The Master of Go by Yasunari Kawabata

Author:Yasunari Kawabata
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
ISBN: 9780307833648
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2013-02-06T06:00:00+00:00

The Master’s sealed White 90 had been decided upon when they returned to the board.

“You must be exhausted,” said Otaké.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been very demanding.” It was not usual for the Master to apologize.

So the day’s session ended.

“The swelling doesn’t worry me a great deal,” he explained to Kumé, literary editor of the Nichinichi. “It’s all the things that are going on in here.” He drew a circle over his chest. “I have trouble breathing, and I have palpitations, and sometimes it feels as though a huge weight were pressing down on me. I like to think of myself as young. But I’ve been very conscious of the years since I turned fifty.”

“It would be good if a fighter could fight off the years,” said Kumé.

“I’m feeling the years already, sir,” said Otaké, “and I’m only thirty.”

“That’s a bit soon,” said the Master.

For a time the Master sat in the anteroom with Kumé and several others. He talked of old times, of how as a boy he had gone to Kobé and at a naval review seen electric lights for the first time.

“I’ve been forbidden to play billiards.” He got up laughing. “But a little chess is permitted. Let’s be at it.”

The Master’s “little” was not likely to be very little.

“Maybe we should make it mahjong,” said Kumé, challenged to yet another battle. “You don’t have to use your head so much.”

The Master had only porridge and a salted plum for lunch.

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