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A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

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On a Bridge 237<br />

railing: men wearing big straw hats and straw<br />

rain-cloaks and straw sandals. I spoke to them<br />

politely ; and one <strong>of</strong> them turned his head round,<br />

and said to me, ' You stay here !<br />

' That was all<br />

he said : the others did not say anything. Then<br />

I saw that they were not peasants ; and I was<br />

afraid."<br />

" How did you know that they were not<br />

peasants ? "<br />

"They had long swords hidden under their<br />

rain -cloaks, — very long swords. They were<br />

very tall men. They leaned over the bridge,<br />

looking down into the river. I stood beside<br />

them,— just there, by the third post to the left,<br />

and did as they did. I knew that they would<br />

kill me if I moved from there. None <strong>of</strong> them<br />

spoke. And we four stood leaning over the<br />

railing for a long time."<br />

" How long ? "<br />

" I do not know exactly — it must have been<br />

a long time. I saw the city burning. All that<br />

while none <strong>of</strong> the men spoke to me or looked<br />

at me : they kept their eyes upon the water.<br />

Then 1 heard a horse ; and I saw a cavalry <strong>of</strong>ficer<br />

coming at a trot, — looking all about him as he<br />

came. . . ."

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