—'Yes,' said the duchess, 'I understand jiujitsu is much in vogue in England and America just at present.'
—'It seems so. In New York and Washington some ladies are also taking lessons, I am told; so also in England, as you know.'
—'But I suppose even in Japan it is only studied something like fencing is in our fencing schools, not as a part of the universal education.'
—'Just so,' I answered. 'It does not form a part of the general education, though it is very extensively studied in the higher colleges and schools.'
—'It looks certainly like an art worth paying attention to,' said the duchess.
—'Here, too, some time ago,' said Baron C., 'a Japanese jiujitsu master once came to Paris and gave an exhibition at a theatre, challenging, with the offer of a prize, any Frenchman who would combat with him. No Frenchman won. They were beaten one after the other. The people did not like so much humiliation, and the audience decreased, so the master had to go back to London; such is the Frenchman.'
—'Well,' said I, 'it might have been only a momentary caprice, perhaps because Japan is not your ally, but the audience could not have been diminished for such a cause as you say. There can be no notion of humiliation, because it is a question of art. However, if the Occidentals, with their natural strength and physique, become well equipped with that art, we the small Japs shall never be a match for them; so I would rather wish you Occidentals do not learn the art.'
All present broke into laughter, and in a minute or two I was once more wafted through the air and making my way elsewhere.