Kyota Uozu wrote an essay-style article titled "Maeho Gaofeng's Dead Friend", which was published in the morning newspaper literature and art column of K Newspaper, one of the major newspapers.This happened more than ten days after Uozu returned from Sakata.
This essay is divided into upper, middle and lower parts, and it was serialized for three days.On the day when the first article was published, Uozu had just started working, and Daisaku Tokiwa immediately talked with him.
"Your writing is extremely brilliant! In the current popular words, it is called clear and sharp writing style, but fortunately there is no gloomy color. I have to admire your literary talent." Daisaku Tokipan said excitedly.This is rare, because he is rarely praised.
"You said in the article that you wanted to inscribe the words 'born, climbed, buried' on Kosaka's epitaph. In fact, wouldn't it be better to change it to 'born, ascended, buried'? No, maybe the title should be 'born, climbed' , into the soil' is better. All in all, there is no need to say the word 'mountain climbing', why bother to make it clear that what you climb is a mountain."
"Okay, then I'll write it like this." Yujin replied with a wry smile.
"Also. I would like to make one more wish. You write with great poignancy about your sympathy for the dead. However, I think it would be better to insert some documentary narrative. As you do, it will be a literary article." No. You are not a writer, if you compete with writers, even if you write all night, you will not be able to catch up."
"I don't write all night long!"
Uozu protested, but Tokiwa ignored him.
"You should calmly narrate the events through your own eyes, and nothing else but the eyes of a mountaineer. You have written a beautiful line: 'The meaning of the event made me shudder. It's colder than snow.' And yet you should narrate events more calmly than snow."
"You're getting lower and lower marks. But please read tomorrow's post. It's described as colder than snow."
"Are you going to board tomorrow?" Tokiwa was taken aback.
"Today is the first chapter, isn't it written as 'up'?"
"Oh, really?" Tokipan added, "That's a long story."
But Yuzu thought: Tomorrow, Tokiwa might feel somewhat embarrassed after reading his article.
Now that the performance of nylon climbing rope is mentioned, it is inevitable that it will more or less touch the shortcomings of Sumura Rope Company.Uozu is not completely ignorant of the relationship between the Sakura rope system and this new East Asian trade.But for Kosaka, for myself, to put it a little deeper, for the mountaineering community, this must be written.
On the way to work the next day, Uozu bought a morning newspaper at the canteen at Omori Station, and read the second chapter of "Maehogakami's Dead Friend" written by himself on the tram.
We bought the climbing ropes we used this time from a sporting goods store in Shinjuku.For us, this is the first time to use nylon climbing rope.The purchased product is an eight-millimeter climbing rope produced by Sakura Rope Co., Ltd. with nylon yarn from Toho Chemical Plant.According to the instructions stamped with the inspection certificate stamp, the pulling force of this eight-millimeter climbing rope can rival that of the previous twelve-millimeter Manila hemp rope.
Of course, since we use it, we have certain knowledge about it.As far as its cold resistance is concerned, some people have already used it when climbing Mount Manasulu, and some people have also used it when hunting whales in the Antarctic Sea, so don't worry.Even though it was made by another company.It's only when water seeps into the nylon fiber and freezes.The results of the test are unknown.
Secondly, it is generally believed that nylon is afraid of ultraviolet rays.We have painted it with an orange-yellow dye for UV protection and for easy identification.Of course, the coloring is limited to the surface. We avoided letting the dye seep into the interior, and in order to prevent it from being exposed to ultraviolet rays and other damages, we made a bag with a cotton tarpaulin. Carry in a cloth bag.
After we bought the climbing rope, before we set off, we also studied together many times whether nylon climbing rope could be used.Due to customary reasons, a pair of 8mm climbing ropes can not help but have concerns, but the reason why we dare to use it.The reason why I believed in nylon science was because I saw the epoch-making development in all aspects of nylon science.
This is how we used the newly purchased 80-meter-long nylon climbing rope to climb the east cliff of Qiansui Peak in winter.That is a rock wall as high as 200 meters. We usually call it "Qiansuidongpo"...
Uozu read the passage twice before getting off at Shimbashi Station.
When pushing open the office door, Uozu glanced at Tokiwa's desk in front of him.Tokiwa leaned against the back of his chair, holding the newspaper in both hands and spreading it out in front of his eyes.
Uozu felt his eyes meet Tokiwa's.Chang Shepan immediately turned his gaze back to the newspaper, maintaining his original posture.When Uozu walked towards his desk, Tokiwa yelled rudely.Uozu turned his face to Tokiwa.
Daisaku Tokiwa stood up slowly, walking up and down the office as usual, and walked towards Yujin.But halfway through, he turned around again, walked past his desk, came to the line of field desks, and then turned back.
Yujin waited quietly for the moment when Tokiwa came to his desk and stood still, he thought that Tokiwa would definitely come to his desk.But after waiting for a long time, he still didn't come. He was always like a bear in a zoo, wandering slowly among the dozen or so employees who were working.
Yujin thought, Tokiwa must have read the manuscript he wrote, but he didn't have a word with him, which made people feel a little bad.
When Tokiwa was about to walk past Uozu's desk again, Uozu called him out, "Manager!"
Tokiwa stopped, and turned his face to Yujin, as if asking, "What's the matter?"
"Have you read it?"
"Read what?"
"The article I published in the newspaper today."
"Well..." The answer was vague.Tokiwa stared into Yujin's eyes, and his eyes seemed to be urging him: "Speak quickly!"
"I'm a little worried, so..."
"Don't worry?"
"Yes, because the article mentioned the name Sakura Rope Company."
"Why do you feel worried when you mention the name of Sakura Rope Company?"
Tokipan's question embarrassed Yujin, so he had no choice but to keep silent.At this time, Tokiwa showed the hunter's expression when he saw the prey fell into the trap.
"Don't worry about this sentence, I thought it would come from your mouth. I thought you wouldn't be able to write something that would make you feel worried after writing it. I always thought that mountain climbers are such a kind of person." Tokiwa sucked With a sigh of relief, he continued: "I've read what you wrote! After reading it, I thought this way: Well, this guy Uozu finally decided to submit his resignation to me. Good job! Let the general manager be furious and turn the branch office into a rage. The manager pushed into a difficult situation, and then left the job by himself! Is that the case? Without such determination, how could you write such an article. You are a duel letter to the New East Asia Trading Company. Really well written A hearty duel book!"
He still couldn't figure out what Tokiwa was thinking, so Uozu remained silent.
"But you said just now that you are worried. If you are worried, don't write it!"
Tokiwa didn't reprimand loudly, but Uozu felt as if his whole body was electrocuted.
"I'm not worried about the company, I'm just worried about the situation of your branch manager."
"Well, so you were worried about me. That's really hard for you. Thank you! However, this is called meddling. It's a cliché used by unfilial sons who do all kinds of unfilial things but pretend to care about their parents .”
"..."
"But parents don't appreciate your concern for them. They hope that you don't regret what you have done. Don't you?" Daisaku Tokiwa said this, staring into Uozu's eyes with an expression as if It's telling him.
"I see," Uozu said. "I'll just get to the end of the matter. I probably won't submit my resignation letter. I think it's tantamount to admitting that I was wrong."
Hearing what Yujin said, Tokiwa showed a complicated expression and said, "It makes sense."
"In short, don't stop doing one thing, and do it to the end. Please read the article I will publish tomorrow. After reading it, if you want me to write a resignation letter, I will write it."
"What will you write tomorrow?"
"All in all, I think the performance of nylon climbing rope may have limitations. Compared with Manila hemp rope, it has its advantages, but I am afraid it also has disadvantages. This shortcoming should be carefully studied and improved to avoid further accidents."
"Well……"
"Write roughly to this extent."
"You said it to this extent, but it is not acceptable for Sumikura Rope Company to have such shortcomings. It is not acceptable to have shortcomings!"
"However, it actually exists!"
"In fact, it's not easy to be singled out! Whether it's paper or hair cream, any product may have defects, but if there are defects, no one will buy it."
"..."
"The product must be perfect: hum, I'm afraid you'll have to write your resignation letter sooner or later. Just make up your mind and do it openly! Even if you died on the mountain last time, it's cheap to live now."
He couldn't tell whether he was scolding or provoking, but somehow Uozu felt courage from Tokiwa's words.
"The head office in Osaka is calling." This is the voice of a female employee.
"Hey, look, here we come!" Tokipan said to Yujin as soon as he heard the voice; "There is still work to tell you, don't go away." After speaking, he walked towards the telephone.
Tokiwa took the microphone from the female staff member, said a few words in a low voice, and then responded with "yes" and "ho", and then his voice gradually became louder.Tokipan's loud voice reached the ears of all the clerks who were working.
"Hey, I was really surprised by this matter... Yes, that's right, I think he doesn't know the relationship between Sumikura Rope Company and our company. But he did this What the hell! It's crazy... You're absolutely right. Who knows what mood he's writing in... Well, in a nutshell, yes... No, it's time to go to work. I was talking to He understands the situation. I'll report to you when I find out... Oh, did you? Did he call it a disaster? For Mr. Sakura, it really can only be called a disaster."
Having said that, Daisaku Tokiwa sat on the table, the microphone in his right hand was still attached to his ear.As soon as he sat down, he took out the cigarette case with his left hand, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then pouted his chin at the person next to him, motioning for an excuse.
Yujin saw it and quickly lit him with a lighter.Thinking about my current situation, I feel that it is right to ask for such a little favor.During this period, Tokiwa continued to chat with the person on the other end of the phone line, who might be the general manager.
"...No, it's not easy to deal with. Immediate punishment is okay, but if he resigns now, it will be troublesome to let him write a close-up. There is no guarantee that he won't do it. He is a fashionable young man... Yes, I understand. You just leave it for now Leave it to me... I heard that there are three chapters, and it will probably be published tomorrow. However, it seems that tomorrow's is not going well... How about it, Mr. Manager, Mr. Sakura, please clear it up... Yes Ah, I'm afraid I have to bow my head and apologize. Anyway, please apologize more...I think, it's okay if something like this happens once in a while...Oh, no, of course it's not good. Okay, that's it.” Tokiwa said so Put the microphone on.Then he showed a look of letting go of the burden and taking a breath.
"This is the prologue, the good show is yet to come!" Tokipan's words were not meant for anyone.He suddenly remembered and said to Yujin: "Hey! Let's go out for a while."
Instead of taking the elevator, Tokiwa took the stairs down.Yujin followed.
"I'm so sorry."
"I'm sorry—you don't need to talk about it!"
"I can't tell you enough, Manager!"
Walking to the entrance of the building, Tokiwa said, "Let's eat lunch a little earlier."
Tokiwa took the lead, walking on the sidewalk.It was cold and windy.
"I'll get you a coat," said Uozu.He wanted to get his coat too, but seeing Tokipan with his hands in his trouser pockets, he was more afraid of the cold than himself.
"No, it's almost here, that's all right. And I don't like coats. In winter, everyone wears coats, and it's not good to be alone. But if I can, I won't wear them." of."
On this point, Yujin couldn't agree with him.
"But isn't it cold?"
"It's always cold in winter."
The two walked and talked.After passing the Hibiya intersection, they turned right into the passageway with buildings on both sides, and then walked into the main gate of the T Hall.
Tokiwa's appearance did not match the style of the luxurious T Club, but as soon as he walked in, the hostess in the concierge and the waiter greeted him.
"You see, you'll save yourself a whole lot of trouble by not wearing a coat, and not having to send it, can you?"
"That's true..."
Go through the hall and into the dining room to the right.The waiter led them to an inner table.As soon as he sat down, Tokiwa picked up the menu and said, "Just order whatever you like."
Yujin ordered prawns, and Tokipan followed suit; "Okay, then I'll have prawns too. How about the soup?"
"I do not want"
"I want some soup."
Yujin waited for Toki Pan to speak, but Chang Pan's interrogation was silent, so he had no choice but to keep silent.
The two faced each other and ate the dishes served.Changpan moved his knife and fork and asked, "Anything else you want to eat?"
Yujin glanced at the menu with his eyes, and said, "Enough is enough."
"Enough? The appetite is too small."
Tokipan ordered a meat dish and a vegetarian dish for himself.Before Tokiwa finished the third plate, Uozu's gaze blankly scanned the dining tables in the dining room with many foreign guests.
"I want sorbet, strawberries, and coffee." Tokipan wiped his mouth with a tea towel and ordered the waiter.Only then did he show a full stomach.
"There is something I want to ask you. I think so. The easiest way to solve this problem this time is probably to test the performance of the climbing rope. Not only do I think so, the matter has developed to this point, Sakura system I'm afraid Rope will also adopt this method. If so, it won't be any inconvenience to you."
Tokiwa's words make people feel that the problem is a bit serious.
"It's just to test whether the climbing rope will break, isn't it?" Uozu said looking into Tokiwa's eyes.
"right!"
"I also hope to do this. It is probably impossible to create a situation exactly the same as the accident at that time. But if a conscientious experiment can be carried out as close as possible to the situation at that time, I am in favor."
"Okay! If you say that, I'm relieved. In short, the climbing rope keeps breaking. I'm afraid there is no other way to judge it except based on the results of scientific experiments. This is not necessarily accurate, but it may be the closest." Then, Tokiwa exhorted again: "Is it okay?"
"Row."
"Then we don't wait for Xingcang Rope Company to open our mouth. Let's take the initiative to propose this suggestion. I am responsible for the test method. If the climbing rope breaks, it proves that the climbing rope itself is faulty. If the climbing rope is broken, then There is no other way, it can only prove that you made a mistake, that there is a defect in the operation of the climbing rope, or it is..." At this point, Tokiwa paused.
"I cut it off, didn't I?"
"To put it bluntly, that's probably what happened." Tokiwa said while crushing the strawberries on the plate with his fingers.
"Totally boring!"
"Why take it so seriously. All these frivolous things will be smashed when tested. I think the climbing rope may be broken due to sexual and functional defects, as you said."
Tokiwa Daisaku's tone at this time was calm.
After drinking coffee, the two left their seats.Uojin pushed the heavy revolving door on the main entrance with his body, and as soon as he walked out, he said, "I want to go somewhere." He couldn't tell whether it was for business or personal business, so he broke up with Daisaku Tokiwa.
Uozu walked in the opposite direction to Tokiwa, along the passage between the buildings, towards the K newspaper office.Uozu didn't wear a coat, so he was supposed to be cold, but he hardly felt cold.He felt that there were still many things to consider.
When I arrived at the K newspaper office, in the communication room, I asked someone to convey my visit to the small young reporter from the Department of Literature and Art who had asked him to write "The Story of Maeho Gaofeng's Dead Friend".The reporter immediately came downstairs with the proofs.
"There are many letters from readers." There was no obvious expression on the young man's face.
"What kind of letter?"
"There are all kinds of things. Half of the people expressed sympathy for the incident, and the other half thought it was impossible to break the climbing rope. Would you like to show it to you?"
"No, I'll come back tomorrow."
He is interested in the content of letters from readers, but does not want to read them now.He stood looking at the proofs the reporter handed him.This is the third and final part of Uozu's essays to be published in tomorrow's morning paper.
Uozu continued to read the article.In the first half, he discussed in detail the circumstances of the accident, and in the second half, he stated his own views on the reasons for the breaking of the climbing rope.
...According to past experience, it is common for Kosaka to slip by about 30 centimeters.This level of slippage often occurs when the climbing rope is hooked on a rock corner to hang down.From a common sense point of view, since it is a climbing rope, it is impossible to imagine a break in this case.
All in all, I can't help but come to such a conclusion: or the climbing rope we use from Sakura Rope Co., Ltd. happens to be a defective product;Maybe nylon has more pull than hemp, but is there a greater weakness for particularly sharp corners?Of course, I also know that mountaineering athletes all over the world are using nylon climbing ropes, and that is a fact.However, our experience is also true.It is my fervent hope that the death of my friend Osaka Otohiko will lead to better climbing ropes.
Uozu added a few more lines after this:
It is very necessary to find out what the shape of the rock corner of the climbing rope is, but such an investigation will have to wait for half a year.Because this problematic rock corner is still buried deep in the snow like Kosaka's body and the climbing rope tied to him...
"So be it."
Uojin immediately walked out of the newspaper office after returning the proofs to the reporter.In Uozu's eyes, people, cars, shops, and the roads carrying them are all slanted in the distance.The sky is overcast.
In February, it was warm as spring for several days in a row, not like severe winter at all.
Newspapers published photographs of Izu fishermen's women working on the beach and hikers lined up on a road in a swampy area, with headlines such as "spring" and "water warming."This is justified in March, but it can only be said that God is crazy when it appears in February.
In this season, one night, Yatsushiro Minako and her husband, Konnosuke, attended a wedding banquet held by the daughter of the manager of the camera company at the N Hotel in Hibiya.
Minako drove from home to the meeting place on time, where she met with Gyonosuke who came from the company.After that, they were arranged to sit side by side in a corner of the guest table.
Minako and the bride and groom are strangers, and their relationship is that they bought gifts in a department store and asked the store to deliver them to them, that's all.Attending this banquet is also entirely a matter of etiquette.Nevertheless, once congratulating a young man and woman on their way to life-the atmosphere of this wedding ceremony is still good.She finds it such a pleasure: she doesn't have to take the slightest responsibility, and uses the stiff posture of the bride and groom who she has never met as a foil, and just enjoys the delicious food as she likes.
If you have had acquaintance with the bridegroom or the bride for a few times, then Minako must use her own personal experience in married life to comment on or express emotion about this weird ceremony that cannot be told whether it is gratifying or not. In today's situation, she neither commented nor expressed emotion.
The matchmaker's congratulatory speeches were long and boring, but the congratulatory speeches of the guests after that were all unique, and the hour passed was not boring.
When she left her seat after the banquet, Minako asked her husband, "Are you going home soon?"
When I came to the banquet hall, before the banquet started, my husband had been busy greeting and greeting various people, so Minazi only gestured to her husband with her eyes, and did not speak a word to him, and there was almost no conversation at the banquet. what.That is to say, Minako was talking to her husband for the first time since Konnosuke left the house this morning.
"Go home together. You wait in front of the elevator for a while, and I will come as soon as I have a word with Mr. Shanchuan."
Shanchuan is the name of a capitalist Minako is familiar with.
Minako left her husband there and walked out of the banquet hall by herself.I met two or three acquaintances, nodded to them, then walked through the noisy elevator, walked to the opposite hall, and sat down on a red chair.There she watched as the three elevators carried, one after another, the best-dressed men and women to the ground floor.
When the surroundings became quieter, Konnosuke came.
"I kept you waiting for a long time." Konosuke came to Minako, greeted him, and walked towards the elevator with the door open waiting for passengers.
"Have you been too busy today?" Minako walked into the elevator and asked Konosuke.There were only the two of them in the elevator.The elevator door closed halfway and then opened again. A few men came in front. The elevator driver probably wanted to take them down with him.
"Well, people keep coming and asking me to drink coffee."
"You don't drink it."
"That won't do. It's unbearable to hear them say an hour of boring work."
Five or six men came in.Konosuke and Minako stood back.
"By the way, they insisted that I test the climbing rope." Kinnosuke said this suddenly.
"Climbing rope?" The moment he asked, the uncomfortable feeling when the elevator descended hit Minako.Minazi didn't go on talking, she stood close to her husband, she felt that it took a long time for the elevator to go down to the bottom floor, it was an uncomfortable feeling of descending endlessly.
Until Konosuke told the waiter the car number at the door of the hotel, Minako was in a state of unexplained uneasiness.She finally realized that the uneasiness was caused by Konnosuke's short words, so she asked, "What do you want to do with the climbing rope?"
"It's not because of Kosaka-kun. It was published in the newspaper a few days ago... I was asked to do that experiment."
The car came up to them.So Minako let Gonnosuke get into the car first, and then Keiji got into the car.After the car started, she asked; "You want to test whether the climbing rope is broken, isn't it?"
"Ok"
"You accepted it?"
"Ok."
Mina fell silent.I thought to myself, how could my husband accept such a nasty job!When Minako read in the newspaper that the Sakura Rope Company was going to experiment with climbing ropes, she already had some unpleasant and fearful emotions.Now it is really going to be carried out, and the experiment falls on Konosuke, how did this happen!Minako felt a certain uneasiness about Kosaka's death, and she worried that Kosaka might have committed suicide.Of course, this was categorically denied by Uozu when he was on the platform at Ueno Station.But Minako's uneasiness did not disappear because of this.
"Why do you want to test it?"
"Because the raw material nylon yarn is our company's product, since people have proposed it, we have to do it, right?"
"Is that made by our company?"
"We don't make climbing ropes, we make nylon filaments."
"So, can't we let the company that makes climbing ropes do it?"
"It's my company's product, so it's inconvenient."
Minako felt that her husband's remarks were malicious.She knew he didn't mean it that way, but somehow she felt it was malicious.
Minako moved her body away from her husband, and turned her gaze to the outside of the car window that was full of lights.
Back at Denen Chofu's house, Konnosuke went straight to the living room without changing his dress, and sat down on the sofa.
"Give me a cup of strong tea first." He showed a very tired expression.
Minako ordered the spring school to make tea for her husband, while she went to the bedroom to take off her coat, and then returned to her husband.She originally wanted to ask her husband about the experiment on climbing ropes in more detail, but she was afraid that she would be found paying too much attention to this issue, so she didn't dare to speak.
"You go take a shower now."
"Okay...today is quite a grand banquet! The bride is also beautiful, how old do you think she is?"
"This……"
"It is said that her parents were very anxious because she missed the age of marriage. Twenty-seven or eight years old?"
"Not that much...at most twenty-five. Wouldn't it be about the same as me at twenty-eight?"
"That's true."
After Konosuke spoke, he felt that his words were unnecessary, and he had an embarrassed look on his face.Then he slowly drank the big bowl of tea brought by Chun Zhi.After drinking, he untied his tie and stood up.
Gyonosuke went to take a shower, changed into towel pajamas and went upstairs after the shower.Minako had been sitting in the dining room all this time.Somehow, she didn't want to undo the kimono obi to remove it yet.
Minako walked out of the bathroom, checked whether the doors of each room were closed, and walked up to the bedroom on the second floor. It was nearly eleven o'clock at this time.In the ten-bed-wide bedroom, there were two beds facing each other against the walls on both sides.
Kyonosuke got into bed, turned on the lamp beside the pillow, and was reading a foreign language magazine.Seeing Minazi coming in, he greeted, "I'm going to bed first." But his face was still facing that way, and his eyes didn't leave the magazine.
Minazi walked to the mirror stand in the corner of the room and sat down, staring at her own face reflected in the three mirrors, and said, "You will hurt your eyes like this."
Kyonosuke often said that reading at night hurts the eyes, and he will not read it in the future. This is what he said, but he still reads magazines every night.
"Well, I won't watch it. I'm a little tired tonight."
He put the magazine on the bedside table and turned off the lamp.The chandelier on the ceiling had long since gone out, so it was dark around his bed.Minako sat between the bed and the mirror.Bedside lamps and mirror table lamps illuminate half of the bedroom.
"After the experiment, can you know whether the climbing rope will break?"
"This...?" Konnosuke's voice came from the darkness.
"It is precisely because I don't know how to stop and stop, so I decided to try it out. It's hard to say before the test."
"Of course...but what do you think?"
"I don't know." Konnosuke probably turned over, and the bed made a sound. "Although I don't know, generally speaking, before making a climbing rope, several experiments like this are carried out. In this sense, it is strange to say that the climbing rope is broken. I am afraid that it is more natural to look at the problem in this way. It is necessary to carry out various tests. It is only known through experiments in various situations, and generally speaking, it will not be interrupted."
"Then, it is more likely that the results of the test are not continuous."
"have no idea."
"But, you just said that generally it will not be interrupted!"
"Normally, it won't break. But we'll have to wait for the experiment to know whether it's broken or not." At this point, Kinnosuke yawned softly.
While staring at her own face in the mirror, Minako asked, "What will happen if it doesn't stop?"
"Not much. It's just to ensure the product credit of the climbing rope."
"But what about Mr. Uozu's situation?"
"Uozu-san... the one who went climbing with Kosaka, the one who came to our place?"
"Yes."
"This..." Kennosuke paused for a while and said, "There are various opinions about this. The people who came to discuss the experiment today also talked about it."
"..."
"Even those who think it is cut off, there are various opinions. There is one who thinks that it is cut off because of fear of death, and there are also people who hold different views."
"Is such a thing already being discussed?"
"It seems so." Kinnosuke seemed to be speaking from the standpoint of a third party.
"Those who know Uozu think that he cut Kosaka to protect him—the climbing rope wrapped around Kosaka's body loosened, so Kosaka fell down. The climbing rope loosened, which is very painful for mountaineers. Disgraceful. In order to cover up his friend's disgrace, Uozu-kun cut the climbing rope... This, speaking of it, is possible," said Konosuke.
Although Konosuke's "disgraceful thing to cover up a friend" was briefly mentioned, Minako felt it pierced her chest like a sharp knife.What Konosuke said was that the climbing rope was loosened, but Minako sounded like her husband was insinuating.
"Will that happen?" Minako asked.
"It's the same cut off. It's very different for fear of death and to cover up a friend's infamy. I don't know which kind of situation he belongs to."
"Then, if the results of the experiment show that the climbing rope will not break, then Mr. Uozu will be considered one of the cases, right?"
"No, there are other possibilities. What did they say?" Konosuke stopped here, probably thinking.
Minako felt that Kennosuke's silence was too long, which was puzzling.She wondered what her husband would say next.
"That's right, that's right! In the Japanese mountaineering world, the two of them probably belong to the isolationist group... Therefore, some people seem to doubt Kosaka's climbing skills. So they said that maybe the two of them have problems with the operation of the climbing rope. That's right, if the operation is rough, even the strongest climbing rope will be broken. It seems that he said something else." At this point, Konnosuke stopped again.
"what?"
"It seems to be something." He was silent for a while.This silence made Mina very depressed.
Because the gas stove was on, the room was quite warm, but after all, I was wearing towel pajamas, so I still felt chilly.
"What else?" Minako asked.She thought, maybe the word "suicide" would come out of her husband's mouth.
Minako noticed that her face in the mirror was staring at her with a pensive expression, and suddenly wondered whether her husband was also peeping at her.She quickly reached out and turned off the fluorescent light on the mirror stage.
At the same time, Minako heard her husband's even snoring, which was indeed the sound of falling asleep.Mina was relieved, but when she was relieved, she became angry with this kind of husband.
Then, as usual, she tiptoed and quietly huddled into her own bed.
At night, Minako had a dream:
In the endless oak forest, the leaves have withered and turned bright red.There are oak trees all around.The branches are full of crumbling dead leaves.
Minazi was walking in the woods, probably for a long time, she was very tired, she didn't know that the oak tree would wither into such a red color.Where is Kosaka's house?It should be in this area, but why can't I even see its shadow?Mina's heart became more and more uncertain, and she really wanted to go back like this, instead of going to see Kosaka.But when I thought that my purpose of coming here was to ask Kosaka to return the lighter I gave him, I felt that I couldn't just go back like this.
You must find Kosaka and ask him for the lighter.It was a gift that Kinnosuke bought for himself when he was traveling abroad.What did I do, I gave it to Kosaka without thinking, it must be paid back.The fact that he had a relationship with Xiao Jun might be exposed because of that lighter.
Minako continued to walk forward.But no matter how she walked, she still couldn't get out of the eucalyptus forest with red leaves.After walking for a while, I saw a man coming towards me.Maybe he was Kosaka, but when he got closer, he was a stranger.
Minako wanted to ask for directions, so she greeted him.
"Do you know where Mr. Kosaka's home is?"
"Kosaka? Didn't Kosaka die in Mount Hodaka?"
Mina was taken aback.Oh, yes: Otohiko Kosaka is dead.When she thought of this, her body and mind became cold.The board is dead!Pitiful.Right at this moment, that stranger has unknowingly turned into Yujin.Uojin shouted angrily: "Why do you think of visiting Kosaka's house?"
Minazi remained silent. She couldn't make up her mind whether she should tell the story of the lighter.
"Walking around in such a place will expose your scandal to the broad daylight. You should be more self-respecting."
Minako felt Uozu's hands grabbing her shoulders.
"Hey, do you understand?"
Yujin told her, and at the same time, Minako felt that Yujin's hand was shaking her vigorously.
Then Mina woke up.The oak forest disappeared, and so did Yujin.Only the shoulder where Yujin had grabbed violently with both hands still had a real feeling.
Minako kept her original posture, motionless.Really, there is still the tactile feeling of Uozu's thick palms on both shoulders.The upper body still felt like it had been shaken violently, and it was also accompanied by a feeling of being drunk.
The feeling left in the dream gradually faded away and was about to disappear.Minazi lay on the bed on her back, with her eyes wide open, staring blankly at the fading feeling of drunkenness, as if she was listening to the sound of people's footsteps gradually going away.
The air in the room was cold.From Konnosuke's bed came the same regular breathing sound as when he went to bed just now.At this moment, Minako vaguely felt that the sound of her husband's breathing was coming from the ocean.Kazumi closed her eyes and recalled the dream she had just had.Why do you have such a dream?
I went to visit Kosaka to get back the lighter.The feeling of wanting to return the lighter was always hidden from Kosaka when he was alive.In fact, after giving Kosaka the lighter, he had no intention of asking for it back.But it cannot be said that the mood about the lighter in the dream is unreal.Because of the idea of wanting to return the lighter.It may be hidden in the depths of consciousness, and this clearly reflects his feelings for Kosaka.
Then I met someone I didn't know before, and I remembered that Kosaka had passed away.当时自己那冰冻似地发凉的心情，就是小坂遇难以来自己一直对他的死所抱的情感。生前对他那么狠心，一旦他死于非命就反而觉得可怜了。
然后素不相识的人变成了鱼津，并且说：你在这样的地方徘徊，你的丑事会暴露出去，你要更加自重。鱼津为什么会说这些呢？
美那子想着梦里的事，想到这里，她突然领悟到，鱼津可能是在庇护自己。领悟到这一点的时候，美那子不由得在被窝里猛地翻了个身。
会不会是鱼津为了不让自己和小坂的丑事暴露而隐瞒着小坂的自杀真相？会不会小坂是自杀的，而鱼津明明清楚却装着不知道。
但是美那子随即把自以为得到鱼津庇护的想法赶一跑了。她想，不可能有这种事。同时也觉得奇怪，虽然是一瞬间的，但为什么自己会产生这种想法，也许还在做梦吧。
美那子在床上坐起来。现在她觉得自己已完全从梦里一解放出来了。她想知道现在是几点钟。
美那子重新躺下，可就是睡不着。想知道几点钟。就得开台灯，但房间一亮，现在笼罩着自己的这个世界就会烟消云散了。然而她此刻的心绪，却是想把从梦中延续下来的时间原本不动地再保持一会。
美那子在黑暗中眼睛睁得大大的，大约过了十分钟或二十分钟光景，忽然意识到自己从刚才起就一直想着鱼津，不由得怔了一下，觉得其中有值得自咎之处。美那子不知不觉地又一次陷入刚才已经驱散了的思索之中；说不定鱼津是在庇护自己。
自己竟然会在深夜醒来，独自在床上想着鱼津。美那子意识到自己的邪念，赶紧拉起毛毯盖住了半边脸。她想：睡吧，别胡思乱想了。
就在这时候传来了教之助的说话声，他说了些什么没听清楚。美那子正想问他的时候，他又说了几句话。这一下美那子明白那是梦呓，是用英语说的梦呓。
美那子心里想，干吗不用日语说梦话呢！她觉得自己和丈夫之间是有隔阂的，其程度和性质犹如自已不能理解丈夫的呓语。
美那子直到远处传来电车声时才睡着。醒来时已经八点了，比往常晚得多。她起来的时候，教之助的床上已经没人了。
美那子慌忙下床，睡衣也没换就下楼。走到楼梯当中，和丈夫打了个照面，他身穿毛衣拿着报纸在上楼。
“今天早上有点儿冷，当心伤风。”教之助说。
和教之助面对面坐着用早餐时的美那子，已经和昨天夜里的美那子有点两样了。美那子自己意识到了这一点。昨夜做了那样的梦；梦中醒来后久久不能入眠，张大着眼睛胡思乱想——所有这一切她都厌恶了。
从侧面看着饭后读报的丈夫，心想：自己对丈夫没有什么不满，对丈夫十分尊敬，也十分信赖。正因为这样，所以在和小坂有了关系以后，为了摆脱这关系而苦恼，得到了充分的惩罚。美那子在心里反复地自言自语：我是爱丈夫的。
可是美那子送丈夫上班以后，当她意识到自己正在反复自言自语“我是爱丈夫的”时候，突然觉得这是莫明奇妙的。自己追究自己是否对丈夫有爱情——世上哪有这样的妻子！
为了这一想法，美那子整整一上午离不开走廊上的椅子。她拿起了杂志，可是那上面的铅字一个也看不进。
这种情况不是在今天才发生的，以往也有过好几次。所不同的只是从来没有象今天这么深刻地思索过自己和丈夫的关系。自己爱丈夫，而丈夫也是挺爱自己的，照理，不该有什么不满的了。可是尽管这样，自己的心里却仍然存在着随时可能有失足危险的东西。
美那子走到院子里，在那里踱来踱去，而后在角落里发现地上有只不能动弹的小蜜蜂，她不觉蹲下身子瞅了一会儿。这只小动物还在动弹，可是已经失去起飞的能力了。
“太太，有客人来。”
听到这声音，她回过头来，看见春校正从走廊上下来。美那子站起身来把木展齿对准小蜜蜂，犹疑片刻之后下决心把它踩死了。
“谁呀？”美那子问走过来的女佣。
“是一位叫小坂的。”
“是姑娘吗？”
"yes."
“把她请到会客室吧。”美那子吩咐之后，在原地踌躇了一会，因为刚才踩死了小蜜蜂所产生的残忍而悲哀的心绪缠住了她。
美那子一走进会客室，早已坐在椅子上的阿馨立即站起来。美那子招呼道：“您来啦，欢迎！”
“早就该来拜访的，由于杂七杂八的事，所以……”阿馨有点拘束，说话时眼睛一直看着美那子的脸。
美那子觉得这时的阿馨和前两次遇见时都不一样。前两次都是在发生了小坂事件之后不久，她非但一点也没有梳妆打扮，而且总让人觉得有点心神不定的样子。可是此刻，她那苗条而敏捷的体态却显得那么沉着、娴静。
美那子从她身上移开视线，说声：“请！”阿馨坐下以后还时而抬起头来，每次抬头都注视美那子的眼睛。
美那子觉得好久没见过这么洁净的眼睛了。它映照出了自己的污秽，使自己感到难于正眼看她。
“哥哥忌日那天大家都来了。本来很想通知您的，可是又觉得也许不通知您为好。”阿馨说完又补了一句：“我不知道是不是做错了？”她那神色显然是在说：我这样自作主张不知道是否合您的意？
和上次一样，这次美那子又觉得阿馨误解了自己和小坂的关系了。美那子觉得为难，可是事到如今，也只好由它去了。除此毫无办法。正如那天在上野站的时候鱼津讲的那样，解释这事只不过是美那子自己感情上的问题，也许这正是他所说的利己主义吧。
美那子用一些不太伤感情的话应酬着，尽量避免谈到与小坂有关的话题。
“您喜欢运动吗？”
“滑雪会点儿……不过，学生时代当过县里的选手。”
看她那结实的身体是象搞滑雪运动的。
“今天来拜访是想给您几张哥哥的照片。”
阿馨说着站起身来，从窗台上拿起蓝色手提包。
美那子对这个一味地把自己看作是她哥哥恋爱对象的年轻姑娘，又一次感到心烦。
阿馨从包里拿出一本照相簿，把它放在桌上说：“这是我最近清理的。家乡还有许多哥哥的照片，我把手头的先整理了一下。打算把它寄给母亲。我想寄给母亲以前，先请您从这里面选出您所喜欢的两三张。”
阿馨郑重地递过照相簿。这一来，从礼节上说，美那子不得不看了。
美那子把手搁在照相簿上，却又踌躇着不打开它。这本照相簿里一定贴着几十张小坂乙彦的照片。是的，里面有个说不定是由于自己拒绝他的爱情而自杀了的年轻登山运动员。
美那子把手从照相簿上缩了回来，然后为了叫春枝，站起来拉了一下垂在右手沙发上的电铃绳子。春枝刚刚端来了红茶，才出去一会，本来是没什么要吩咐的。美那子只不过想借此拖延一下她不情愿做的事。
美那子刚一回到座位，春校就来了。她吩咐：“拿水果来吧。”
春枝一出去，美那子怀着被逼得走投无路的人的心情，勉强地翻开了照相簿的第一页。上面贴着一张小坂乙彦穿着西装的半身像。美那子掠了一眼就翻到下一页，往下她就揣度着以不至于伤害阿馨感情的速度，一张张地翻了下去。
“随便拿两三张，不要紧的。”
尽管阿馨这么说，但美那子一张也不想要。一个说不定是为自己而死去的青年人的照片，最好是敬而远之。
“已经贴得好好的照片，怎么好……”
“不，不要紧的。”
“就这样寄给令堂不更好吗？”
“还有好多响！”
美那子急着要把这事结束，于是说：“那就承您的好意，拿一张吧。”
美那子选了一张四寸大穿着登山服的鱼津和小坂并排坐在沙滩上的照片。她想，与其拿小坂单独一个人的，不如拿一张和鱼津在一起的双人照，心里要好过点。
阿馨却说：“唉，这张……”她的语调里好象是有点儿为难似的。“最好请您拿别的……而且，这一张，不知是耀眼还是怎么的，哥哥的脸有点儿怪。”
“那就换别的吧。”美那子翻了两三页，又选了一张小坂和鱼津在一起的。
“哎呀，这个……”阿馨又叫了一声。
“这一张不行，是吗？”美那子说。
“并不是不行，不过最好是……”阿馨答道。
Notes:
Notes: