The Decay of the Angel - Yukio Mishima

grapefruit. A carefully scrutinized piece of toast gave
off in the November morning light a glow as of welltanned
leather. Tōru watched the butter melt into it,
and then took a bite, careful to follow the instructions
he had had from Honda.
“Yes, Furusawa is a good man,” he said after the
first bite. “But have you looked into his ideas?”
It pleased him to see confusion of the most vulgar
sort come out on Honda’s face.
“Has he said something to you?”
“Nothing specific. But I can’t get over feeling that he
either has been or still is involved in some political
movement.”
Honda was startled. He trusted Furusawa, and was
sure that Tōru liked him. From Honda’s point of view,
Tōru’s warning was based on confidence and
understanding; but from Furusawa’s it was clearly the
report of a secret informant. It amused Tōru to
observe how Honda would dispose of this delicate
ethical problem.
Honda saw that he was not to pass the light
judgment he usually passed upon good and evil.
Judged against a broader humanity of which Honda
was fond of thinking, Tōru’s behavior was ugly; but
judged against the image Honda had for Tōru himself,
it passed muster. Honda was at the point of