“Begone! The curses of Shaka upon you!”
He told himself his ears deceived him. His knowledge of Japanese confused the language surely. He knocked again, and again, each time louder. Again the voice within:
“Who is it knocks?”
He spoke distinctly in pure Japanese.
“I am Verley-sama, your daughter’s husband. I have come to seek my wife.”
There was silence, and then:
“We do not understand your language.”
He repeated his words slowly, patiently, enunciating each Japanese syllable distinctly. But again came the reply:
“We do not understand.”
He recognized now the voice. It was that of the step-mother of his wife, Madame Yamada. She had some reason for her lies. He was positive she understood his Japanese.