第27章 罗生门〔2〕
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shasbeensaid,theservantwaswaitingforabreakintherain.Buthehadnoarticularideaofwhattodoaftertherainstoed.Ordinarily,ofcourse,hewouldhavereturnedtohismaster'shouse,buthehadbeendischargedjustbefore.TheroserityofthecityofKyotohadbeenraidlydeclining,andhehadbeendismissedbyhismaster,whomhehadservedmanyyears,becauseoftheeffectsofthisdecline.Thus,confinedbytherain,hewasatalosstoknowwheretogo.Andtheweatherhadnotalittletodowithhisderessedmood.Therainseemedunlikelytosto.Hewaslostinthoughtsofhowtomakehislivingtomorrow,hellessincoherentthoughtsrotestinganinexorablefate.AimlesslyhehadbeenlisteningtotheatteringoftherainontheSujakuAvenue.
Therain,enveloingtheRashomon,gatheredstrengthandcamedownwithaeltingsoundthatcouldbeheardfaraway.Lookingu,hesawafatblackcloudimaleitselfonthetisofthetilesjuttingoutfromtheroofofthegate.
Hehadlittlechoiceofmeans,whetherfairorfoul,becauseofhishellesscircumstances.Ifhechosehonestmeans,hewouldundoubtedlystarvetodeathbesidethewallorintheSujakugutter.Hewouldbebroughttothisgateandthrownawaylikeastraydog.Ifhedecidedtosteal…Hismind,aftermakingthesamedetourtimeandagain,camefinallytotheconclusionthathewouldbeathief.Butdoubtsreturnedmanytimes.Thoughdeterminedthathehadnochoice,hewasstillunabletomusterenoughcouragetojustifytheconclusionthathemustbecomeathief.
Afteraloudfitofsneezinghegotuslowly.TheeveningchillofKyotomadehimlongforthewarmthofabrazier.Thewindintheeveningduskhowledthroughthecolumnsofthegate.Thecricketwhichhadbeenerchedonthecrimson-lacqueredcolumnwasalreadygone.
Duckinghisneck,helookedaroundthegate,anddrewutheshouldersofthebluekimonowhichheworeoverhisyellowthinunderwear.Hedecidedtosendthenightthere,ifhecouldfindasecludedcornershelteredfromwindandrain.Hefoundabroadlacqueredstairwayleadingtothetoweroverthegate.Noonewouldbethere,excetthedead,iftherewereany.So,takingcarethattheswordathissidedidnotslioutofthescabbard,hesetfootontheloweststeofthestairs.
Afewsecondslater,halfwayuthestairs,hesawamovementabove.Holdinghisbreathandhuddlingcat-likeinthemiddleofthebroadstairsleadingtothetower,hewatchedandwaited.Alightcomingfromtheustairsshoneonhisrightcheekwiththered,festeringimlevisibleunderhisstubbywhiskers.Hehadexectedonlydeadeoleinsidethetower,buthehadonlygoneuafewstesbeforehenoticedafireabove,aboutwhichsomeonewasmoving.Hesawadull,yellow,flickeringlightwhichmadethecobwebshangingfromtheceilingglowinaghostlyway.WhatsortofersonwouldbemakingalightintheRashomon…andinastorm?Theunknown,theevilterrifiedhim.
Asquietlyasalizard,theservantcretutothetoofthesteestairs.Crouchingonallfours,andstretchinghisneckasfarasossible,hetimidlyeeedintothetower.
Asrumorhadsaid,hefoundseveralcorsesstrewncarelesslyaboutthefloor.Sincetheglowofthelightwasfeeble,hecouldnotcountthenumber.Hecouldonlyseethatsomewerenakedandothersclothed.Someofthemwerewomen,andallwerelollingonthefloorwiththeirmouthsoenortheirarmsoutstretchedshowingnomoresignsoflifethansomanyclaydolls.Onewoulddoubtthattheyhadeverbeenalive,soeternallysilenttheywere.Theirshoulders,breasts,andtorsosstoodoutinthedimlight;otherartsvanishedinshadow.Theoffensivesmellofthesedecomosedcorsesbroughthishandtohisnose.
Thenextmomenthishanddroedandhestared.Hecaughtsightofaghoulishformbentoveracorse.Itseemedtobeanoldwoman,gaunt,gray-haired,anddeliriousinaearance.Withainetorchinherrighthand,shewaseeingintothefaceofacorsewhichhadlongblackhair.
Seizedmorewithhorrorthancuriosity,heevenforgottobreatheforatime.Hefeltthehairofhisheadandbodystandonend.Ashewatched,terrified,shewedgedthetorchbetweentwofloorboardsand,layinghandsontheheadsofthecorse,begantoulloutthelonghairsonebyone,asamonkeykillstheliceofheryoung.Thehaircameoutsmoothlywiththemovementofherhands.