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some small part of my feelings to you this way。
Unlike an ordinary hospital； this place has free visiting hours。 As long
as you call the day before； you can e any time。 You can even eat
with me； and there's a place for you to stay。 Please e and see me
sometime when it's convenient for you。 I look forward to seeing you。
I'm enclosing a map。 Sorry this turned into such a long letter。
I read Naoko's letter all the way through； and then I read it again。
After that I went downstairs； bought a Coke from the vending
machine； and drank it while reading the letter one more time。 I put the
seven pages of writing paper back into the envelope and laid it on my
desk。 My name and address had been written on the pink envelope in
perfect； tiny characters that were just a bit too precisely formed for
those of a girl。 I sat at my desk； studying the envelope。 The return
address on the back said Ami Hostel。 An odd name。 I thought about it
for a
few minutes； concluding that the 〃ami〃 must be from the French word
for 〃friend〃。
After putting the letter away in my desk drawer； I changed clothes and
went out。 I was afraid that if I stayed near the letter I would end up
reading it 10； 20； who knew how many times？ I walked the streets of
Tokyo on Sunday without a destination in mind； as I had always done
with Naoko。 I wandered from one street to the next； recalling her letter
line by line and mulling each sentence over as best I could。 When the
sun went down； I returned to the dorm and made a long…distance call
to the Ami Hostel。 A woman receptionist answered and asked my
business。 I asked if it might be possible for me to visit Naoko the
following afternoon。 I left my name and she said I should call back in
half an hour。
The same woman answered when I called back after dinner。 It would
indeed be possible for me to see Naoko； she said。 I thanked her； hung
up； and put a change of clothes and a few toiletries in my rucksack。
Then I picked up The Magic Mountain again； reading and sipping
brandy and waiting to get sleepy。 Even so； I didn't fall asleep until
after one o'clock in the morning。
銆�
6。txt
Norwegian Wood
6
As soon as I woke at seven o'clock on Monday morning； I washed my
face； shaved； and went straight to the dorm Head's room without
eating breakfast to say that I was going to be gone for two days hiking
in the hills。 He was used to my taking short trips when I had free time；
and reacted without surprise。 I took a crowded muter train to
Tokyo Station and bought a bullet…train ticket to Kyoto； literally
jumping onto the first Hikari express to pull out。 I made do with
coffee and a sandwich for breakfast and dozed for an hour。
I arrived in Kyoto a few minutes before eleven。 Following Naoko's
instructions； I took a city bus to a small terminal serving the northern
suburbs。 The next bus to my destination would not be leaving until
11。35； I was told； and the trip would take a little over an hour。 I
bought a ticket and went to a bookshop across the street for a map。
Back in the waiting room； I studied the map to see if I could find
exactly where the Ami Hostel was located。 It turned out to be much
farther into the mountains than I had imagined。 The bus would have to
cross several hills in its trek north； then turn around where the canyon
road dead…ended and return to the city。 My stop would be just before
the end of the line。 There was a footpath near the bus stop； according
to Naoko； and if I followed it for 20 minutes I would reach Ami
Hostel。 No
wonder it was such a quiet place； if it was that deep in the mountains！
The bus pulled out with about 20 passengers aboard； following the
Kamo River through the north end of Kyoto。 The tightly packed city
streets gave way to more sparse housing； then fields and vacant land。
Black tile roofs and vinyl…sided greenhouses caught the early autumn
sun and sent it back with a glare。 When the bus entered the canyon；
the driver began hauling the steering wheel this way and that to follow
the twists and curves of the road； and I began to feel queasy。 I could
still taste my morning coffee。 By the time the number of curves began
to decrease to the point where I felt some relief； the bus plunged into a
chilling cedar forest。 The trees might have been old growth the way
they towered over the road； blocking out the sun and covering
everything in gloomy shadows。 The breeze flowing into the bus's open
windows turned suddenly cold； its dampness sharp against the skin。
The valley road hugged the river bank； continuing so long through the
trees it began to seem as if the whole world had been buried for ever
in cedar forest … at which point the forest ended； and we came to an
open basin surrounded by mountain peaks。 Broad； green farmland
spread out in all directions； and the river by the road looked bright and
clear。 A single thread of white smoke rose in the distance。 Some
houses had laundry drying in the sun； and dogs were howling。 Each
farmhouse had firewood out front piled up to the eaves； usually with a
cat resting somewhere on the pile。 The road was lined with such
houses for a time； but I saw not a single person。
The scenery repeated this pattern any number of times。 The bus would
enter cedar forest； e out to a village； then go back into forest。 It
would stop at a village to let people off； but no one ever got on。 Forty
minutes after leaving the city； the bus reached a mountain pass with a
wide…open view。 The driver stopped the bus and announced that we
would be waiting there for five or six minutes： people could step down
from the bus if they wished。 There were only four passengers left now；
including me。 We all got out and stretched or smoked and looked
down at the panorama of Kyoto far below。 The driver went off to one
side for a pee。 A suntanned man in his early fifties who had boarded
the bus with a big； rope…tied cardboard carton asked me if I was going
out to hike in the mountains。 I said yes to keep things simple。
Eventually another bus came climbing up from the other side of the
pass and stopped next to ours。 The driver got out； had a short talk with
our driver； and the two men climbed back into their buses。 The four of
us returned to our seats； and the buses pul led out in opposite
directions。 It was not immediately clear to me why our bus had had to
wait for the other one； but a short way down the other side of the
mountain the road narrowed suddenly。 Two big buses could never
have passed each other on the road； and in fact passing ordinary cars
ing in the other direction required a good deal of manoeuvring；
with one or the other vehicle having to back up and squeeze into the
overhang of a curve。
The villages along the road were far smaller now； and the level areas
under cultivation even narrower。 The mountain was steeper； its walls
pressed closer to the bus windows。 They seemed to have just as many
dogs as the other places； though； and the arrival of the bus would set
off a howling petition。
At the stop where I got off； there was nothing … no houses； no fields；
just the bus st