The Crane Pavilion Read Online Free PDF Page B

his sleeve and sniffed it. It released a strong odor of rancid fish. “Do you want some?”
    Akitada said quickly. “Thank you, we have just eaten. We need nothing.”
    Their host looked relieved and placed the greasy package on a small, chipped tray.
    Poverty, thought Akitada. Such extreme poverty that he is probably hungry most of the time. What must that be like for a man of his background? What could have brought a scholar so low?
    Professor Suketada went over to the shutters and threw them wide. Light flooded in. Outside, the lush plants of the overgrown garden approached to within a few feet of the narrow ledge. “No candles or oil, but the sun will do for me,” he said, rubbing his hands. “I’m very happy here.”
    Perhaps this comment was meant to take some of the sting out of being very poor and living on someone’s charity. He did not look at all happy.
    After he came back to sit down with them, he and Akitada took each other’s measure. Close up, the professor looked worn, tired, and unhealthy. His skin was pale, his eyes red-rimmed, and his tall frame sagged. As if they had aged with his body, his shoes and clothes were not just threadbare; they had gaping holes. “Sugawara?” he said. “Didn’t you take a first at the university?”
    Surprised, Akitada nodded. “A long time ago. I’m afraid I don’t recall you, sir.”
    The professor’s eyes were watery. He blinked several times. “I don’t see too well, but I think you used to have a mustache then. I was very young myself. You were always chasing after women. Disgraceful, as I recall. You’re lucky the quality of your Chinese essays made up for it.”
    “I don’t think …” Akitada paused, then guessed the mistake. “It might have been my father, sir. He was Sugawara Koretada.”
    “Yes, yes. That’s the one.” He squinted at Akitada. “Yes, I was a mere child myself then. Anyway, good family. Honor your name, or you’ll come to this.” He gestured at his abode.
    Akitada wondered again how the man had come to this. Professors who taught at the Imperial University were well-born, with family money and connections in addition to their stipend.
    But his purpose was to discover what had happened to Lady Ogata. Or more precisely, what role Tasuku had played in her death. He considered how to bring up the subject.
    The professor eyed his dumpling longingly. “Now, what do you want?” he said, his voice impatient.
    “I used to come here when Abbot Genshin was still Takashina Tasuku. We were at the university together. As I recall, he, too, had an interest in women.”
    Suketada frowned. “Perhaps.”
    “You have had a death here recently. A Lady Ogata died. I believe, she, too, was a permanent resident in the Takashina mansion.”
    The professor was silent for a moment. Then he said, “Under the circumstances, there’s nothing permanent about such a residency. She’s dead, and I won’t be around much longer myself. Young man, get to the point. I thought you had questions to ask. So far you’ve only uttered statements.”
    “Well then, what was Abbot Genshin’s relationship with the dead woman?”
    Suketada stared at him. “I have no idea. Do you mean were they lovers?”
    Akitada was becoming frustrated. “Well, were they?”
    There was a moment’s silence, then Suketada’s lip twitched. “Do you seriously expect me to blacken the character of the man on whose charity I live here?”
    Akitada flushed. “Forgive me. My question was clumsy. Let me explain. I’ve promised to find out what happened, why the lady would suddenly commit suicide. Can you throw some light on this?”
    “No.”
    “Well, do you know how she came to live here?”
    “Considering your questions, you and your friends seem to know next to nothing about the lady. I don’t know any more, but I can guess. The answer is most likely that she was poor and alone in the world.”
    “Surely the abbot knew her personally. I would think he knows you and his