Part 10 (1/2)
”If you don't like it so much, I wouldn't force it on you. But if you change your mind within two or three hours with no particular reason, it would affect your credit in future.”
”I don't care if it does affect it.”
”That can't be. Nothing is more important than credit for us. Supposing, the boss of the boarding house.......”
”Not the boss, but the old lady.”
”Makes no difference,--suppose what the old woman in the boarding house told you was true, the raise of your salary is not to be had by reducing the income of Mr. Koga, is it? Mr. Koga is going to n.o.beoka; his successor is coming. He comes on a salary a little less than that of Mr.
Koga, and we propose to add the surplus money to your salary, and you need not be shy. Mr. Koga will be promoted; the successor is to start on less pay, and if you could be raised, I think everything be satisfactory to all concerned. If you don't like it, that's all right, but suppose you think it over once more at home?”
My brain is not of the best stuff, and if another fellow flourishes his eloquence like this, I usually think, ”Well, perhaps I was wrong,” and consider myself defeated, but not so to-night. From the time I came to this town I felt prejudiced against Red s.h.i.+rt. Once I had thought of him in a different light, taking him for a fellow kind-hearted and feminished. His kindness, however, began to look like anything but kindness, and as a result, I have been getting sick of him. So no matter how he might glory himself in logical grandiloquence, or how he might attempt to out-talk me in a head-teacher-style, I don't care a snap. One who s.h.i.+nes in argument is not necessarily a good fellow, while the other who is out-talked is not necessarily a bad fellow, either. Red s.h.i.+rt is very, very reasonable as far as his reasoning goes, but however graceful he may appear, he cannot win my respect. If money, authority or reasoning can command admiration, loansharks, police officers or college professors should be liked best by all. I cannot be moved in the least by the logic by so insignificant a fellow as the head teacher of a middle school. Man works by preference, not by logic.
”What you say is right, but I have begun to dislike the raise, so I decline. It will be the same if I think it over. Good by.” And I left the house of Red s.h.i.+rt. The solitary milky way hung high in the sky.
CHAPTER IX.
When I went to the school, in the morning of the day the farewell dinner party was to be held, Porcupine suddenly spoke to me;
”The other day I asked you to quit the Ikagins because Ikagin begged of me to have you leave there as you were too tough, and I believed him.
But I heard afterward that Ikagin is a crook and often pa.s.ses imitation of famous drawings for originals. I think what he told me about you must be a lie. He tried to sell pictures and curios to you, but as you shook him off, he told some false stories on you. I did very wrong by you because I did not know his character, and wish you would forgive me.”
And he offered me a lengthy apology.
Without saying a word, I took up the one sen and a half which was lying on the desk of Porcupine, and put it into my purse. He asked me in a wondering tone, if I meant to take it back. I explained, ”Yes. I didn't like to have you treat me and expected to pay this back at all hazard, but as I think about it, I would rather have you treated me after all; so I'm going to take it back.”
Porcupine laughed heartily and asked me why I had not taken it back sooner. I told him that I wanted to more than once, in fact, but somehow felt shy and left it there. I was sick of that one sen and a half these days that I shunned the sight of it when I came to the school, I said.
He said ”You're a deucedly unyielding sport,” and I answered ”You're obstinate.” Then ensued the following give-and-take between us two;
”Where were you born anyway?”
”I'm a Yedo kid.”
”Ah, a Yedo kid, eh? No wonder I thought you a pretty stiff neck.”
”And you?”
”I'm from Aizu.”
”Ha, Aizu guy, eh? You've got reason to be obstinate. Going to the farewell dinner to-day?”
”Sure. You?”
”Of course I am. I intend to go down to the beach to see Koga-san off when he leaves.”
”The farewell dinner should be a big blow-out. You come and see. I'm going to get soused to the neck.”
”You get loaded all you want. I quit the place right after I finish my plates. Only fools fight booze.”
”You're a fellow who picks up a fight too easy. It shows up the characteristic of the Yedo kid well.”
”I don't care. Say, before you go to the farewell dinner, come to see me. I want to tell you something.”