The Sound of the Mountain Read Online Free PDF Page B

troublesome rumors would spread through the office, and he had said that she only needed to keep quiet. And it seemed that she had promptly told Shuichi.
    Shuichi, for his part, had neither yesterday nor today given Shingo a hint that he knew.
    Eiko evidently went dancing with Shuichi from time to time. Shingo had asked her out because he had thought he might see Shuichi’s mistress at the hall the two frequented.
    He had not, however, been able to find a likely girl, and he had not been up to asking Eiko for an identification.
    Apparently the surprise had made the girl a bit giddy. The note of discord struck Shingo as dangerous and touching.
    Although in her early twenties, she had tiny breasts, barely enough to fill one’s cupped hands. Shingo was put in mind of an erotic print by Harunobu.
    Given the noisy surroundings, he was somehow amused by the association.
    ‘Next time let me take you ,’ he said to Kikuko.
    ‘Yes. Please do.’
    She had been blushing from the time she called him back.
    Had she guessed that he had gone in the hope of seeing Shuichi’s mistress?
    He had no particular reason to keep the incident a secret, but the thought of the other women left him a little flustered.
    He went from the front door to Shuichi’s room. ‘Tanizaki told you?’ He did not sit down.
    ‘Ah, yes. That she did. Important news having to do with our household.’
    ‘I wouldn’t have thought it all that newsworthy. But when you take her dancing next time, buy her a decent summer dress.’
    ‘You were ashamed of her, were you?’
    ‘The blouse and skirt didn’t seem to match very well.’
    ‘Oh, she has clothes enough. It’s your fault for not warning her. Just make your dates in advance, and she’ll come dressed for the occasion.’ He turned away.
    Skirting the room where Fusako and the two children were sleeping, Shingo looked up at the clock.
    ‘Five,’ he muttered, as if to confirm an important fact.

A Blaze of Clouds

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    Although the newspaper had predicted that the two-hundred-tenth day would pass uneventfully that year, there was a typhoon the night before.
    Shingo could not remember how many days earlier he had seen the article, and so it could not perhaps have been called a weather forecast. There were of course forecasts and warnings as the day approached.
    ‘I suppose you’ll be coming home early tonight?’ said Shingo to Shuichi. It was more a suggestion than a query.
    Having helped Shingo with his preparations for departing, the girl Eiko hurried to go home herself. Through the transparent white raincoat, her breasts seemed even smaller.
    He had taken greater notice of them since, on the night he had gone dancing with her, he had noticed how meager they were.
    Eiko came running down the stairs after them and stood with them in the entrance. Because of the downpour, she had apparently not taken time to repowder her face.
    ‘And where is it you live?’ But Shingo did not finish the question. He must have asked it twenty times already, and he did not remember the answer.
    At Kamakura Station passengers stood under the eaves trying to judge the violence of the wind and rain.
    As Shingo and Shuichi passed the house with sunflowers at the gate, the theme song from Quatorze Juillet came through the wind and rain.
    ‘She doesn’t seem very worried,’ said Shuichi.
    They knew that it would be Kikuko playing the Lys Gauty record.
    When it was over she started it again.
    Midway through they heard shutters being closed.
    And they heard Kikuko singing to the record as she closed them.
    Through the storm and the music, she did not hear the two come in from the gate.
    ‘My shoes are flooded.’ Shuichi took off his stockings in the doorway.
    Shingo went in, wet stockings and all.
    ‘So you’re back.’ Kikuko came toward them, her face glowing with pleasure.
    Shuichi handed her his stockings.
    ‘Father’s must be wet too,’ said Kikuko. Starting the record again, she went off with their wet