

In the garden, there was nothing particularly noteworthy.
However, when he arrived outside Gorō’s room, there was a large birdcage where he found a rare South Seas parrot the size of a chicken.

“Oh, you have a rare parrot there. Who does it belong to?”
Ryūsuke turned to face Gorō and asked.

“Ah, that’s mine. Master Sutezo gave it to me.”
Gorō answered.

“That’s one I brought back from the South Seas about three years ago. It’s tame now, but remains an extremely fierce bird—when riled up, it’ll peck dogs or calves to death.”

“I see. How terrifying.”

As he spoke, Ryūsuke casually touched the birdcage door—and for some reason, the moment he did, the door opened,

“Squawk!
“Squawk!”
“Squawk!” With that cry, the large parrot flew out and lunged at Ryūsuke with terrifying force.

“Hah!” he thought, ducking down—just as Scientist Matsukawa, fortunately standing nearby, swiftly reached out and caught the large parrot, allowing Ryūsuke to escape injury.

“Oh my! That’s incredible!”

Even Ryūsuke was startled. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he let out a wry smile.

Cryptic Text and Painstaking Efforts

That evening, the Haruta household’s dinner was lively, with the entire family gathered and Viscount Hayashida—known from the Yellow Diamond Necklace Incident—also present as a guest.

“I believe if I ask Uncle, I’ll find out.”

Sipping his after-dinner coffee, Ryūsuke said.

"Uncle, your family was indeed formerly in service to Marquis Hasegawa Dewa-no-kami as retainers, correct?"

"That's right. Is there something to it?"

"In Marquis Hasegawa's retinue of house elders, there was indeed one named Katsuhama—do you happen to know what became of him after the Meiji Restoration?"

"Ah, Katsuhama? That scoundrel was a villain through and through—he stole about 20,000 gold coins belonging to the clan lord and fled after hiding them somewhere."
"They searched extensively, but he remained missing."

“I see，thank you very much.”
“Well now…”
said Viscount Hayashida with a laugh.

“Is the famous detective attempting to solve another case again?”

“Ah, Ryūsuke here,” Dr. Haruta interjected from beside them.
“He’s working on that Ghost Murder Case at White Mansion.”

“Well now, that’s quite a serious matter! That’s a case even the Metropolitan Police are struggling with. I doubt even you, Ryūsuke, will be able to crack it.”
The viscount said.

“But,” said Ryūsuke with a smile.
“But Uncle, I’ve already grasped the whole truth.”
“I’ll completely solve the case by the evening after next and catch Dr.Matsukawa’s murderer too!”

“Really, Ryūsuke?!”

Both the Viscount and Dr.Haruta cried out in astonishment.

“It’s absolutely true! When I say I’ll do something, I never fail!”
With that declaration, Ryūsuke laughed.

“Oh, Elder Brother! Does that mean you’ve already finished investigating everything?”
From beside them, younger sister Fumiko clapped her hands.
“So this time, I have no role to play, then?”

“That’s right.
I never let you help out anyway. Just stay quiet and watch this time.”

With that, Ryūsuke stood up.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave first. There’s a code I must solve now.”

And leaving the dining room, he retreated to his study.—Had Ryūsuke truly already solved the case?!

A package wrapped in white cloth

Suddenly!

From the bright morning onward, Ryūsuke's remarkable exploits began.

As usual silent and not uttering a single word, he went by car to the Metropolitan Police Headquarters, then raced like a whirlwind to Tokyo Imperial University Medical School. And once he went outside—curiously enough—he visited a wax workshop and brought along a skilled artisan before returning to the Medical University. Ryūsuke and the wax artisan spent half a day in a classroom at the Medical University and left around two in the afternoon carrying a package wrapped in white cloth that measured about five shaku in length.

After leaving the university, Ryūsuke visited Kenkotsu Sōta’s house by car with the package.

“Oh, Young master! You’ve come!”

Sōta welcomed Ryūsuke with great delight, as he had gone out of his way to visit.
Ryūsuke angrily said.
“Hey! You called me ‘young master’ again! Then we’re no longer friends—how rude!”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I just forgot! I won’t say it again, so please forgive me!”

Sōta scratched his head and apologized.

"Alright, I'll let it slide just this time. Now then, Sōta—there's actually another interesting case where I need your help."

“That’s splendid—I’ll do whatever you need!”
“Now then, lend me your ear.”

With that, Ryūsuke brought his mouth close to Sōta's ear and whispered something for a while.

"Got it, right?"

"Yeah... I ain't too fond of ghosts, but if I'm with Young mas—... no, Mr. Haruta here, I'll do it!"

"Alright, I'm counting on you! Got it? Exactly at eight o'clock!"

After firmly making this promise, Ryūsuke entrusted the white cloth-wrapped package to Sōta and once again had the car driven to the Metropolitan Police Headquarters.

That day around seven o'clock after dinner, Ryūsuke strolled over to White Mansion on foot.
At White Mansion now without its master, the manservant Gorō kept a lonely vigil through the night by himself.

“There’s something I need to check!”

With that, Ryūsuke entered the doctor’s study. After about five minutes, he emerged holding a letter and commanded, “I’m sorry to trouble you, but deliver this letter to Mr. Matsukawa, the Bachelor of Science, and bring back his reply.”

“Right away—I’ll get right to it.”

After receiving the letter, Gorō reluctantly left White Mansion.
Exactly as the clock was striking eight o’clock.

As Gorō exited through the front gate, from the opposite side Kenkotsu Sōta slipped in through the back gate carrying a slender package wrapped in white cloth.

And when about thirty minutes had passed and Gorō returned with Mr. Matsukawa the Bachelor of Science’s reply, Sōta was nowhere to be seen, while Ryūsuke sat in the study deeply engrossed in thought.
Upon receiving the Bachelor of Science’s reply, Ryūsuke tore it up unopened and departed White Mansion.

“All right – tomorrow’s finally the day!”

Ryūsuke, having exited the gate, shouted cheerfully.

Night at White Mansion

The next morning, Ryūsuke called the Metropolitan Police Headquarters to stress, “By nine o’clock, as promised!”
And then he called Kenkotsu Sōta and repeatedly,

“You must not come out whatever happens until I give the signal!” he commanded.

And so, it was finally 10:30 PM that very day.
A car that had been racing through the darkness came to a halt before White Mansion.
It was Matsukawa, the Bachelor of Science, who had arrived per Ryūsuke's arrangement.

When he arrived at the late doctor’s study—a place he knew well—the boy Ryūsuke was already there waiting.
The two exchanged brief greetings and took their seats.

“Mr. Matsukawa!”

Ryūsuke was the first to speak. “The truth is—an extraordinary secret about this White Mansion has been discovered!!”

“An extraordinary secret?”
The Bachelor of Science leaned forward on one knee, his eyes glinting sharply.

“What on earth could that be?!”

“This!”
With that, Ryūsuke handed over a piece of paper.
It was the note containing the mysterious text that had been written on that painting of the Battle of Tsushima.

“Why is this a secret?”

“This, you see, is a secret guide map showing where a vast amount of gold coins was buried somewhere on this mansion’s grounds!”

“A vast amount of gold coins⁉”
The Bachelor of Science audibly swallowed.

“That’s right—it’s about 20,000 yen in cash!”

“So have you found out where it’s buried, well, Mr. Haruta⁉”

“Now, wait a moment—I think it would be better if I first explain why such gold coins are buried underneath this mansion.”
With that, Ryūsuke began his explanation.

When examining old Edo-period maps, this mansion stood on the site where Hasegawa Dewanokami's secondary villa had once existed. In the Hasegawa household, shortly after the Meiji Restoration, a former House Elder named Katsuhama Shuzan concealed the main family's 20,000 gold coins somewhere and fled. After these events, this secondary villa eventually fell into ruin and became wasteland, but about twenty years later, a certain person purchased the land and built a house. That person appeared to have been a relative of Katsuhama Shuzan. However, someone who knew Katsuhama had hidden 20,000 gold coins somewhere had pinpointed that they must be buried on this estate's grounds and, by killing off those who lived in this house, attempted to dig out that gold.

“What do you think, Mr. Matsukawa? Doesn’t my conjecture hold true?”

“So you’ve deciphered this code then, Mr. Haruta?”
Matsukawa the Bachelor of Science pressed impatiently.

“I’ve solved it,” Ryūsuke continued. “It’s perfectly elementary—observe these nineteen characters reading ‘Kuwa Ukoku no Kouhai Kono Itsusen ni Ari.’ You’ll notice a red mark annotating the ‘no’ character here. This indicates the gold lies buried at whichever position corresponds to this marked ‘no’ among nineteen.”

“I’m well aware of that, but I don’t understand what those nineteen characters mean!”

The Bachelor of Science grew increasingly agitated.

Ah!! The white ghost

“That’s right—those nineteen characters are the crux.”

“You don’t understand?”

“No—I’ve figured it out.
In other words, that’s exactly the number of large pillars in White Mansion!”

The Bachelor of Science involuntarily let out a cry of surprise.

“When I immediately investigated, I found there are exactly nineteen large pillars. In other words, at the position corresponding to the ‘no’ character among these pillars, the 20,000 gold coins are buried!
Now, as for identifying which pillar corresponded to the ‘no’ character—this I found extremely simple.
This White Mansion is built facing east.
And on that plaque—‘The sun rises in the east and sets in the west—
water flows from north to south’—there’s that riddle-like phrase, you see.
That’s it.
In other words, starting from the eastern pillar, counting from north to south while advancing westward—the pillar corresponding to the ‘no’ character is that one.
I’ve drawn up a rough diagram of it!”
With that, Ryūsuke took out and showed the rough diagram.
According to it, it was stated that the pillar at the inner corner of the doctor’s study corresponded to what was shown in the diagram.

“Ah, thank you, Mr. Haruta. You truly have a brilliant mind.”

Just as the Bachelor of Science said this, the lights suddenly went out.

"Be careful, Mr. Haruta!!"
"I'm all right! Do you have any matches, Mr. Matsukawa?"

And then, into the darkness, a white figure glided in from somewhere.
It stood at the entrance door, its tall white hem—almost reaching the ceiling—fluttering weightlessly in the air as it swayed gently.

“Ah!! The white ghost!!”
Ryūsuke shouted.

Behold—upon hearing Ryūsukes cry,the white ghost lunged at his face like a falcon.
He had no time to dodge.

With a scream of “Ah!!”, he staggered two or three steps but collapsed with a thud—still clutching his forehead tightly—as Ryūsuke began groaning in pain.

“Water... Someone come... Ah, I’m going to die.”
The white ghost vanished swiftly somewhere once more.
All that remained was the sound of Ryūsuke’s labored gasps.

An eerie, deathly silence persisted.
About ten minutes passed.
Ryūsuke's groans also ceased.

“Well then, so I can finally behold my own god of fortune?!”

How strange! When Matsukawa, the Bachelor of Science, muttered this, he advanced toward the northeast corner pillar of the study marked on the diagram without so much as glancing at Ryūsuke. To remove the floorboards, he first rolled up the rug. When he attempted to inspect the board seams with his flashlight, he discovered a single sheet of paper lying there.

“Hm?”
The Bachelor of Science said this and picked up the paper; on it was written in trembling characters:

“Sutezo, you’ve come at last. I’ve been waiting.
“I was killed by you, but I will drag you down to hell… Look behind you.”
“Matsukawa Genta”

It was a letter from the murdered Dr. Matsukawa—a letter from beyond the grave—the Bachelor of Science shuddered: “…………”
Fearfully, he turned around.
Behold—behind the Bachelor of Science stood a white-robed dead man with a small wound on his forehead, glaring resentfully at him!

“Kyah!!”
Screaming, the Bachelor of Science retreated two steps backward. “Forgive me, Brother! I shouldn’t have killed you—”
“Forgive me! Forgive me!” he pleaded desperately.

At that moment, in Ryūsuke's voice,

“That’s quite enough, everyone—you may come in now.”
That was heard.

The lights flashed on. Ten or so police officers came rushing in haphazardly and handcuffed the astonished Bachelor of Science.—And Dr. Matsukawa’s ghost?
The ghost was flung aside.
And from within it, that Kenkotsu Sōta appeared.

“Damn you! You damn well tricked me!” roared the Bachelor of Science.

“Those who deceive will be deceived,” said Ryūsuke. “Now then, please arrest Dr. Matsukawa’s murderer.”

Sōta asked curiously from beside him.

"Mr. Haruta, but what exactly was that white ghost?"

“Oh, that? Well, you see, there was that large South Sea parrot in the garden, right? We tied white silk to its legs. Once you know how it’s done, it’s just a child’s prank.”
“Whoa...”
Sōta could only scratch his head in embarrassment.

Matsukawa Sutezo, the Bachelor of Science, was brothers with Dr. Matsukawa Genji, both being grandsons of Katsuhama Shuzan. However, when Dr. Genji attempted to locate and claim the 20,000 gold coins for himself alone, his younger brother Sutezo—in a fit of rage—applied poison to the beak of his trained South Sea parrot and had it peck his elder brother to death.
The poison was a potent one that could kill even from a minor wound, but it was a secret toxin that naturally dissipated two hours after death.

And to conceal this, he had tied white silk cloth to the parrot's legs, so both Dr. Matsukawa and Gorō made a commotion, claiming it was a white ghost.

Ryūsuke had picked up a black feather from the rotating window frame; had discovered the parrot in the garden and discerned from its attack that the Bachelor of Science had trained it; and had investigated how this mansion stood on the former site of Viscount Hasegawa's secondary residence, where a House Elder had hidden and fled with 20,000 gold coins—thereby grasping the thread that unraveled the case.

And thus, the ghost murder case that had stirred society was brought to a successful conclusion by Ryūsuke's hand.

Furthermore, I shall note that while the gold buried beneath White Mansion was returned to the Hasegawa family, half of it was later donated by them to fund Ryūsuke’s research.