Part 11 (2/2)
After a while, they began singing ditties in outlandish voices. One of the geishas came in front of me, and taking up a samisen, asked me to sing something. I told her I didn't sing, but I'd like to hear, and she droned out:
”If one can go round and meet the one he wants, banging gongs and drums ...... bang, bang, bang, bang, bing, shouting after wandering Santaro, there is some one I'd like to meet by banging round gongs and drums ...... bang, bang, bang, bang, b-i-n-g.”
She dashed this off in two breaths, and sighed, ”O, dear!” She should have sung something easier.
Clown who had come near us meanwhile, remarked in his flippant tone:
”h.e.l.lo, dear Miss Su-chan, too bad to see your beau go away so soon.”
The geisha pouted, ”I don't know.” Clown, regardless, began imitating ”gidayu” with a dismal voice,--”What a luck, when she met her sweet heart by a rare chance....”
The geisha slapped the lap of Clown with a ”Cut that out,” and Clown gleefully laughed. This geisha is the one who made goo-goo eyes[J] at Red s.h.i.+rt. What a simpleton, to be pleased by the slap of a geisha, this Clown. He said:
”Say, Su-chan, strike up the string. I'm going to dance the Kiino-kuni.”
He seemed yet to dance.
On other side of the room, the old man of Confucius, twisting round his toothless mouth, had finished as far as ”...... dear Dembei-san” and is asking a geisha who sat in front of him to couch him for the rest. Old people seem to need polis.h.i.+ng up their memorizing system. One geisha is talking to the teacher of natural history:
”Here's the latest. I'll sing it. Just listen. 'Margaret, the high-collared head with a white ribbon; she rides on a bike, plays a violin, and talks in broken English,--I am glad to see you.'” Natural history appears impressed, and says;
”That's an interesting piece. English in it too.”
Porcupine called ”geisha, geisha,” in a loud voice, and commanded; ”Bang your samisen; I'm going to dance a sword-dance.”
His manner was so rough that the geishas were startled and did not answer. Porcupine, unconcerned, brought out a cane, and began performing the sword-dance in the center of the room. Then Clown, having danced the Kii-no-kuni, the Kap-pore[K] and the Durhma-san on the Shelf, almost stark-naked, with a palm-fibre broom, began turkey-trotting about the room, shouting ”The Sino-j.a.panese negotiations came to a break.......”
The whole was a crazy sight.
I had been feeling sorry for Hubbard Squash, who up to this time had sat up straight in his full dress. Even were this a farewell dinner held in his honor, I thought he was under no obligation to look patiently in a formal dress at the naked dance. So I went to him and persuaded him with ”Say, Koga-san, let's go home.” Hubbard Squash said the dinner was in his honor, and it would be improper for him to leave the room before the guests. He seemed to be determined to remain.
”What do you care!” I said, ”If this is a farewell dinner, make it like one. Look at those fellows; they're just like the inmates of a lunatic asylum. Let's go.”
And having forced hesitating Hubbard Squash to his feet, we were just leaving the room, when Clown, marching past, brandis.h.i.+ng the broom, saw us.
”This won't do for the guest of honor to leave before us,” he hollered, ”this is the Sino-j.a.panese negotiations. Can't let you off.” He enforced his declaration by holding the broom across our way. My temper had been pretty well aroused for some time, and I felt impatient.
”The Sino-j.a.panese negotiation, eh? Then you're a c.h.i.n.k,” and I whacked his head with a knotty fist.
This sudden blow left Clown staring blankly speechless for a second or two; then he stammered out:
”This is going some! Mighty pity to knock my head. What a blow on this Yos.h.i.+kawa! This makes the Sino-j.a.panese negotiations the sure stuff.”
While Clown was mumbling these incoherent remarks, Porcupine, believing some kind of row had been started, ceased his sword-dance and came running toward us. On seeing us, he grabbed the neck of Clown and pulled him back.
”The Sino-j.a.pane......ouch!......ouch! This is outrageous,” and Clown writhed under the grip of Porcupine who twisted him sideways and threw him down on the floor with a bang. I do not know the rest. I parted from Hubbard Squash on the way, and it was past eleven when I returned home.
CHAPTER X.
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