THE PUNISHMENT
O'Iwa did not move. The two women approached and laid hands on her. Her
yielding made no difference in the roughness of their treatment.
Dragged, hustled, shoved, with amplitude of blows, she was already much
bruised on reaching the place of punishment--the _seméba_, to use the
technical term of these establishments "for the good of the community."
During a temporary absence of the mistress, a ray of kindliness seemed
to touch the woman O'Kin. She pointed to the square of some six feet, to
the rings fastened in the rafters. "Don't carry self-will to extremes.
Here you are to be stripped, hauled up to those rings, and beaten until
the bow breaks. Look at it and take warning. Kin is no weakling." She
shoved back her sleeve, showing an arm as hard and brawny as that of a
stevedore. With disapproval she observed O'Iwa. The latter stood
unresisting, eyes on the ground. Only the lips twitched from time to
time. As the only person in the house, male or female, not to fear the
Okamisan, O'Kin could only put down the courage to ignorance. She
shrugged her shoulders with contempt. "A man would cause you no pain.
The same cannot be said of Kin. You shall have the proof." Perhaps
severity would be more merciful, by quickly breaking down this
obstinacy.
The wife returned with the instrument of torture, a bow of bamboo wound
with rattan to strengthen it. O'Kin took it, ostentatiously bent and
displayed its stinging flexibility before the eyes of O'Iwa. The latter
closed them. She would cut off all temptation to weakness. At a sign O'Kin
roughly tore off the _obi_. A twist, and the torn and disordered _kimono_
of O'Iwa fell to her feet with the skirt. She had no shirt. Thus she was
left completely naked. In modesty she sank crouching on the ground. The
cold wind of the March night made her shiver as O'Kin roped her wrists.
Again the woman whispered her counsel in her ear--"When you get enough,
say 'Un! Un!'" Detecting no sign of consent she took a ladder, climbed up,
and passed the ropes through the rings above. She descended, and the two
women began to haul away. Gradually O'Iwa was raised from the sitting
posture to her full height of extended arms, until by effort her toes
could just reach the ground. In this painful position the slightest twist
to relieve the strain on the wrists caused agonizing pains through the
whole body. "Still obstinate--strike!" shouted the wife. O'Kin raised the
bow and delivered the blow with full force across the buttocks. A red
streak appeared. O'Iwa by a natural contortion raised her legs. The blows
descended fast, followed at once by the raised welt of flesh, or the blood
from the lacerated tissue. Across the shoulder blades, the small of the
back, the buttocks, the belly, they descended with the full force of the
robust arms and weight of O'Kin. Every time the legs were raised at the
shock the suspended body spun round. Every time the toes rested on the
ground the bow descended with merciless ferocity. The sight of the torture
roused the fierce spirit in the tormentors. O'Kin redoubled the violence
of her blows, seeking out the hams and the withers, the shoulders, the
tenderest points to cause pain. The wife ran from side to side, gazing
into the face and closed eyes of O'Iwa, trying to detect weakening under
the torture, or result from some more agonizing blow. O'Iwa's body was
striped and splashed with red. O'Kin's hands slipped on the wet surface of
the rod. Suddenly she uttered an exclamation. Blood was now gushing from
the nose, the eyes, the mouth of O'Iwa. "Okamisan! Okamisan! It won't do
to kill her. Deign to give the order to cease. She must be lowered." The
wife coolly examined the victim. "She has fainted. Lower her, and throw
salt water over her. The sting will bring her to." O'Kin followed the
instructions in the most literal sense. She dashed the bucket of water
with great impetus right into O'Iwa's face. "Un!" was the latter's
exclamation as she came to consciousness. "She consents! She consents!"
cried O'Kin with delight. The wife was decidedly sceptical, but her aid
plainly would go no further at this time. Said she--"Leave her as she is.
There are other matters to attend to than the whims of an idle vicious
jade. She would cheat this Matsu out of twenty _ryo[u]_? Well: time will
show the victor." She departed--"to drink her wine, pare her nails, and
sing obscene songs to the accompaniment of the _samisen_."
Tied hand and foot O'Iwa lay semi-conscious in the cold shed of
punishment. At midnight the girls returned to this "home." They gathered
around the prostate O'Iwa. From O'Kin they had an inkling of the courage
displayed. They admired her, but none dared to touch her bonds. At last
O'Haru San, unusually successful in her night's raid, ventured to
approach the half drunk mistress of the house. "Haru makes report." She
spread her returns before the gratified Okamisan. Timidly the girl
added--"O'Iwa San repents. Deign to remit her punishment. She looks very
ill and weak."--"Shut up!" was the fierce retort. Then as afterthought
of sickness and possible loss came to mind. "She can be untied and sent
to bed."--"And food?"--"She can earn it." The woman turned on O'Haru,
who bowed humbly and slipped away. That night the girls contributed from
their store to feed O'Iwa; as they did on the succeeding days and
nights. The wife would have stopped the practice, but Toémon interfered.
He meant to keep his dilapidated stock in as good repair as possible. He
fed them pretty well. "The woman is not to be starved--at least too
openly. The last case gave this Toémon trouble enough, and on the very
day this epileptic came into the house, to bring confusion with her.
Beat her if you will; but not enough to kill her." O'Matsu followed his
words to the letter. One beating was followed by another; with interval
enough between the torture to insure recuperation and avoid danger to
life. These scenes came to be regarded as a recreation of the house. The
other inmates were allowed to attend, to witness the example and
fascinate their attention. But at last the Okamisan despaired. Amusement
was one thing; but her hatred of O'Iwa was tempered by the desire to
find some use for her, to get a return for the twenty _ryo[u]_ of which
she had been swindled. Finally the advice of the _banto[u]_ was
followed. "The men of the house cannot be tempted to approach such an
apparition. The other girls have not time to devote to making up O'Iwa
as for the stage. They have not twenty _ryo[u]_ at stake, as had
Cho[u]bei. Let her wash the dishes." Thus was O'Iwa "degraded" from her
high estate as street-walker. Turned into a kitchen drudge she shed
tears of joy. She almost forgot the matter of the pledge in this new and
pleasant life. The time and the place, perhaps the drug she took, had
done their work on the mind of O'Iwa. Iémon, the house of Samoncho[u],
the _ihai_ in the Butsudan, the pleasant garden--all were of the tissue
of a dream amid a toil which deposited her on the straw wrappings of the
charcoal and in a shed, thoroughly worn out at the end of her long day.
The O'Iwa of Samoncho[u] at this end of the lapsing year of service was
dormant. But accidents will happen.
There was excitement in the house. Mobei, the dealer in toilet
articles--combs, brushes, jewel strings--was at the grating. The women
were clustered before the wares he exposed in his trays. This Mobei, as
dealer in toilet articles (_koma-mono_) wandered all the wards of Edo,
his little trays fitting neatly into each other, and wrapped in a
_furoshiki_ or bundle-handkerchief. His wares formed a marvellous
collection of the precious and common place, ranging from true coral and
tortoise shell, antique jewelry and curious _netsuké_ of great value, to
their counterfeits in painted wood, horn, and coloured glass. "Mobei
San, long has been the wait for you. Is there a bent comb in
stock?"--"Truly this Mobei is vexing. He humbly makes apology, lady.
Here is just the thing.... How much? Only a _bu_.... Too high? Nay! With
women in the ordinary walks of life it is the wage of a month. To the
honoured Oiran it is but a night's trifling." The other women tittered.
O'Haru was a little nettled at the high sounding title of Oiran. She
would not show her irritation. Mobei continued his attentions. He laid
before her and the others several strings of jewels, their "coral" made
of cleverly tinted paste. "Deign to look; at but one _bu_ two _shu[u]_.
If real they would cost twenty _ryo[u]_."--"And Mobei has the real?" The
dealer laughed. As in pity, and to give them a glimpse of the far off
upper world, he raised the cover of a box in the lower tier. They gasped
in admiration before the pink of the true coral. Hands were stretched
through the grating to touch it. Mobei quickly replaced the cover. "For
some great lady," sighed O'Haru--"Just so," replied Mobei, adjusting his
boxes. He had sold two wooden painted combs and a string of horn beads
in imitation of tortoise shell. He pocketed the hundred "cash," those
copper coins with a hole in the centre for stringing. Then briefly--"The
necklace is for no other than the Kashiku of the Yamadaya, the loved one
of Kibei Dono of Yotsuya. The comb (_kanzashi_) in tortoise shell and
gold is for the honoured lady wife of Iémon Dono, the _go kenin_. But
Mobei supplies not only the secular world. This--for one who has left
the world; for Myo[u]zen Osho[u] of Myo[u]gyo[u]ji, the gift of Ito[u]
Dono. For the custom of Mobei the Yotsuya stands first in order." He
took a box from his sleeve and showed them the rosary of pure crystal
beads. Even in the dull light of a lowering day the stones flashed and
sparkled. The women showed little interest. A priest to them was not a
man--ordinarily.
He shouldered his pack. "Mobei San--a comb with black spots, in
imitation of tortoise shell. Please don't fail me on the next visit."
Mobei nodded agreement. Then he halted and turned. One of the women had
called out in derision--"Here is O'Iwa San. Surely she wants to
purchase. Mobei San! Mobei San! A customer with many customers and a
full pocketbook." These women looked on O'Iwa's assignment to the
kitchen as the fall to the lowest possible state. At sight of the
newcomer Mobei gasped. O'Iwa on leaving the door of Toémon's house,
_miso_ (soup) strainers for repair in one hand, fifteen _mon_ for bean
paste (_to[u]fu_) tightly clasped in the other, came face to face with
the toilet dealer, "The lady of Tamiya--here!"--"The lady of Tamiya!"
echoed the astonished and curious women. Said O'Iwa quickly--"Mobei San
is mistaken. This is Iwa; but lady of Tamiya...." Hastily she pulled her
head towel over her face. In doing so the "cash" slipped from her hand.
A _mon_ missing meant no _to[u]fu_; result, a visit to the _seméba_. In
recovering the lost coin Mobei was left in no doubt. "'Tis indeed the
lady of Tamiya. It cannot be denied." O'Iwa no longer attempted the
impossible. She said--"It is Iwa of Tamiya. Mobei San, a word with you."
The women were whispering to each other. "He called her '_shinzo[u]_.'"
Said O'Haru--"There always was something about her to arouse suspicion;
so ugly, and with such grand airs. And how she endured the punishment!
Truly she must be a _samurai_ woman." The minds of all reverted to their
master Toémon, and how he would take this news.
O'Iwa had drawn Mobei somewhat apart from the grating. With downcast
face she spoke--"Deign, Mobei San, to say nothing in the ward of this
meeting with Iwa." To Mobei's earnest gesture of comprehension--"Affairs
had gone badly with Tamiya. Iémon San was misled into gambling by
Natsumé Kyuzo[u] and Imaizumi Jinzaémon. He was carried away by the
passion. It was no longer possible to stay in Samoncho[u]. Worse conduct
followed. In the kindness and advice of Ito[u] Dono, of Akiyama and
Kondo[u] Sama, this Iwa found support. But she disobeyed. She would not
follow the advice given. However, gratitude is felt by Iwa. One cannot
leave this place, or long since she would have paid the visit of
acknowledgment. A matter of importance arose. Cho[u]bei San came to
Iwa's aid, and saved the situation. This place is terrible, but the
consequences of not coming would have been more so. To Cho[u]bei
gratitude is felt. It was the opportunity offered the wife to show her
faith and courage." Now she looked bravely in Mobei's face. It was the
toilet dealer's turn to show confusion--"Honoured lady, is nothing
known?"--"Known?" answered O'Iwa in some surprise. "What is there to
know? When this Iwa left Samoncho[u] to be sure the house was cracking
apart everywhere. The light poured in as through a bamboo door.... Ah!
Have matters gone badly with the Danna in Iwa's absence?" Mobei shook
his head in dissent. "Alas! Ito[u] Sama, Akiyama or Kondo[u] San, has
misfortune come to them, without a word of condolence from Iwa? Perhaps
Cho[u]bei San, in his precarious life...." The poor isolated world of
the thoughts of this homely creature was limited to these friends in
need.
Mobei had sunk on his knees before her. He raised eyes in which stood
tears of pity and indignation. "The Ojo[u]san knows nothing of what has
occurred in Yotsuya? This Mobei will not keep silent. With the affairs
of Iémon Sama, of Ito[u] Dono and Akiyama San nothing has gone wrong.
The absence of the lady O'Iwa is otherwise related. She has abandoned
house and husband to run away with a plebeian, the _banto[u]_ at the
green-grocer's on Shinjuku road. Such is the story circulated." O'Iwa
drew away from him as from a snake--then: "Mobei, you lie! Why tell such
a tale to this Iwa? Are not the words of Ito[u] Dono, of Akiyama Sama,
of Cho[u]bei San still in Iwa's ears? What else has she had to console
her during these bitter months but the thought of their kindness? This
dress (a scantily wadded single garment), these bare feet in this snow,
this degraded life--are not they evidences of Iwa's struggle for the
honour of husband and House? Mobei, slander of honourable men brings one
to evil. Mobei lies; lies!"
He seized her dress. The man now was weeping. "The lady of Tamiya is a
saint. Alas! Nothing does she know of the wicked hearts of men. Too
great has been the kindness of the Ojo[u]san to this Mobei for him to
attempt deceit. Deign to listen. This day a week; was it not the day to
a year of the Ojo[u]san's leaving the house in Yotsuya?" O'Iwa turned to
him with a startled face. He continued--"A week ago Mobei visited
Yotsuya. He has many customers there, not too curious about prices.
Hence he brings the best of his wares. Coming to the house in
Samoncho[u] a feast was in progress. There were present Ito[u] Dono,
Akiyama Sama, Natsumé and Imaizumi Sama, Kondo[u] Dono; O'Hana San, of
course. All were exceedingly merry, Iémon Dono poured out a cup of wine.
'Mobei! Mobei! Come here! Drain this cup in honour of the occasion. We
celebrate the anniversary of the expulsion of the _bakémono_. The demon
is driven forth from the Paradise of Yotsuya. Namu Myo[u]ho[u] Renge
Kyo[u]! Namu Myo[u]ho[u] Renge Kyo[u]!' This Mobei was amazed--'The
O'Baké.... What O'Baké?'--'Why: O'Iwa San. A year since, with the aid of
these good friends, and one not present here, Iémon freed himself from
the clutches of the vengeful apparition. Our _Kumi-gashira_ granted
divorce in due form. The son of Takahashi Daihachiro[u]--Yanagibara
Kazuma--Tamiya Iémon no longer catches at sleep to wake in fear. Chief,
deep is the gratitude of Iémon for the favour done by Ito[u] Dono.' The
Ojo[u]san a _bakémono_! At these outrageous words Mobei felt faint.
Receiving the cup, as in modesty returned to the _ro[u]ka_ to drink, the
contents were spilled on the ground. Ah! Honoured lady, it is not only
that the Ojo[u]san has been driven out. Her goods have been cleverly
stolen by false messages of gambling losses. Stored with Kondo[u] Sama
they were brought back on the success of the wicked plot. The whole is a
conspiracy of Iémon Dono with Ito[u] Dono, with Akiyama, Cho[u]bei,
Kondo[u], and others. They bragged of it, and told the tale in full
before this Mobei, laughing the while. Why, lady! On the word of
Cho[u]bei San the order of divorce was issued by Ito[u] Dono. Within the
month O'Hana San left the shelter of the house of Kondo[u] Sama to enter
the Tamiya as bride. Deign to look. Here is a jewelled comb reserved by
Iémon Sama as present for O'Hana San his wife. Here is gift of Ito[u]
Dono to Myo[u]zen Osho[u] for his efforts 'in the cause.'"
O'Iwa stood as one frozen. With Mobei's words the light was flooding
into mind and soul. Step by step she now followed clearly the stages of
this infamous conspiracy against her peace and honour. She had been
fooled, cheated, degraded--and by Ito[u] Kwaiba, the enemy of
Matazaémon; by Iémon, son of the hereditary foe Takahashi Daihachiro[u].
Mobei remained huddled at her feet, watching with fright the sudden and
awful change in her face. The words came in a whisper. At first she
brought out her speech with difficulty, then to rise to torrent
force--"Cheated, gulled by the hereditary foe! And this Iwa lies bound
and helpless! 'Tis understood! The end is at hand--Ah! The poison! The
poison! Now it, too, rises; flowing upward to heart and head of Iwa.
Accursed man! Accursed woman; who would play the rival and destroy the
wife! The time is short; the crisis is at hand. Cho[u]bei's dark words
become light. Hana would poison Iwa through this treacherous leech.
Iémon would kill her by the foul life of this brothel--Gods of Nippon!
Buddhas of the Universe! All powerful Amida, the Protector! Kwannon, the
Lady Merciful! Deign to hearken to the prayer of this Iwa. Emma
Dai-o[u], king of Hell, summon not the daughter of Tamiya before the
dreaded throne for judgment--through the course of seven
existences--until the vengeance of Iwa be sated with the miserable end
of these her persecutors. May the sacred characters of the Daimoku,
written on the heart of Iwa for her future salvation, be seared out as
with hot iron. On Ito[u] Kwaiba, Iémon, Akiyama Cho[u]zaémon, Cho[u]bei,
all and every one engaged in this vile plot, rests the death curse of
Iwa. Against these; against Natsumé, Imaizumi, Yoémon of Tamiya, lies
the grudge of Iwa of Tamiya. Gods and Buddhas--grant this prayer!"
A violent hand was laid on the bosom of Mobei's robe. He screamed in
terror at the fearful face bent over him. A broad round dead white
swollen face, too sharp gleaming malignant dots darting flashes as from
a sword between the puffed and swollen lids, froze him into a passive
object. One of these lids drooped horribly down upon the cheek of the
apparition. In the physical effort exerted, the slit of the mouth showed
the broad black even teeth, which seemed about to clutch at his throat;
as did the vigorous hand, the nails of which sank into his gullet.
Framed in the mass of wild disordered hair Mobei was isolated as in a
universe of space; left alone with this fearful vision. "Lady! Lady
O'Iwa! Lady of Tamiya! This Mobei has done naught. Others have wronged
O'Iwa San. Mobei is guiltless.... Ah! Ah!" With fright and pain he
rolled over on the ground in a dead faint. Screaming and shouting the
women Také and Ko[u]ta rushed around and out to his rescue. O'Iwa San
was now under the full control of her disorder. Takézo staggered back,
her hands to her face to hide the horrible sight, to wipe from eyes and
cheeks the blood streaming from the deep tears made by O'Iwa's nails.
Ko[u]ta from behind seized O'Iwa around the waist and shoulders. Sharply
up came the elbow shot, catching this interloper under the chin. Neck
and jaw fairly cracked under the well-delivered blow. Ko[u]ta went down
in a heap as one dead. A _chu[u]gen_ coming along the North Warigesui
had reached the crossing. He thought it better to stand aside, rather
than attempt to stop this maddened fiend tearing through space. At the
canal bank there was a moment's pause. Then came a dull splash; as of
some heavy body plunged in the water. With a cry the man hastened
forward. Not a sign of anything could be seen. In this rural place no
help was to be had, and he was little inclined to plunge at random into
the foul stream. In haste he turned back to where a crowd was gathering
around the prostrate Mobei, the groaning harlots to whom punishment had
been meted out.