Light and dark

[142]

HOWEVER, ONE problem between them remained unresolved. Until they returned to it, their conversation wasn’t over. Before Madam could turn back, Tsuda had already arrived.

“Assuming I do go, what about the other matter you mentioned?”

“Exactly. I was just thinking of bringing that up. If you ask me, this will be the best treatment possible. Don’t you agree?”

Tsuda didn’t respond. The lady prodded.

“I assume you follow me? I needn’t say more?”

Tsuda didn’t need an explanation to grasp in essence what she meant. But he had no substantial notion of what this could have to do with a treatment for O-Nobu. The lady laughed aloud.

“All you have to do is play dumb. I’ll handle the rest.”

“You will?” was all Tsuda said, but he had his doubts. Leaving things up to Madam would amount to entrusting O-Nobu’s fate to someone else. Already somewhat afraid of the lady’s cunning, he was left feeling apprehensive. It oppressed him to think he had no idea what she might do.

“I don’t mind leaving things in your hands, but if you know the approach you’ll be taking, I want to hear about that.”

“You don’t need to know. Just watch, I’ll teach O-Nobu-san how to be a better wife to you, a more wifely wife.”

Tsuda knew that the O-Nobu who appeared to him was an incomplete picture of who she was. Which meant that the faults he perceived in her were not necessarily the same as those the lady chose to criticize. In the event, she appeared to be under the misapprehension that creating an O-Nobu that suited her was the way to produce the most appropriate wife for him. In addition, he had the feeling that if he stepped further into her thoughts, probed to the very bottom, he might surface with a terrible conclusion. It seemed at least possible that she might be contriving a means of tormenting O-Nobu simply because she didn’t like her. Perhaps she was preparing to teach the enemy a lesson on the sole basis of her dislike. Happily for her, insulated as she was against pressure from others and from herself to examine her own motives, she was not likely to be given pause. “O-Nobu’s education”—she had spoken the words without a second thought. Tsuda, who had never had the opportunity to see through the relationship between Madam and O-Nobu from the inside, lacked the qualifications to mistrust these words. In general, he proceeded on the assumption that Madam was sincere. When it came to how her sincerity would manifest itself, he was unable to put aside a certain fear.

“You haven’t a thing to worry about. As the saying goes, ‘There are more ways than one to skin a badger.’ Watch and wonder.”

Having declined to offer details no matter how many times Tsuda inquired, the lady delivered these condescending remarks as though she were instructing him.

“There are ways in which that young lady is too taken with herself. And what you see doesn’t always correspond to what’s going on inside. On the surface she’s as polite as she can be, but in her heart she’s too sure of herself. And she’s too clever to show it, but she’s plenty conceited. All of that needs treating — weeding out.”

Madam was in the middle of her untrammeled assessment of O-Nobu when the nurse’s voice reached them from halfway up the stairs.

“Phone call for Yoshikawa-san from Mrs. Hori.”

“Coming,” Madam responded, standing at once and, looking back at Tsuda from the doorway, “I wonder what she wants?”

Going downstairs to take the call that had puzzled them both, she was back a minute later and spoke as she entered the room.

“Goodness! I’m glad she reached me.”

“What is it?”

Smiling, the lady settled herself before responding.

“She called just to let me know—”

“Know what?”

“It seems O-Nobu-san was at O-Hide-san’s house until now. O-Hide-san called to let me know she had mentioned she might stop in at the clinic on her way home. She had just left — that was so considerate of her. I would have been mortified if O-Nobu-san had walked in just as I was criticizing her.”

Having just seated herself, Madam stood again.

“I’ll be on my way.”

She appeared to be embarrassed at the thought of facing O-Nobu immediately following her conversation with Tsuda.

“I’d better not be here when she arrives. Give her my best.” With this gesture in O-Nobu’s direction, Madam left the room.