A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

Otokichi's Daruma 295
more honest the man, — though I do not want
my reader to make any hasty deductions. I do
not wish to imply, for example, that the super-
lative point of honesty might begin at the van-
ishing point of the god. Only this much 1 would
venture : — Faith in very small gods, — toy-gods,
— belongs to that simplicity of heart which, in
this wicked world, makes the nearest possible
approach to pure goodness.
On the evening before I left the village,
Otokichi brought me his bill, — representing
the cost of two months' good cheer; — and the
amount proved to be unreasonably small. Of
course a present was expected, according to the
kindly Japanese custom; but, even taking that
fact into consideration, the bill was absurdly
honest. The least that 1 could do to show my
appreciation of many things was to double the
payment requested; and Otokichi's satisfaction,
because perfectly natural and at the same time
properly dignified, was something beautiful to
see.
I was up and dressed by half-past three the
next morning, in order to take an early express-
train; but even at that ghostly hour I found