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LIKE THE BREATH OF A CLAM. 347
house and ground, and their attention was called
to
the trees shaking and dropping their green fruit,
though no breath of air stirred. When later, however,
Honda saw all
dipping their fingers in the
bowls after eating the loquats and oranges, a fiery
rush of blood crimsoned his face and ears until it
seemed to him as if his skin were touched with a
hot iron.
This was his first secret humiliation, unknown to
any, except perhaps to the children, who were the
only ones who noticed the slip or the blush; but,
alas ! another was to come. Doctor Grey liked his
tiny cup of after-dinner coffee.
"Kafay! What's that?" thought Honda, ready
to drink melted lead rather than commit another
blunder. Down dropped the sugar lump, in went
the spoonful
of condensed milk. The smell was
strange and sickening. Should he drink the mixture?
Certainly; a hero never hesitates. He lifted
the cup and took a swallow. Horrible ! nauseous !
It was less scalding than distasteful to the last degree.
Oh, how long he held that thimbleful in his
mouth !
"
How can I swallow it ? Will it not
sicken me? I must!" So ran his thought; but
brave as a man committing hara-kiri he drained
the cup.
His verdict, after making inquest of a foreign
dinner, might be recorded as follows :
Item 1. Tools and machinery, that is, knives,
forks, dishes, coffee-service, etc., wonderful and varied,
but not necessarily preferable to the Japanese.