What is the use of trying to keep it dark. Didn’t we meet actually face to face? He tells too many lies. If one can hold the job of a head teacher and act in this fashion, I should be able to run the position of Chancellor of a university. From this time on, my confidence in Red Shirt became still less. I talk with Red Shirt whom I do not trust, and I keep silent with Porcupine whom I respect. Funny things do happen in this world.
One day Red Shirt asked me to come over to his house as he had something to tell me, and much as I missed the trip to the hot springs, I started for his house at about 4 o’clock. Red Shirt is single, but in keeping with the dignity of a head teacher, he gave up the boarding house life long ago, and lives in a fine house. The house rent, I understood, was nine yen and fifty sen. The front entrance was so attractive that I thought if one can live in such a splendid house at nine yen and a half in the country, it would be a good game to call Kiyo from Tokyo and make her heart glad. The younger brother of Red Shirt answered my bell. This brother gets his lessons on algebra and mathematics from me at the school. He stands no show in his school work, and being a “migratory bird” is more wicked than the native boys.
I met Red Shirt. Smoking the same old unsavory amber pipe, he said something to the following effect:
“Since you’ve been with us, our work has been more satisfactory than it was under your predecessor, and the principal is very glad to have got the right person in the right place. I wish you to work as hard as you can, for the school is depending upon you.”
“Well, is that so. I don’t think I can work any harder than now…….”
“What you’re doing now is enough. Only don’t forget what I told you the other day.”
“Meaning that one who helps me find a boarding house is dangerous?”
“If you state it so baldly, there is no meaning to it……. But that’s all right,…… I believe you understand the spirit of my advice. And if you keep on in the way you’re going to-day …… We have not been blind …… we might offer you a better treatment later on if we can manage it.”
“In salary? I don’t care about the salary, though the more the better.”
“And fortunately there is going to be one teacher transferred,…… however, I can’t guarantee, of course, until I talk it over with the principal …… and we might give you something out of his salary.”