The Devil's Disciple Read Online Free PDF Page B

she finished putting out the futon and came to sit opposite me at the brazier I took out the packet of medicine and made sure she was watching as I downed five teaspoons one after another. Agitated as I was I started to think even this would not be enough to put me to sleep so I took one more spoonful and gave Tsuyuko a piece of paper on which I had measured out five spoonfuls. She stared at the medicine without saying anything and suddenly an idea occurred to me.
    Looking back on it now I realise that I was just courting disaster with this bright idea. But at the time I thought it was brilliant.
    My idea was to let someone know that Tsuyuko was still awake when I went to sleep. This could be very important just in case anyone should suspect me of having drugged her.
    â€˜Run down to the Konoe-ya and get me three packs of Airships.’
    There was a tobacconist a couple of blocks away from our house called Konoe-ya. The owner was there all the time. He was a chess partner of mine and we often had a game together in our off time. Because of this I usually went there to buy cigarettes myself. So if Tsuyuko went now he was sure to ask how I was.
    â€˜What’s your husband up to?’ he was sure to say, just out of politeness. And Tsuyuko would answer, ‘He’s just gone to sleep actually.’
    If anyone should investigate later the owner of the Konoe-ya could testify that I had gone to sleep before my wife. This would make it look like she had overdosed accidentally. I congratulated myself for thinking up such a brilliant plan.
    Tsuyuko obeyed this order as meekly as ever. She folded the paper with the medicine, and tucked it into her
obi.
I kept staring at the medicine, at that little paper package that was poking its head half-way out of her obi.
Soon that will be in her stomach and everything will be over. What fragile creatures people are!
    Before long Tsuyuko got up and went out through the kitchen to buy the cigarettes.
    While she was gone I moved into the bedroom and got into my futon. My wife’s futon is next to mine, waiting for its occupant to return. Tomorrow it will hold a corpse.
    I lay in my own futon and waited for Tsuyuko to return. But then I started to feel the powerful effects of the medicine. I felt very sleepy. I had taken more of it than ever before. To make matters worse I’d taken it on an empty stomach since I had no appetite earlier in the evening. I was vaguely aware of the sound of Tsuyuko banging the kitchen door closed when she got back. But then, it seems, I fell into a deep sleep.
    I don’t know how long I slept, but suddenly I was awake and staring at the ceiling, feeling somehow heavy all over. I feel like the back of my head is wrapped up in something. And I’ve got a headache. This always happens after I’ve taken a little too much sleeping medication.
    I glance at my watch and it’s four-thirty. I raise my head and see that the shutters are flung wide open.
    I lie there in a daze for a while, but then the light through the
shōji
makes me realise it is evening.
    And then, suddenly, the memory of the night before came rushing back to me.
    I gave her the medicine! She must have taken it!
    That’s right. I tried to kill Tsuyuko!
    My wife? Tsuyuko?
    I looked around. She ought to have been lying there next to me in this room. But she’s not there. Even the futon has been put away.
    I leapt to my feet. I threw open the sliding door to the living room. There she was, looking like she had just come out of the kitchen, ever the dutiful wife. She looked a little sad as usual, but otherwise she was as calm as could be.
    â€˜You’re awake! You were sleeping so soundly I tried to keep quiet. But it’s already five o’clock you know.’
    I started to say something. But my mouth was dry and nothing came out.
    â€˜You… you got to sleep last night?’
    â€˜No, I didn’t sleep very well.’
    â€˜But you took the medicine