Vol 1 Chapter 2.1 (1/2)

At this time of year, the vast sea that stretches before the eyes is strikingly blue.

Early on since j.a.pan had opened its ports in the Meiji era, elegant western-style houses have been constructed in areas of Yamate, around the Port of Yokohama as far as the eye can see.  A building surrounded by white walls stood out amongst the others—the estate of the British Consul constructed by the British.

It was exactly a week ago when Gamou Jirou had been to the estate.

He was an employee at “Tailor Tersas.h.i.+ma”, an old shop at Bashamichi. When he had gone to the estate to deliver a suit last Sunday, the Consul General, Ernest Graham, had been present and had nothing to do, and invited him to a game of chess. Now at the age of sixty-five, Graham, who was confident in his skills in chess, considered it a miracle that the young people of j.a.pan were able to play chess at all, and had not expected his opponent to be evenly matched with himself.

Gamou had won the first round with ease.

Graham had been surprised, and thus had gotten serious.

At the end of the day, with three wins, two losses and two ties, Graham had won by a thin margin. From then on, every day, after Graham had finished his duties at the emba.s.sy and returned to his residence, he would call Gamou over to play chess with him.

Today is Sunday, and Gamou had been summoned early in the morning.

A checkered chess board with the pieces arranged on top was set between the two men sitting by the second floor window of the estate

“Check.” Gamou announced as he moved his knight.

Graham frowned.

“Hmm…so that’s a way to play it…”

He removed the cigar hanging from his mouth, caring less about the ashes that fell to the carpet, and gazed at the chessboard for a while, only to finally throw the pieces in his hand onto the board.

“This way, I’ve won fifteen, and lost seventeen, with six stalemates.” Gamou smiled. “You must have duties to attend to, let’s call it a day…”

“Hold on, now. It’s Sunday anyways, so let’s have another round.”

Graham had already begun arranging the chess pieces as he spoke. Just then, the wife of the Consul, Lady Jane Graham came in.

“Dear, a word if you’ll please?” the Lady said as she walked towards Graham.

She was about forty-five, almost twenty years younger than Graham himself. In contrast to the Consul’s plump body, she had a slim figure and amber eyes, giving her a distinctive aura of her own. For some reason, her pale brown pupils were filled with unease, her thin eyebrows twisted into a frown.

“I can’t leave right now as you can see. Let’s talk about later…” Graham seemed to have noticed his wife’s distress, pausing halfway and stopped placing the chess pieces.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

The Lady silently pointed outside the window.

Looking out, a man in workers’ clothing can be seen behind the trees of the front yard, seeming to be deliberately hiding behind them, constantly peering into the residence.

“That man came into the backyard yesterday too,” the Lady whispered. “When the maid had asked about him, he said ‘I’m from Yokohama Waterworks, I’m here to check for any leakages’, but I heard he never did inspect the water supply, and keeps trying to look into the house. It unnerves me…”

“Let me see.” Graham stood up from his chair and gazed out of the window. The Lady also took a glance from behind her husband, then turned around and said in a low voice, “Ah, that disgusting look in his eyes, just like that of a spy…”

Graham turned to Gamou. “What do you think?”

“He’s probably a member of the j.a.panese military police.” Gamou replied as he placed the chess pieces on the board.