by Неизвестный
UNZU: What am I going to do? I’ve cheated Yohyō, made a lot of money out of him . . .
SŌDO: Don’t worry about it. If that’s genuine Crane Feather Weave, we can take it to the capital and make us a thousand gold pieces.
UNZU: What did you say? A thousand?
SŌDO: And from what you say, Yohyō’s gotten quite greedy recently. If we talk about money, he’ll listen all right.
UNZU: I suppose so. . . .
SŌDO: So, we’ve got to get him thinking like us—and he’s got to get a steady supply of cloth from his wife.
UNZU: Well . . . yes . . . I suppose so . . .
SŌDO: Look, he’s back.
YOHYŌ (returns, tired and happy): Got it.
“Let’s make a coat for grandpa to wear”
What’s next? Ah . . .
“Lah-lala, lah-lala, lah lah lah”
That’s right, isn’t it? . . . Oh, I completely forgot to put the rice on for Tsū.
SŌDO: Heh, Yohyō.
YOHYŌ: What is it?
SŌDO: Forgotten me? Sōdo, from the other village. Unzu—you do the talking.
YOHYŌ: Ah, Unzu. Is there more money for us to make?
UNZU: Bring me some more of that cloth, and you can have as much as you like.
YOHYŌ: No, there’s no more cloth.
SŌDO: Why’s that?
YOHYŌ: Tsū said there’d be no more after the last lot.
UNZU: You can’t have that—not when I’m going to make more money for you.
YOHYŌ: I know, I know . . . but . . . she’s very dear to me.
SŌDO: She may be—but you can really clean up if you get a steady supply of cloth from her.
YOHYŌ: All right, all right, but she’s always a lot thinner after she’s been weaving.
SŌDO: Thinner, did you say? . . . Let me ask you a question. It’s about Tsū moving in with you as your bride. When was that? Anything special about the way it happened?
YOHYŌ (takes a moment to absorb the question): When was it now? One evening . . . I was about to go to bed . . . she came in and offered to be my wife. (Chuckles happily at the memory.)
SŌDO: Mmm . . . I don’t suppose . . . you’ve ever had anything to do with a crane, have you?
YOHYŌ: A crane? Oh, a crane—yes, some time ago . . . I was working in the fields, when a crane came down the path. It had an arrow in it and was in a lot of pain. So I pulled the arrow out.
SŌDO: Did you now? . . . Hmm . . . (To Unzu.) It’s looking like the real thing more and more.
UNZU (trembles): . . . .
SŌDO: And if it is, it’s big money. . . . (To Yohyō.) You know that cloth . . . well, the cloth . . . Unzu—you do the talking.
UNZU: Uh . . . how shall I put it . . . if you take that cloth to the capital and sell it, you could get a thou . . .
SŌDO (breaking in): Idiot! Look here, Yohyō, we could make you hundreds of gold pieces next time. Why not get her to weave again?
YOHYŌ: Did you say “hundreds?”
SŌDO: Yes, hundreds. (To Unzu.) We could, couldn’t we?
UNZU: Yes, yes. Hundreds.
YOHYŌ: Really? Hundreds of gold pieces?
SŌDO: So talk to your wife a bit more . . . (Notices Tsū, who has been watching them from inside the house.) Come over here. I’ll spell it all out for you. (Drags Yohyō into the shadows.)
Unzu follows them. Tsū comes out of the house and watches them go. A shadow of sadness passes over her face. The children come running in.
CHILDREN (in turn): She’s back!
(To Tsū.) Come on, let’s play.
Why were you out?
Let’s sing songs.
Bird in the Cage.
Hide and Seek.
Songs.
Ring-a-Ring-a-Ring. (Form a circle round her.) Come on.
TSŪ: It’s dark already. Enough for today.
CHILDREN: No, no. Let’s play. Songs.
TSŪ (vacantly): Songs?
CHILDREN: Hide and Seek.
TSŪ: Hide and Seek?
CHILDREN: Ring-o-Ring-o-Ring.
TSŪ: Ring-o-Ring-o-Ring?
CHILDREN: Bird in the Cage.
TSŪ: Bird in the Cage?
CHILDREN: Yes, Bird in the Cage. (They surround her and begin dancing around.)
Bird in the Cage.
Bird in the Cage.
When, oh when, will you fly away?
In the night, before the dawn,
Slip, slip, slip, you slipped away.
Who’s behind you? Guess.
Who’s behind you? Guess.
Who’s behind you? Guess.
What’s the matter? You’re supposed to cover your eyes. Why don’t you? Aren’t you going to crouch down?
TSŪ (stays standing, lost in thought): Eh? . . . Oh. (Crouches down and covers her eyes.)
The children dance round her singing. All around becomes suddenly dark. Only Tsū is left, picked out in a pool of light.
TSŪ: Yohyō, my precious Yohyō. What has happened to you? Little by little you are changing. You are starting to inhabit a different world from mine. You are starting to be like those terrible men who shot the arrow into me, men whose language I do not understand. What has happened to you? And what can I do about it? Tell me, what can I do? . . . You were the one who saved my life. You pulled the arrow out because you took pity on me—you were not looking for any reward. I was so happy about that. That is why I came to your home. Then I wove that cloth for you, and you were so delighted—like a child. So I endured the pain and wove more and more for you. And then you exchanged it for “money.” I see nothing wrong in this—if you like “money” so much. Now you have plenty of this “money” you like, so I want us to live quietly and happily together in this little house, just the two of us. You are different from other men. You belong to my world. I thought we could live here forever, in the middle of this great plain, quietly creating a world for just the two of us, plowing the fields and playing with the children . . . but somehow you are moving away from me. You are steadily getting farther and farther away from me. What am I to do? Really, what am I to do?
The singing has stopped. The lights come up. The children have gone. Tsū suddenly looks to the side and hurries into the house as if she were being pursued. Pause. Sōdo, Unzu, and Yohyō appear.
SŌDO: So you know what you’ve got to do. If she refuses to do any more weaving, you threaten her—say you’ll leave her.
YOHYŌ (contentedly): That cloth’s beautiful, isn’t it? And it’s because Tsū wove it.
SŌDO: Sure, it is beautiful, so next time we’re going to sell it for two or three times as much money as we got for it before. Get it? We are going to sell it for two or three times what we sold it for before. Tell your wife that.
YOHYŌ (repeating): We’re going to sell it for two or three times what we got for it before. How did I do?
SŌDO: Fine. For hundreds of gold pieces.
YOHYŌ: For hundreds of gold pieces. Right?
SŌDO: Good. So get her to weave it right away. Yes, Unzu?
UNZU: Yes. Get her to weave it right away—tonight.
YOHYŌ: But Tsū said she wouldn’t weave any more.
SŌDO: Don’t be an idiot. If you sell it for a high price and make a big profit, she’ll be pleased too.
UNZU: Yes, yes. She’ll be pleased too.
YOHYŌ: Mmmm . . .
SŌDO: There’s something else—listen to this—we’re going to take you sightseeing in the capital. Unzu will tell you what a great place the capital is.
UNZU: Yes, yes. It’s a great place.
YOHYŌ: I suppose the capital must be a great place.
SŌDO: Of course it is. So have you got it? You’re going to make a lot of money, and you’re having a sightseeing tour of the capital thrown in. Like I’ve just said, we’ll show you lots of interesting things in the capital. Are you with me? Or maybe you don’t want to go to the capital.
YOHYŌ: No, I do want to go.
&nbs
p; UNZU: You want money too, don’t you?
YOHYŌ: Mm. I do want money.
SŌDO (noticing Tsū in the house): Right. In you go. You know what you’ve got to do—make her start weaving right away. If she won’t, say you’re leaving her.
YOHYŌ: . . . mmmm . . .
SŌDO (pushing Yohyō into the house): It’ll be all right. You’re great. (To Unzu) We’ll get out of sight and watch what happens.
The two of them hide again.
TSŪ (as soon as the two have disappeared, rushes toward Yohyō): Yohyō, come into the house, quickly. You are so wet—you will catch a cold. Supper is all ready. You put the soup on the fire for me, so it is nice and hot. Come on, start eating. Come closer to the fire.
YOHYŌ: . . . all right . . .
TSŪ: Please, do eat.
YOHYŌ: All right. (Eats.)
TSŪ: What is the matter? . . . Why are you so depressed? . . . You really should not do such things—staying out so late, in the cold. . . . Please do not go away anymore. Please do not talk to any strangers. Please.
YOHYŌ: All right. . . .
TSŪ: Promise me, will you? Whatever you tell me to do, I will do. Whatever it is, I will do it for you. And you have the “money” you like so much. . . .
YOHYŌ: Yes, I’ve got money. Lots of it. It’s in this bag here.
TSŪ: There you are. So from now on, let us live happily together, just the two of us.
YOHYŌ: Yes. I do love you.
TSŪ: And I really love you, too. So please, please stay as you are now, forever.
YOHYŌ: Yes, I love you, I really do.
Pause.
TSŪ: Have another helping. . . . What is the matter? . . . Aren’t you going to eat any more? . . .
YOHYŌ: Mmmm . . . look, Tsū . . .
TSŪ: Mm?
YOHYŌ: You’ve done lots of good things in your life, haven’t you? You went to the capital quite often. . . .
TSŪ: Well, not really, just in the sky—(Pulls herself up short.) What is it? Aren’t you going to have any more food?
YOHYŌ: Mmmm. . . . (Hesitating.) Look, Tsū . . .
TSŪ: Yes?
YOHYŌ: I want . . . no, I can’t say it.
TSŪ: What is it? What is the matter?
YOHYŌ: I want . . . it’s no good, I can’t say it.
TSŪ: Why? What is it you can’t say? . . . Shall I try and guess?
YOHYŌ: Yes, yes.
TSŪ: Well now . . . you want me to make some of those cakes again. . . .
YOHYŌ: No, it’s not that.
TSŪ: Wrong? So . . . you want me to sing you a song. Is that it?
YOHYŌ: No. Of course I like your singing. But not today.
TSŪ: Wrong again? So . . . you want me to tell you about the capital again. . . . Yes? I have guessed it.
YOHYŌ: Well, half right, and half wrong.
TSŪ: Really? Half right, and half wrong? . . . So what is it? Tell me.
YOHYŌ: You won’t get angry?
TSŌ: Me be angry? About something to do with you? . . . What is it? Tell me, tell me.
YOHYŌ (hesitates): I . . . I want to go to the capital.
TSŪ: Eh?
YOHYŌ: I’m going to the capital and I’m going to make piles of money. . . . So . . . I want some more of that cloth. . . .
TSŪ (startled): The cloth? You cannot . . .
YOHYŌ (flustered): No, no, I don’t, I don’t need it.
TSŪ: (as if to herself): I told you . . . there was to be no more . . . of the cloth . . . and you promised me so faithfully. . . .
YOHYŌ: Yes, you did say that. So I don’t need it. I don’t need it. . . . (Tries desperately to stop himself bursting into tears, like a child who has been scolded.)
TSŪ (suddenly realizing): Ah, those men. Those men that were here just now. It was them, wasn’t it? Yes, that must be it. They are gradually taking you away from me.
YOHYŌ: What’s the matter? . . . Don’t get angry. . . .
TSŪ: . . .
YOHYŌ: Tsū . . .
TSŪ (blankly): Money . . . money . . . why do you want it so much?
YOHYŌ: Well, if I’ve got money, I can buy everything I want—all the good things there are.
TSŪ: You will “buy.” What does “buy” mean? What do you mean by “good things”? What do you need apart from me? No, no, you must not want anything apart from me. You must not want to “buy” things. What you must do is be affectionate to me—and only me. You and I must live together, just the two of us, forever and ever.
YOHYŌ: Of course—I like being with you. I really do love you.
TSŪ: Yes, you do! You do. (Hugs Yohyō.) . . . Please stay as you are, like this, forever. Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.
YOHYŌ: Don’t be silly. Who could leave someone like you? Silly, silly.
TSŪ: . . . When I am being held tightly by you, like this . . . I remember how it used to be . . . the whole vast sky around me, without a care in the world, with nothing to worry about. . . . I feel now like I did then. . . . This is what makes me happy now—as long as I am with you, I am happy. . . . Stay with me forever. . . . Please don’t go to any far-off places, will you. (Pause. Suddenly thrusts him away from her.) You’re still thinking about the capital, aren’t you? You’re still thinking about your “money.”
YOHYŌ: Tsū, look . . .
TSŪ: Yes, you are. You are, aren’t you? As I thought . . . (Suddenly agitated.) No, no, you mustn’t go to the capital. You will never come back. You will never come back to me.
YOHYŌ: Of course I’ll come back. I will come back. I’ll go to the capital, I’ll make a big profit on the cloth and—oh, yes, you’re coming to the capital with me.
Pause.
TSŪ: Do you want to go to the capital that much? . . . Do you want this “money” so much?
YOHYŌ: Look, everybody wants money.
TSŪ: You want it so, so much? You want to go so much? You like money so much more than you like me? And the capital as well? Do you?
YOHYŌ: What do you think you’re . . . you talk to me like that, and I’ll stop loving you.
TSŪ: What did you say? You’ll stop loving me?
YOHYŌ: I don’t love you. I don’t. I don’t love you, Tsū. You get on my nerves.
TSŪ: Really . . .
YOHYŌ: WEAVE THE CLOTH! I’m going to the capital. I’m going to make money.
TSŪ: That’s too much, too much. What are you saying?
YOHYŌ: Weave the cloth! If you don’t . . . I’ll leave you.
TSŪ: What did you say? You’ll leave me? Yohyō, what has happened to you?
YOHYŌ: . . . (Stubbornly remains silent.)
TSŪ: Yohyō, Yohyō. (Grabs his shoulders and shakes him.) Do you mean it? Yohyō. Were you serious?
YOHYŌ: . . . . I will leave you. So weave the cloth.
TSŪ: Ah . . .
YOHYŌ: Weave the cloth. Weave it now! We’re going to sell it for two or three times what we got for it before. For hundreds of gold pieces.
TSŪ (suddenly very alarmed and flustered): Eh? Eh? What did you just say? I heard “Weave the cloth now.” Then what did you say?
YOHYŌ: I said, for hundreds of gold pieces. We’re going to sell the cloth for two or three times as much money as we got before.
TSŪ: . . . (She tilts her head to one side like a bird and watches Yohyō suspiciously.)
YOHYŌ: Listen to me. This time the money we get will be two or three times . . .
TSŪ (screams): I don’t understand any more. I don’t understand anything you are saying. It’s the same as with those other men. I can see the mouth moving. I can hear the voice. But what is being said. . . . Ah, Yohyō, you’ve started talking the language that these men used—the language of a different world— that I cannot understand. . . . What am I to do? What am I to do?
YOHYŌ: Tsū, what’s the matter? Tsū . . .
TSŪ: “What’s the matter?” “Tsū.” You did say that, didn’t you? You did say “What’s
the matter?” just then?
YOHYŌ: . . . (Taken aback, he just gazes at Tsū’s face.)
TSŪ: I heard you correctly, didn’t I? You did say that? Eh? . . . Ah, you are gradually getting farther and farther away from me. You are getting smaller . . . Ah, what am I to do? What? (Out toward where Sōdo and Unzu might be.) Don’t keep doing this. Don’t! Stop taking Yohyō away from me. (Comes out of the house.) Where are you? I beg you, I beg you. Don’t take my Yohyō away from me. (Turns this way and that.) Please, please, I beg you, I beg you. . . . Aren’t you there? . . . Are you hiding? Come out! . . . Cowards! . . . Louts! . . . Louts, that’s what you are. . . . Oh, how I hate you! I hate you. . . . You’re taking my Yohyō . . . Come out of there! Come out! . . . . . . . No, no, I’m sorry. . . . I shouldn’t talk like that. . . . Please, please, I beg you. I beg you, please. (Her strength gradually fails, and she sinks down in the snow.)
YOHYŌ (comes out to her, fearfully): What’s the matter? Tsū . . . (Puts his arms around her.)
TSŪ (coming to): Ah, Yohyō.
YOHYŌ: Come, Tsū, let’s go into the house. It’s cold, in the snow . . . (Almost carries her to the fireside.)
For a few moments the two of them warm themselves at the fire, in silence.
TSŪ: You’re so anxious to go? You want to go to the capital that much?
YOHYŌ: Look, Tsū . . .
Pause.
YOHYŌ: The capital’s beautiful. And just about now, the cherry trees must be in bloom.
Pause.
YOHYŌ: And then there are the oxen, lots of them. Pulling carriages with people riding in them. You’ve often told me about all this.
Pause.
YOHYŌ (yawns): Oh, I’m tired. (He stretches out and goes to sleep.)
Tsū realizes he has gone to sleep and puts something over him. She stares at his sleeping face, immobile. Then she suddenly rises and takes a cloth bag from the corner of the room. She empties the contents over the palm of her hand. The bag contains gold coins, and they spill out over the floor. She stares at them. All around suddenly becomes dark; only Tsū and the gold coins remain, in a pool of light.
TSŪ: This is what it is all about. . . . Money . . . money. . . . I just wanted you to have beautiful cloth to look at . . . and I was so happy when you showed how pleased you were. . . . That was the only reason I wore myself down weaving it for you . . . and now . . . I do not have any other way of keeping you with me . . . weave the cloth to get the money . . . if I do not do it . . . if I don’t do this, you will not stay by my side, will you . . . but . . . but . . . perhaps I have to accept it . . . if getting more and more of this money gives you so much pleasure . . . if going to the capital is so important to you . . . and if you will not go away and leave me, provided I let you do all these things . . . well, one more time, I will weave just one more length of cloth for you. . . . And then . . . and then you must be content. Because if I weave more, I might not survive. . . . So you take the cloth, go to the capital . . . make lots of money and come home. . . . Yes, come home. You must come back. You must, must come back to me. Then finally we shall be together, the two of us, and we can live together forever, forever. . . . Please let it be like that.