I intended to sleep late this morning, in order to make up for my lost sleep of last night.
But at eight o’clock three persons of the most extraordinary appearance, led by M. Kangourou, present themselves with profound bows at the door of my cabin. They are arrayed in long robes bedizened with dark patterns; they have the flowing locks, high foreheads, and pallid1 countenances2 of persons too exclusively devoted3 to the fine arts; and, perched on the top of their coiffures, they wear sailor hats of English shape tipped jauntily4 on one side. Tucked under their arms, they carry portfolios5 filled with sketches6; in their hands are boxes of water-colors, pencils, and, bound together like fasces, a bundle of fine stylets with the sharp and glittering points.
At the first glance, even in the bewilderment of waking up, I gather from their appearance what their errand is, and guessing with what visitors I have to deal, I say: “Come in, Messieurs the tattooers!”
These are the specialists most in renown7 in Nagasaki; I had engaged them two days ago, not knowing that we were about to leave, and since they are here I will not turn them away.
My friendly and intimate relations with primitive8 man, in Oceania and elsewhere, have imbued9 me with a deplorable taste for tattoo-work; and I had wished to carry away on my own person, as a curiosity, an ornament10, a specimen11 of the work of the Japanese tattooers, who have a delicacy12 of finish which is unequalled.
From their albums spread out upon my table I make my choice. There are some remarkably13 odd designs among them, appropriate to the different parts of the human body: emblems14 for the arms and legs, sprays of roses for the shoulders, great grinning faces for the middle of the back. There are even, to suit the taste of their clients who belong to foreign navies, trophies15 of arms, American and French flags entwined, a “God Save the Queen” amid encircling stars, and figures of women taken from Grevin’s sketches in the Journal Amusant.
My choice rests upon a singular blue and pink dragon two inches long, which will have a fine effect upon my chest on the side opposite the heart.
Then follows an hour and a half of irritation16 and positive pain. Stretched out on my bunk17 and delivered over to the tender mercies of these personages, I stiffen18 myself and submit to the million imperceptible pricks19 they inflict20. When by chance a little blood flows, confusing the outline by a stream of red, one of the artists hastens to stanch21 it with his lips, and I make no objections, knowing that this is the Japanese manner, the method used by their doctors for the wounds of both man and beast.
A piece of work, as minute and fine as that of an engraver22 upon stone, is slowly executed on my person; and their lean hands harrow and worry me with automatic precision.
Finally it is finished, and the tattooers, falling back with an air of satisfaction to contemplate23 their work, declare it to be lovely.
I dress myself quickly to go on shore, to take advantage of my last hours in Japan.
The heat is fearful to-day: the powerful September sun falls with a certain melancholy24 upon the yellowing leaves; it is a day of clear burning heat after an almost chilly25 morning.
As I did yesterday, I ascend26 to my lofty suburb, during the drowsy27 noontime, by deserted28 pathways filled only with light and silence.
I noiselessly open the door of my dwelling29, and enter cautiously on tiptoe, for fear of Madame Prune30.
At the foot of the staircase, upon the white mats, beside the little sabots and tiny sandals which are always lying about in the vestibule, a great array of luggage is ready for departure, which I recognize at a glance-pretty, dark robes, familiar to my sight, carefully folded and wrapped in blue towels tied at the four corners. I even fancy I feel a little sad when I catch sight of a corner of the famous box of letters and souvenirs peeping out of one of these bundles, in which my portrait by Ureno now reposes31 among divers32 photographs of mousmes. A sort of long-necked mandolin, also ready for departure, lies on the top of the pile in its case of figured silk. It resembles the flitting of some gipsy, or rather it reminds me of an engraving33 in a book of fables34 I owned in my childhood: the whole thing is exactly like the slender wardrobe and the long guitar which the cicala who had sung all the summer, carried upon her back when she knocked at the door of her neighbor the ant.
Poor little gipsy!
I mount the steps on tiptoe, and stop at the sound of singing that I hear in my room.
It is undoubtedly36 Chrysanthème’s voice, and the song is quite cheerful! This chills me and changes the current of my thoughts. I am almost sorry I have taken the trouble to come.
Mingled37 with the song is a noise I can not understand: Chink! chink! a clear metallic38 ring as of coins flung vigorously on the floor. I am well aware that this vibrating house exaggerates every sound during the silence of night; but all the same, I am puzzled to know what my mousme can be doing. Chink! chink! is she amusing herself with quoits, or the ‘jeu du crapaud’, or pitch-and-toss?
Nothing of the kind! I fancy I have guessed, and I continue my upward progress still more gently, on all fours, with the precautions of a red Indian, to give myself for the last time the pleasure of surprising her.
She has not heard me come in. In our great white room, emptied and swept out, where the clear sunshine pours in, and the soft wind, and the yellowed leaves of the garden, she is sitting all alone, her back turned to the door; she is dressed for walking, ready to go to her mother’s, her rose-colored parasol beside her.
On the floor are spread out all the fine silver dollars which, according to our agreement, I had given her the evening before. With the competent dexterity39 of an old money-changer she fingers them, turns them over, throws them on the floor, and, armed with a little mallet40 ad hoc, rings them vigorously against her ear, singing the while I know not what little pensive41 bird-like song which I daresay she improvises42 as she goes along.
Well, after all, it is even more completely Japanese than I could possibly have imagined it — this last scene of my married life! I feel inclined to laugh. How simple I have been, to allow myself to be taken in by the few clever words she whispered yesterday, as she walked beside me, by a tolerably pretty little phrase embellished43 as it was by the silence of two o’clock in the morning, and all the wonderful enchantments44 of night.
Ah! not more for Yves than for me, not more for me than for Yves, has any feeling passed through that little brain, that little heart.
When I have looked at her long enough, I call:
“Hi! Chrysanthème!”
She turns confused, and reddening even to her ears at having been caught at this work.
She is quite wrong, however, to be so much troubled, for I am, on the contrary, delighted. The fear that I might be leaving her in some sadness had almost given me a pang45, and I infinitely46 prefer that this marriage should end as it had begun, in a joke.
“That is a good idea of yours,” I say; “a precaution which should always be taken in this country of yours, where so many evil-minded people are clever in forging money. Make haste and get through it before I start, and if any false pieces have found their way into the number, I will willingly replace them.”
However, she refuses to continue before me, and I expected as much; to do so would have been contrary to all her notions of politeness, hereditary47 and acquired, all her conventionality, all her Japanesery. With a disdainful little foot, clothed as usual in exquisite48 socks, with a special hood35 for the great toe, she pushes away the piles of white dollars and scatters49 them on the mats.
“We have hired a large, covered sampan,” she says to change the conversation, “and we are all going together — Campanule, Jonquille, Touki, all your mousmes — to watch your vessel50 set sail. Pray sit down and stay a few minutes.”
“No, I really can not stay. I have several things to do in the town, you see, and the order was given for every one to be on board by three o’clock in time for muster51 before starting. Moreover, I would prefer to escape, as you can imagine, while Madame Prune is still enjoying her siesta52; I should be afraid of being drawn53 into some corner, or of provoking some heartrending parting scene.”
Chrysanthème bows her head and says no more, but seeing that I am really going, rises to escort me.
Without speaking, without the slightest noise, she follows me as we descend54 the staircase and cross the garden full of sunshine, where the dwarf55 shrubs56 and the deformed57 flowers seem, like the rest of the household, plunged58 in warm somnolence59.
At the outer gate I stop for the last adieu: the little sad pout60 has reappeared, more accentuated61 than ever, on Chrysanthème’s face; it is the right thing, it is correct, and I should feel offended now were it absent.
Well, little mousme, let us part good friends; one last kiss even, if you like. I took you to amuse me; you have not perhaps succeeded very well, but after all you have done what you could: given me your little face, your little curtseys, your little music; in short, you have been pleasant enough in your Japanese way. And who knows, perchance I may yet think of you sometimes when I recall this glorious summer, these pretty, quaint62 gardens, and the ceaseless concert of the cicalas.
She prostrates63 herself on the threshold of the door, her forehead against the ground, and remains64 in this attitude of superlatively polite salute65 as long as I am in sight, while I go down the pathway by which I am to disappear for ever.
As the distance between us increases, I turn once or twice to look at her again; but it is a mere66 civility, and meant to return as it deserves her grand final salutation.
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1
pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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2
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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3
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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4
jauntily
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| adv.心满意足地；洋洋得意地；高兴地；活泼地 | |
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5
portfolios
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| n.投资组合( portfolio的名词复数 )；（保险）业务量；（公司或机构提供的）系列产品；纸夹 | |
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6
sketches
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| n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概 | |
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7
renown
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| n.声誉，名望 | |
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8
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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9
imbued
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| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
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10
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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11
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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12
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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13
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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14
emblems
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| n.象征，标记( emblem的名词复数 ) | |
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15
trophies
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| n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖 | |
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16
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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17
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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18
stiffen
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| v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬 | |
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19
pricks
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| 刺痛( prick的名词复数 )； 刺孔； 刺痕； 植物的刺 | |
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20
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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21
stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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22
engraver
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| n.雕刻师，雕工 | |
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23
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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24
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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25
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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26
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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27
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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28
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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29
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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30
prune
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| n.酶干；vt.修剪，砍掉，削减；vi.删除 | |
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31
reposes
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的第三人称单数 ) | |
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32
divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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33
engraving
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| n.版画；雕刻（作品）；雕刻艺术；镌版术v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的现在分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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34
fables
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| n.寓言( fable的名词复数 )；神话，传说 | |
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35
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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36
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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37
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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38
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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39
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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40
mallet
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| n.槌棒 | |
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41
pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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42
improvises
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| 临时制作，临时凑成( improvise的名词复数 )； 即兴创作（音乐、台词、演讲词等） | |
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43
embellished
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| v.美化( embellish的过去式和过去分词 )；装饰；修饰；润色 | |
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44
enchantments
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| n.魅力( enchantment的名词复数 )；迷人之处；施魔法；着魔 | |
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45
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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46
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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47
hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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48
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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49
scatters
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| v.（使）散开， （使）分散，驱散( scatter的第三人称单数 )；撒 | |
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50
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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51
muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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52
siesta
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| n.午睡 | |
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53
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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54
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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55
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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56
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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57
deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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58
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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59
somnolence
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| n.想睡，梦幻；欲寐；嗜睡；嗜眠 | |
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60
pout
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| v.撅嘴；绷脸；n.撅嘴；生气，不高兴 | |
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61
accentuated
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| v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于 | |
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62
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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63
prostrates
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的第三人称单数 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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64
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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65
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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66
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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