Kouya Hijiri: CHAPTER 19

"Yes," I said, "I met a medicine merchant at the crossroads. He came this way also, ahead of me."

"Oh. I see." She smiled understandingly and looked at the horse. She seemed to be laughing at something.

"Didn't he come this way?"

"No, he didn't" she snapped coldly. She looked at the old man who was patting the dust from his kimono. She sighed. "I should do this." She untied her sash impatiently. The end of the sash reached to the ground. "Ah! Aa!" burbled the fool, who received the end of her sash and held it in his hands as though it were a precious gift. She held her kimono together in front with her hands and walked over the horse. I watched her with astonishment from the veranda. She patted the horse on the neck several times and then stood in front of him. She looked taller. This woman, with her intense eyes, her mouth set firmly, looked so sacred and mysterious that she might have been a goddess or a demon. The surrounding mountains seemed to bow down to her, and the air from the deep mountains covered us. With the warm wind, she drew her kimono from her left shoulder, then her right, lowing it to her waist exposing her breasts to the horse's gaze. At the sight of her nipples the horse became all in a sweat. He lowered his head to the ground and foamed at the mouth. Just then she put her hand under the mouth of the horse, covered its head with her kimono, then like a rabbit she slipped naked between the forelegs of the horse under the belly and came out from the side. The old man pulled on the reins and the horse began to walk. They were quickly out of sight.