“How dare I swallow raw fishes!” 152 “Uncle, please count how many stories in 248 that building.” Tail-piece 262 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BEFORE I SAILED ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BEFORE I SAILED TOKIO, Sept. 23rd My new page of life is dawning. A trip beyond the seas—Meriken Kenbutsu—it’s not an ordinary event. It is verily the first event in our family history that I could trace back for six centuries. My to-day’s dream of America—dream of a butterfly sipping on golden dews—was rudely broken by the artless chirrup of a hundred sparrows in my garden. “Chui, chui! Chui, chui, chui!” Bad sparrows! My dream was silly but splendid. Dream is no dream without silliness which is akin to poetry. If my dream ever comes true! 24th—The song of gay children scattered over the street had subsided. The harvest moon shone like a yellow halo of “Nono Sama.” All things in blessed Mitsuho No Kuni—the smallest ant also—bathed in sweet inspiring beams of beauty. The soft song that is not to be heard but to be felt, was in the air. ’Twas a crime, I judged, to squander lazily such a gracious graceful hour within doors. I and my maid strolled to the Konpira shrine. Her red stout fingers—like sweet potatoes—didn’t appear so bad tonight, for the moon beautified every ugliness. Our Emperor should proclaim forbidding woman to be out at any time except under the moonlight. Without beauty woman is nothing. Face is the whole soul. I prefer death if I am not given a pair of dark velvety eyes. What a shame even woman must grow old! One stupid wrinkle on my face would be enough to stun me. My pride is in my slim fingers of satin skin. I’ll carefully clean my roseate finger-nails before I’ll land in America. Our wooden clogs sounded melodious, like a rhythmic prayer unto the sky. Japs fit themselves to play music even with footgear. Every house with a lantern at its entrance looked a shrine cherishing a thousand idols within. I kneeled to the Konpira god. I didn’t exactly see how to address him, being ignorant what sort of god he was. I felt thirsty when I reached home. Before I pulled a bucket from the well, I peeped down into it. The moonbeams were beautifully stealing into the waters. My tortoise-shell comb from my head dropped into the well. The waters from far down smiled, heartily congratulating me on going to Amerikey. 25th—I thought all day long how I’ll look in ’Merican dress. 26th—My shoes and six pairs of silk stockings arrived. How I hoped they were Nippon silk! One pair’s value is 4 yens. Extravagance! How dear! I hardly see any bit of reason against bare feet. Well, of course, it depends on how they are shaped.