UC-NRLF -c:&Mi.^^ \. PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN TRANSLATED BY LEO DURAN ^ NEW YORK THOMAS SELTZER 1921 Copyright, 1921, by THOMAS SELTZER, INC. All rights reserved, including translation and stage production. Printed in the United States of America, CONTENTS Page TheDaimyo 3 The Honor of Danzo 81 The Horns .55 The Hands IN THE Box 79 Forsaken Love (A Poetical Comedy) 97 4662L0 INTRODUCTION Japanese actors are masters of absolute realism. The traditional art of their country requires a perfection of detailed mimicry that is not called for by the more impressionistic art of the Occident. Performances in Japan last eight hours, and incidents are allowed the time they would take in real life, so that every little act or expression connected with the incident is recorded by the actor. The death agony, for instance, lasts on the stage through all the throes and all the minutes or hours that it may take in reality. A stranger from a western country might at first find the performance of a Japanese play exaggerated and tedious. After re- peated visits, however, he would develop a deep interest in the emotional representations of the actors and find that the stage world was simply another world of nature, with all the fascination and thrill of life as it really is. The old classic dramas of Japan and most of the modem dramas, therefore, although rich in poetic beauty, are too long and com- plicated to be literally translated. The [vii] INTRODUCTION English-reading world has become acquainted with them, more or less, through translations of celebrated scenes by several Japanese and English scholars. The most complete trans- lations in English known to me are of "The Cherry Tree of Suma" by Yoshida and "The Forty-seven Ronines" by Anselme. They have been rendered into French in a rather fanciful way. Several short plays, includ- ing the famous "Terakoya," have been faith- fully translated into French and German. And the "No," a sort of religious dance on legendary subjects performed by village actors or monks at certain festivals, have been made familiar to the English-speaking world by Lafcadio Heam, Acton Chamberlain, and Miss Bacon, though none of these authors has written at length on the drama proper. In New York I saw the fine productions of "The Darling of the Gods" and "Madame Butterfly," and abroad "Honneur Japonais" and "Princesse Sourire." They were pictur- esque, but badly acted and highly artificial, because it is impossible for an actor to imper- sonate a Japanese in the proper spirit with- out having studied the play in Japan. In order to give a fair idea of the Japanese drama, the subjects of which are taken, both [ viii ] INTRODUCTION in the old classic and the modern drama, mostly from historic feats in the Minamoto and Taira wars and also from popular legends, I have selected scenes which to my mind are intensely thrilling and have an amount of sensationalism and horror of which we have never been aware. My aim has been to show what the Japanese theatre really is, namely, a mixture of brutality, delicate poetry, and wonderfully beautiful stage pictures and scenery. The five dramas in this book are taken from many plays. Out of a mass of docu- ments I have extracted a limited number of situations which I have put together in order to make five subjects, each complete in itself and offering possibilities for production on the English and American stage. Instead of the long, rather tedious dialogues that occur in the original, I have written rapid dramatic scenes giving an actor full oppor- tunity to work himself into the spirit of the part. Some of these scenes have never been pub- lished even in Japan. They have been handed down from generation to generation, and will probably be given on the Japanese stage ad vitam eternam on account of their scenic realism. [ix] INTRODUCTION The stage itself differs from ours in three important particulars. For one thing, it re- volves, so that while one scene is being acted another is being prepared. Secondly, a flow- ery way one yard wide stretches on the left from the back of the audience to the stage. It is never absent. Max Reinhardt intro- duced it in "Sumurun," and later the man- ager of the Winter Garden in New York used it for the purpose of exhibiting pretty girls. In the third place, the Chorus plays an essential part in the action, much as in the Greek drama. In the presentation of an old play the Chorus sits above the stage in full view of the audience. It usually consists of the talker, who explains the thoughts of the actors; the shamisen-player, who accom- panies the talker and helps him by laughing or crying according to the action; and a flute-player, who, among other things, imi- tates the singing of birds, the sobbing of women, and the departing of souls. When the actors are silent, the Chorus has generally something to explain about their state of soul. In "Forsaken Love," in this volume, the revolving stage and the Chorus are em- ployed, and in "The Hands in the Box" the flowery way. [x] INTRODUCTION As already stated, I have not found any complete study of the Japanese drama, old or modern, fertile a field as it offers. It is an institution that forms part of the very life of the nation. In Tokyo alone there are as many theatres as in New York, though few are large. The buildings are never more than two stories high, there being only one balcony; but they are wide, and the stage is in every case as wide as the house. Famous theatres are: Kabukiza, Teiko- kuza, Tokyoza, Shinjomiza, Hongoza, and Meijiza. The leading living actors are: Uzaemon, Shikwan, Danyemon, who play at the Kabukiza; and Baiko, who plays at the Teikokuza. I was fortunate enough to see the famous actors Sadanji and Danzo at the Meijiza before they retired from the stage. The most famous tragedian of the nineteenth century was Danjuro. Some ten years ago a clever actor Kawa- kami, husband of the once-famous Sadaya Ko, began to play translations of Shakes- peare, Sardou, Moliere, and other foreign dramatists. I saw him give "Hamlet," "Othello," and "Tosca." They were badly acted from our point of view, but pleasing to Japanese audiences. The experiment met with success, and the [xi] INTRODUCTION result was the building in 1911 of the Im- perial Theatre, the Teikokuza, as well-con- structed and well-managed as the finest theatre in America. Old dramas are pro- duced in it, modern comedies, operas, ballets. It features women actresses, who, as is known, did not exist a few years ago, be- cause all female parts, as in China, were taken by men. Even today one must go to a theatre where a woman's role is taken by a man to see it really well done. The Japanese public patronize the Teiko- kuza because it is fashionable and attended by the Mikado's family. But the real art lovers would rather sit on the floor in the little square boxes, where they can eat, drink, smoke, and — sleep when not looking at the wonderful stories of old Japan, the Japan that has survived commercialism. LEO DURAN, [xii] THE DAIMYO CHARACTERS JIRO DANYEMON, A Doimyo ^ NAMiKO, A Geisha YASui, A Travelling Monk KOBUYE, A Poor Woman SATO, A Peasant f^^^^,^ i Samurai under Danyemon SOGADAKE \ ^ 1 Prince ruling over a Japanese province. THE DAIMYO The action takes place in the wooded moun- tains of Nikko, Japan, in September, the month when the maple tree is all red, and very beautiful. Time: Eighteenth Century The stage represents a little house in the woods of Nikko. Only one third of the house is seen, and it is opened on the side in view of the audience. A door, with steps, opens on to the stage. Another door slides outside in view of the public. Doors are ordinary paper doors. The open side can be closed with bamboo screens from inside. The house is raised above the ground on supports. On the floor of the same are an ash box, a large paper lamp, and some cushions. At the left side of the stage, which is supposed to be a public road, is a well, with rope and bucket for drawing water, arranged with a windlass to wind the rope. The scenery in the back- ground represents maple trees with the leaves turned red. A torii^ can be seen 1 Religious arch. [3] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN through the trees; also a bridge. When the curtain rises , it is jive o'clock in the afternoon. The rising of the curtain is announced by a noise made by beating together two sticks of bamboo. NAMiKO is discovered sitting in the house fac- ing the audience. She begins to sing^ accom- panying herself on the shamisen.^ She is richly dressed in dark blue and silver^ with an obi ^ of orange and purple; gold pins are in her hair. NAMiKO, singing U PON the mountain there is dwelling A little musume of delight. All day her song is gay and bright, With joyous birds the music swelling, Her little house among the flowers Holds me bewitched and ever pining There till the dawn to be reclining In sweetest bonds amid its bowers, ONamiko! Dear beloved musume of Nikko, I fain would be with words beguiling To tell you how I love your smiling, Yet do I sing for an echo, ONamiko! 1 Japanese guitar. 2 Heavy silk belt. [4] THE DAIMYO [ YASUi, dressed in white, with a rosary and a hell, is seen advancing from the left side. He looks tired and, hearing the song J stops and listens to it. YASUI A fairy concealed in this house so sweetly sings that I almost forget my weariness . . . what a long and hard road • . . This well will afford me .great relief ... I am dying of thirst. (He draws a bucket of water and drinks.) That water is superior to the wine I have given up. (namiko ceases playing. ) Perhaps a kind heart has need of prayers. The divine spirit will help me, and in return I may be given a little rice. IHe rings his bell. NAMIKO, putting her shamisen aside, and going to the sliding door, push- ing it partly open It is a young monk. He seems very hand- some for one in such a lowly profession. YASUI This is a wonderful apparition. [He lowers his eyes. ISTAMIKO, sliding open the door a little more [5] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN Hey! monk! Come nearer. You look very tired . . . you can sit on those steps, YASui, not looking at her. I will not come near you unless you re- quire from me the soothing prayers of the Master. If you request it, I will kneel down and say them a thousand times, until your house is blessed and the evil spirits gone. NAMIKO Yes, I do need comfort, and it may be well that you come in and recite the precepts of Shinto YASUI It is good of you to be thus observant. . . . May you always be happy. IHe removes his sandals and goes in after her. NAMIKO Kneel here by the ash box. I will bring you some drink to give you strength. YASUI Thank you ... do not trouble yourself ... I had plenty of water at the well . . . I shall proceed. IHe takes his rosary between his hands and is about to pray. [6] THE DAIMYO NAMIKO Wait, I think a bowl of rice will do you good. YASUI If you will permit me, I will pray first and eat the rice afterward. NAMIKO Do not be in such haste. ... I really do not need the prayers so much. I am only a singing girl, and I have some important things to ask you. YASUI You should not try to tempt me, even if you are a singing girl. I will go. NAMIKO I am unhappy; can you not give me good advice? YASUI Consult an old priest who has sufficient learning and experience to tell you what to do for your salvation. I am only a poor travelling monk. I know nothing of the world, and I ought not to speak to young women, especially those in your profession. [7] 1>L.AYS OF OLD JAPAN NAMIKO My profession is not a happy one. But do not think that all geisha girls are immoral. I have only one master. YASUI You are very beautiful and he should marry you. NAMIKO My master is a prince. He is already married. A year ago he took a fancy to me when I was singing at the House of the Gold Peony in Tokyo. He brought me here and comes to see me once in a while. But he is terribly jealous and beats me often without reason. YASUI Poor woman! Does he not allow you to see anybody? NAMIKO I have some servants . . . and once a month he sends me under escort to my mother, who is the wife of Tanjiro, the Asakusa cobbler. YASUI I am surprised that a master could be so cruel as to beat one with such a pretty face. Can you not leave him? [8] THE DAIMYO NAMIKO If I did, he would know it in a few days and kill me. YASUI No man, then, ever sees you? NAMIKO If my master saw you here he would cut you open from shoulder to hip. YASUI .Who is this terrible master? NAMIKO That does not matter. . . . All I want to know is. . . . Do you consider that a man has the right to beat a woman, even if he has a jealous disposition? YASUI A master is a master, and the law gives him the right of life and death. NAMIKO So, it is right that a samurai should treat women like swine? YASUI A samurai has no master except the daimyo, and if the daimyo beats his wife or mistress then a samurai may do the same, even if only to test the strength of his arm, [9] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN But if the daimyo is displeased by such ac- tions, then it is time for the samurai to com- mit harakiri/ NAMIKO Yes . . . the daimyo. . . . But, kind monk, if you had a wife would you be so cruel? YASUI That subject does not interest me. I be- came a monk to be free from the snares of women, and I find that one may be very happy without women in his life. . . . Now I must go. NAMIKO Please stay a little longer. ... I am glad you came. I am lonely here, and when my master comes it is terrible. He treats me so harshly. YASUI It is a pity that such a nightingale, beau- tiful as you are, should be wasting her life in the wilderness. . . . But . . . will you not tell me the name of your master? NAMIKO You do not know him. . . . Oh, he is away for a long time. The last time I saw his face, it was distorted with rage. Some 1 Japanese suicide. [10] THE DAIMYO poor people had stolen rice from his stores, and with a few samurai he was riding about the country trying to find the robbers. YASUI I see that if he should suddenly arrive I would lose my head. NAMIKO A nice monk like you should not be a cow- ard. You see, he beats me, but I know how to get even with him. I make him drink so much that he can't walk any more, and then I play with him and push him down until he hurts himself and falls into the ash box . . . He ... Hi ... Hi .. . IShe mimics the scene and laughs YASUI I am afraid you are wicked too. NAMIKO No, I am too young to be wicked. ... I am only sixteen. What is your name, good monk? YASUI Kamiyama Yasui. NAMIKO Well, Yasui san, you cannot refuse a pipe of good tobacco. Here it is. . . . Take that pipe and smoke if you like. [11] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN YASUI I will stay a little longer and smoke a pipe if you will promise me one thing. NAMIKO .What? YASUI ' Sing the song again that I heard before I came in. NAMIKO Very well, and after that we will have supper together, and wine and more song, and . . . YASUI No ! No ! Do not say such terrible things. I shall go away shortly. Do you forget that I am a monk? NAMIKO I have forgotten it since I took a fancy to you. YASUI Religion forbids me even to look at a woman. I deserve to have my eyes burned out for permitting myself to gaze at your beauty. I am ashamed ! NAMIKO Smoke while I sing. l^He fills the pipe while she sings the words of the song, looking at him [12] THE D AIM YO meantime in a bewitching way. After a little while he gazes at her intently and a strong emotion can he seen on his face. Suddenly a long, low bugle call is heard in the distance, yasui drops his pipe and namiko her shamisen. Did you hear? YASUI, prostrating himself and shak- ing all over I know that call ; the daimyo Jiro Danye- mon, Lord of Nikko, is hunting in the woods and is probably coming this way. NAMIKO Yes . . . it is true . . . but why do you tremble so? He is still far away and may not come near us. YASUI Yes . . . but if he does come, and fancies calling on you, and discovers me, a monk, in this place ... he will have me hanged at the well. ... I know how cruel he is. Give me my sandals. ... I shall go immediately. NAMIKO You have about as much heart as a dove. . . . Go away if you are afraid, but listen to this ... I want you to come back tonight. [13] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN YASUI No, I shall be far away from here. NAMIKO Listen, I tell you. I want you to make me happy. If the daimyo does not come here, or if, after having stopped here he has de- parted, I shall light this lamp ; it will mean that I am waiting for you, and you will come to me ; but, if you do not see any light, then go your way and forget the nightingale. YASUI You are beautiful, but your mouth speaks evil words. I shall never return. IHe goes to the door, forgetting his rosary. NAMIKO Never is a fool's word. We shall meet again. [^She pushes him out and closes the door sharply. YASUI Where shall my trembling spirit guide me? {He walks toward the well. The bugle call is suddenly heard very near at hand. How wise I have been to leave that sing- ing girl I [14] THE DAIMYO IHe hurries to the well and pretends to be drinking. The daimyo enters in a stately costume of grey and gold, a Mack mask on his face, walking on geta/- and with two swords in his belt. He walks like a god, very slowly and very straight. When in front of the welly he stops but does not turn his head, then continues his walk. Two samurai, in rich costumes of grey and black, bearing their master's crest, follow closely, armed, but without masks. Immediately following them comes a peasant, dragging an old woman at the end of a rope. The daimyo faces the audience and one of the samurai quickly places a camp- stool under him. The other removes his mask and both seat themselves on the ground. During this action, YAsui slips away furtively to the left. DANYEMON^ without turning his head. It will be necessary to drive these dirty monks from my estate. They are good only to corrupt women and to sell empty words for money. [namiko, having arranged things in the room, goes out through the back door. > Mill I. I I . 1 High wooden shoes. [15] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN SATO^ kneeling in front of the daimyo with the woman. My lord, you have made me drag this poor woman, my neighbor, here. What are your intentions towards her? DANYEMON Leave her here a moment. I shall reward you later with a fine spectacle, (sato retires near the well after salutation.) Woman, you have stolen from your lord ; do you know that that is the worst of crimes? KOBUYE I took only a little rice for my starving family. My husband died last year in your service and my three little boys are sick. DANYEMON You could ask for food or beg in the street instead of robbing my stores. I shall have to punish you severely for this. KOBUYE O lord ! What is a handful of rice? Every- thing in the land belongs to you. Am I to die for such a small offence? DANYEMON What you call a small offence is a horrible crime, because if all my subjects took a hand- ful of rice from the pile I should be reduced [16] THE D AIM YO to poverty; therefore, an example must be made. . . . Sato! SATO, kneeling down Your order, master? DANYEMON Tie the rope around the shoulders of this woman and let her drink freely at the bottom of the well. KOBUYE Pity, kind master ! What will become of my little children? DANYEMON Do not be alarmed. I will take care of them until they are good and valuable servants. [sATO drags the woman to the well and does as directed; she^ having her hands tied, cannot resist. KOBUYE Spare me! Spare me!. . . [sATO pushes her into the well and the rope can he seen going down by the revolutions of the wheel. SATO, kneeling down I am a very low servant of my lord, but I beg of him to shorten the life of this poor old woman. She will suffer a long time. [17] PLAYS or OLD JAPAN DANYEMON What business is it of yours? Will you go with her down there ? Pull her out presently. lit is to be noted that neither the daimyo nor the samurai ever look at the well. SATO, very quickly hut with effort, draws the woman up. Her hair is hanging down and water is streaming from her clothes. She is almost choking. Do not touch her, Sato. . . . Woman ... I have forgotten to ask you what you intend to do with the little house and yard where you made your home. KOBUYE My lord ... it ... is .. . yours. . . . To . . . whom . . . could it belong? . . . My husband . . . children . . . lived happy there . . . please . . . spare my life. DANYEMON It is well that you give your property to your lord. I shall see that your boys are brought up as samurai, members of my body- guard. Sato, let her down. SATO Kind lord! DANYEMON Sato, do your duty. [18] THE D AIM YO [sATO lets her down, namiko has come out since the last three sentences were spoken, and through the slightly opened door has observed the scene. She opens the door wider and kneels down. NAMIKO O kind master! Jiro Danyemon san; deign to spare this poor woman ; pull up the rope. Do it for me. I shall be so grateful. DANYEMON Who dares to address me in such a man- ner? [sATO, without waiting, pulls on the rope and kobuye reappears in a still worse condition, blood flowing from her mouth. NAMIKO, crying Namiko speaks to you, dear lord. It is a terrible thing to make an old woman suffer like that. End her suffering for my sake. DANYEMON Women ought to stay where they belong, in bed or in the kitchen. It is enough ; I will decide. \^He draws his long sword slowly and with one stroke, without looking at the suspended woman, cuts the rope [19] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN above her so that she drops to the bot- tom of the well sato looks down horrified, danyemon stands up. Sato, my retainers shall escort you to your house, as it is getting dark, and you shall re- ceive one ryo ^ for your work. Say to all that the justice of the daimyo is great. SATO, kneeling down Thus I shall say: "The justice of our lord the daimyo is great." [danyemon dismisses them all with a gesture, then goes up the steps. NAMiKO is waiting for him, removes his geta and they sit on each side of the ash booc. NAMIKO Most honorable lord, your servant is glad to see you here. DANYEMON I have about cleaned the country of these vermin and, passing through here, I thought I would stop and ask you for a drink of wine. NAMIKO You do not need to ask, master, but take ; all here belongs to you. DANYEMON I see that it is your desire to please me this 1 Gold piece. [20] THE D AIM YO evening. Well, I may stay overnight. You can prepare supper and my pipe. NAMIKO My heart is filled with happiness when I hear such joyful news. I am so lonesome. Why, you have not been here in thirty days! DANYEMON Do you love me still? NAMIKO I love you when you are kind, but not when you are fierce and cruel, as with the woman in the well. DANYEMON I do not wish you to interfere in these mat- ters . . . Namiko san ... I am very much in love with you. Every time I come here, I realize what a wonderful being you are. . . . I want to be good to you and will increase the allowance to your family . . . but you must be very nice and true to me. NAMIKO I am ever at your service. DANYEMON I will tell you what I want. You and I must be alone tonight. Let the servants re- tire to their quarters. Cook me some rice and tea yourself; also slice me a little raw fish. [21] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN At the same time, bring me some of my good strong wine. NAMiKO, getting up I will do as you say. DANYEMON Wait! give me my pipe first. {She fills his pipe, lights it and hands it to him.) After supper I hope you will sing one of your love songs and I shall be filled with passionate desire. NAMIKO Your kindness overpowers me. Do you really care? [^She goes out while he is still looking at her. danyemon then begins to smoke silently. Suddenly he discov- ers, on the floor, the rosary left by the monk. He knocks out the tobacco from his pipe while his face exhibits the most horrible expression of anger and becomes flushed with rage. He picks up the rosary and conceals it in his sleeve. As namiko enters, carry- ing upon a tray a bottle of sake ^ and two red lacquer bowls, he at once as- sumes his former expression, but does not look at her. Here I am with the wine you like. 1 Rice wine. [22] THE DAIMYO DANYEMON Pour out some for me. . . . (She does so.) Have you drunk today with somebody else? NAMiKO, startled Certainly not! Who but my dear lord should drink so precious a liquor? DANYEMON It is well . . . [namiko hands him the cupj and as they are on each side of the ash box, he bends over a little and looks stead- ily into her face^ without moving, for half a minute; then, slowly, his ex- pression changes to one of anger. His eyebrows move up and down, and she, more and more frightened, drops the cup into the ash tray. Deceitful woman ! NAMIKO, thoroughly frightened Kind lord! DANYEMON How dare you look in my face after hav- ing entertained a monk of the street in my absence? NAMIKO I have not, my lord. [23] PLAYS or OLD JAPAN DANYEMON You lie ... I shall kill you. . . . [When was he here? NAMIKO I assure you . . . DANYEMON, pulliug the rosary from his sleeve This is what he forgot after caressing you . . . NAMIKO Oh! . . . DANYEMON Speak! NAMIKO Let me explain. He was a poor old tired monk. He asked for food. I gave him some in exchange for prayers which he recited so that you should return soon. DANYEMON The monk who came out of here was not so old as you want him to be. He is the one who drinks my wine and smokes my pipe. Is he your lover? Tell me the truth. [He takes up his sword. NAMIKO He is not my lover: I swear it. DANYEMON If he is not he will be; Ilmowyou. When is he coming back? Well, you shall be his [24] THE D AIM YO ... in my own way. Speak, now. When is he coming back? IHe threatens her with the sword. NAMIKO Do not kill me. I will tell you. He will come back when this lamp is lighted . . . No ! . . . No ! . . . I mean when I light the lamp ... he will understand that I need his prayers. But he may not come back. Why should he return? He only stopped here for a few moments. DANYEMON The beast left his virtue here with his rosary. Am I a fool ? Can a man go his way in peace after you have cast your eyes upon him? It is enough; you deceived me and you deserve your fate. [danyemon rises and draws his long sword slowly. NAMIKO Master! Master! \_She rushes away into the back room and closes the door after her. DANYEMON No, you cannot escape me, when I am sober. \^He goes to the door and tries to slide it open, but does not succeed. He then [25] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN lets fall part of the garment covering his right arm^ which appears in a white undersleeve. Lifting his sword he cleaves the door apart from top to bottom and enters. A long crying and pleading is heard; then silence again, then the dull thud of a body falling. [It has now grown dark; the moon shines out among the trees. The monk is observed approaching from the left; he stops to gaze about him. [danyemon comes out of the room wiping the blood from his sword, which he afterwards places on the floor. Then he lets down the blinds which conceal the room from the audi- ence, so that his movements cannot be seen. YASUi, sitting by the well What a wonderful night ! The rays of the moon glide like silver among the autumn leaves. O glorious maple trees! What a splendid country ! Not a sound ! {He looks at the house.) She has not lighted the lamp. It is just as well. Perhaps the daimyo is now with her or else her lover has returned. Just the same I have had a terrible temptation. Poor Yasui ! You are here at the door of a geisha instead of journeying through the [26] THE DAIMYO woods of Nikko. The flesh is weak. It is wonderful how the voice of a little woman can change the heart of a man. The Master of us all is great in all his works. Now I must proceed over the Tokaido^ and say good-by to this dream. {Through the blinds the lamp is seen to be lighted.) Do I believe my eyes? She is lighting the lamp. She is waiting for me. My heart beats loudly. It is like a fever. ... I must drink . . . what ! The rope is broken. . . . {He fastens the bucket to the end of the rope, draws some water and drinks.) What is the matter with this water? It tastes like blood. I must be ill. Shall I enter the house or run away from here? {He advances slowly to the house.) I have no heart . . . Oh! . . . the door is slightly open . . . it is safe ... she will sing for me. {He goes up the steps. ) What shall I do? IHe stops and thinks deeply, then suddenly removes his saridals and enters the house. Once inside, he pulls up the blinds, namiko is seen kneeling down near the ash booo. Her back is turned toward the audience and she faces the back door, which has been replaced as it was before the 1 Famous Japanese road. [27] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN daimyo cut it in two. Her head is slightly inclined toward the lamp, which is placed at her left, the ash boa: being at her right, yasui, surprised at the silence of namiko, kneels near her. YASUI Namiko san! [He touches her slightly, and her head falls off and rolls on the floor. YASUI jumps up with a cry and takes the head of namiko to the light of the lamp. At that moment the back door opens and the daimyo appears with a terrible, grinning face. The horri- fled monk, at this sight, drops the head. The lamp falls and dies out. In the same instant the moon, which had been slowly setting, disappears and noimng remains but darkness, hw^tig^h^ audience to awake gradu- ally as from a painful dream. CUETAIN [28] THE HONOR OF DANZO CHARACTERS DANZO, An Outlaw MORI SHiJAWA, Lieutenant of Police KOMURASAKi, Dauzo's Sweetheart o suKi, Owner of the Gold Turtle Inn COURTESANS AND SERVANTS OF THE INN THE HONOR OF DANZO The action takes place at the Yoshiwara ^ of Yedo. Time: Seventeenth Century The stage represents the reception room of the Gold Turtle Inn. The room is perfectly square. In the centre of the right and left panels are doors leading into the house. The back wall is divided in the middle by a door leading outside^ through which the street, now deserted, can be seen. On the left side of the back door is a shrine containing a kakemono ^ and a plum-tree branch in a tall vase. On the right, a gallery with railings overlooks the street. From the audience, it has the appearance of a cage. This gallery can be closed from view by sliding doors. Flat cushions everywhere, also ash boxes. In the centre of the reception room a very large copper ash vase with a kettle on it. The curtain opens to the sound of two split bamboos knocked against each other. It is four o'clock in the afternoon, danzo is dis- 1 Girl's market. 2 Picture painted on silk. [31] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN covered in an ordinary grey kimono, without swords, seated near komurasaki^ who is also in negligee, consisting of a short black kimona over a white shirt and a red flannel skirt. KOMURASAKI Oh . . . you are in trouble again, my poor Danzo. . . . What have you done? DANZO I killed Takuchi this morning. I have since heard that he was a good man, and I am sorry. . . . The police are after me. KOMURASAKI Why did you kill him? DANZO I need money for my ronines.^ Robbery does not pay nowadays. I had to go out hunting. I met Takuchi. He would not part from his purse without fighting. KOMURASAKI You are a terrible man. Can you not keep quiet and lead a sensible life? I can earn enough money for both of us. 1 Outlaws. [32] THE HONOR OF D A N Z O DANZO I need more money than all the women of this house could make in ten years, and be- sides . . . my responsibility is great. My army of thieves depend upon me to lead them. KOMURASAKI You are strong, Danzo, but the Sho-gun ^ is stronger. He has many thousands of sol- diers. If they ever catch you what will be- come of poor Komurasaki? DANZO I will make it hard for the Sho-gun, for I have already defeated his private guard with my sixty-six ronines. Now listen . . . here is a purse . . . the purse of Takuchi ... It contains a thousand ryo. Conceal it in your room and I will take it away later. I must be careful just now. KOMURASAKI Where are you going? DANZO I shall run away to the mountains imtil the excitement is over. KOMURASAKI I love you, Danzo. I shall suffer terribly if anything happens to you. Whatever you 1 Governor of the state. [33] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN do, never forget your sweetheart, Komu* rasaki, who thinks of you only. DANZO When I have piled up enough money to buy a large estate, a castle with soldiers to protect it, I shall marry you and we will be happy. KOMURASAKI How kind of you, my lord. DANZO But I warn you not to be too kind to men coming to this house. KOMURASAKI I assure you . . . suKi, coming in from the right What! You again! Get out of here, Danzo. See . . . Komurasaki is not even dressed. I tell you, you spoil my house. I don't like you around. DANZO, laughing Do not get into such a temper, dear Madam Suki ! I am a highway robber, it is true, though some of your customers are worse than myself. [34] THE HONOR OF DANZO SUKI They spend more money than you do. Look here, Komurasaki, who do you think is coming this evening? KOMURASAKI I have no idea. SUKI His excellency Mori Shijawa, Lieutenant General of the Police ! DANZO I am going away from here. SUKI Yes indeed, and, my boy, forget your jeal- ousy as soon as you pass the door because he is coming for no other than Komurasaki. DANZO Woman ... I have a short sword that will cut your tongue clean off if you do not stop talking. SUKI You can take Komurasaki away if you are jealous. I will give her to you if you pay the price. DANZO I could give you a thousand ryo if I wanted to, but wait. I'll take her away and you won't get a sen ^ in return. . . . Beware! 1 Not quite half an American cent. [35] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN KOMURASAKI You know, Suki always teases you. Don't listen. Go now, because I must put on my silk kimono. DANZO, rising and walking away Good-by. I shall return soon. [He goes out. SUKI, pushing Komurasaki through the right door Quick now. {She beats her hands together several times.) O Tsuru, O Kiku, hurry downstairs or I shall have to fetch you with a bamboo. \_She arranges the cushions in the gal- lery. Several girls enter from the right, wearing rich kimonos of light purple and white, with dark purple ohi. Their hair is dressed very high and ornamented with gold pins. They walk in a stately manner. Their faces, well-painted, show no emotion, suki kneels down near the copper vase, and they kneel near her. I want to tell you that the head of the police is paying a visit to my house this evening. He may arrive in a few minutes, perhaps. [36] THE HONOR OF DANZO He may choose to spend the night with one of you. See that he orders a good dinner and plenty of wine. Pie must not go out of this house unless he spends five ryo, you under- stand. ( The girls how silently. ) Very well. [The girls walk to the balcony and kneel near each other, their backs to the audience, quite still, one of them smoking a diminutive pipe. Almost immediately, a samurai in a rich brown costume, with two swords in his belt and a basket ma^k on his face, comes near the balcony from the street. He stops in front of each girl, then seeing that one of the cushions is unoccupied, he enters the house. While he walks slowly in, suki pushes the sliding doors and closes the balcony from the audience\sview. The newcomer stands still in the centre of the room, suki kneels down in front of him. SUKI My lord comes very early to the Yoshi- wara. At such an hour the crowd is still out- side of the gates and you are the first to visit my house today. I am very grateful. Will you 'be seated. (The samurai removes his mask.) O Mori Shijawa. (She bends so that her [37] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN brow touches the floor.) My lord, this house is most honored by your presence. MORI, sitting down. Do not say a word about my visit. I come because I have a fancy for a girl of yours. SUKI Is it possible, my lord! Who is she? Have you not seen her on the balcony? MORI No. I have not recognized her. You must send for that beauty at once because my spirit is much worried about her. SUKI It must be the graceful Komurasaki. Wait a minute, dear lord, I shall call her presently. (Claps her hands.) Oie, oie! {A servant appears at the right door.) Bring tea and tell Komurasaki to come down at once. MORI Suki, I do not want people to know that I am here on account of a girl, because they might blame me for not leading my soldiers to hunt the robber Danzo. SUKI What crime has Danzo committed again? [88] THE HONOR OF DANZO MORI We know that he killed in order to rob the rich merchant Takuchi. StJKI Is it possible! Takuchi was such a good customer of mine. But here comes Komu- rasaki. [komurasaki appears. She is dressed like the other girls hut with a more elaborate ohi and headgear. . . . She carries a gold fan which she uses as an instrument of coquetry towards mori. A servant follows with a tray contain- ing three cups and a tea pot. He places them in front of suki and re- tires. Come here, little one. The lord Mori Shi- jawa wants to speak to you. KOMURASAKI, kneeling in front of mori Most honorable lord, your servant thanks you for the favor you bestow upon her by your presence. MORI I am a great admirer of your beauty, and I v/ant you to pour a cup of tea for me. [komurasaki prepares the tea and fills MORi's cup in the Japanese cere- [39] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN monial manner, mori drinks relig- iously and offers hack Ms own cup to KOMURASAKi, wMcli sJic fills and drinks. SUKI Well, my lord, would you not like to go to Komurasaki's room and enjoy a good sup- per? I shall send you the best singing girls and the first brands of rice wine. MORI Yes, I accept Komurasaki's hospitality. I am convinced that I shall be most happy with her for I feel my passion growing every time I look at her loveliness. KOMURASAKi, conccaling her face he- hind the fan I am not worthy of your excellency. What charm has a farmer's daughter? MORI You are the most wonderful being I ever set eyes upon. By the way, Suki, at what amount do you estimate the charms of Komu- rasaki? SUKI Tonight will only cost you ten ryo. What do you think? MORI You shall get twenty. Let us go. [40] THE HONOR OF DANZO [^As they rise,, danzo comes in and shuts the door behind him. He wears a beautiful costume of black with gold ornaments. He has a basket mask on his face and two swords in his belt. Hearing the noise, mori quickly puts his own mask over his face and walks to the right of the stage while dajstzo walks to the left, where both stand perfectly still. The women are per- plexed but do not move. suKi, pulling the sleeve of komurasaki Come now. MORI Do not go away, women. Who is the stranger in the room? SUKI My Lord ... I do not know. Will the honorable stranger let us know who he is? DANZO I may, if the samurai consents to sit here with me, face to face. KOMURASAKI, tO SUKI It is Danzo. What will happen! [41] PLAYS or OLD JAPAN SUKI Komurasaki tells me that she does not feel well. Will my lord let her go presently? MOEI Not unless I go with her. But why this excitement? The presence of this dark-clad stranger seems to frighten you very much. Come now. We shall leave the room to him. Remember, you are mine tonight. [He walks slowly to komurasaki, who does not dare look up. DANZO, sJmrply Wait! MORI Do you dare address me? DANZO I have the right of priority — over Komu- rasaki. MORI Do I hear correctly? O Suki, I am in- sulted in your house. It will cost you dearly. Speak! To whom does Komurasaki belong tonight? SUKI Good lord. Oh! / [ 42 ] THE HONOR OF DANZO MORI Why can't you speak? Who is this ter- rible mask that both of you tremble like doves? I am not afraid of him. KOMURASAKI I pray you. . . . MORI Komurasaki, you belong to me. I want you more than ever. I am accustomed to have my own way even if I find a fearless samurai on the path. I know when one sees my face he loses much of his courage. So it shall be done, and may my rival in love tremble. (He removes Ms mask and shows a horrible face. But danzo does not move. MORI trembles with rage.) Hey, are you blind? Do you recognize Mori Shi j a wa ? ( He laughs. ) You are lost, my friend. Let us see your face now. Come, come, you are a proud one. But I shall dis- patch you quickly. [danzo removes his mask and shows a most unconcerned face, mori steps backwards and stammers. Dan . . , zo . . . the . . . outlaw! [43] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN KOMURASAKI OH, Danzo. . . . What have you dcHie? DANZO I have given him a shock. MORI Danzo here ! . . . This is the greatest luck I have had in years. {He pulls out a whistle.) This whistle will bring a score of soldiers to escort you to jail. suKi, staying Ms arm Please, most honorable lord, do not bring such a scandal upon my house. DANZO Women, leave us and keep quiet. We will arrange our affairs alone. KOMURASAKI Be careful, Danzo. l^She drags the frightened suki out through the left door. DANZO Now, I would like to hear your whistle. MORI Why? [44] THE HONOK OF I) A N Z O DANZO Because I have twenty ronines outside who will fight for my life. MORI So you have set a trap for me . DANZO I have not, upon my honor. MORI Then why are you here? DANZO I object to your attentions to Komurasaki. MORI What! To a girl who belongs to every- body ! What are you to her? DANZO She has been my sweetheart for years and I forbid you to meet her. MORI This exception is flattering to me. May I ask the reason? DANZO She shall not be kissed by my bitterest enemy. MORI And what if I want her anyway? [45] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN] BANZO I shall be compelled to kill you. MORI Enough of this talk. I am a fool to allow a low class ronine to speak to a samurai. I will have you down before me and lashed like a dog. DANZO We shall see. A ronine may have as much honor as a Lieutenant General of Police. If you call me a dog, I call you a pig. MORI, bitterly A man who makes his living out of women is a dog. DANzo, drawing his sword Liar. . . . Draw your sword. MORI You are not worth a fight. . • . Still, I shall do it for the fun of getting Komurasaki. DANZO You may not see her again. MORI I will judge the valor of the famous Danzo. [jffe pulls out his sword. Both men have dropped their upper garment and begin to fight. [46] THE HONOR OF DANZO My sword has never failed to slice a man from head to foot. DANZO Look out for yourself, you make too much noise. l^The men are evenly matched, but after a while mori, seeing a pile of cushions at the left side of the stage, pushes DANzo on it with the result that the latter misses a step and loses his sword through a pass of Mom. He, however, recovers himself, and pulls out his short sword. You are playing unfair, Mori Shijawa. MORI Look out, look out, you are bleeding. [They are now on the other side the cush- ions so that MORI has his back against the left side of the stage. The two men are at close quarter and danzo is trying to prevent the terrible stroke that is coming down on him, when a spear shoots through the paper wall and enters mori's left side. [47] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN Foul play! I am wounded. [He falls on his knees, dropping his sword. DANZO What! Did I cut you? MORI You coward . . . {showing the spear in his side). One of your men from outside stabbed me. DANZO It is not true. See for yourself. IHe runs out and drags in komura- SAKI. KOMURASAKI Forgive me, Danzo. I saw him do that trick with the cushions. He was going to kill you. I could not bear to see it ! MORI So. . . . It's you. . . . You have killed me. [^He falls on the floor. DANZO, sadly Komurasaki, you have done me a great' wrong. I have lost my honor in this fight. [48] THE HONOR OF D A N Z O KOMURASAKI Oh! Why? Why? You could not let your- self be cut down like that. Come now. Let us get away from here. Nobody will see us. Honor ! . . . What do we care for honor if we can be happy. I have the thousand ryo. We shall leave the country or flee to the mountain with the ronines. Take me away. I want to be your wife. DANZO No. I cannot go anywhere now. There is nothing left for me but to obtain forgiveness from Mori Shijawa. KOMURASAKI Leave him here. This is our last chance. DANTZO I do not want you any more. Danzo the ronine has never failed to follow the rules of honor in a fight, and he must pay for the dis- grace of which you are the cause. [ KOMURASAKI weeps. MORI Water! water! DANzo, kneeling beside mori My lord, I beg your pardon for the great wrong done to you. It is my fault, and I [49] PLAYS OE OLD JAPAK shall not be at peace until you relieve me of your resentment. MORI Give me . . . water. . . . DANZO, pouring water from the kettle and giving mori the drink What will you say? MORI I am going to die. I feel it, and I hate you. You cannot obtain pardon from me. [He attempts to use the whistle hut DANZO prevents him. DANZO You must forgive me or I will not help you to die like a samurai. MORI, suffering intensely Will you amend yourself even if I ask the maximum? DANZO Even so. MORI Danzo, I shall forgive you on one condi- tion, that you commit harakiri as soon as I am dead. KOMURASAKi, uttering a cry No. . . . No. . . . Not that! [50] THE HONOR OF DANZO [mori looks at her with a venomous eye and hisses horribly. DANZo, after a silence I will do as you say. MORI Help me to die now, DANZO Are you strong? MORI, shaking all over Yes. ... I . . . am ready. [danzo approaches mori. Kneeling in front of him he suddenly plucks the spear from his side, and as mori utters a loud cry he plunges his dagger into his heart, mori's head falls limply and he dies, danzo places him against the wall in a sitting position with hands and legs crossed. He then pulls out the dagger, which he care- fully wipes with the white paper that warriors always keep folded on their chests. KOMURASAKI Danzo, Danzo, are you going to commit suicide? What about me? . . . Do you forget Komurasaki? [51] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN DANZO, without looking at her You ruined our life when you struck my enemy. A man is a man and does not need the help of a woman in a fight. I must now regain my honor. Farewell. KOMURASAKI Pity, pity, think of me. DANZo, dropping his undershirt so as to expose his breast Oh, Mori Shijawa, see how serenely I take my life. \^He commits harakiri by cutting him- self from the right side across the stomachy finishing with a cut to the heart. KOMURASAKI, horrificdy with a loud cry of agony, jumps up, and opening the balcony yells Danzo is dead ! Danzo is dead ! \^She acts like a mad woman. The girls rush in with scared faces, while on the left side suki also comes in, fainting at the sight. THE CURTAIN FALLS QUICKLY [52] THE HORNS CHARACTERS OBA, A Rich Old Woman MOGi, Oha's Husband OYUCHA, Mogi's Daughter by a first Mar- riage A BUDDHIST PRIEST WOMAN SERVANT THE HORNS The action takes place in the country near Osaka. Time: Sixteenth Century Scene I The stage represents the living room of MOGi's family. As usual, the place is en- closed by sliding doors, which lead on left and right into the private apartments, while those at the hack of the stage open on to a garden in summer. The right side slides open and oba enters. She is sixty, rather attractive, and richly dressed, hut her face is cold and she never smiles. OBA, coming from the right Oh! what a cold morning. . . . Oyucha san . . . where is she? . . . The girl is ter- ribly lazy . . . (calls) Soba . . . Soba . . . (a servant girl comes in) what is the matter? . . . You ought to be at work by this time. . . . Call Oyucha san at once . . . and be PLAYS OF OLD J A P A K quick about it {eait servant). I do every- thing in the house. IThe old woman goes about grum- bling in angry tones and finally sits by the ash box. OYUCHA^ coming in and arranging her kimono about her Do you want me, Oba san? OBA Are you not ashamed of yourself? You should have been up long ago. No wonder the house is full of dirt . . . you must clean it every morning before sunrise. OYUCHA It is so early! OBA Why . . . it is five o'clock! Lazy girl . . . you have slept almost six hours. OYUCHA .Well ! I shall begin my work presently. OBA Wait a minute. ... I want to have a little talk with you. I have been thinking deeply since last evening, and I want to know your last word in regard to Koriyama. [ 56 ] THE HORNS OYUCHA Koriyama is a very nice man, but I do not want him. ... I repeat, he shall never be my husband. OBA Wicked girl. ... So this is all the en- couragement I get out of you? Now listen . . . it is your last chance. If you marry Koriyama I will settle all my money upon you so that you will become both rich and happy. All I ask of you in return is to be allowed to live here quietly with you all. OYUCHA And father? DBA Your father is a simpleton. He knows nothing except his flowers. He will continue to look after the garden. That does not con- cern him. OYUCHA I am his daughter and he thinks like my- self that it is better not to marry Koriyama! OBA, beating oyucha over the head with her fan You stupid girl. . . . More stupid than a frog. . . . Daughter of a fool. . . . What can you do without me, you and your father? . . . You must marry the man I have chosen [57] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN for you. Since when have you got the right to refuse? OYUCHA You can beat me, but I shall not marry your lover. OBA, beside herself Aye . . . Aye . . . help . . . help . . • bad girl . . . wanton. ... I will kill you. \^She grasps the teapot and hurls it at OYUCHA, who runs away yelling into the arms of her father who just hap- pens to come out of his room. MOGI What is all this noise about? OBA Your daughter again . . . she insulted me ... I meant to kill her. [oYUCHA goes out sobbing. MOGI Peace, peace, woman. You harass this daughter of mine. OBA _ She insulted me in a terrible way after I had been kind to her. MOGI What have you done to be kind to her? Did you not beat her over the head with a [58] THE HORNS broom? . . . Since we were married . . . five years ago ... I have not yet seen a sun- rise without hearing you beating and her cry- ing! OBA Is it my fault if she is not good? MOGI Woman . . . are you very good yourself? OBA Mogi san . . . today, for the first time . . . you address me with angry words ! . . . You laiow that I can make you suffer for it. What can you do without my money? Do you know why Oyucha san makes all that trouble? ... It is because I want to make her my sole heiress. Nice thanks I get from both of you! . . . MOGI Why do you want to make her your heiress? OBA I am getting old. It is time for her to be married . . . so. . . . I have made up my mind she shall marry our neighbor Koriyama, the stone cutter. MOGI It would be a good idea if Koriyama had [59] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN not left last night for Korea, where he is going to start a business of his own. OBA What do you mean? . . . Are you out of your senses? . . . He was here yesterday afternoon! MOGi, showing her a folded paper He has gone. . . . Here is a message I found under the door. OBA Read it to me. MOGi^ putting on large spectacles and reading To Mogi, wife and daughter: My depar- ture is necessary, I shall remain away a very long time. Farewell, Koriyama. (Looking at OBA over his spectacles.) I suppose you will regret him. OBA The villain. . . . He has done me wrong. ... I loaned him money several times which he has never repaid. . . . Now this money will help him to start in business. MOGI I am glad he has gone away. There has been much talking about you and him in the country. A man of twentv calling so often [60] ' THE HORNS on a woman forty years older, not even re- lated to him, makes people think evil of such meetings. You have given him many pres- ents, money and other things, and now, he has made a fool of you. OBA Dear husband ... do not believe town gossip. I have given him presents hoping to interest him in Oyucha san, but the stupid girl never looked at him. MOGI Hum ... I am afraid you wanted him to marry Oyucha san in order to prevent his rimning away from you. However, it is too late now ... he has departed of his own accord DBA You have a wicked mind, almost as wicked as your daughter's. All your interests in life are gossip and growing turnips. Go to the garden, poor dreamer, and see whether the fishes in the pond are learning to swim. MOGi, shrugging Ms shoulders I am sorry you have so little dignity ! {He removes the sliding doors and the^ sunshine enters.) I am going to the market through the wooded road. [Eant [61] PLAYS OF OLD J A P A IsT OBA, calling out to mogi You had better come back when the tea is ready. (She claps her hands sharply.) Oyucha san! (Muttering) Koriyama is gone . . . the beast . . . somebody will suf- fer for it. OYUCHA, entering Here I am, mother . . . OBA Here you are. . . . Here you are . . . monster . . . why do you always cry when your father is here? . . . Just to have him scold me? . . . Are you not big enough to take care of yourself? IShe pinches her. OYtJCHA Oh! please . . . O! . . . please .. . OBA Your father is out . . . call him . . . will you . . . and we shall see what he says . . . make the tea now . . . hurry up. (oyucha quickly prepares the tea without saying a word.) Some good news has come to me since you went out. Koriyama has departed to Korea never to return. Hey! what do you say to that . . . what do you say? [62] I am glad THE HORNS OYUCHA OBA Glad . . . you black sheep . . . glad, be- cause you know I don't like it. Hey! Re- peat that you are glad. {She spills the boiling water from the teapot over oyucha's hands. OYUCHA, badly scalded but suppress- ing her cries O, mother! . . . you have scalded ... my hands. . . . How I suffer! OBA, chuckling Call your father; call your father. OYUCHA Oh! This is too much . . . look at them ... my hands. ... Idie . . . please give me oil. OBA Oil . . . oil . . . for your hands . . . here's some ashes, some hot ashes . . . that will cure you. {^She throws the contents of the ash box over oyucha's hands. OYUCHA, yelling wildly Oh! Oh! This is too much. [63] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN l^She gets up in agony and inadver- * tently upsets the teapot over oba's knees. OBA, crying in turn Aye! Aye! My leg . . . you have scalded me . . . Aye ! You dared scald me. ... I will kill you . . . you can't escape. {Goes to the wall where some garden sickles are hanging and selects a large one.) No use for you to run away ... I will get you. {She runs after oyucha, who, being much young- er y has no trouble in evading the old bent woman; the latter with white hair hanging around her face looks like a witch.) OYUCHA Oh! Please . . . please ... OBA I'll disembowel you with my own hands. OYUCHA, running out into the garden Father . . . father . . . OBA, following her I am not afraid of your father . . . I'll get you . . . CURTAIN [ 64 ] THE HORNS Scene II The curtain itself represents a forest. A small house is pushed from the right wing. It is a sort of shrine like one of those seen on many public roads in Japan. The front is closed and there is a door on each side. The shrine is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy and it is so small that only one person at a time can pray inside. OYUCHA^ running breathlessly from the left Father, father {she falls down)^ I am so tired . . . this woman has no pity . . . she is so old, yet stronger than I am ... I hope she lost trace of me •. . . my hands hurt so much . . . what shall I do? . . . Where is father? ... I am lost in the woods. {She sees the shrine.) There . . . the shrine of the Goddess of Mercy ... I will ask her to take care of me. {She gets up painfully.) I must have been running a long time . . . I can hardly walk. {She goes into the shrine and almost at the same time oba appears at the lefty looking more wicked and bent than before.) [65] I»LAYS or OLD JAPAN OBA Where is she? Where is she? She leads me on a long journey, but I shall find her. She cannot be very far ... I am not tired yet. ... Oh! I hate her ... I hate her more than I ever did. {The humming of oyucha's prayer is heard from the shrine.) Why . . . what is that? {Smiling horribly as she realizes that oyucha is in the shrine,) She is there! ... I knew I was on the right track. . . . INTow she can't escape. {She walks stealthily to the shrine and arrives at the door.) I've got you now. {She rushes in, hut almost at the same time oyucha runs wildly out on the other side, turns around and runs away to the left, oba comes out in turn, hut a strange thing has happened. Since she entered the shrine a pair of ugly horns have sprung out of her head, oyucha, while run- ning, looks hehind and stops short at the sights) At! Ah! You give up . . . you give up. . . . This sickle here will cut you up nicely. OYUCHA, pointing at the horns You . . . You . . . OBA Me . . . yes . . . it's me . . . you ought to know. ... Hey! what do you mean? [66] THE HORNS . . . [She comes to oyucha with raised hand but stops surprised by the startled look on the girVs face.) What is this! {She touches her head; feels a horn, then another. She drops the sickle and feels with both hands.) Aye . . . Aye . . . help. {She kneels down and tries in vain to pull out the ugly horns.) OYUCHA, trembling You are a witch. . . . The Buddha has punished you as he punishes the heartless people. DBA Daibutsu!^ . . . Dai'butsu! . . . Pity, pity. . . . Oh! . . . these horns, these horns . . . take them away, Oyucha san; dear Ojrucha san, pull them out. OYUCHA You will not hurt me? . . . OBA, clinging to her No ... no ... do not be afraid. ... I will be good . . . but pull these horns out. . . . They hurt my head terribly. OYUCHA I will try, my good mother ... I will try. IShe tries, and then both try until 1 Great Buddha! [67] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN oba's head is pulled to and fro, hut they do not succeed. OYUCHA, desperate, cries Poor mother ... I cannot; they have grown inside. OBA, heating oyucha Wicked girl. . . . It is all your fault. . . . I am disfigured for life ... a monster . . . on account of you. {She prays again.) Dai butsu ! Dai butsu ! MOGi, entering from the right side, hare-legged, carrying a hasket of mushrooins There is much noise in this deserted place. (Stops startled.) What do I see, my wife and daughter! These horns! Why . . . woman . . . what have you done? OBA Nothing, my good husband. . . . We went into the shrine and these awful things grew on my head instantly ! It is terrible ! MOGI I know. You can't go into the shrine of the Goddess of Mercy with an evil eye. When you went there both your eyes must have been full of hell's fire to justify such punishment! [ 68 ] THE HORNS OBA, still pulling on the horns Remove them, Mogi san ! MOGI The Buddha who spoiled your face is prob- ably glad to laiow that young men will look at you with horror ; even with all your money. OBA, choking with rage Oh! Oh! MOGI Let us go home and call a priest who shall pray and light the incantation fires so as to drive away the evil spirits. OBA What will people say when they see me! OYUCHA Come, mother ... we shall do our best to shield you. [mogi empties the basket and places it on the head of his wife, while OYUCHA, taking her stepmother by the handy leads her out. mogi stops to sigh deeply and follows them. CURTAIN [69] PLAYS 01* OLD JAPAN. Scene III Several months later. The curtain is raised showing the room of the first scene with all doors tightly closed, mogi is seated in the centre of the room with a Buddhist priest dressed in white. PRIEST What does the doctor say about her? MOGI He has given up hope. She is sinking every day. Her vitals are worked upon by some unknown disease. . . . She is so weak that she can hardly walk, and she sleeps most of the time. PRIEST Very strange. Neither religion nor science are of any avail ! MOGI Yes, it is so. In vain you have burned sacred oils . . . repeated over and over your litany and called to your aid all the Buddhas past and present . . . they are deaf . . . and the horns stick more than ever . . . only they have become heavier. [70] THE HORNS PRIEST Well . . . what shall we do? MOGI As usual • . . make your incantations . . . it does her good . . . and almost always soothes her heart. [^The PRIEST arranges a kind of stove on which he will make a high fire later. OYUCHA^ entering from the room on the left Father ... I think Oba san is very sick, . . . She whispered your name and prob- ably wants to see you. MOGI Bring her in . . . the priest will comfort her. [Eocit OYUCHA. MOGI arranges some kind of bed with mattresses and blank- ets taken out of a closet. Presently OYUCHA and a woman servant sup- porting OBA enter the room, oba has become very old and feeble. With horns on her head she is a frightful sight. MOGI and the priest look at her pitifully, oyucha places her ten- derly in bed so that she faces the audi- ence. When she is comfortable^ with [71] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN a look of scorn, the old woman re- pulses OYUCHA sharply. Quiet, woman, quiet. The poor girl is full of kindness for you. Do you realize that for seven months she has been at your bedside practically all the time, helping you, atten- tive to all your desires? She has been better than ever to you and it is saying much. Why ... a heart of stone would have been touched by such devotion. Still you persist in hating her. No wonder then that the Buddha is angry! [oBA, suffering and moaning , begs for water, but the servant is so frightened by the horns tlmt her hands tremble as she raises the cup to oba's lips. OYUCHA takes the cup from the ser- vant's hands and very tenderly helps her mother to drink, oba does not thank her stepdaughter. PRIEST Shall I begin, Mogi san? MOGI Pray for us, please. [The PRIEST lights the fire and flames [72] THE HORNS mount high in the air. During the m- cantation he recites a litany^, rubbing a large rosary between the palms of his hands, oba suffers intensely, ut- tering long and low moans, oyucha hands her a rosary and she rubs it con- vuhively. Big drops of perspiration pour from her face, which oyucha wipes constantly. The servant, avert- ing her face, kneels near the door, and MOGi, hands on his knees, with bent head, is absorbed in deep thought. OBA Am I going to die? . . . Ah . . . Ah . . , Am I going to die? . . . Ah . . . Ah . . . with horns? No ... no ... no . . . I cannot. OYUCHA You shall not die . . . dear mother. . . . We will cure you. . . . We will pray for you so much that the horns will disappear. Courage, mother, courage. . . . OBA I am a bad woman. . . . Ah . . . Ah . . . I have no heart. . . . Ah . . . Ah ... I hate everybody. ... I hate myself. ... I cannot be pardoned. [73] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN OYUCHA Yes . . . you can; you have a good heart ... if you want. Let us care for you and everything will be all right. Just let us care for you. MOGi, aside She is the daughter of my heart. OBA, rubbing the rosary convulsively I am dying. . . . Ah . . . Ah ... I am sure. ... I can see something like a large hole in front of me. . . . Ah . . . Ah . . . Can one die with horns like these . . . like a beast? [She cries and saliva drips from her mouth. OYUCHA Mother . . . mother . . . you cry ... it is good. We will comfort you. [She wipes her stepmother's face. OBA You are not afraid . . . you still care for me. . . . Ah . . . Ah . . . your heart is so tender ... I am ashamed . . . OYUCHA No ... no ... am I not your faithful daughter? [74] THE HORNS OBA Oh! I know ... I have been cruel to you . . . poor child. Ah . . . Ah . . . worse than cruel . . . criminal . . . can you for- give? . . . Ah . . . Ah . . . and still . • . after all, you still love and care for me! OYUCHA Yes, mother ... I will always love you. OBA, crying pitifully Oyucha ... I want to take you in my arms, once. . . . [They all look surprised. The fire dies out. OYUCHA ■You . . . mother. . . . OBA No . • . I cannot ask such a thing. . . . Ah . . . Ah ... I am bad . . . and ugly. . . . Ah . . . Ah . . . you are afraid of me. . . . OYUCHA Oh! mother, no, I am not. . . . [She throws herself into oba*s arms, and the old woman, feeling some ten- derness for the child she so long de- spised, caresses her hair gently while [75] PLAYS or OLD JAPAN a faint smile lingers on her lips. Sud- denly the horns, released like magic from the woman's head, roll on the floor. PRIEST A miracle! [mogi and the servant, startled, get up hurriedly, oba, realizing what has happened, feels her hare head with trembling hands, and a beautiful smile, a smile from the heart, illumines her face. Her eyes seem as if seeing some vision of gladness ahead, as she sinks on her bed to pass away quietly. All kneel with bent heads, while the PRIEST says: And Buddha told the learned men: "I say- to those sitting near me because they were bom to be good, that a little kindness in the heart of the wicked born brings him even nearer to me." CURTAIN [76] THE HANDS IN THE BOX CHARACTERS KOGAMORi, A Dissolute State Minister SHiJiwA, His Counsellor TOYO, A Beautiful Dancer MiCHi^ A Singer ASA XIHIYO MISAO KAMEYO TAMARYO KOME SADA QRINO THE WIFE OF KOGAMORI TWO CHILDREN WOMEN SERVANTS SAMURAI, GUARDS AT THE PALACE Geisha Girls THE HANDS IN THE BOX The scene is laid in the reception room of KOGAMORi's Palace in Kyoto. Time: Sixteenth Century The stage represents a square room deco- rated with golden peonies, and lighted by six large paper lamps. A door at the right leads inside the Palace. A large hack door leads into the garden. Both are closed. The flow- ery way at the left side of the audience is covered with rose leaves. As the curtain goes up, kogamori is discov- ered sitting on a three-legged stool in the centre of the room, shijiwa is seated at his right on a lower stool. Both of them are finely dressed in flowing robes and long pan- taloons of red and black. Several samurai are seated on the floor near the right hand door. They wear armor of red and black. KOGAMORI, fanning himself with a black fan on which is painted a red sun Shijiwa, have you provided for my enter- tainment? Have you brought the ten most beautiful geishas of Japan here tonight? [79] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN SHIJIWA I have . . . kind lord. They are outside awaiting your pleasure. KOGAMORI Let us not lose any time. I am anxious to gaze upon these beauties! Send the samurai to duty into the Palace, and let no one dis- turb us. SHIJIWA, rising and speaking to the samurai The lord Kogamori bids you go out and guard faithfully for the peace of all. \^The samurai J bowing very low, go out through the right door, which they close behind them. SHIJIWA May I call the geishas? KOGAMORI Call them, one after another. ... SHIJIWA, beating two short split bam- boos against each other The most beautiful Asa from Kagoshina. {^A beautiful girl in light-blue kimono and dark-blue obi appears on the flowery way and comes slowly toward the stage. [80] THE HANDS IN THE BOX KOGAMORI So she is; and tell me, Asako, are you a good girl? [asa, prostrated before kogamori, does not dare look at him. Come and tell me in the ear what you can do to please a man. . . . [asa hesitateSy hut seeing that koga- MORi bends his head so as to listen to her she comes near him, opens her fan and, hiding her face behind it, whis- pers into his ear. KOGAMORI, disdainfully, to shijiwa You should have left this baby in the arms of her mother ... let me see another one. [asa walks sadly to the back of the stage and kneels down at the extreme left so as to give room to the other girls. SHiJiwA, beating the bamboo sticks. The marvellous Chiyo from Nagasaki. {^A girl in brown kimono and red obi appears KOGAMORI What a plump little fairy! Come, Chiyo, tell me in the ear how you would love me if I asked you to. [The previous scene between asa and KOGAMORI is repeated. A third and [81] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN a fourth geisha are introduced in like manner and the same thirig happens, with minor differences in the manner of acting, according to the mood and character of the girls. KOGAMORI You are stupid, Shijiwa, to bring such brainless creatures here. Let me see the next one. . . . [CHIYO walks away and kneels down at the right of asa. SHIJIWA, clapping the bamboo sticks The sweet Misao from Sendai. [misao in white kimono and cream obi appears KOGAMORI That small thing must be less than ten years old. . . . However, I will lend an eager ear to your berry mouth, my child. Tell me why you would be mine. [Similar action as before with same result. To the wall, my wingless angel . . . great is my deception. Next. . . . SHIJIWA, as KAMEYO appears in green kimono and black obi The wonderful Kameyo from Hoygo. [82] THE HANDS IN THE BOX KOGAMORI Tall and willowy. . . . Very pleasing to the eye. Tell me, Kameyo . . . how many kisses do you know? \_Similar scene as above. Is that all? . . . There is room for im- provement, and I think . . . you may be a fair pupil . . . but . . . go. . . . Shijiwa. SHiJiwA, as TAMARYO appears in grey kimono The glorious Tamaryo from Tomioka. KOGAMORI She is glorious. Listen, Tamaryo ... I want to hear from you what particular caress you will offer me should I ask you to live in the Palace. . . . {Same scene as before ^ but this time kogamori pushes the girl aside.) I am disgusted . . . positively disgusted. These women know less than a newborn monkey. Proceed . . . Shijiwa . . . pro- ceed. . . . [shijiwa announces the girls as they come in, but they go directly where the other girls are already kneeling. KOGAMORI now husics himself with filling his pipe and does not even look at them. [83] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN SHIJIWA The pretty Kome from Kyoto {in red kimono, lilac obi) . The joyful Sada from Osaka {in purple kimono, gold obi) . The nightingale Michi from Nikko {in dark blue kimono, silver obi) . KOGAMORi, lifting his head Michi ... a nightingale ... I will take a chance and ask you to let me hear the song you know best. MICHI sings Tsuyu no hinuma no asagao no Terasu hukage no tsure naki ni aware! Hito mura same no Hara, hara, to Furehashi/ KOGAMORI Your song to the morning glory is dear to my heart. I shall remember. . . . SHIJIWA, as ORiNO appears in orange kimono, green obi The handsome Orino from Morioka. KOGAMORI This is a color I am very fond of, but I have not seen a face out of the ordinary! 1 "Asagao," a well-known song, the translation of which is: O morning glory, your life is sucked by the dew of the dawn. Then come the sun rays that drink the dew. I pity you. Let a cloud come so you shall live longer. [84] THE HANDS IN THE BOX SHIJIWA I have kept her for the last, my lord . . . allow your eyes to gaze upon the magnificent Toyo from Yeddo. lA wonderful girl, toyo, appears dressed all in rose. KOGAMORI She is indeed a walking cherry blossom. Come near me, Toyo, for I want to ask you a question. What would you do to become my favorite geisha? [toyo dances a characteristic step. KOGAMORI, greatly pleased I have at last found an intelligent and pretty woman. I want her to remain in the Palace as long as she likes . . . and now give me some wine and more dances. \^All the girls get up and coming to the front of the stage join toyo in the dance of the fans. Meantime shijiwa has gone to the right door and given instructions to some one outside. Several women servants bring bottles of sake and gold cups. One of them removes the three-legged stools so that KOGAMORI and shijiwa sit com- fortably on the floor, kogamori [85] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN drinks heavily and by the time the dance is over he is rather excited. KOGAMORI That is not enough; you must now show me the Temptation dance. . • . SHIJIWA My lord ... do you not think it better to send them away. . . . KOGAMORI Who asks for your advice, Shijiwa? . . . Here, drink a cup of sake . . . it is God's creation. [sHiJiwA receives reverently between his hands the cup that kogamori fills up to the brim. SHIJIWA To your health and glory, my lord. . . . [Both drink ceremoniously. The geishas begin another dance in which at each different figure they remove part of their garments. Each one of the dancers in turn comes in front of KOGAMORI and tempts him by some lascivious posture until he tries to kiss her. Suddenly the right door is opened quickly and kogamori^s wife enters dressed in a resplendent cos- [86] THE HANDS IN THE BOX tume of red and black. She walks majestically y followed by her children, a boy, a girl, and four servants also richly dressed. Everybody comes to a sudden standstill, and kogamori grabs his fan with rage, shijiwa and all the girls with bent heads do not dare to look at kogamori^s wife. But without paying the least atten- tion to the party she walks out through the flowery way in a dignified m.an- ner. KOGAMORI, beside himself Whoever dared let my wife and children come into this room notwithstanding my ex- press orders will be punished without delay. . . . Shijiwa ... I want all the men in charge of this door arrested and beheaded ... do you hear? SHIJIWA Yes, my lord. l^Shijiwa goes out. KOGAMORI, drowning his anger in sev* eral cups of wine On with the dance. [The geishas start the dance again. After a while kogamori takes hold of TOYO and places her on his knees. She [87] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN tries to get away hut he holds her tight and laughs. TOYO Please, my lord, let me go. . . . KOGAMOm No, no, my little bird, I want you . . . you are mine. . . . THE GEISHAS, Stopping in their dance Let her go, my lord. KOGAMORi, angry What! . . . Out with you all. . . • Enough nonsense around. . . . Away from here quick . . . or . . . you will repent. [i?e makes a threatening gesture and the geishas run away, crowding through the door and uttering fright- ened cries. KOGAMOM, his arms around toyo^s waist Can I do as I please? . . . Hey! . . . Toyo . . . will you be my little pet? TOYO My lord . . . you have drunk too much . . . you ought to rest yourself. KOGAMORI, seizing toyo by the hair in excitement I am drunk, hey? Not good enough to kiss this pretty mouth? How would you like [88] THE HANDS IN THE BOX to be whipped until blood runs out of your body? {He kisses her and then throws her brutally from him.) Come back, come back, do not run away so soon. ... I want to see your face ... do not cry. (toyo sobs hys- terically on the floor and does not move.) Come, I say. ^Thoroughly frightened, toyo comes near him. He seizes her again by the hair and brings her face near his own. In her fear, however, toyo repulses his face with her hands and manages to free herself. Enraged at the sacri- lege of a geisha's hands on a state minister, he jumps up and pursues her, when, suddenly, his wife, children and women servants appear on the flowery way coming towards the stage, kogamori steadies himself and sits down again, very red in the face. The geisha has knelt down crying silently, kogamori^s wife and her company walk in without noticing him. KOGAMORi, trembling with rage You have made a fool of me . . .no woman has refused my love . . . you alone . . . worse yet . . . my children saw me in dis- grace. You shall dearly pay for it. . . . [89] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN Out of here . . . quick, and await my sen- tence. TOYO, lifting her arms imploringly I was afraid . . . my lord. . . . [kogamori, with a terrible look, shows her the door, and she runs out quickly, almost bent in two KOGAMORI Shijiwa! SHiJiwA, entering hurriedly Your pleasure, my lord. . . . KOGAMORI I order you to arrest Toyo, the geisha, and to cut oflP and bring me her hands. ^ \^ SHIJIWA Tne hands of Toyo san ! . . . The most beautiful geisha. ... I beg, my lord. . • . KOGAMORI You talk too much, Shijiwa. ... I have told you already. I repeat ... I want the hands of Toyo san. ... I noticed how wonderfully pretty they are, and I want to preserve them as a souvenir of the treatment she gave me. SHIJIWA And . . . after her hands are severed . . . what shall we do to the girl? [90] THE HANDS IN THE BOX KOGAMORI Let her blood run out till she dies. SHIJIWA Your will shall be done. KOGAMORI When you go out you may send the other geishas in. . . . They are good dancers, and I want to find out whether it is Orino or Michi I like the best. [sHiJiwA goes out and kogamori lights a pipe. The geishas come in one after another. I have recalled you so that you dance the dance of the fans for me again. . . . And I want Michi to pour out some wine. [michi comes near and pours some wine into his cup. The other eight girls repeat the fan dance, kogamori while flirting with michi soon over- drinks and follows the dance, with to and fro movements of his body. Pres- ently shiji wa enters carrying a round hooo about one foot high, with a cover on it. He places it in front of koga- mori, who removes the cover and looks inside with an evil smile. After [91] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN a while kogamori^ forgetting the hoXy closes his eyes under the influence of the wine, michi steals a glance into the box and is terror-struck. She suddenly gets up, joins the dancers, and spreads among them the horrible news of what she saw in the box. The dance stops and all the girls run away in panic. kogamori, opening his eyes What has happened? SHIJIWA They have seen the contents of the box and it frightened them away. KOGAMORI Weak-hearted women ... let them run away. ... I am tired . . . leave me alone . . . my head is heavy . . . put out these strong lights ; they burn my face. SHIJIWA At this time of the night, you will rest bet- ter in your private apartment. KOGAMORI I shall go very soon . . . but ... I wish to rest here alone a moment . . . you can retire. [92] THE HANDS IN THE BOX SHIJIWA Good-night, my lord. [He blows out the lights in the paper lanterns with the exception of one at each side of the back door, and goes out closing the partition behind him. The room is now in semi-obscurity. KOGAMom gets up heavily and goes to the back door, which he slides open, disclosing a garden lighted by moon- light. He then blows out the two lamps, and comes back to his seat. KOGAMORi, looking inside the box Lovely hands . . . you are whiter than the moon since the blood has left your veins. Indeed your caresses would smell of death, but you could not refuse to be good, ... It seems that since you are lifeless I have gained some pleasure by feeling your icy touch. {He takes the hands out and holds them be- tween his palms so that the elbows seem to repose at the bottom of the box.) It was a pity to remove you from such a beautiful body, but you tried to be cruel to your mas- ter. True, you are things of the past, yet I love to feel your velvet on my face. ... I feel ... it seems you are still alive. [The moon shines full upon the box and in his delirium he places his head [93] PLAYS OF OLD J A P A N^ between the handsy allowing them to caress his face, but suddenly the hands close around his throat as they just reach it, and they hold him in a grip of steel. What is that! . . . Help! . . . letgo . . . ah . . . ah. . . . [The hands are choking him slowly. Toyo san . . . it's you . . . ah . . , ah. , . . He tries in vain to release the hold. Presently y through a strange light be- hind the left panel of the room, toyo^ dressed all in white, appears, her hose hair hanging behind, her amputated arms all bloody. She is very pale and gazes at kogamori with a face full of anguish. Slowly the vision disap- pears, and with a look of horror and a last groan the man rolls on the floor strangled to death. In the garden a nightingale singsjiis midnight song. CURTAIN [94] FORSAKEN LOVE A POETICAL, COMEDY Adapted from "Lay Priest Tagikuehi," a five-act comedy drama by Anizaki from the novel of R. Takayama. ^^,^^,^^^^ . His Sons TOMOMORI CHARACTERS TOKiYORi, Samurai^ afterwards lay priest Tagikuchi KiYOMORi, Prime Minister MUNEMORI, ) . 3 MOCHiYom, Father of ToJdyori SHiKEGAKE, ) Officers in the Army; Noble- suKEMORi, 3 men under Kiyomori YOKOBUE, A young girl servant at Kiyo- moris palace KOBAi, An old woman servant UTAKiCHi, Head female servant FIRST SERVANT SECOND SERVANT THIRD SERVANT AN OLD WOMAN JIRO, ] TARO, Schoolboys SABURO, J THE FIRST CONCUBINE OF KIYOMORI CONCUBINES, SAMURAI, GUESTS OF KIYOMORI THREE MONKEYS THE CHORUS FORSAKEN LOVE The action takes place at Kyoto about 1150. Scene I The palace of Nishi-Hachijo. CHORUS rviNG, bell, slowly and sadly; The flower of the cherry tree passes away, All the world is vanity. Thoughts are dispersed like flowers, O glorious peace, O night of dreams. See the lords who come to feast And enjoy the festival of Spring. [During the song the curtain goes up disclosing the garden of a beautiful palace of red and gold. The cherry trees are blossoming. Hundreds of paper lanterns are hanging from the branches, kiyomori is seated in the middle of the stage with his sons, MUNEMORi and tomomori, then TOKiYORi and two vacant seats at his [97] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN right. Several concubines are on his left seated in the same order as the men. Other samurai are seated be- hind. SHiKEGAi^ and suKEMORi are dancing in front of the assembly. They wear beautiful costumes and carry in their hands branches of cherry blossoms. When they are through, UTAKiCHi enters, followed by other servants bringing on a tray presents for the dancers. UTAKICHI These presents are offered you by our lord Kiyomori. IThe two samurai receive the presents with respect and go to the two vacant seats. KIYOMORI Your dances are as pleasing to the eye as beautiful flowers are to our sense of smell. All the good of the world is here. I am sorry that my eldest son Shigemori is not present to enjoy this life. MUNEMORI My brother prays to the Buddha. I would rather sit looking at the cherry trees and en- joy dancing and drinking. [98] FOES A KEN LOVE TOMOMORI Father, tell our brother to pay more atten- tion to the covmtry's welfare than to the wor- ship of Buddha. KIYOMORI Yes, indeed, I will tell him. Life ought to be spent in glory, but your brother thinks only of religion. O, life is like the cherry blossoms. [The hreeze blows a few petals from the cherry trees and they fall slowly to the ground, kiyomori sits in sad thought. MUNEMORI Father, do not be sad tonight. KIYOMORI Yes, let us forget our sorrows. Fill up our cups and let us drink to a pleasant future. I All the samurai lift their cups which the servants have previously filled with sake. Then all bend respectfully toward the prime minister, ALL To your glory! . . . KIYOMORI The feast will be incomplete without a geisha dance. [99] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN THE FIRST CONCUBINE I should like you to see a young girl ser- vant of the Palace. She is not a geisha, but she dances better than the best of them all. She is a marvel. KIYOMORI I am anxious to see her. THE FIRST CONCUBINE Utakichi! {The head servant comes for- ward. ) Is the girl ready ? UTAKICHI Yes. {^She goes to the left of the stage, where all the servants are kneeling, takes by the hand a young girl of un- usual beauty, and leads her to the centre of the stage. Music begins and YOKOBUE dances. The samurai speak to each other in admiration of the dancing, and tokiyori, almost stand- ing up, looks at her with ecstasy. [The stage revolves. [100] FORSAKEN LOVE Scene II The scene represents the gate of the Palace of Nishi-Hachijo. samurai, followed by servants^ go out of the Palace after the fes- tival. They are talking to each other about the splendid reception they were given. KOBAi, coming out and walking to the front of the stage What a wonderful festival! It's a pity I am an old woman ; I cannot enjoy it all ! TOKiYORi, coming out of the gate, see- ing the woman Kdbaisan! . . . KOBAI What can I do for you? TOKIYORI Can you tell me the name of the young woman who danced so wonderfully tonight? KOBAI Yes, she is Yokobue san. She came to serve in the Palace only a few days ago. [ 101 ] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN But why do you want to know her name ? . . . Many men asked me the same question, . • . TOKIYORI She is such a beautiful dancer! KOBAi, laughing maliciously Ah ! Ah ! She is a beautiful dancer ! Ah ! Ah! [^She enters the Palace, and tokiyori left alone looks at the ground with a sigh. CURTAIN [[1021 FORSAKEN LOVE Scene III TOKiYORi's room. Very simple decoration. A box with armor on top. A rack with several swords at right. A rack with bow and arrows at left, tokiyori is sitting at a small desk. An ancient lamp lights him while he reads a manuscript. He puts the manuscript down very often to let his mind wander. When the curtain goes up the chorus sings and the cicada is heard outside. CHORUS Even the voice of the cicada Has not awakened my sleeping heart. Love has deceived it and it feels distressed. Last sj)ring I fell in love with Yokobue, She has changed the course of my life. Nothing can cure me of such a folly. Autumn breezes are singing outside, Balancing the leaves of the maple tree, The leaves going to death like my heart. TOKIYORI Such is love. To be a slave to love is to be like a blind man throwing himself into a well. {He looks about the room and takes up a [103] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN large sword.) What need have I of such a sword? I cannot even fight my bitterest enemy, my heart. {Rising, he pulls the blade out and looks at it near the lamp; he then flourishes it a couple of times.) Magnificent blade ! What a joy to possess such a tremen- dous weapon. {Looks at the image of his face in the blade.) How thin my face has become! Ah, the work of love! [He replaces the sword on the rack and lowers his head sadly. The voice of the cicada is distinctly heard. MOCHiYORi, sliding open the back door from outside, looks in at his son Tokiyori! TOKIYORI Are you not sleeping yet? MOCHIYORI And you? I see in your face that you have been dreaming. {He sits down on a seat slightly higher than tokiyori. ) During autumn nights it is better to sleep early. Are you well? tokiyori You are very kind to me, thank you. My head is not strong, but perhaps autumn will cure it. . • ., [ 104 ] FORSAKEN LOVE MOCHIYORI You must be brave, brave with a strong heart. I desire you to obey me loyally, with- out fear. TOKIYOEI I shall never thank you enough for the good principles you have taught me. Now I find the occasion to ask you something. Will you listen to me? MOCHIYORI What have you to say? TOKIYORI I have hesitated a long time before talking to you about it, but now the time has come. I should like to marry a young girl whom I think is worthy of my name. Will you allow me to take her as my wife? MOCHIYORI Who is she? TOKIYORI One of the servants of the prime minister. MOCHIYORI Is she one of our relations? . . [105] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN TOKIYORI Not at all, for she is only a farmer's daughter. MOCHIYOm Are you mad? TOKIYORI No, indeed. To be the husband of this girl is the serious desire of my life. You taught me never to tell a lie. MOCHIYORI Indeed, this is the serious d 're of your life! Do you know that marriage itself is the most serious thing in life? I have always hoped that you would marry a nobleman's daughter, to bring you rank and fortune. True, I have heard that you were in love with a certain Yokobue, but I did not pay attention to the rumor, for being in love with a servant girl at the Palace is the same as loving a courtesan, and it seemed ridiculous to me. Now you ask me to let you marry her. How dare you? TOKIYORI I have never given any thought to courte- sans or drinking. What I ask you comes from a pure and simple heart. . . . [106] FORSAKEN LOVE MOCHIYOm My son, you deceive me very much. I can see now that during these last months, you have been thinking of nothing but love. Now I want to open your eyes. Shikegake, whom you know well, has had several mistresses; and the one who now receives his attention is no other than Yokobue. Hey! What do you say to that ! Shikegake has already told me you were foolish to think about her. I cannot conceive why your mind wanders toward this girl for a minute. I am dis- pleased with you. Remember that all our family is famous for celebrated feats of arms and that Naoyori, once prime minister, is among our ancestors. There is no story like yours in our annals. You do not look ashamed at all ! As long as I live you shall not marry this peasant's daughter. {He looks at toki- YORi with terrible eyes.) Well, Tokiyori, many men make mistakes during their youth. You must know that the strongest love never lasts ten years. For my sake give all your attention to your samurai duties; it will be more honorable, and you will wake up out of this dream. Change your spirit and you will become again the Tokiyori of my heart. TOKiYORi^ wJio has been thinking deeply with inclined head, looking up at his father. [ 107 1 PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN Father, I was prepared for your answer long ago, and as a good son I shall do accord- ing to your desire and forget Yokobue. But now I want to ask you a favor that you will not refuse. ... I hope. . . . MOCHIYOKI You are a free samurai. What is your desire? TOKIYORI Allow me to leave you for a long time. MOCHIYORI Why? TOKIYORI It will surprise you, but my desire is not a mere fancy. I have made up my mind about it. There is no need for you to know the reason since I am a sane man. I have discovered that a man's life is as simple as his fortune and is not worth living. I have re- solved to give up ephemeral glory in order to put all my hope in Buddha. I shall never forget your kindness, but the future life is more important. Please let me go and I shall bless you forever. MOCHIYORI, with tears in his voice Those are your words! You lost your mother when very young, and I have always [ 108 ] FORSAKEN LOVE taken care of you. You have been well edu- cated. I took pride in seeing you full of health and courage. You are not my son since you do not answer to the deep desire that I had to see you loyal and obedient. The prime minister has already showed us many favors and was again well disposed to you. What will he say when he hears that you have become a beggar of a priest? Your wish is that of a coward. Admit that you have had a moment of folly. If not, beg par- don at once for your foolish words. . . . {He looks at his son with terrible eyes, but TOKiYORi remains silent.) Tokiyori, why do you not answer? TOKIYORI My heart bleeds when I think of the pain I am causing you. Although I wish to be loyal to the prime minister and yourself, there is something stronger that calls for my services elsewhere. MOCHIYORI What are you talking about? Is there a stronger duty than serving your country and father? Your mind is failing and you are no longer a samurai. [109] PLAYS OP OLD JAPAN TOKIYORI The honor of a samurai always remains, but the affairs of the other world are more important. Shigemori, first son of the prime minister, is himself a priest ! MOCHIYORI Nothing, do you hear, nothing is more im- portant than the service of His Majesty. You must not compare yourself to Shige- mori. You are losing your senses. Even dogs do not forget the favors of their master, therefore you are worse than a dog. I am not your father any more and I forbid you or your spirit to join our kinsfolk until your seventh life. [mochiyori works himself into a rage while looking at his son until, unable to control himself, he leaves the room. TOKIYORI does not stop him, hut looks painfully at the door through which he went out. TOKIYORI, with a deep sigh O! Father, pardon my disobedience. [The stage revolves. [110] FORSAKEN LOVE Scene IV The room of yokobue in the Palace of Nishi- Hachijo. A shamisen is hanging on the wall. Books and rolls of manuscripts on shelves. On the floor y a hooo with books inside. A little desk lighted by a candle, yokobue is sitting at right. Three servant girls at left. The servants whisper to each other. FIRST servant Yokobue is very unconcerned although she knows that a samurai is now wearing the Buddhist robe on her account. SECOND servant No, she has a pretty face but she uses it to catch the men, not to cry for them. THIRD SERVANT Don't be so cruel. Yokobue does not be- lieve us yet. ( To Yokobue. ) What we told you is not a lie. Tokiyori has laid down the samurai's armor to worship Buddha. YOKOBUE It is not possible. I cannot believe such a story. [ 111 ] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN SECOND SERVANT Then, you do not believe that a man can forsake the world if the most beautiful girl refuses him? YOKOBUE No, I do not believe it. THIRD SERVANT It is absolutely true. He lives now all alone at the temple of Saga. FIRST SERVANT Tokiyori was refused by Yokobue san. THIRD SERVANT He became a priest at Saga. FIRST SERVANT The lamentations of his father are heart- breaking. SECOND SERVANT At least there is less competition for your admirers. I know one for whom you will be kinder. THIRD SERVANT We tell you the truth. If you are sad on his account say some prayers to the Buddha; it will surely comfort him. It is getting late, we must retire. [112] FORSAKEN LOVE FIRST SERVANT Yokobue san, if you dream tonight, do not forget to tell us about it tomorrow. SECOND SERVANT We have no love troubles and so we shall sleep soundly. THE THREE SERVANTS Good night ! [They go out. yokobue, who all the time has assumed a haughty and un- concerned air, falls down head first to the floor and cries bitterly. yokobue Forgive me, Tokiyori! {She puts her handkerchief between her teeth to stop her sobbing.) I well understood your love for me, and I read all your letters but never dared answer you. I was afraid to lose the friendship of the other samurai. Why did you leave the world so soon? {She pauses for a moment in thought.) I did not know you loved me so much. {She weeps again and takes some letters from a desk. Open- ing a folded paper she holds it near the can- dle and reads.) "What do you think of me writing you such witless words, but since I saw your loveliness my heart is broken and I can think of nothing but you. Although my [113] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN writings are not worth your eyes I hope you will understand. ..." {She folds the paper.) It is my fault I did not understand you till this day. {She opens another letter and reads.) ''1 have understood that you do not love me, and I am afraid to displease you by writing again. There is only one medi- cine for me, to forsake love and become a priest. . . . {She sighs.) ... If, however, you read over the hundred letters I have written you since spring, you v/ill feel my heart beating. For I have put it, whole, into each one of them. I have nothing else to write. Perhaps my hand has been unable to guide my words to your heart. Oh, if you only knew my heart. Will you never answer me?" {She weeps again^ then taking a hook out of the hooo she reads a short poem.) " I shall cry for Love, Who felt the sadness of the autumnal breeze. . . . All insects die during the sorrowful night." KOBAi^ opening the door and looking at YOKOBUE maliciously Are you not sleeping yet? YOKOBUE, composing herself and put- ting the letter in the desk quicMy Kobai san ! What do you want at such an hour of the night? [ 114 ] FORSAKEN LOVE KOBAi, sitting beside yokobue You have no pity for men. There is a samurai outside who is dying of love for you. Do you want to send him away as usual? What shall I tell him? YOKOBUE My answer is the same as before and shall always be so. KOBAI You are very cruel to Shikegake, who is losing his head over you. He has come in the cold to hear his fate from your lips. At such an hour of the night ! He is doing that for you. Now, all the samurai want to marry you. I suppose, if you refuse Shikegake and he commits suicide you will be glad. YOKOBUE I don't care. KOBAI Do not say that. Of course you don't want to marry him, but give him some hope in order to retain his protection. You are pretty now, but beauty does not last long, and those who are too hard are finally left alone. Do you think Shikegake is not rich enough, or are you thinking of Tokiyori? If that is so,' you may rest easy, for he is now [ 115 ] PLAYS OP OLD JAPAN a lay priest. You should be kind to Shike- gake, who is going to obtain a high position. Do not deceive him this time. You know that I speak in your interest, (yokobue does not answer, kobai pulls her by the sleeve.) Don't you imderstand. . . . yokobue I beg your pardon, Kobai san. I am not a common woman, and I will not give myself to a man recklessly. I do not want to be kind to anyone at this hour of the night, and your criticisms are very unpleasant to me. (She turns her back to kobai, who looks shocked at first, and then goes angrily out.) Fools ! I do not want to hear words that take my mind away from the thought of Toki- yori. I will never marry Shikegake. I am now sure that Tokiyori has a good and loyal heart. He loved me more than other men since he has forsaken the world thinking I did not love him. {She sighs.) I am the cause of all this trouble because I did not answer his letters. I must go and beg his pardon. I shall explain everything to him and tell him the deep love I have in my heart for him. If he does not understand me I shall become a mm. (She rises with deter- mination.) I have decided to go tomorrow, but I will play on the shamisen once more. 1 116 ] FORSAKEN LOVE {She takes her shamisen and plays a sad tune.) Oh! I shall say good-by to every- thing tomorrow morning. {Drawing a little dagger from her belt she cuts the strings of the shamisen.) I have now severed my last connection with this world. CURTAIN [ 117 1 PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN Scene V The temple Ojo in the fields of Saga. On the left side of the stage one of the rooms of the temple is exposed to view. The roof is partly broken^ as is a portico and verandah in front. From the room a door leads to the altar and through the paper door slightly opened the lay priest tagikuchi ^ (toki- YORi) is seen reading a hook. Another door leads into a small garden with a fountain, en- closed by a gate. On the half broken stone there is a sign reading, ''Ojo Temple.'' As the curtain goes up jiro, taro and saburo are playing with idols of clay, taro breaks jiRo's plaything. JIRO Taro broke the idol that I so carefully made. I promised grandmother to bring her an idol made of Ojo Temple clay, and noy/ it's broken. Give me another one at once. IHe cries. TARO I am glad I broke it. The other day your grandmother ogled me like an owl and said, ''Bad boy .'' I am avenged. lA man changes his name when he becomes a Buddhist priest. [118] FORSAKEN LOVE JIRO My grandmother was right. You avenge yourself on Buddha's image. Even a China- man wouldn't do it. Give me another one. SABURO Taro, you are wrong always to tease boys smaller than yourself. TARO Jiro always cries and tells his grandmother. IHe beats jiro, who yells, saburo tries to quiet them. THE LAY PRIEST, appearing on the verandah Why do you make so much noise? Can you not play without quarrelling? Taro, you are big and should protect the small boys. Jiro, you should not cry all the time. If you have broken your idol, make another one. Artificial things do not always last and can be easily replaced. The night is coming. Go to your parents. Come back tomorrow. Chestnuts are growing ripe. I shall pick some for you. [The children group themselves near the LAY PRIEST. SABURO You are very good to give us chestnuts. We will not fight any more, but go home [119] ]?LAYS or OLD JAPAN quietly. Will you give more chestnuts to the best one of us? THE LAY PRIEST Yes! Yes! You are a clever little man. Go home now and be good. Dinner is ready and your families are waiting. THE BOYS, as they go out Good-night, imcle! THE LAY PRIEST Sweet little hearts I How well they listen to good advice. I wish all men were like these children. Now I must begin my night prayers. {Goes to the garden to wash his hands at the fountain. At the same time an old woman with a basket full of ap- ples comes from the right. THE OLD WOMAN Qroodi evening, good priest, have you seen my grandson? THE LAY PRIEST Oh, good evening! You are Jiro's grand- mother. Your grandson has just left with two little friends. [120] FORSAKEN LOVE THE OLD WOMAN Is that possible! How strange I did not meet them. Well, I was coming here to offer these apples to the Buddha. Please take them. THE LAY PRIEST Thank you very much. I will offer them tonight, and tomorrow I will offer chestnuts. THE OLD WOMAN It is getting dark. I must go away. Do not forget me in your prayers. THE LAY PRIEST The last days of autumn are short. You must be careful on your way home. {He comes out of the garden and accompanies the old woman.) Good-by. Sleep well tonight and think of Buddha's paradise. THE OLD WOMAN Thank you for your kindness to my grand- son and myself. [Eocit. [Night is falling. The stars and moon come out. THE LAY PRIEST, Walking into the garden and closing the gate He who loved a young girl of the city now receives the attentions of an old country woman. How life changes in a short time! [121] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN The gaieties of spring drift into autumn sor- rows. {He goes to the altar and lights sev- eral candles. Kneeling down he begins wor- shipping Buddha aloud. Two large monkeys and a small one come out of the woods and run around playfully. They jump on the verandah and seem to listen to the prayer. It is now very dark. The lay priest, carry- ing a candle, comes to the verandah and ad- dresses the monkeys.) Oh, monkeys. So you have come again to pay me a visit. Do you understand my prayers to Buddha, or are you only coming to get some fruit ? Here, Jiro's grandmother gave me these apples, take some of them. (He hands them several apples which they quickly grab and run away with joyful capers.) When I was in the world, all men bored me, but now even the society of animals is a balm to my heart. What has become of my kinsfolk and the party of Tokiyori? Perhaps I should have stood by them to fight for the clan. But, then, I would have remained a man ; a man strong in the body but weak in heart. Suf- fering for a heartless woman. Now all is peace. (The sound of insects is heard dis- tinctly.) I can look for hours at the sky and try to find the meaning of all those twinkling eyes that look down from above. I have [ 122 ] FORSAKEN LOVE never loved the beauty of night more than now as the moon comes out of the clouds. I must take care that the clouds of passion do not trouble my soul. (The moon rises slowly and illumines the rice fields.) Oh, the moon is rising very fast in the sky! It must be late. I will read a little and say my prayers again before retiring. {He gazes at the moon for a moment while the sounds of the insects grow in intensity, then he closes the paper doors in front of the room, and only the light of the candles can he seen through them by the audience. CHORUS There are many ways of love, The love of Buddha is perhaps best. Yokobue has left the Palace To come and explain her conduct. She has forsaken a life of luxury And walked many, many days To see the man she did not understand. [yokobue enters dressed in a nun's garment of brocaded silk with white veil and black pantaloons. yokobue I have been told that the Ojo Temple is not far away. An old man told me to walk [ 123 ] PLAYS or OLD JAPAN toward the Saga fields and the light of this house brought me here. CHORUS A light shining across the deep grass. It is the retreat of a lost lover. From afar I saw the shadow of my darling priest. [yokobue walks to the temple gate and sees the sign. yokobue How fortunate! It is the temple I am looking for. IShe knocks at the gate, hut at the same moment a hell rings and the voice of the lay priest is heard pray- ing to Buddha. Is this the Ojo Temple? I have come a long way from Kyoto to see the priest Tagi- kuchi. Please open the gate. {She knocks again hut the hell and voice do not stop.) No answer even though I knock hard. But I am foolish to do so at the time of worship- ping. I have been told that a priest will not be disturbed even by the Emperor. I shall wait. [ 124 ] CHORUS A serene heart will not be disturbed. This is a place of rest. Breezes play around the leaves ; Their falling marks the time Ever flying, ever flying. [The sound of the hell is heard y yoko- BXJE knocks again at the gate. YOKOBUE Will you kindly open the door, I have something to tell you. THE LAY PRIEST, froTTi inside This is the Ojo Temple. You are wrong to call here at night. YOKOBUE No, I am not wrong. I have come to speak to the priest Tagikuchi, formerly Tokiyori, who is a relative of Mochiyori Saito. THE LAY PRIEST Yes, I am Tagikuchi. Who are you? YOKOBUE I am ashamed, but I must tell you. I am Yokobue, who served at the Palace of the Prime Minister. I want to say that I did not return your kindness because I was afraid of the jealousy of other men, and I wanted to [125] PLAYS OF OLD JAPAN be friendly with all. I realized my mistake only after I heard you had given up your duties of samurai to become a priest. I felt sorry for you and understood the cruelty in not answering your letters. I could not rest in peace until I told you everything. I hope you will be kind and not leave me outside in the night. Please open the gate, please, please. . . . IShe leans against the gate and cries. THE LAY PRIEST I have known a woman called by your name while I was a man of the world, but she would not hear of me. Now, I have no love in my heart. I pray Buddha in the morning and in the evening to help me to forget my former life. I may not listen to a charming voice again. My love and hope belong to Buddha, and therefore my eyes, ears and mouth cannot be attracted by a woman any more. I am sorry, but you must go back into the dark night, and walk away quickly. I will not speak again. Yokobue san, farewell in this world, may we meet again in the other. YOKOBUE You are right; but since I have come to tell you the secret of my heart you should not be so hard and cruel. I am ready to atone [ 126 ] FORSAKEN LOVE for my unkindness with my own body, if it please you to use it. If I go away without obtaining your pardon I shall never live in peace, and I am afraid we may not meet in the future life. Please open the door so that I can see you. {As she speaks the last words the bell begins ringing again, clouds cover the moon and the wind suddenly rises. ) Why do you not open the door? Will you be dead forever to me? A samurai must have some pity. {The sounds of the bell and wind in- crease.) You have forsaken love, but you have lost your heart at the same time. I am a wretched woman. Even in a nim's robes I will never be at peace. Can you not save me? {The sound of the bell is very hud. YOKOBUE pulls her hair and tears her clothes into shreds in her despair. ) Merciless priest, merciless priest, how shall I ever forget ! . • . {She weeps.) Oh, poor Yokobue, did you know love and sorrow are one and the same thing? IShe faints and falls to the ground. The sounds cease and the lighted candles within the temple are extin- guished. CURTAIN [ 127 ] RETURN MAIN CIRCULATION TO ^ ALL BOOKS ARE SUBJECT TO RECALL RENEW BOOKS BY CALLING 642-3405 DUE AS STAMPED BELOW AUIUDlSCClr S£F 06 '94 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BtK^tLbY BERKELEY, CA 94720 FORMNO. DD6 1 '77"'^''^^'^ - :po i ■ ^ §S^ LD21-100m-7,%^ 1 U.C.BERKELEY LIBRARIES CDM771flEMD UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY »rrtti -r.^ ^ww^.f,:^pfy^