Miscellany (cont’d)
A Scar on the Forehead
Maple was completely influenced by Okiku’s sweet talk.
As planned, Shinsuke tried to take Maple with him after giving Okiku 580 dollars. However, the woman’s attitude was completely turned and, as Okiku instructed her, she said that he was not free to do whatever he liked with her and that she would work at Okiku’s house as she wished until Tsurutarō Mizoguchi returns from Japan. Astounded, Shinsuke pressed Okiku to give him money back, to which Okiku said, “I never wanted Maple to stay. You take her with you immediately.”
Shinsuke danced with rage but it was too late. He sent messengers everywhere and asked pimps to travel to Fernie and they held a big pimp meeting with Shinsuke, the chair. However, they were not able to reach an agreement and ended up conferring discretionary power to the committee. As a result, the committee decided to negotiate with Okiku again and forcefully grilled her with two options: whether she returns money to Shinsuke or gives him the woman without question or complaint.
Money? Woman? Okiku had to choose either of these. However, an experienced prostitute, Okiku did not get scared of such a negotiation. She dodged the subject by mumbling with her brother Segawa and at the end she did not respond to their request.
Another round of the pimp meeting was launched and they tangled throughout like vinegar and konnyaku* but their position was split.
On the very night, that is, around 1 o’clock in the morning in mid-August of 1906, Shinsuke had Takiji take bento and wait at some place, and he equipped himself with his work boots. Putting his dagger in his pocket, he left Shimizu’s house out to the rain, which had lasted for an entire day. He reached Okiku’s cave without being witnessed, pricked up his ears to see the situation inside the house, and then knocked on the door. Not knowing that she was opening the door to tragedy, she carelessly opened the door. In the next moment she saw a shining knife in the darkness and, bold woman, she pulled her body to dodge the attacker. She tried to avoid the attack but Shinsuke still felt the edge of the knife scarring her forehead to the end of her right eye. Hearing Okiku’s scream, Maple ran out from the next room, saw the situation and immediately ran into the other end of the house. Shinsuke chased her and cut her upper right arm and tried to have a second stab on her forehead, but she stopped it with her hand and got her palm and fingers injured. Now, what did Shinsuke do?