第 4 节
作者:
你妹找1 更新:2021-02-21 11:55 字数:9322
off! Great as the pain was; he gave no cry。 The heavy footfalls receded
along the verandah; descended into the garden; passed out to the
roadway; ceased。 From either side of his head; the blind man felt a thick
warm trickling; but he dared not lift his hands。。。
Before sunrise the priest came back。 He hastened at once to the
verandah in the rear; stepped and slipped upon something clammy; and
uttered a cry of horror; for he say; by the light of his lantern; that the
clamminess was blood。 But he perceived Hoichi sitting there; in the
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attitude of meditation with the blood still oozing from his wounds。
〃My poor Hoichi!〃 cried the startled priest; 〃what is this?。。。 You
have been hurt?
At the sound of his friend's voice; the blind man felt safe。 He burst
out sobbing; and tearfully told his adventure of the night。
〃Poor; poor Hoichi!〃 the priest exclaimed; 〃all my fault! my very
grievous fault!。。。 Everywhere upon your body the holy texts had been
written except upon your ears! I trusted my acolyte to do that part of the
work; and it was very; very wrong of me not to have made sure that he had
done it!。。。 Well; the matter cannot now be helped; we can only try to
heal your hurts as soon as possible。。。 Cheer up; friend! the danger is now
well over。 You will never again be troubled by those visitors。〃
With the aid of a good doctor; Hoichi soon recovered from his injuries。
The story of his strange adventure spread far and wide; and soon made
him famous。 Many noble persons went to Akamagaseki to hear him recite;
and large presents of money were given to him; so that he became a
wealthy man。。。 But from the time of his adventure; he was known only by
the appellation of Mimi…nashi…Hoichi: 〃Hoichi…the…Earless。〃
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OSHIDORI
There was a falconer and hunter; named Sonjo; who lived in the
district called Tamura…no…Go; of the province of Mutsu。 One day he went
out hunting; and could not find any game。 But on his way home; at a place
called Akanuma; he perceived a pair of oshidori '1' (mandarin…ducks);
swimming together in a river that he was about to cross。 to kill oshidori is
not good; but Sonjo happened to be very hungry; and he shot at the pair。
His arrow pierced the male: the female escaped into the rushes of the
further shore; and disappeared。 Sonjo took the dead bird home; and cooked
it。
That night he dreamed a dreary dream。 It seemed to him that a
beautiful woman came into his room; and stood by his pillow; and began
to weep。 So bitterly did she weep that Sonjo felt as if his heart were being
torn out while he listened。 And the woman cried to him: 〃Why; oh! why
did you kill him? of what wrong was he guilty?。。。 At Akanuma we were
so happy together; and you killed him!。。。 What harm did he ever do you?
Do you even know what you have done? oh! do you know what a cruel;
what a wicked thing you have done?。。。 Me too you have killed; for I will
not live without my husband!。。。 Only to tell you this I came。〃。。。 Then again
she wept aloud; so bitterly that the voice of her crying pierced into the
marrow of the listener's bones; and she sobbed out the words of this
poem:
Hi kurureba Sasoeshi mono wo Akanuma no Makomo no kure no
Hitori…ne zo uki!
(〃At the coming of twilight I invited him to return with me ! Now to
sleep alone in the shadow of the rushes of Akanuma ah! what misery
unspeakable!〃) '2'
And after having uttered these verses she exclaimed: 〃Ah; you do not
know you cannot know what you have done! But to…morrow; when you
go to Akanuma; you will see; you will see。。。〃 So saying; and weeping
very piteously; she went away。
When Sonjo awoke in the morning; this dream remained so vivid in
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his mind that he was greatly troubled。 He remembered the words: 〃But
to…morrow; when you go to Akanuma; you will see; you will see。〃 And
he resolved to go there at once; that he might learn whether his dream was
anything more than a dream。
So he went to Akanuma; and there; when he came to the river…bank;
he saw the female oshidori swimming alone。 In the same moment the bird
perceived Sonjo; but; instead of trying to escape; she swam straight
towards him; looking at him the while in a strange fixed way。 Then; with
her beak; she suddenly tore open her own body; and died before the
hunter's eyes。。。
Sonjo shaved his head; and became a priest。
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THE STORY OF O…TEI
A long time ago; in the town of Niigata; in the province of Echizen;
there lived a man called Nagao Chosei。
Nagao was the son of a physician; and was educated for his father's
profession。 At an early age he had been betrothed to a girl called O…Tei;
the daughter of one of his father's friends; and both families had agreed
that the wedding should take place as soon as Nagao had finished his
studies。 But the health of O…Tei proved to be weak; and in her fifteenth
year she was attacked by a fatal consumption。 When she became aware
that she must die; she sent for Nagao to bid him farewell。
As he knelt at her bedside; she said to him:
〃Nagao…Sama; (1) my betrothed; we were promised to each other
from the time of our childhood; and we were to have been married at the
end of this year。 But now I am goingto die; the gods know what is best
for us。 If I were able to live for some years longer; I could only continue to
be a cause of trouble and grief for others。 With this frail body; I could not
be a good wife; and therefore even to wish to live; for your sake; would be
a very selfish wish。 I am quite resigned to die; and I want you to promise
that you will not grieve。。。 Besides; I want to tell you that I think we shall
meet again。〃。。。
〃Indeed we shall meet again;〃 Nagao answered earnestly。 〃And in
that Pure Land (2) there will be no pain of separation。〃
〃Nay; nay!〃 she responded softly; 〃I meant not the Pure Land。 I
believe that we are destined to meet again in this world; although I shall
be buried to…morrow。〃
Nagao looked at her wonderingly; and saw her smile at his wonder。
She continued; in her gentle; dreamy voice;
〃Yes; I mean in this world; in your own present life; Nagao…Sama。。。
Providing; indeed; that you wish it。 Only; for this thing to happen; I must
again be born a girl; and grow up to womanhood。 So you would have to
wait。 Fifteen sixteen years: that is a long time。。。 But; my promised
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husband; you are now only nineteen years old。〃。。。
Eager to soothe her dying moments; he answered tenderly:
〃To wait for you; my betrothed; were no less a joy than a duty。 We are
pledged to each other for the time of seven existences。〃
〃But you doubt?〃 she questioned; watching his face。
〃My dear one;〃 he answered; 〃I doubt whether I should be able to
know you in another body; under another name; unless you can tell me
of a sign or token。〃
〃That I cannot do;〃 she said。 〃Only the Gods and the Buddhas know
how and where we shall meet。 But I am sure very; very sure that; if
you be not unwilling to receive me; I shall be able to come back to you。。。
Remember these words of mine。〃。。。
She ceased to speak; and her eyes closed。 She was dead。
* * *
Nagao had been sincerely attached to O…Tei; and his grief was deep。
He had a mortuary tablet made; inscribed with her zokumyo; '1' and he
placed the tablet in his butsudan; '2' and every day set offerings before it。
He thought a great deal about the strange th