‘At old days,’ says Miss Aibagawa, ‘long ago, before great bridges built over wide rivers, travellers often drowned. People said, “Die because river god angry.” People not said, “Die because big bridges not yet invented.” People not say, “People die because we have ignoration too much.” But one day, clever ancestors observe spiders’ webs, weave bridges of vines. Or see trees, fallen over fast rivers, and make stones islands in wide rivers, and lay from islands to islands. They build such bridges. People no longer drown in same dangerous river, or many less people. So far, my poor Dutch is understand?’
‘Perfectly,’ Jacob assures her. ‘Every word.’
‘Nowdays, in Japan, when mother, or baby, or mother and baby die in childbirth, people say, “Ah… they die because gods decide so.” Or, “They die because bad karma.” Or, “They die because o-mamori – magic from temple – too cheap.” Mr de Zoet understand, it is same as bridge. True reason of many, many death of ignoration. I wish to build bridge from ignoration,’ her tapering hands form the bridge, ‘to knowledge. This,’ she lifts, with reverence, Dr Smellie’s text, ‘is piece of bridge. One day, I teach this knowledge… make school… students who teach other students… and in future, in Japan, many less mothers die of ignoration.’ She surveys her daydream for just a moment before lowering her eyes. ‘A foolish plan.’
‘No, no, no. I cannot imagine a nobler aspiration.’
‘Sorry…’ she frowns ‘… what is “noble respiration”?’
‘Aspiration, miss: a plan, I mean to say. A goal in life.’
‘Ah…’ a white butterfly lands on her hand ‘… a goal in life.’
She puffs it away; it flies up to a bronze candle on a shelf.
The butterfly closes and opens and closes and opens its wings.
‘Name is monshiro,’ she says, ‘in Japanese.’
‘In Zeeland, we call the same butterfly Cabbage-white. My uncle-’
‘ “Life is short; the art, long.” ’ Dr Marinus enters the Sick Room like a limping, grey-haired comet. ‘ “Opportunity is fleeting; experience-” and, Miss Aibagawa? To conclude our first Hippocratic Aphorism?’
‘ “Experience is fallacious,” ’ she stands and bows, ‘ “judgement difficult.” ’
‘All too true.’
Ваша оценка
