Flowing Page #7

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as a geisha

This is the only profession l know

Continue at Tsuta House?

Madame Mizuno agrees it's a good idea

She'll buy the house

and then rent it to me

Eh? And when did you reach

this momentous decision?

Last night

- lt's settled, then?

- Yes

l'll receive half the money

when we sign the contract

At last, l'll be able to pay you back

all the money l owe you

Please excuse me

Mr Saeki has just arrived

from the police station

Really? l'll be down in a moment

Excuse me

- Mr Saeki?

- Yes

Now l see. Madame Mizuno's

putting up all the money...

...but Mr Hanayama

will be the actual owner

Very smart

That's not how it is at all

l have no idea what you're up to...

...but l know it's not what it seems

lt's all very typical of a geisha!

You'll get your money back

with interest

- Can l offer you one?

- No

- Oh, thank you so much, Mr Saeki

- lt took slightly longer than l thought

Carting me off to the police station?

You amaze me!

We've been through all of this

You were almost up

on a blackmail charge...

...and wouldn't have been

going home for quite a while

Well, let's have Namie's things, then

Well, now it's all over.

Let's drink to that. Oharu?

Yes, coming

Excuse me

Sake at midday?

Things are looking up

- Mr Saeki...

- Pleased to see you

l must thank you for all that your aunt

is doing for my younger sister

l hear she's willing to buy this place.

l really am most grateful to her

Please give her my best regards

l'll call on her soon to thank her

Sister, won't you have a glass?

No, l never partake between meals,

that's my rule. Thanks anyway

Please...

Oh, don't bother doing that for me!

You have much more

important guests here

Tell Someka that she has to pay me

back everything this month

Another one?

lt's got a funny taste

Well, that's the end of it

And Namie has a new job

At some third-rate place

Well, tell her to drop in to see us

some time

l wonder...

She's stuck as a third-rate geisha now,

so she wouldn't come round here

Oi! Call me a rickshaw, will you?

A rickshaw? Certainly, sir

Please...

- l'll get going now

- Thank you

From now on you, your aunt and l

will have many dealings together

Mr Saeki, l'm going out, too.

Will you walk with me?

l'm going back to my office

Just as far as the bus stop, then?

What she really wants is for you

to take her to see a film

Good job they had you around...

...otherwise this place

would've been finished

- Bye

- Many thanks

So, you think my mother should continue

in her profession as a geisha?

Well...

l want her to leave the profession

for good

lf only you could advise her...

There's no way l could do that

l shouldn't really say this to you,

Katsuyo...

...but l think that life as a geisha

probably suits your mother best

My aunt thinks so, too

l feel sorry for my mother

Do you have any marriage plans,

Katsuyo?

- l haven't given it a thought

- Why not?

To be given away as a bride?

Or take a husband into my home?

You're free to choose whichever

Yes, it's up to me

But l'm from a disreputable geisha house

that has little earning potential

Who would want to marry

a woman like me?

My husband could become

the house manager...

...but young people nowadays

aren't interested in the business

- l don't know if that's true

- l wonder...

But it can't be helped now

l'd only feel ashamed if l got married

l was born into a famous geisha house

but only trained as a beginner

lt feels like l'm only a half-geisha

l don't know what l am

Marriage is just a dream

More importantly, though, l worry

about how l'm going to make a living

" ...and they all agreed."

Understand?

- What's this?

- This?

Just hold on a moment

Yes...that's right

She hasn't returned home yet

- Who is it?

- l understand, yes...

- lt was Madame Otoyo for Someka

- Oh, pay no attention to her

- Aunty...

- Coming

Morning

Have you been drinking, Someka?

Forgive me, mistress

My sister just phoned for you

Mistress...

...that man of mine went back home

to the provinces...

...yesterday evening

Are you talking about your boyfriend?

He probably thought

nothing would ever become of us

Seems he's gone back home

to get married

l did everything for him!

Men can be so heartless!

Let's read over there

Listen, Someka,

you may not want to hear this...

...but l think it's for your own good

After all, he was ten years

younger than you

Better to be done with him

while you still have another chance

Please! Don't be so harsh on me!

Did you feel the same

when you separated?

But you'd never have got married

so it's better that you've separated

And you should repay my sister's loan

as soon as possible

l'm relieved that l'm selling this house

Lucky for you,

you have something to sell

l've only got myself

and my samisen -playing to sell

l can't earn enough to repay my debts

But now you've only yourself to feed

Mistress, l'm working as hard as l can

every day...

...but it's still not enough

You know what?

l checked at the Guild office

They said they'd received

all my payment slips

But when l asked the accountant,

the amount you'd sent was lower

So however much l work... Listen to me!

lsn't that right, Nanako?

You said the same when Namie left

"These payments don't add up."

You showed me your notes, didn't you?

- Yes...

- They can hear you on the street!

Someka's making the same complaint

as Namie

You can't give us back

the hours we worked...

...but you can give us back the money

Well, you never settle up

what you owe me...

...so l don't pay attention

to the slips

So you admit it, then,

you fix the payment slips?

Maybe Mother makes

the odd mistake now and again...

...but that happens everywhere!

- Oh, is that so?

- All geisha should quit their jobs!

- Katsuyo...

- You're just feeling sorry for yourself

lf you don't like the work

then you should leave

Thanks for your kind advice!

Let's go, Nanako

Someka...

Come on, we can find work elsewhere,

this isn't the only geisha house

l know l have obligations to you,

but l also have reproaches!

- Someka...

- Why don't you get out, then?

OK, then...l will get out

l will get out...

l'm crying...but it's not

because of what you've said

l'm crying...because my lover has left me

You know nothing about men!

What's so good about knowing

about men?

Eh? What does your daughter

think she's talking about?

So, women don't have to depend

on men? ls that right, mistress?

Mother!

Enough, Katsuyo!

She thinks that women

don't have to depend on men!

Right? She says women don't need men!

Mummy!

Good

No, that's wrong. l told you before.

Do it again...

Yes...

Careful...

Careful...good...

Good

That's enough for today

You have to study very hard

if you want to become a geisha

- Oh!

- Mistress...

l had far too much to drink

the other day and spoke out of turn

l can't apologise enough, forgive me

Please forgive me, mistress

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