The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima Read Free Book Online

into short lengths and fitting them into a long, slender brass pipe. The lighthouse was dead during the daytime, with only one of the young assistants in the watchhouse to report ship movements.
    Toward evening that day, even though no etiquette lesson was scheduled, Hatsue came visiting, bringing a door-gift of some sea-cucumbers wrapped in newspaper. Beneath her blue-serge skirt she was wearing long flesh-colored stockings, and over them red socks. Her sweater was her usual scarlet one.
    Hatsue had no sooner entered the house than the mistress began giving advice, not mincing her words:
    “When you wear a blue skirt, Hatsue-san, you ought to wear black hose. I know you have some because you were wearing them only the other day.”
    “Well …” Blushing slightly, Hatsue sat down beside the hearth.
    At the regular lessons of etiquette and home-making the girls sat listening fairly intently and the mistress spoke in a lecturing tone of voice, but now, seated by the hearth with Hatsue, she began talking in a free and easy way. As her visitor was a young girl, she talked first in a general sort of way about love, and finally got around to asking such direct questions as “Isn’t there someone you like very much?” At times, when the lighthouse-keeper saw the girl become rattled, he would ask a teasing question of his own.
    When it began to grow late they asked Hatsue several times if she didn’t have to get home for supper and if her father wouldn’t be waiting for her. It was Hatsue who finally made the suggestion that she help prepare their supper.
    Until now Hatsue had simply sat there blushing furiously and looking down at the floor, not so much as touching the refreshments put before her. But, once in the kitchen, she quickly recovered her good spirits. Then, while slicing the sea-cucumbers, she began singing the traditional Ise chorus used on the island for accompanying the Lantern Festival dancing; she had learned it from her aunt the day before:
Tall chests, long chests, traveling chests—
Since your dower is so great, my daughter ,
You must never think of coming back .
But oh, my mother, you ask too much:
When the east is cloudy, they say the wind will blow;
When the west is cloudy, they say the rain will fall;
And when a fair wind changes—
Yoi! Sora!—
Even the largest ship returns to port .
    “Oh, have you already learned that song, Hatsue-san?” the mistress said. “Here it’s already three years since we came here and I don’t know it all even yet.”
    “Well, but it’s almost the same as the one we sang at Oizaki,” Hatsue answered.
    Just then there was the sound of footsteps outside, and from the darkness someone called:
    “Good evening.”
    “That must be Shinji-san,” the mistress said, sticking her head out the kitchen door. Then:
    “Well, well! More nice fish. Thanks.… Father, Kubo-san’s brought us more fish.”
    “Thanks again, thanks again,” the lighthouse-keeper called from the hearth. “Come on in, Shinji boy, come on in.”
    During this confusion of welcome and thanks Shinji and Hatsue exchanged glances. Shinji smiled. Hatsue smiled too. But the mistress happened to turn around suddenly and intercept their smiles.
    “Oh, you two already know each other, do you? H’m, it’s a small place, this village. But that makes it all the better, so do come on in, Shinji-san—Oh, and by the way, we had a letter from Chiyoko in Tokyo. She particularly asked about Shinji-san. I don’t guess there’s much doubt about who Chiyoko likes, is there? She’ll be cominghome soon for spring vacation, so be sure and come to see her.”
    Shinji had been just on the point of coming into the house for a minute, but these words seemed to wrench his nose. Hatsue turned back to the sink and did not look around again. The boy retreated back into the dusk. They called him several times, but he would not come back. He made his bow from a distance and then took to his heels.
    “That