Kenzaburo Oe - Somersault

"It also gives me a certain freedom as the artist," Kizu said.

He picked up the framed sketch and returned it to the dining table as Ikuo brought over a chilled bottle of mineral water and cups, and the three of them sat down and quenched their thirst.

"Dancer said that when she went to explain to the Technicians about having kept the wound a secret, she didn't quite understand their reaction,"

Ogi said to Ikuo. "How do you see it?"

"Because of all that went on in the last ten years, the Technicians have become quite cautious," Ikuo replied. "It's hard to read their reactions. But they do have a definite response. Mind you, I'm still an outsider, but I get the impression that they've been able to overcome the split that began with Guide's interrogation and 'trial.' One thing the Technicians always agreed on was not accepting the meaning of Patron's Somersault, agreeing that it was the wrong way to go. But beyond that there's a difference of opinion concerning Patron and Guide's lifestyle that surfaced when Guide was put on trial and died.

"On the one hand, you have those who wanted to execute Guide for betraying the Technicians. On the other, you have those who regret that this unfortunate accident happened just as a repentant Guide was opening up a dialogue. Seen from a different angle, you have those who've come here hop- ing that Patron's restarting of the church will link the time pre-Somersault with the time after-as if the Somersault never took place. And you have those who want Patron to somehow make a comeback and are struggling to find a new direction, different from the way they did things before the Somersault.

"And while all this was going on, Patron's Sacred Wound became pub- lic knowledge. It shows the direction the new church will take, I think, the real nature of Patron's appeal to society and the world. Patron is always call- ing for those who've sinned to repent, and the wound has opened up as a sign, a constant reminder of this. If you think about it, Patron could be a suitable leader for either faction of the Technicians to rally around. I've also heard some of them saying that they'd like to raise up the banner of Patron's Sacred Wound and become the strike force of the new church. I haven't seen them this excited in a long time."

When Ogi returned to the office he reported Ikuo's words to Dancer, allay- ing her concerns by telling her that Ikuo had not dwelled on her secrecy re- garding the Sacred Wound.

Dancer was silent for a while. "I'm really happy that the Quiet Women and the Technicians are taking the Sacred Wound so seriously," she said finally, "but I don't think Patron would be too pleased, either with the Quiet Women's excessive emotionalism or the way the Technicians are already lay- ing plans for action."

"Professor Kizu spoke with Dr. Koga," Ogi said, "who told him how surprised he was to see the intensity with which the Technicians are dealing with the wound. He also said he's concerned that they might ignore Patron's will and use this as a pretext for reviving their radical activities."

"But what about Ikuo himself?" Dancer asked. "Didn't he join this church in order to hear Patron relay the order God wants him to carry out?

Ikuo's close to the Technicians in a different way from Dr. Koga. I wonder sometimes if he might join them and rush headlong into something rash. If Ikuo and the Technicians joined forces, Patron might not be able to resist them."

"Professor Kizu kids him about how training the Young Fireflies is his main thing now," Ogi said.

The wet interior of her mouth had a much healthier hue to it than it had earlier in the day, as Dancer sat there contemplatively. "Since Ikuo's child- hood was so unusual," she said, "he can't restrain himself when it comes to dealing with children. Don't you think he would have made a good school- teacher, instead of making a half-baked effort to carve out a life for himself in normal society? Not that I have any right to say that."

Ogi felt it was he, more than Dancer, who had no right to criticize Ikuo in that way.

Late that night another unexpected event took place, which made this the busiest week since the church had moved to the Hollow. Kizu suffered a massive bloody discharge and sharper pain than ever before and was carried to Dr. Koga's clinic.

There were portents that this might be coming, especially when Kizu told Ikuo, as he left the studio, that he was too exhausted to go out to dinner and asked Mrs. Shigeno to prepare a light meal to be sent over to his residence.

Ms. Tachibana, along with Morio, had yet to see the sketch of Patron's Sacred Wound, so she brought over Kizu's meal, which consisted of the same menu as everyone else's, minus the meat.

Ms. Tachibana's face was almost frighteningly pale, but Kizu was happy to see that there was an understanding between her and Ikuo and the office staff. Kizu was also impressed at how intensely Morio studied the sketch, the same intensity he usually applied only to listening to music. It was also nice to see that his eyes and ears were perfectly fine. Ms. Tachibana was worried, though, because Kizu didn't touch his meal while they were there, and on the way home she found herself also concerned when Morio, with his perfect pitch, told her that Kizu's voice had been one note flatter than usual.

Also, in the middle of the night, as she got Morio up to use the toilet- he'd been wetting his bed since he was a teenager-she noticed a light on in the house on the north shore, reflected on the surface of the lake. She woke Dancer up, and they talked things over with Ogi. Kizu's place didn't have a phone, so they decided to go over to check for themselves. As soon as Ogi entered the unlocked house, he found Kizu collapsed on the floor in front of the toilet.

Ogi raced back to their house on the south shore, phoned Dr. Koga, and went back to help Dancer take care of Kizu. Kizu was conscious as they car- ried him to his bed, though he couldn't respond and just groaned. All they could do while waiting for Dr. Koga was to stand watch at Kizu's bedside.

At the same time they noticed that their palms were dappled dark red, like the painting of the wound in Patron's side.

Ikuo drove Dr. Koga over. The doctor seemed more energetic than ever as he bustled around. Ikuo, in contrast, was tearful and helpless, yet some- how he blurted out that he'd like them to take Kizu by ambulance to the Red Cross Hospital in Matsuyama. Dr. Koga scolded him, however, saying that a patient in such pain might very well have a heart attack and that transport- ing him such a long way would be signing his death warrant. He would treat Kizu at the clinic.

The next day the Quiet Women held another prayer vigil, this time for Kizu's swift recovery. The Young Fireflies, profoundly grateful for the donations Kizu had made to them and wanting to cheer up Ikuo, put back the partition they had taken out in Kizu's house to make the studio, to partition off a living room, again, on the east side, and a bedroom on the west for Kizu to convalesce in.

Kizu came home from the clinic one week later and was carried up to his house from the car they parked below the dam. As he was carried inside on a stretcher, Kizu noticed Morio among those lined up to welcome him back and said a word of greeting to him. Morio, solemn and serious, paused a beat before replying.

"Your voice is small, but it's the right pitch now!"

The people gathered there had heard how Morio had related Kizu's physical condition to the pitch of his voice, and an animated stir rippled through the group. Ogi realized how indispensable a person Kizu had already become to those who'd moved here.

Asa-san was among the local residents who were happy that Kizu was back home. Ogi learned that, even though she was among those who smiled peacefully at Morio's words, she was also a realist unmoved by the upbeat mood of those around her.