Red Beard Page #5

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If it is,

there's one favor I'd like to ask.

- Where is Red Beard?

- In his room.

Rokusuke's daughter's here.

Would you believe it?

When he's just died?

She's here with her three children.

She was hoping she could rely on him.

Eat it. Go ahead.

You needn't worry.

Hard to eat with me here?

I'll go.

Sahachi said to ask you.

He wants to go home

before he dies.

It was

a very cold day.

I still remember

how my chilblains hurt.

I was playing by the doorway

when a man came to where I was.

He said he was my father.

He wanted me to go home with him.

He was pale,

but he tried to smile

and put a hand on my shoulder.

He said,

"Okuni, let's go home.

You're my precious only daughter.

You're my precious only daughter."

But I was only a child then.

I was frightened

and I pushed him away and ran.

I was living with Mother

and a young man

she called a relative.

I didn't know anything.

He was father's assistant.

They'd been bad together then ran away.

I found that out

after he'd married me.

Your mother's lover?

She was over 40.

It was probably the only way

she could hold him.

But I saw them

with my own eyes!

Never mind the rest.

What happened to your mother?

She died.

She left when she was found out.

She became a maid at a teahouse.

It seems they still saw each other.

She gave him money,

so he didn't work.

Just before she died,

she sent for my husband

but didn't want to see me.

She made me marry him.

And she hated me.

I don't even know

where her grave is.

I didn't build

a family altar either.

I'm just as bad!

I knew what he was,

yet I had three children by him!

Did you see your father after that?

After she died,

he came to see me in secret again.

He seemed older.

I hardly recognized him.

His hair was all white.

He trembled when he spoke:

"Come with me

and bring the three children."

But I was purposely rude

and sent him away.

I told him to leave us alone.

How could I go with him?

And bring the children of the man

who had taken both his wife

and his daughter?

Was he in pain when he died?

No, he died peacefully.

He had to.

He had to!

If he hadn't,

life would have been too cruel!

But that man!

When she died and the money stopped

coming, he started in on the neighbors!

He'd get drunk and become abusive!

Said to get money

from Father because

I was his only child.

"What kind of a man is this

not to feed his own grandchildren?"

I put up with everything

for the children's sake.

But there's a limit to my patience.

Telling me to get money

from the man he'd hurt.

It's one thing

he shouldn't have said.

That's why l...

I understand.

So you tried to stab him?

I meant to take the children to Father

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