Death in Midsummer & Other Stories by Yukio Mishima

Author:Yukio Mishima
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mishima, Yukio, Japan - Social Life and Customs, Japanese, Short Stories (Single Author), Fiction, Literary, Japan, Short Stories
ISBN: 9780811201179
Publisher: New Directions
Published: 1966-05-31T16:00:00+00:00

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from its real object, and the words which kept rising to her lips were, 'I wish I hadn't brought her along. She's really exasperating. I should never have brought her.'

Just then a man's voice called out to Masako. She felt her body go rigid. A patrolman stood by her. His young face was tense and his voice sounded shrill. 'What are you doing here - at this time of night, in a place like this?'

Masako could not answer. One word would ruin everything.

She realized immediately from the policeman's breathless questioning and the tone of his voice that he had mistakenly supposed that the girl praying on a bridge in the middle of the night intended to throw herself into the river. Masako could not speak. She would have to make Mina understand that she must answer instead. She tugged at Mina's dress and tried to awaken her intelligence. No matter how obtuse Mina might be, it was inconceivable that she should fail to understand, but she kept her mouth obstinately shut. Masako saw to her dismay that -

whether in obedience to the original instructions or because she intended to protect her own prayer - Mina was resolved not to speak.

The policeman's tone became rougher. 'Answer me. I want an answer.'

Masako decided that her best bet was to make a break for the other side of the bridge and to explain once she was across. She shook off the policeman's hand and raced out on to the bridge.

Even as Masako started running, she noticed Mina dash out after her.

About half-way across the bridge the policeman caught up with Masako. He grabbed her arm. 'Tried to run away, did.

you?'

'Run away? What a thing to say! You're hurting me, holding my arm like that!' Masako cried out before she knew it. Then, realizing that her prayers had been brought to nothing, she glared at the other end of the bridge, her eyes burning with fury. Mina, safely across, was completing the fourteenth and last prayer.

Masako complained hysterically to her mother when she got 100

home, and the other, not knowing what it was all about, scolded Mina. 'What were you praying for, anyway?' she asked Mina.

Mina only smirked for an answer.

A few days later Masako, her spirits somewhat revived, was teasing Mina. She asked for the hundredth time, 'What were you praying for? Tell me. Surely you can tell me now.'

Mina only gave a faint and evasive smile.

'You're dreadful! Mina, you're really dreadful!'

Masako laughingly poked Mina's shoulder with the sharp points of her manicured nails. The resilient, heavy flesh repelled the nails. A dull sensation lingered in Masako's fingertips, and she felt at a loss what to do with her hand.

Translated by Donald Keene

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