The Devil's Disciple Read Online Free PDF

to the pharmacist each month, the more medicine I needed just to keep my head on straight.
    Last autumn, when I started staying with Sueko most of the time I decided I needed to keep a supply at her house too. I had the pharmacist in my back pocket by this time and I got him to give me two small bottles full of that powerful white powder. I kept one of them at home and the other at Sueko’s place, helping myself to two or three teaspoons whenever I needed it.
    Tsuchida-san, I hear you’re increasing your dosage as well. But I guess not even a genius like you can see where you’ll end up.
    Now I’m using ten times the amount that the doctor prescribed for me two years ago. Even then the dose was many times stronger than what any normal person would need. But now it’s ten times that. What kind of effect would that have on a delicate pregnant woman? I thought about it for a while and decided that even if I couldn’t kill her with such a big dose at once it would be enough to do irreversible damage. And it would be so easy to get her to take it. She knew nothing about drugs so all I had to do was make sure she was watching when I took my regular dose. She would take the same amount thinking it was safe. And that would be that.
    If she vomited or something else went wrong I would make sure that she saw me taking the same amount again so she wouldn’t have any reason for suspicion. So there was no danger even if my plan failed. And if everything went right it would look like she had overdosed by mistake. Even considering the fact that Sueko was my mistress and I had a motive for killing Tsuyuko, who could prove that I had forced her to take the medicine? The only problem left was my own conscience. As long as I denied everything I was sure I’d go scot-free.
    My plan was made. Now all I had to do was carry it out.

IX
    The thought that I was going to kill my wife the next day was so arousing that I hardly slept on the night of the 25th. But the day dawned and it was the 26th. I hurried over to Sueko’s house. Since I wouldn’t be staying with her that night I wanted to spend at least a little time with her.
    After a few precious hours with Sueko I got ready to go back home in the early afternoon. And then she said it.
    â€˜Are you leaving already? I wish you’d stay over tonight. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately.’
    I shuddered at the thought of this bizarre coincidence. But I told her I had some business to attend to and left. Now I look back and realise this was to be our final parting.
    I arrived back home that afternoon and Tsuyuko, who had assumed I’d be gone for much longer, was overjoyed to see me. I made a special effort to be nice to her, knowing that this was the last day we would spend together.
    Before long that awful night had arrived: the night of the 26th. My preparations were meticulous. Not being a doctor I can’t say I know for sure, but in my own experience sleeping medication works best on an empty stomach.
    At dinner I said to Tsuyuko, ‘You shouldn’t eat too much or you won’t be able to sleep.’ She was so pleased by this unexpected bit of kindness on my part that she ate only a single bowl of rice. As darkness finally fell it was time to act.
    At the time I was still trying to figure out exactly how much medicine it would take to do the job. But since I knew nothing about medicine (not to mention the fact that I had no idea what kind of medicine I was taking) I had to make a guess. To be sure, I decided to get her to take the same amount as I did: five teaspoons of powder, enough to last ten days. It was around ten-thirty.
    â€˜If you can’t sleep why don’t you have some of my medicine? I’m going to have some now. You have some too.’ I said this as nonchalantly as possible.
    â€˜Yes,’ she said, submissive as always, and spread the futon on the floor.
    That’s right! So far so good.
    Once