When the train was about to pull into Shinjuku Station, Uozu Kyouta woke up.All the passengers in the carriage stood up, some took out their luggage from the luggage rack, and some put on spring and autumn coats.After boarding the train at Songyu Station, Yujin fell asleep and woke up two or three times at first, but then he hardly woke up again and fell asleep until then.Uozu looked at his watch.Eight thirty-seven.The train will arrive at the station in two minutes.He stretched vigorously, then reached into the pocket of the jacket he was wearing outside the sweater, took out a pack of Peace brand cigarettes, bought one in his mouth, and looked out the car window, where colorful neon lights flashed As soon as it appeared, the night sky in Shinjuku was bright red.Uozu usually comes down from the mountain, and when he sees the night view of Tokyo, he will feel confused.At this time, Yujin was entangled in this emotion again.When the body and mind once immersed in the silent mountains, once they return to the noisy Tokyo city, they will often feel depressed and restless, and today this kind of restlessness is particularly severe.

As soon as the car stopped, Yujin carried a mountaineering rucksack on his left shoulder, picked up a black peaked cap and put it on his head, and got out of the car with a cigarette in his mouth. Standing still, he did not immediately walk away. "Let's go, let's go to the densely populated place! Go, let's go to the secular vortex where all beings are bustling!" Yujin didn't say these words out of his mouth, but murmured in his heart.He was neither world-weary nor particularly withdrawn, but that was what he always told himself when he came down from the mountains.Usually, he would finish this kind of self-convincing work in the car before he got down to the platform.Today is different, because the nostalgia for the scenery on the mountain is stronger than usual today.

Uozu walked out of Shinko Station and took a taxi.He let the car carry him from one place to another, as is the custom of city dwellers.His body followed the car in the sea of ​​lights in downtown Tokyo, but his heart was still immersed in the dark night and peaceful atmosphere on the mountain. After the car crossed Sukiyabashi, Uozu got out of the car and walked into an alley in Ginza.Ginza is quite lively.Uozu raised the curtain and walked into the Kosakakan called "Hamagan" next to the D news agency building.The purpose of his coming to Ginza was to have a good meal at this restaurant he frequented.

"Hi! Did you go hiking again?" The chubby shopkeeper in white overalls greeted Uozu from the front kitchen.There are no other customers in the store. "I went to climb Mt. Gohotaka." "There aren't many people going mountain climbing, are they?" "Only met two climbing teams." After Uozu handed over the rucksack to the waitress who came out to receive him, he sat down at the table closest to the kitchen. "The red leaves are beautiful!" "Beautiful, but the stars in Kuze are even more beautiful." The night scene of twinkling cold stars seen at the mountain inn in Kuze last night clearly appeared before Uozu's eyes.

He ordered braised pine mushrooms, drank a bottle of wine, and then ordered the head and tail of braised big head fish and bean paste soup, and finished his meal.At this time, the shop owner's younger brother, Owen, who was helping with the work in this shop, was also wearing white work clothes, and came back from somewhere.As soon as he saw Uozu, he greeted him, "You're here!" Then he said, "Mr. Kosaka was still here just now." The shop owner in the kitchen interjected: "Yes, yes! Mr. Kosaka has been here, this time he is different from usual, he didn't drink, he just ate some food and went back."

"It's been a long time since we met, I really want to see him!" Yujin said. "He said he was going to meet someone on the second floor of the Tokipan Hall. According to his habits, he might still be there now." "Really?" Uozu hadn't seen him since he went to Mt. Tanigawa with Kosaka Otohiko last month, so he wanted to meet him very much. Uojin paid the bill and walked out of the "Binan" restaurant, and walked to the cafe on the second floor of the Tokipan Hall, more than 500 meters away.There was a cashier at the top of the stairs, and he glanced at the bright and spacious shop with more than a dozen tables. He felt that it was a bit awkward to enter in mountaineering clothes, because most of the customers inside were young couples.

Uozu couldn't see Kosaka right away.At this time, Kosaka Otohiko was sitting alone at the table by the window, with his back to Uozu, his slender body arched, looking a little anxious. Uozu passed between the tables, approached Kosaka, called out: "Hi!" and patted him on the shoulder.Xiao Ban was startled, turned around and yelled "Yo", and then said, "It's you." "Did you say hello?" Yujin sat down on the chair next to him. "I'm waiting for someone here." Kosaka stared into Uozu's eyes and asked, "Where have you been this time?"

"Hodaka Mountain." "Are you alone?" "Well." Uozu continued to ask, "You said you were waiting for someone, but who were you waiting for? Have you been waiting for a long time?" Uozu saw that a shadow suddenly passed over Kosaka Otohiko's capable face. "Waiting for nothing?" As he was speaking, Uozu saw a woman in a kimono, with a thin obi on her dark-colored dress, walking across the table from across the table, with a large black enamel handbag tucked in her right hand.When Uozu saw that this woman was indeed coming here, he thought that she might be Minako Yatsushiro, whom Kosaka had expressed his love for.If it was really her, it would be too bad, I shouldn't have intervened among them at this moment, and not long after going down the mountain, I stepped into the vortex of human relations!

"Sorry for keeping you waiting." The woman greeted Kosaka after approaching. "This is brother Uozu, my climbing friend." Kosaka introduced. "Ah!" The other party whispered in surprise, "My name is Yatsushiro." Then he bowed respectfully to Uojin. It was only when the other party's eyes flicked past him that Yujin came to his senses.From the moment she walked into the store, came to the table, until she bowed to him just now, Yujin never left her eyes.In fact, it should be said that it cannot be removed is more appropriate.Uozu was aware of this, but was not ashamed of his faux pas.For Uozu, who blushes immediately in such situations, this is a bit unbelievable.Uozu's gaze was involuntarily attracted to the other party, and he felt it was natural.

But after Yatsushiro Minako sat down on the empty seat, another emotion crept into Uozu's heart. He couldn't bear to face up to the gorgeous woman sitting between himself and Xiao Jun, so he turned his gaze out of the window. "It's not an important meeting. I thought I'd be able to slip away in the middle of the day. Unexpectedly, the meeting was postponed for an hour and a half. I had an appointment with you, but I was late. I'm so sorry!" "Where, where, it's nothing." "Waiting here all this time?" "I'm used to waiting in places like this for half an hour, an hour. You say it's urgent. What is it?"

"I want to give you something." "what?" "I'll give it to you later." After she said it, she seemed to have changed her mind immediately, and opened her handbag, "This is it." "what is this?" "Ah, no, please open it after you get home." Yujin felt that Minako's words were a little blunt, so he turned his face towards them.Kosaka was stuffing a small packet into his bag, which seemed to be wrapped in store wrapping paper. "Okay, I'm done with my business, excuse me." She seemed to have come here just for this matter. "Hey, what's the rush, please drink some tea." Kosaka said. "I can't drink anything." Hearing their conversation, Yujin stood up and said to Kosaka, "I'm leaving first, I'm very tired today." He wanted to avoid it. "Oh, please sit down, I should be excused." Yatsushiro Mina stood up and said again: "You sit down!" She wanted Uozu to sit down again.Slightly exaggerating, Yujin felt that Mina had made up her mind, and it would not be good to leave like this if she didn't appreciate it.However, if Minako went back because he stayed, I would be really sorry for Kosaka Otohiko-even though he and Kosaka are friends. "Ah! Why are you in such a hurry? Uozu, please sit down. Madam, please sit down for a while, maybe five minutes, ten minutes." Kosaka said. "Okay." Yatsushiro Minako sat down again, and Uozu sat down too. "I want to eat ice cream. How about you, Mr. Uozu?" "Me? I want coffee. Haven't had coffee in three or four days." "How many days have you been on the mountain?" "Spent three nights in an inn on the hill." Kosaka called the waitress and ordered two ice creams and a cup of coffee. "Mr. Kosaka hasn't been there recently." "It's not easy to ask for leave! But next time I will go even if I miss work for a few days. I made an agreement with Yujin that I will go to Houyoubai Peak around the end of the year, so I have to practice my body." When the two of them were talking, Uojin was thinking about a question: Judging from Kosaka calling her "Madam" just now, the woman sitting next to him must be a married woman.Kosaka had said something about her lightly some time ago, but he didn't say that she had a husband at that time.Uozu's doubts were not caused by Kosaka not talking about it in the past, so he only understood now.The more direct reason is that Uozu couldn't tell that Yatsushiro Minako was married.However, if you think about it, you should understand that unmarried women may not be so stable.Her speech and manner were very steady, and her beauty itself gave people a sense of solemnity.The other party was married, Uozu was somewhat disappointed, and at the same time realized that in this disappointment, he didn't take Kosaka, a close friend, to heart.Yujin couldn't help asking himself: How did I do it?I may not have woken up from the wonderful and bewildering view of Mt. Hotaka's starry sky alone. Outside the window, the neon lights of drug advertisements flicker in red and blue in the darkness in the distance.Uozu kept staring at the monotonous and empty repetitive scene.Kosaka and Minako were talking, not at all afraid of being heard by a third party.After a while, Yujin heard Minazi's voice: "Then, I..." It seemed that she was about to leave. "No, let me go first, I have nothing to do, I just want to meet Kosaka." Uojin stood up first, said "I'm leaving", and picked up the backpack from the chair next to him. "However, if I don't go back..." Minako also stood up, but Kosaka remained seated.Uozu saw that Kosaka's face was the same as before, with a shadow passing by.So he turned his gaze from Kosaka to Minako, and Minako's face was the same as before, her cheek muscles tensed, as if she had made up her mind. This scene is exactly the same as when I stood up just now.Uojin drank coffee and Minako ate ice cream, but there was only ten minutes between them. Yujin didn't care about it, picked up the mountaineering backpack and put it on his shoulder, and said, "Then, see you another day." This sentence is not specific to any one of them.He left his seat and went downstairs to the sidewalk.Uozu passed through the place where the taxis were so crowded that they couldn't even turn around, and walked towards Shimbashi. Uojin knew he was a little excited.When you meet a beautiful woman, it becomes a bit of an anomaly.After leaving that woman, he felt that his mood was inexplicable.He thinks she is beautiful, but it is hard to say whether she is really that beautiful, because all the people who come down from the mountain, no matter who they are, are more or less eager to see people. Uzu thought: Although I don't know the details, the other party is a woman who has a special relationship with Kosaka Otohiko. It is wrong to lose my inner peace and be fascinated by her. This is a kind of lust.In this way, the intoxication I felt when I walked out of the inn late last night and looked up at the beautiful starry sky with chills, in a sense, maybe it was also lecherous.The monopoly of "beauty," however, smacks of obscenity. "Finally caught up with you!" Hearing the sound, Yujin turned his head, only to see Mina catching up, panting slightly. Minako's face was very pale. Beside them, the neon lights of the restaurant had dyed the sidewalk green, which was why Minako's face was blue.But Uozu doesn't think that's the only reason.Yatsushiro Minako had a serious expression on her face, as if she had just arrived on something very important. "Where does your family live?" "Omori." "I live in Denenchofu, just in the same direction. If it's convenient for you, let's take a car together and let me drive you home, okay?" "That's fine, but..." Yujin asked. "Where's Kosaka?" "I said goodbye to him there just now. That's it, I have something to discuss with you. I didn't plan to do it before I met you. I just remembered it when I saw you. You are probably Kosaka's closest friend. I often Listen to Kosaka talk." "If you want to talk about intimacy, it may be the most intimate, because we have been climbing partners since we were students." Uozu and Yatsushiro Minako walked side by side in the direction of Dobashi, where they waited for a taxi.A newer medium-sized sedan drove up, and Uojin called it to a stop, let Minako get in the car first, and then got into the car himself. Uozu told the driver: "Go to Denenchofu." "Oh, then..." Although Minazi opened his mouth, he didn't continue.After the car started, Yujin asked solemnly, "What do you want to tell me?" "You are Kosaka's best friend, so I want to discuss it with you." Uojin thought to himself that if he said he was close to Kosaka, he needed to explain it further, but he didn't say anything.Whether he is Kosaka's closest friend or not is a question that needs to be re-examined.As a mountaineer, I do have a close relationship with Kosaka.If he would die with someone, it would probably be Kosaka Otohiko.But on the other hand, Uozu believes that the combination of mountaineers is limited to a specific place on the mountain. It would be too annoying if they must continue to maintain the close relationship on the mountain after leaving the mountain.Shan didn't want to do that himself.Apart from mountaineering, what do you usually know about Kosaka?Know nothing! "Have you heard anything about Kosaka and me?" Minako asked. Yujin inadvertently looked at Minako's snow-white hands that were folded and rested lightly on her knees.He shook his head and replied, "No." He didn't know anything, and he couldn't say he knew at all, so answering like this couldn't be called a lie. "That's right. Just now I returned all the letters to Mr. Kosaka. They were sent to me by Mr. Kosaka in the past three years." Uozu looked out the window at night. The car was driving near Hamamatsu Street. The driver probably wanted to go from Shinagawa to Gotanda, and then to Denenchofu.At this time, Uozu suddenly remembered the dark night and the silent atmosphere on the mountain.He didn't know what Yadai Minako was going to discuss with him.He was absent-minded, not in the mood to listen to her. "I am grateful for Kosaka's kindness, but I made it clear that that won't work! I have a husband." "That's true." "So I wonder if you can explain it to Mr. Kosaka." "how to say?" "Oh!" Mina didn't know what to say.The question that Yujin blurted out was obviously beyond her expectations, that's why she showed such a puzzled look. "Won't you?" "It's not that I don't want to." "It would be embarrassing for the trustee to do this kind of thing, I know that very well, but..." "It's just that I don't quite understand the relationship between Kosaka and you. I remember once in a hut on the mountain, I heard Kosaka mention your name, but it was just that one time. After we entered the mountain for a few days, we naturally became excited No matter if it’s fake or true. There’s no way to express my feelings at that time except relying on fabricating fictional stories. I probably took what Kosaka said as that kind of story. Listen carefully, and actually remember almost nothing." This is the truth, I like to tell love stories on the mountain, and regard myself as the protagonist, but those plots are actually just talking about it.But the feeling of admiration revealed in the storytelling is true for a moment.Yujin has experienced this himself, and he has also felt it from others. Minako is very embarrassed to have to explain her relationship with Kosaka. "Then, get out of the car and find a place to talk." "This……" It seems that Minako felt that it was inconvenient to talk because of the presence of the car driver, but Uozu didn't bother to get out of the car and go to the nearby cafe again. "Why don't you go to your house? Is your house far from Denen Chofu Station?" "Only six or seven minutes away." "Then let's walk there and listen to you." By this time, Uozu was feeling tired.It is not likely to feel tired after going into the mountain for two or three days.It took him only three hours to run the four and a half hour journey from Kusawa Inn to Kamikochi today in order to catch the train from Matsudaira Station. No matter how you say it, it is always tiring. "I don't know what kind of place Mount Hotaka is, but it must be quite cold there now?" "There's new snow on the mountain." "Hey, it's snowing!" "It was even earlier in previous years." The two of them chose a topic completely unrelated to Kosaka.The car has been driving for a long time on the highway with lights on, big and small vehicles coming and going. The two got off the bus in front of Denenchofu Station.Crossing the square, walking on the sloping boulevard, there were few pedestrians, and the fallen leaves made a sound of crumbling under their feet. Yujin was waiting for the other party to speak, but she kept silent, and when he came to the middle of the ramp, Yujin had to speak first. "When did you start dating Kosaka?" "It's been about five years. It started before I married Yatsushiro. After I got married, I didn't see him for a while. However, I saw him again in Ginza on Christmas Eve the year before last. After that, I met him sometimes and received him from time to time. letter." "Letter! What kind of letter?" After Yujin said it, even he himself felt that the question was not interesting.The other party seemed to be embarrassed all of a sudden, thinking about how to answer.Uojin felt in the dark that she was holding her breath. After a while, Mina spoke. "A letter pouring out love." "What's the use of pouring out love?" "Ugh!" "What's the point of pouring out love to other people's wives? It's impossible: what is Kosaka thinking?" "He wants me to divorce and follow him." "Oh? ... Then, what about you?" "Of course not!" "That's not easy." "So, I want you to make it clear to him that I can't do this, it's simply impossible." "Well, can't you explain it yourself?" "Of course, I have told him my thoughts again and again, but no matter what..." "Can't Kosaka understand you?" "Ugh!" "That can't be done, Kosaka!" At this moment, Uozu thought of Kosaka's unique and resolute face when he bent his body backward on the rock wall, raised his head and held his breath to look up at it.He believes that in Kosaka's character, there may be a stubborn side that ordinary people don't have. "However, why..." Uozu was a little puzzled why Minako tolerated Kosaka's attitude in the past.If she thinks that this will harm her, then she simply refuses, and Kosaka doesn't dare to impose unreasonable demands on others. "What is your own feeling for Kosaka?" The other party couldn't answer for a while, as if thinking about how to say it. "Now I don't treat Kosaka very well." "Isn't it all right now?" Maybe she felt the tone of the word "now" that Uojin said had weight, so she added: "It used to be the same." He added: "I didn't treat him particularly well before." "Be it now or in the past, you have no special feelings for Kosaka..." "Ok." "Really?" "Hey!" Minako replied after a while. "Then, I'll go talk to Kosaka. I think what Kosaka did is somewhat out of line." "But..." At this moment, Mina stopped and said, "But please don't speak too harshly. Just say so, I don't want to accept Xiaosaka's love. Please stop me from doing business with him." Minako stood still, facing Yujin directly. "Understood, of course I will not accuse him. In fact, I have always avoided interfering in other people's problems. I think this kind of problem should be solved by the person concerned, and the intervention of a third party will not What is the result. However, as a friend, I can at least advise him that if things are as you say, then Kosaka's attitude is unwise." "Ah." Minako's listless answer caused Uozu to have a new question. "Isn't that so?" "Ai." "Do you still hide anything from me about your relationship? For example, you actually like Kosaka..." "No!" This time Minako flatly denied it. "Nothing. But..." "But what?" "Maybe Kosaka misunderstood and thought I had love for him." "Why? Didn't you show him your attitude?" "Tell him several times." "Then Kosaka should know." "Ok." "That's good." "But..." Minako said again.This time Yujin stopped in his tracks, and waited for Minako to stop, looking at her face.At this time, the two had already reached the stone wall of a large house, and the lights in the yard went over the bushes in the garden, shining on Mina's half of the cheek. "I don't quite understand the relationship between the two of you." When Yujin said this, the other party was obviously embarrassed. After hesitating, she said: "If you say there is no love, but there is only one time, Kosaka and I once..." At this point, she lowered her voice: "There was a physical relationship once." Mina lowered her head, crossed the fingers of both hands, and pressed down vigorously, staring at the intertwined hands, as if saying: Now that I have said it, I might as well spit it out. "I'm so stupid to have made such an irreparable mistake. Because of such a thing, I can't resolutely refuse him, I..." Then, Yatsushiro Minako raised her head and tilted her face in pain. Uozu stood dumbfounded.Yatsushiro Minako's confession was a shock to Uozu.He felt he had heard something he shouldn't have heard.After a while, Minako's expression changed slightly.Yujin saw that Minako had something to say, so he said first: "I already understand, I will tell Kosaka tactfully." After saying that, he walked away first, and he wanted to bid farewell to Yatsushiro Minako after sending her home.After walking about ten steps, Minazi said: "Here! My family lives here." After hearing Minako's words, Uozu stopped.There is a solid door between the stone gateposts that is tightly closed, and it seems that it cannot be easily pushed, like a tightly closed shell. "okay, bye!" "Oh! Please come in and sit down for a while." Minako said, touching the bell on a small door next to the main gate with her finger. "No, it's getting late." "Is that so?" She didn't want to force her to stay, so she said, "I'm really sorry, I'm so tired but I trouble you to come here." At this time, Yujin had already turned his back to Minazi and walked back the same way.The words "Yatsushiro Gyonosuke" on the white porcelain doorplate clearly reflected Ren Yujin's eyes.Needless to say, I have never seen or heard of the name Yashiro Kinnosuke before, but judging by this luxurious house alone, he may be a person of considerable social status. Behind him came the sound of the doorbell and the barking of defeated dogs in the yard.By this time Uozu had passed the rather long stone wall of the Yatsushiro family. Yujin took advantage of the streetlight to check his watch, it was almost eleven o'clock. Uozu made his way back to Denenen Chofu Station, hopped into a taxi parked there, and was once again immersed in the darkness and silence of Mt. Hotaka.At the same time, he realized that he had suddenly been involved in a vortex of five things, and had to carry a heavy burden for Kosaka, which made him feel depressed. Yujin woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he turned over abruptly, lying on his stomach, and looked at the watch beside his pillow, it was eight o'clock.Thinking that he could stay on the bed for another thirty minutes, he lay down on his back again, and then stretched out his right hand to take out the Peace brand cigarette beside the pillow. Uozu usually forbids smoking in bed, but the morning after returning from the mountain is an exception.It is rare for him to be unable to get out of bed due to excessive fatigue. Generally, he feels muscle aches all over his body, and his whole body feels limp. On the second day after returning from mountaineering, in a specific situation where he was exhausted, there were only three things that lingered in Yujin's mind. The first is the question of money.I don't know how to budget carefully, and my money is loose. With the addition of mountain climbing, money is tight.There is still a lot of money borrowed from the company that has not been repaid.The second thing is to go to Houyoubaishan. He and Kosaka are planning to climb this mountain around the end of the year.I failed twice in the past, but this time I must conquer it no matter what.The rocky terrain covered in silver loomed in Uozu's mind. The last thing is the evil thoughts about the female body that the young Yujin will inevitably fall into.In the early morning of the second day after returning from the mountain, I often feel sexual desire, coupled with the stimulation of fatigue, it is even more lustful.No matter how restrained he was, this suffocating thought kept haunting him. Of course, the three completely different problems of money, rock wall, and evil thoughts did not hit him one after the other, but after one was dispelled, the other reappeared, and only after this was pushed aside vigorously, the other got in again.In this way, three things hit the young mountaineer's mind alternately or simultaneously. But this morning, the barrage of questions was a little different than usual.Money, later Hakusan, evil thoughts - these things all mean that Uozu Kyouta's spirit becomes flesh and wants to change from one state to another.But this morning, it wasn't these things that occupied Yujin's mind at all. To put it bluntly, Yujin didn't think about money this morning, nor did he think about Baishan later, needless to say, no evil thoughts came to torment him.Uozu lay on the bed and smoked two cigarettes, leisurely drawing in his mind the fair face of Yatsushiro Minako who met for the first time last night on various occasions.When he woke up this morning, he felt that this was a very peaceful and beautiful time. Uozu got up at 8:30 and opened the curtains.I saw the misty sky in early winter and the open streets and alleys of Omori District under the sky.He opened the window, the noise of state trams, cars and taxis.All rushed to this apartment on the high wind. These are two connected square rooms with a size of four and a half seats and eight seats. In this apartment for middle-level employees, it is the highest class, so the rent is also the most expensive. After Yujin washed his face in the small bathroom inside, he opened the door, took the milk by the door and poured it into a glass, and drank it standing by the window.It's not enough for breakfast, but it's all there is to eat before going to work in the morning. Then, he took out a shirt still wrapped in laundry wrapping paper from the closet and put it on, and from the three winter coats hanging on the hanger, he picked out a gray double-breasted suit without a jacket , picked up a raincoat and hurried out of the room. Before walking out of the main entrance of the apartment, Uozu met three other tenants in the same building.Two young women appeared to be wives and one was a student.Yujin nodded slightly, without saying hello.He kept a certain distance from anyone in Su Apartment. Sometimes the other party approached actively, but he always tried to avoid it. Although he nodded in greeting, he avoided talking as much as possible. Therefore, Uozu did not even talk to the students who were separated by a wall.Across the corridor lived a couple who were amiable clerks, and he was no exception to them.The reason why Uozu wants to live in an apartment is so that he can not associate with anyone here. Uozu went down the ramp and walked towards the station along the road in front of Omori Station.As he was walking, he found that his boots were dirty, and he felt it was an eyesore, so he had someone wipe them in front of the station, then bought a newspaper at the station's canteen, and passed through the ticket office.He usually reads newspapers in the car. The rush hour for work has passed. Although there are no seats, it is not crowded. It is still possible to stand and read newspapers while holding the handle of the car. He got off the car at Shimbashi, walked towards Tamura Street, turned right at the intersection, walked about fifty meters in the opposite direction to Hibiya Park, and then walked into the South Building. It seems very disproportionate.He took the elevator facing the main door, went up to the third floor, and walked into a room with the words "New East Asia Trading Company" written on the frosted glass door. "Good morning!" It was not until this time that Yujin took the initiative to greet others for the first time.There are fifteen or six tables in the room.A dozen or so male and female clerks sitting and working heard Uozu's greeting, and nodded silently at him in reply.There was only one person who didn't nod, and that was Daisaku Tokiwa, the branch manager. The clock in the house indicated that Uozu was about forty minutes late.He sat down at the table, and Qing Shui on the opposite side asked: "Go hiking?" "Yeah." Yujin's face was a little displeased, this is no longer the face of a mountaineer. "When did you come back? This morning?" "No, last night." Upon hearing this, Daisaku Tokipan, the branch manager, said, "Why do you want to climb a mountain? It's because there are mountains, right?" He spoke in a naturally loud voice, asking and answering himself, standing up as he spoke, moving with sufficient movement. A fat body weighing seventy-five kilograms came over. "Excuse me, I took a day off," Uojin said. Yesterday was an unexcused absence from work.Today, he planned to go to Tokiwa's place to say hello, but Tokiwa had already come over first, so he always felt a step late.However, it seemed that Tokiwa didn't pay any attention to what Uozu said just now. "Mountain climbing, climbing to a higher place step by step, carrying heavy things, humming and haha ​​climbing to the mountain, great! For climbing, I spent more than half of the salary I received from this small company, It’s really hard work. Elderly parents in the countryside expect their son who has graduated from college to marry a wife, but the son doesn’t care about marrying a wife. Whenever he has time, he goes mountain climbing, and he is passionately in love with the mountain!” This is neither a reprimand nor an instruction, but rather a lecture. When Daisaku Tokiwa said this, he paused for a moment, turned his shaved and energetic face, and looked directly at Uozu, as if he was thinking about: how to word next. After a while, he sniffed hard, which was his habit when he came up with a proud word. "I'm different from you. I like to walk from a high place to a low place step by step. Every time I take a step, my body will drop a step accordingly, from an unstable place to a stable place. I said, this way At least naturally." "That's because of the relationship between age and weight." After Yujin replied, he felt that this sentence was superfluous.If you keep listening quietly, Tokiwa's rapping will eventually come to an end.Like a typhoon blowing and roaring, if it roars enough, it will calm down somewhere.If you answer him, it will only make him chatter more.Sure enough, the shaven-headed behemoth, tired of his job as a branch manager, looked animated and enthusiastic. "What weight and age, don't be kidding me! Could it be that when you are young, you want to climb high, but when you are old and fat, you want to go down? No! The problem is not here. In short, is it like people or hate people? I don’t understand why some people want to leave from the place where there are people step by step and climb to a high place? On the contrary, I like to go downhill step by step. I like going downhill since I was a child. when you feel..." "Do you like people that much?" Yujin swallowed the words with difficulty.He thought that if he continued with Tokiwa Daisaku, he wouldn't be able to work.And Daisaku Tokiwa fixed his eyes on Uozu as if he was waiting for his reaction after his speech.When he found that Yujin didn't open his mouth and started flipping through the documents on the table, he had to turn around slowly.He said to himself the sentence just now: "Why do you want to climb a mountain? Because there are mountains there, isn't it?" Then he went back to his seat by the window. Uozu doesn't dislike branch manager Daisaku Tokiwa.When you are busy at work, it is really unbearable to have a chatterer next to you, but in your free time, it is more enjoyable to chat with him than to chat with other people.He sometimes takes you into a fog, but in the end it is still himself and not others who sits in front of you. The employees of the company called Tokiwa the "mannian branch manager" behind their backs, and it was true.The headquarters of Shinto-A Trading Co. is in Osaka.In the company, whether in terms of experience or knowledge, Tokiwa is a capable person who should have become an important cadre long ago.However, because he had no scruples about the general manager or others, he babbled endlessly, insisted on what he saw, and did not show humility. As a result, he was appointed as the manager of the Tokyo branch for no reason, which was actually a nameless position.The big cadres kept him at arm's length, but among some staff, he was quite popular. Originally, the Tokyo branch of the New East Asia Trading Company was a monster.The New East Asia Trading Company is a well-known company throughout the country, but the business operated by the Tokyo branch has nothing to do with the head office.What I'm doing now is like an advertising agency.When domestic companies in Japan want to advertise their products in foreign newspapers and magazines, the branch office undertakes negotiations and other specific affairs, and then charges an agency fee. Therefore, the name "New East Asia Trading Company Tokyo Branch" on the frosted glass door is quite strange. It is more accurate to say it is a news agency than a trading company. The company was indeed originally established as a branch of New East Asia Trading, and it also handled business.But I don't know when I stopped doing my main job. What used to be a sideline business like an advertising agency has become a main job instead.为什么会发生这种变化的，问题似乎全出在分公司经理常盘大作身上。有的说是干部们从常盘大作那里夺走了正业，还有的说是由于常盘无视大干部的命令，自己爱干什么就干什么造成的。 这个公司里，除常盘以外，还有十四个内勤职员和十五个外勤职员。内勤有调查二人，翻译二人，打字员三人，总务二人，业务三人，加上编辑鱼津和清水。负责外勤工作的十五人当中，经常在外跑的有八人，余下的七人是有事才来的临时工。 编辑由鱼津和清水两人担任，忙的时候非常忙，闲的时候又非常闲。事情很杂，常盘把大大小小的事全委托给他俩干，所以他们要全面地照料工作，进行指挥。 但是，清水和鱼津之间自然而然地分好了工。清水三十五岁，比鱼津大三岁，他进公司来，原打算搞新东亚贸易公司的贸易工作。倒霉的是，一进公司就被分配到常盘的手下。他的性格同他的风度一样，属于，然而沉默寡言，他不耍小聪明，办事踏实。在大学读的专业是经济，因为精通外语，所以同外国的报社、杂志社的联系和谈判事宜，自然就落到他身上。桌上经常地堆着三个打字员。不断送来的英文打字文件。他整日伏在桌子上，仔细地翻阅那些文件，而且有时常常为了外汇到财政部去，这也是他的工作，因为日本国内公司是以日元付款的，所以必须把日元换成英镑或美元。 鱼津把内勤工作全交给清水，自己专管外勤方面的事务。他的工作是要敏锐地物色生意兴隆的公司，然后派遣外勤职员去接洽。还有，要事前做好足以吸引各个公司的各式广告设计，把它交给外勤。对这种业务工作，鱼津是具有特殊才能的，凡是鱼津看准的公司，大部分能成交。 要说常盘大作的工作，就是几天一次象突然想起似地向鱼津和清水问起同样的话。 “怎么样？顺利吗？” 问鱼津时，这句话的意思是：广告招揽得是否顺利，抓到大户没有。问清水时，这句话的意思就是从鱼津转给清水的工作，是否进行得顺利。 鱼津和清水一样，是作为新东亚贸易公司的职员进入这个公司的。不过他不象清水那样对分配给自己的职位心怀不满。因为常盘把工作全都交给他，虽然有时很忙，但正因如此，有时倒也自由悠闲。如果在总公司，象他这么年轻，就不可能得到这样的位置，还须察看科长的眼色，整天和枯燥乏味的数字打交道，更别指望去登山了。 这天，桌上积压了不少必须处理的工作，但鱼津把它往后椎了推，先去查一件小事。他伸手取来对面清水桌上的花名册，一页一页地翻着，不一会，视线落到了一个地方。 上面印有“八代教之助”几个小铅字。这就是昨夜八代美那子在田园调布的石围墙宅邸的门牌上用庄重的字体写着的名字。下面用更小一些的铅字标记着。 明治三十一年生。东京大学工科毕业。工学博士。应用物理学专业。现任东邦化工公司董事。 由此可知，八代教之助是位五十七岁的工商业者。既是工学博士，那大概是工程师出身的高级职员，要不就是当过大学教授，退休后进人工商界的。只是，鱼津对于五十七岁这个年龄感到有点纳闷，说他是美那子的丈夫吧，年龄相差太大，说他是她的公公吧，却又年轻了些。 鱼津从门旁的书架上取出另一本更详细的花名册翻阅起来。除了和上述相同的介绍外，还有“妻子：美那子，大正十四年出生”一行。她无疑就是教之助的夫人了。大正十四年出生，该是三十岁，和丈夫教之助竟相差二十七岁。 鱼津盯着那小小的铅字凝视了片刻，便合上了厚厚的花名册。他产生了一种说不出道理的心情。他搞不懂为什么美那子会嫁给一个年龄如此悬殊的丈夫？也许是后妻，但即便是后妻，象美那子这样的女人，又为什么非得去做后妻不可呢？ 可是鱼津不得不马上把这心思推向一边，因为所有办公的人都听到了常盘大作那旁若无人的声音： “哼，总之——”常盘从自己的座位上站起来，象做体操似地，向左右一屈一伸地挥动着两臂。“别以为干部说的话，到哪儿都行得通！你回去就这么对时冈君说。” 他说的时冈君是大阪总公司的董事。 “你是什么时候进公司的？”常盘问。 “昭和二十五年。” “昭和二十五年进公司，那该是公司的骨干了，可不能这样不假思索地照搬上级的指示呀！” “是！”大阪总公司出差来的职员挨了一顿训，拘谨地站在常盘的办公桌前。 “我的想法刚才说了。哪怕是总公司的指示，我也不能遵命。不过实际经办的是鱼津君，你就到他那儿商量商量吧。我不遵命，但是，鱼津君也许有他自己的想法。” 说完，常盘就走出了房间。例并不是生了气。但凡从总公司出差来的职员，一到这里，总会受到分公司经理的这般接待。难说常盘没有一点放意要气气总公司的意思，不过在多数情况下，常盘说得还是在理的。 从总公司来的那位职员搔着头，来到鱼津跟前，说： “唉，到底挨了骂。” "what is the problem?" “是这样，时冈董事希望在一月十五日以前让大和透镜公司的广告登上美国的大报。董事大概也是受了大和透镜公司的委托吧。说这事时，我无意中用了'优先办理'这个词儿，这就触怒天神了。” “说实在的，这时候才来，是不大好办。” “那倒是的。” “不过，我设法谈谈看。” “不会有问题吧？”对方问。 他的意思好象在间，这样做会不会得罪常盘。鱼津说： “没问题，常盘这个人心地是好的。他为了顶一下总公司，才那么说的，其实嘛……” 鱼津想，肯定常盘大作本来就是这么打算，所以才把问题推给自己的。 总公司的职员尴尬地走出去之后，鱼津就打电话给神田的“登高”出版社的小坂乙彦，小坂正在接别的电话，鱼津听到了他和人家的讲话。等了好半天还不来接，鱼津正想扔下话筒的时候，传来了小坂的声音： "Sorry! Sorry!" “我现在想见见你。”鱼津一说，小坂就问： “你来，还是我来？” “我来。”鱼津回答。 “难得哪！老兄是贵脚难抬的人啊……有事吗？” “有一点” "Are you asking for money?" “别开玩笑，我有的是钱。” “那么，晚上来怎么样？” “晚上我有事。” 要是别的事情，当然可以在晚上边吃饭边谈，可是鱼津认为，今天还是白天见的好。因为要谈的事非同一般，他想在白天明亮的光线下，象商量工作一样，干脆利索地同小坂乙彦交谈，以免受任何特殊的阴郁心情或伤感困扰。 “好，那就我来吧。再过半小时左右我就来。”小坂说完挂断了电话。鱼津觉得小坂最后那句话，多少和平时不一样，显得格外正经。 三十分钟后小坂如约来到公司。鱼津一看见小坂从办事处的门口探进头来，就对清水说：“我出去一下就来。”他离开了座位，在电梯旁见到小坂，随后两人并肩走进电梯。 “你说有活讲，是什么事？”小坂问道。他大概心里不踏实。 “昨晚和你分手后，又见到了八代夫人。” 鱼津明言直说。电梯里很挤，鱼津无法把脸转向自己身旁的小坂，所以看不到朋友脸上有什么反应。 他俩出了南方大厦，来到人行道上，不约而同地往日比谷方向走去。天有些阴，淡淡的阳光洒在人行道上，突然变得象冬季似的。还起了点风。小坂穿着春秋大衣，而鱼津什么也没有披，只得把两手插进裤袋里。 “喂！你说有事，什么事听！” 小坂催促了，鱼津象往常与高个子小坂并肩走路时一样，仰起头，斜视着小坂的脸说： “八代夫人有话要我转告你。是这样，昨晚见到她以后，坐了出租汽车，稍稍绕了点儿道送她回家了。” “嗯！那你辛苦啦。”小坂有点不高兴。 “就在那时候，她托我转告你。” “我料到是那么回事。昨晚，她告辞回家时显得很急，我想她可能是要去追你。果然是这样。她说了些什么？……我大致上是料得到的。” “你料得到？”鱼津心想，既然小坂说料得到，那就算他知道。现在只要听听他的想法就行，我也不必再重复一次他不愿听的话了。 小坂又说：“虽然料得到，不过，你还是说说吧。” “那我就把我听到的，原原本本地告诉你。总而言之，她说不能答应你的要求。” 小坂乙彦听完一声不响，过了一会儿才说： “到对面公园去走走吧。” 两人不知不觉地来到了日比谷的交叉路口，穿过电车道，从派出所旁边走进了公园。鱼津等待小坂开口，可是小坂一直不吱声。 “到底你是怎么想的？”鱼津说着，看了看小坂。 “受不了！我受不了！”小坂突然使劲地进出了这句话。他常常会用这种与他的高大身材不相称的孩子语气说话。“我不知道她跟你说了些什么。可是，我受不了。” “受不了？这是什么意思呀！” “我只有和她保持一定的联系才能活下去，我无法设想同她断绝关系后的情况，我会活不下去的。” “你别吓人。” 鱼津看着小坂，心里确实有点怕。 "not true." “不过，我觉得你的想法有些不合情理。” “情理，压根儿就没有过！” “乱弹琴！” "That's right." “你这么坦率地承认，倒叫我为难了。不过，是不是可以这样对待爱情呢？” “当然不可以。”小坂说，“我够乱的。社会秩序和社会道德全都和我无缘。总之，我是在恋慕有夫之妇，压根儿谈不上什么情理不情理。只是，我们的情况……”小坂说的是复数——我们。“我想只有一个办法可以挽救。那就是她要更加珍惜自己的情感，只有这样，才能克服重重障碍。如果她只是为了体面而尊重毫无感情的家庭，违背自己的情感，那我就无路可走了。” “她是不是违背了自己的情感呢？” “是违背了。” “可她没那么说。” “有可能的，她对我也没那么说。” “她的意思是你误解了她。” "..." “照我的看法，她对你……” 说到这里，鱼津顿住了，无论如何说不出“美那子对你没有爱情”这句话来。小坂却抢过他的话说： “她说不爱我，是吧。” “对！”鱼津断然地说。尽管觉得有点残忍。 “是的，她会这么说，她对我也这么说，何况对你……不过，那是撒谎。” “你怎么知道是撒谎？” 一听这活，小坂乙彦停下脚步，突然正颜厉色地问： "Who are you helping?" “我谁也不帮。” “你想把我和八代夫人拆开吗？” 鱼津没有马上回答，过了一会才说： “如果办得到的话，我想那么办。” “你被俘虏过去了吧。”小坂话里带刺地说。 “啊？”鱼津仰起了脸。大概连小坂自己也觉得说得有点儿歇斯底里了，随即改口： “对不起，刚才是失言了。”小坂的脸色有点苍白。“不管怎么说，她说的是谎话。是言不由衷的，因为她曾经明确地对我说，她爱我。” 他这句话，象在摊牌。对此鱼津默不作声。小坂接着又说： “她曾经亲口明确地说过她爱我。一个没有爱情的女人会说'我爱你'吗？我相信她确实有爱情才会那么说的。难道爱情这东西就能那么轻易地从一个人的心里消失得一干二净吗？”然后说道：“找个地方坐下吧。” 鱼津顺从地环视了一下周围，见池塘边有个干净的长椅子，就往那边走去。 他俩并肩坐下，稍过一会，鱼津才开口说： “她与丈夫的年龄相差很大啊！” “她连这事也说了？” 小坂一反问，鱼津一愣，总不能说自己调查过了。 “年龄是悬殊的，相差三十来岁吧。” “那怎么会结婚的呢？是后妻吗？” "yes." “为什么要去做后妻呢？” “这，我可不知道。不管她因什么理由愿意想给他，对方也应该拒绝才对。他也不想想自己的年龄，年轻姑娘一说想结婚，他就一口答应。我认为这是一种罪恶。” "yes?" “她曾说过她过的是父亲和女儿那样的生活。”鱼津听说美那子连自己的夫妻生活也告诉了小坂，心里产生一种淡淡的类似妒忌的心情。刚才听小坂说美那子曾表示过爱他的时候，也产生过同样的心情。 鱼津邀小坂乙彦出来，把美那子要他讲的话照说一遍，可是，说是说了，事情的进展完全不象美那子所希望的那样。 “算了，不说这些了吧。”小坂突然改变了语气问道：“年底没问题吧？”他问的是年底去后又白山的事。 “没问题。”鱼津也改变先前的口气。 "Where's the money?" “我总有办法。你呢？” “我？我指望年终奖金。” 那严峻、雪白的后又自山的东坡，忽地呈现在鱼津的眼前。 “我在二十七日大致可以把工作处理好。如果二十八日走，早晨就可以出发。” 今天小坂第一次以他平时的神情讲话。鱼津喜欢小坂谈论登山时的神情。平时，小坂那张端正精悍的脸，总有点严肃、优郁。可是一谈起登山便眉飞色舞，使人感到他热情开朗。 鱼津心想：几年来我一直和这个开朗的小坂乙彦交朋友，今天才接触到登山运动员小坂的另一个侧面。 鱼津边想边说：“我恐怕一直到二十八日晚上都有工作，二十九日的下午大概没问题。” “那就乘二十九日的夜车吧。然后三十日早晨到达松本，在那里坐汽车到泽渡，当天就到坂卷。这样的话，大概三十一日就可以到达德泽客栈。” “那就是元旦在后又白山搭篷夜宿罗。” “正月二日早晨登上岩壁！” “好！不过，也许可以提早一天出发。这样的话，元旦就可登上岩壁了。” 他想：根据去年年终的情况判断，到二十八日还会有工作，不过，说不定可以在二十七日之前完成。既然要去，就在元旦早晨登。 这时，小坂打开一只小小的打火机盖子，点燃了叼在嘴里的香烟。鱼津忽然注意到小坂拿着的是妇女用的红色打火机。 鱼津不声不响地从小坂手里拿过打火机，吧嗒吧嗒打了几下，然后说：“讨人喜欢的玩艺儿。” “人家给的。”小坂顿时露出了笑容。要问谁给的，那太愚蠢，但是，鱼津还是问了： “她给的？” “对！”小坂取回打火机，把它当作宝贝似地藏进了口袋。 鱼津仿佛看到小坂身上有一种令人生厌的活象女性的气质。他想：打破了长期以来约束着自己的戒律，一旦在内心深处和朋友打交道，马上就招来了这样的结果。还有那个八代美那子也是乱弹琴，给了小坂打火机什么的。又来托我处理她和小坂之间的问题。 “下星期天准备行装吧。”鱼津说。 “好的。”小坂应了一声。 需要事先把登山用的天篷、粮食、登攀用具等寄到泽渡的朋友处，然后请朋友带到上高地去。 “登山训练也得开始进行哟。”鱼津的话，带有命令的口气。 “好。”小坂又应了一声。可是，鱼津觉得活还没说完，于是又补充道：“你那个红色打火机别带去啊。”说完就站起来和小坂告别。

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Notes: