The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet: A Novel (18 page)

His courage evaporates. 'The fan you for
got
in Dr Marinus's Hospital.'

The inspector arrives. Glowering, he speaks to Muramoto.

Muramoto says, 'Inspector wish to know "What is?" Mr Dombaga.'

'Tell him,'
this is a terrible mistake
. 'Miss Aibagawa forgot her fan.'

The inspector is unimpressed: he issues a curt demand and holds out his hand for the fan, like a schoolmaster demanding a schoolboy's note.

'He ask, "Please show", Mr Dombaga,' translates Ikematsu. 'To check.'

If I obey
, Jacob realises,
all Dejima, all Nagasaki, shall learn how I drew her likeness and pasted it, in strips, on to a fan
. This friendly token of esteem, Jacob sees, shall be misconstrued. It may even light the touch-paper of a minor scandal.

The inspector's fingers are troubled by the stiff catch.

Blushing in anticipation, Jacob prays for some - for any - deliverance.

Quietly, Miss Aibagawa says something to the inspector.

The inspector looks at her: his grimness softens, just a little . . .

. . . then he snorts with gruff amusement, and hands her the fan. She gives a slight bow.

Jacob feels admonished by this narrowest of escapes.

* * *

The bright night is raucous with parties, both on Dejima and ashore, as if to frighten away the bad memory of the morning's earthquake. Paper lanterns are strung along Nagasaki's principal thoroughfares, and impromptu drinking parties are taking place at Constable Kosugi's house, Deputy van Cleef's residence, the Interpreters' Guild and even the Land-Gate's guard-room. Jacob and Ogawa Uzaemon have met on the Watchtower. Ogawa brought an inspector to ward off accusations of fraternising, but he was already drunk, and a flask of
sake
has set him snoring. Hanzaburo is perched a few steps below the platform with Ouwehand's latest much put-upon house interpreter: 'I cured myself of Herpes,' Ouwehand boasted, at the evening mustering. An overladen moon has run aground on Mount Inasa and Jacob enjoys the cool breeze, despite its soot and smell of effluence. 'What are
those
clustered lights,' he points, 'up above the city?'

'More
O-bon
parties, in . . .
in how-to-say
? Place where bury corpses.'

'Graveyards? You never hold parties in graveyards?' Jacob thinks of
gavottes
in Domburg's graveyard and almost laughs.

'Graveyard is gate of dead,' says Ogawa, 'so good place to call souls to world of life. Tomorrow night, small fire-boats float on sea to guide souls home.'

On the
Shenandoah
, the officer of the watch strikes four bells.

'You truly,' Jacob asks, 'believe souls migrate in such a manner?'

'Mr de Zoet not believe what he is told when boy?'

But mine is the true faith
, Jacob pities Ogawa,
whilst yours is idolatry
.

Down at the Land-Gate, an officer is barking at an inferior.

I am a Company employee
, he reminds himself,
not a missionary
.

'Anyway.' Ogawa produces a porcelain flask from his sleeve.

Jacob is already a little drunk. 'How many of those are you hiding?'

'I am not on duty . . .' Ogawa refills their cups '. . . so drink to your good profit today.'

Jacob is warmed by the thought of his money and by the
sake
roaring down his gullet. 'Is there anyone in Nagasaki who
doesn't
know how much profit my mercury yielded?'

Firecrackers explode in the Chinese factory across the harbour.

'There is one monk in very very
very
highest cave,' Ogawa points up the mountainside, 'who has not heard, not yet. To speak with sobriety, however. Price goes higher, this is good, but sell last mercury to Lord Abbot Enomoto, not another. Please. He is dangerous enemy.'

'Arie Grote has the same fearful opinion of His Grace.'

The breeze carries over the smell of the Chinamen's gunpowder.

'Mr Grote is wise. Abbot's domain is small, but he is . . .' Ogawa hesitates '. . . he is much power. Besides shrine in Kyoga, he has residence here in Nagasaki, house in Miyako. In Edo, he is guest of Matsudaira Sadanobu. Sadanobu-
sama
is much power . . . "Kingmaker", you say? Any close friend such as Enomoto is also power. Is bad enemy. Please, remember.'

'Surely,' Jacob drinks, 'as a Dutchman, I have safety from "bad enemies".'

When Ogawa makes no reply, the Dutchman feels a degree less secure.

Beach fires dot the shoreline, all the way to the bay's mouth.

Jacob wonders what Miss Aibagawa thinks of her illustrated fan.

Cats tryst on Deputy van Cleef's roof, below the platform.

Jacob surveys the hillsides of roofs and wonders which is hers.

'Mr Ogawa: in Japan, how does a gentleman propose to a lady?'

The interpreter decodes. 'Mr de Zoet want to "butter your artichoke"?'

Jacob loses half a mouthful of
sake
in spectacular fashion.

Ogawa is very concerned. 'I make mistake with Dutch?'

'Captain Lacy has been enriching your vocabulary again?'

'He give tuition for I and Interpreter Iwase on "Gentlemanly Dutch".'

Jacob lets it pass for now. 'When
you
asked for your wife's hand in marriage, did you first approach her father? Or give her a ring? Or flowers? Or . . . ?'

Ogawa fills their cups. 'I not see wife before wedding day. Our
nakodo
made match. How to say
nakodo
? Woman who knows families who want marriage . . .'

'An interfering busybody? No, forgive me: a go-between.'

' "Go-between"? Funny word. "Go-between"
go between
our families,
achi-kochi
,' Ogawa moves his hand like a shuttle, 'describes bride to Father. Her father is rich merchant of sappanwood dye in Karatsu, three days' journey. We investigate family . . . no madness, secret debt, et cetera. Her father come in Nagasaki to meet Ogawas of Nagasaki. Merchants lower class than samurai but . . .' Ogawa's hands become the pans of a weighing-scale. 'Ogawa stipend is safe, and we involve sappanwood trade via Dejima, and so Father agrees. We meet next in shrine on wedding day.'

The buoyant moon has freed itself from Mount Inasa.

'What about,' Jacob speaks with
sake
-inspired frankness, 'what about love?'

'We say, "When husband love wife, mother-in-law loses best servant." '

'What a joyless proverb! Don't you yearn for love, in your hearts?'

'
Yes
, Mr de Zoet say truth: love is thing of
heart
. Or love is like this
sake
: drink, night of joy, yes, but in cold morning, headache, sick stomach. A man should love concubine so when love dies he say, "Goodbye," easy and no injury. Marriage is different: marriage is matter of
head
. . . rank . . . business . . . bloodline. Holland families are not same?'

Jacob recalls Anna's father. 'We are exactly the same, alas.'

A shooting star lives and dies in an instant.

'Do I not keep you from welcoming your own ancestors, Mr Ogawa?'

'My father performs rituals at family residence tonight.'

The cow lows in the Pine Tree Corner, upset by the firecrackers.

'To speak with sincerity,' says Ogawa, 'my blood ancestors is not here: I was borned at Tosa Domain, on Shikoku. Shikoku is big island . . .' Ogawa points east '. . . that way, to father of low retainer of Lord Yamanouchi of Tosa. Lord gave my schooling, and sent me in Nagasaki for learn Dutch under Ogawa Mimasaku's house to make bridge between his Tosa and Dejima. But then old Lord Yamanouchi died. His son has no interest in Dutch studies. So I was "marooned", you say? But then Ogawa Mimasaku's two sons died in cholera, ten years ago. Much, much death in city that year. So Ogawa Mimasaku adopted me, to continue family name . . .'

'What about your own mother and father back on Shikoku?'

'Tradition says, "After adoption, do not go back". So, I not go back.'

'Didn't you . . .' Jacob recalls his own bereavement '. . . miss them?'

'I had new name, new life, new father, new mother, new ancestors.'

Does the Japanese race
, wonders Jacob,
derive gratification from self-inflicted misery?

'My study of Dutch,' says Ogawa, 'is great - solace. Is correct word?'

'Yes, and your fluency,' the clerk is quite sincere, 'shows how hard you work.'

'To progress is difficult. Merchants, officials, guards not understand how hard. They think, My
work
I
do: why lazy and foolish interpreter cannot do same?
'

'During my apprenticeship,' Jacob unfolds his stiff legs, 'to a timber company, I worked at the ports of not only Rotterdam but also London, Paris, Copenhagen and Gothenburg. I know the vexations of foreign languages: but unlike you,
I
had the advantages of dictionaries and an education populated by French schoolmasters.'

Ogawa's 'Ah . . .' is full of longing. 'So many places, you can go . . .'

'In Europe, yes, but not one toe can I put past the Land-Gate.'

'But Mr de Zoet may pass through
Sea
-Gate and away, over ocean. But I -
all
Japanese . . .' Ogawa listens to Hanzaburo and his friend's conspiratorial grumbles '. . . prisoners all life. Who plot to leave is executed. Who leave and return from abroad is executed. My precious wish is one year in Batavia, to speak Dutch . . . to eat Dutch, to drink Dutch, to sleep Dutch. One year, just one year . . .'

These are new thoughts for Jacob. 'Do you recall your first visit to Dejima?'

'
Very
well I recall! Before Ogawa Mimasaku adopt me as son. One day, master announce, "Today, we go Dejima." I--' Ogawa clutches his heart and mimes awe. 'We walk over Holland Bridge and my master says, "This is longest bridge you ever cross because this bridge go between two worlds." We pass through Land-Gate and I see giant from story! Nose big like potato! Clotheses with no tie-strings but buttons, buttons, buttons and hair yellow, like straw! Smell bad too. Just as astonishment, I first see
kuronbo
, black boys who skin like eggplant. Then foreigner opened mouth, and say, "
Schffgg-evingen-flinder-vasschen-morgengen!
"
This
was same Dutch I study so hard? I just bow, and bow, and master hits my head and says, "Introduce self, foolish
baka
!" so I say, "My name is Sozaemon
degozaimsu
weather is clement today I thank you very well, sir." Yellow giant laugh and says, "
Ksssfffkkk schevingen-pevingen!
" and points to marvel white bird who walk like man and tall as man. Master says, "This is Ostrich." Then much bigger marvel, animal big as shack, blocks out sun;
nyoro-nyoro
nose he dips in bucket and drinks and shoots water! Master Ogawa say, "Elephant," and I say "
Zo
?" and master says, "No foolish
baka
it is
elephant
." Then we see cockatoo in cage, and parrot who repeat words, strange game with sticks and balls on table-of-walls, called "billiards". Bloody tongues lying on ground here, there, here, there: cud of betel juice, spat by Malay servants.'