按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of 〃supererogatory climb。〃 The baggage passed on； and Yejiro and I
followed leisurely； admiring the view。
Either the old trail failed to connect with the railway terminus；
which I suspect； or else we missed the path； for we had to supply a
link ourselves。 This resulted in a woefully bad cut across a
something between a moor and a bog； supposed to be drained by
ditches； most of which lay at right angles to our course。 We were
not much helped； half…way over； by a kindly intentioned porter； who
dawned upon us suddenly in the distance； rushing excitedly out from
behind the platform； gesticulating in a startling way and shouting
that time was up。 We made what sorry speed was possible under the
circumstances； getting very hot from exertion； and hotter still from
anxiety； and then waited impatiently ten good minutes in our seats in
the railway carriage for the train to start。 I forget whether I
tipped that well…meaning but misguided man。
The tram contingent had already arrived；had in fact finished
feeding at the many mushroom teahouses gathered about the station；
and were now busy finding themselves seats。 Their bustle was most
pleasing to witness； till suddenly I discovered that there were no
first…class carriages； that it was my seat； so to speak； for which
they were scrambling。 The choice； it appeared； began with
second…class coaches； doomed therefore to be doubly popular。
Second…class accommodation； by no means merely nominal； was evidently
the height of luxury to the patrons of the country half of this
disjointed line； which starts so seductively from Tokyo。 Greater
comfort is strictly confined to the more metropolitan portion。
The second…class coaches had of course the merit of being cheaper；
but this was more than offset by the fact that in place of panes of
glass their windows had slats of wood with white cotton stretched
over them；an ingenious contrivance for shutting out the view and a
good bit of the light； both of which are pleasing； and for letting in
the cold； which is not。
〃If you go with the crowd； you will be taken care of；〃 as a shrewd
financier of my acquaintance used to say about stocks。 This occurred
to me by way of consolation； as the guard locked us into the carriage；
in the approved paternal government style。 Fortunately the
locking…in was more apparent than real； for it consisted solely in
the turning of a bar； which it was quite possible to unturn； as all
travelers in railway coaches are aware； by dropping the window into
its oubliette and stretching the arm well down outside；a trick of
which I did not scruple to avail myself。 My fellow…passengers the
Japanese were far too decorous to attempt anything of the kind； which
compelled me to do so surreptitiously； like one who committeth a crime。
These fellow…passengers fully made up for the room they took by their
value as scientific specimens。 I would willingly have chloroformed
them all； and presented them on pins to some sartorial museum；
for each typified a stage in a certain unique process of evolution；
at present the Japanese craze。 They were just so many samples of
unnatural development in dress； from the native Japanese to the
imitated European。 The costume usually began with a pot…hat and
ended in extreme cases with congress boots。 But each man exhibited a
various phase of it according to his self…emancipation from former
etiquette。 Sometimes a most disreputable Derby； painfully
reminiscent of better bygone days； found itself in company with a
refined kimono and a spotless cloven sock。 Sometimes the metamorphosis
embraced the body； and even extended down the legs； but had not yet
attacked the feet； in its creeping paralysis of imitation。 In another
corner； a collarless； cravatless semiflannel shirt had taken the
place of the under tunic； to the worse than loss of looks of its
wearer。 Opposite this type sat the supreme variety which evidently
prided itself upon its height of fashion。 In him the change had gone
so far as to recall the East End rough all over； an illusion
dispelled only by the innocence of his face。
While still busy pigeonholing my specimens； I chanced to look through
the open window； and suddenly saw pass by； as in the shifting background
of some scenic play； the lichenveiled stone walls and lotus…mantled
moats of the old feudal castle of Uyeda。 Poor； neglected； despised
bit of days gone by！days that are but yesterdays； aeons since as
measured here。 Already it was disappearing down the long perspective
of the past； and yet only twenty years before it had stood in all the
pride and glory of the Middle Ages。 Then it had been
A daimyo's castle； wont of old to wield
Across the checkerboard of paddyfield
A rook…like power from its vantage square
On pawns of hamlets； now a ruin； there；
Its triple battlements gaze grimly down
Upon a new…begotten bustling town；
Only to see self…mirrored in their moat
An ivied image where the lotus float。
Some subtle sense of fitness within me was touched as it might have
been a nerve； and instantly the motley crew inside the car became not
merely comic； but shocking。 It seemed unseemly； this shuffling off
the stage of the tragic old by the farce…like new。 However little
one may mourn the dead； something forbids a harlequinade over their
graves。 The very principle of cosmic continuity has a decency about
it。 Nature holds with one hand to the past even as she grasps at the
future with the other。 Some religions consecrate by the laying on of
hands； Nature never withdraws her touch。
IV。
Zenkoji。
We were now come more than half…way from sea to sea； and we were
still in the thick of Europeanization。 So far we had traveled in the
track of the comic。 For if Japan seems odd for what it is； it seems
odder for what it is no longer。
One of the things which imitation of Western ways is annihilating is
distance。 Japan； like the rest of the world； is shrinking。 This was
strikingly brought home that afternoon。 A few short hours of shifting
panorama； a varying foreground of valley that narrowed or widened
like the flow of the stream that had made it； peaks that opened and
shut on one another like the changing flies in some spectacular play；
and we had compassed two days' worth of old…time travel when a man
made every foot of ground his own； and were drawing near Zenkoji。
I was glad to be there； hardly as glad to be there so soon。
There are lands made to be skimmed； tame samenesses of plain or weary
wastes of desert； where even the iron horse gallops too slow。 Japan
is not one of them。 A land which Nature herself has already crumpled
into its smallest compass； and then covered with vegetation rich as
velvet； is no land to hurry over。 One may well linger where each
mile builds the scenery afresh。 And in this world； whose civilization
grows at the expense of the picturesque； it is something to see a
culture that knows how least to mar。
Upon this mood of unsatisfied satisfaction my night fell； and shortly
after the train rolled into the Zenkoji station； amid a darkness
deepened by falling rain。 The passengers bundled out。 The station
looked cheerless enough。 But from across the open space in front
shone a galaxy of light。 A crowd of tea…houses posted on the farther
side had garlanded themselves all over with lanterns； each trying to
outvie its neighbor in apparent hospitality。 The display was
perceptibly of pecuniary intent； but still it was grateful。 To be
thought worth catching partakes； after all； of the nature of a
compliment。 What was not so gratifying was the embarrassment of
choice that followed； for each of these gayly beckoning caravansaries
proved to be a catch…pilgrim for its inn up…town。 Being on a hill；
Zenkoji is not by way of easy approach by train； and the pilgrims to
it are legion。 In order； therefore； to anticipa