A Pale View of Hills

“Yes, they’re bound to want to come again this autumn. It’s the most convenient time for Kikuko’s husband. And Kikuko’s always saying in her letters how curious she is to see my new house.”

Ogata-San nodded to himself, then carried on eating from hi5 bowl. I watched him for a while.

“What a loyal daughter Kikuko-San is to you, Father,” I said. “It’s a long way to come, all that way from Osaka. She must miss you.”

“1 suppose she feels the need to get away from her father-in-law once in a while. I can’t think why else she would want to come so far.”

“How unkind, Father. I’m sure she misses you. Ill have to tell her what you’re saying.”

Ogata-San laughed. “But it’s true. Old Watanabe rules over them like a war-lord. Whenever they come down, they’re forever talking about how intolerable he’s getting. Personally I rather like the old man, but there’s no denying he’s an old war-lord. I expect they’d like some place like this, Etsuko, an apartment like this just to themselves. It’s no bad thing, young couples living away from the parents. More and mow couples do it now. Young ‘people don’t want overbearing old men ruling over them for ever.”

Ogata-San seemed to remember the food in his bowl and %egan to eat hurriedly. When he had finished, he got to his Feet and went over to the window. For a moment he stood there, his back to me, looking at the view. Then he adjusted the window to let in more air, and took a deep breath.

“Are you pleased with your new house, Father?” [asked. . “My house? Why, yes. It’ll need a little more work here and there, as I say. But it’s much more compact. The Nagasaki house was far too large for just one old man.”

He continued to gaze out of the window; in the sharp —morning light, all I could see of his head and shoulders was 1a hazy outline.

“But it was a nice house, the old house,” I said. “I still stop and look at it if I’m walking that way. In fact, I went past it last week on my way back from Mrs. Fujiwara’s.”

I thought he had not heard me, for he continued to gaze silently out at the view. But a moment later, he said:

“And how did it look, the old house?”

“Oh, much the same. The new occupants must like it the way Father left it.”

He turned towards me slightly. “And what about the aza1eas, Etsuko? Were the azaleas still in the gateway?” The brightness still prevented me from seeing his face clearly, ,but I supposed from his voice that he was smiling.

?Azaleas?”

“Well, I suppose there’s no reason why you should remember.” He turned back to the window and stretched rut his arms. ‘I planted them in the gateway that day. The day it was all finally decided”

“The day what was decided?” “That you and 1km were to be married. But I never told tu about the azaleas, so I suppose it’s rather unreasonable of me to expect you to remember about them” -

“You planted some azaleas for me? Now that was a nice thought. But no, I don’t think you ever mentioned it.”

“But you see, Etsuko, you asked for them” He had turned towards me again. “In fact, you positively ordere4 me to plant them in the gateway.’

“What? — I laughed — “I ordered you?”

“Yes, you ordered me. Like I was some hired gardener. Don’t you remember? Just when I thought it was all settled at last, and you were finally to become my daughter-in-law, you told me there was one thing more, you wouldn’t live in a house without azaleas in the gateway. And if I didn’t plant azaleas then the whole thing would be called off. So what could I do? I went straight out and planted azaleas.’

I laughed a little. ‘Now you mention it,” I said, “l remember something like that. But what nonsense, Father. I never forced you.”

“Oh yes, you did, Etsuko. You said you wouldn’t live in a house without azaleas in the gateway.” He came away from the window and sat down opposite me again. “Yes, Etsuko,” he said “just like a hired gardener.”

We both laughed and I began to pour out the tea.

“Azaleas were always my favourite flowers, you see,”I said.

“Yes. So you said.”

I finished pouring and we sat silently for a few moments, watching the steam rise from the teacups.

“And I had no idea then,” I said. “About Jim’s plans, I mean.”

I reached forward and placed a plate of small cakes by his teacup. Ogata-San regarded them with a smile. Eventually, he said:

“The azaleas came up beautifully. But by that time, of course, you’d moved away. Still, it’s no bad thing at all, young couples living on their own. Look at Kikuko and her -husband. They’d love to have a little place of their own, but old Watanabe won’t even let them consider it. What an old war-Lord he is.” -

“Now I think of it,” I said, “there were azaleas in the gateway last week. The new occupants must agree with me. Azaleas are essential for a gateway.”

“I’m glad they’re still there.” Ogata-San took a sip from his teacup. Then he sighed and said with a laugh: “What an kild war-lord that Watanabe is.”