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off a howling petition。
At the stop where I got off； there was nothing … no houses； no fields；
just the bus stop sign； a little stream； and the trail opening。 I slung my
rucksack over my shoulder and started up the track。 The stream ran
along the left side of the trail； and a forest of deciduous trees lined the
right。 I had been climbing
the gentle slope for some 15 minutes when I came to a road leading
into the woods on the right； the opening barely wide enough to
acmodate a car。 AMI HOSTEL PRIVATE NO TRESPASSING
read the sign by the road。
Sharply etched tyre tracks ran up the road through the trees。 The
occasional flapping of wings echoed in the woods。 The sound came
through with strange clarity； as if amplified above the other voices of
the forest。 Once； from far away； I heard what might have been a rifle
shot； but it was a small and muffled sound； as though it had passed
through several filters。
Beyond the woods I came to a white stone wall。 It was no higher than
my own height and； lacking additional barriers on top； would have
been easy for me to scale。 The black iron gate looked sturdy enough；
but it was wide open； and there was no one manning the guardhouse。
Another sign like the last one stood by the gate： AMI HOSTEL
PRIVATE NO TRESPASSING。 A few clues suggested the guard had
been there until some moments before： the ashtray held three butt…
ends； a tea cup stood there half empty； a transistor radio sat on a shelf；
and the clock on the wall ticked off the time with a dry sound。 I waited
a while for the person to e back； but when that showed no sign of
happening； I gave a few pushes to something that looked as if it might
be a bell。 The area just inside the gate was a car park。 In it stood a
mini…bus； a four…wheel drive Land Cruiser； and a dark blue Volvo。
The car park could have held 30 cars； but only those three were parked
there now。
Two or three minutes went by； and then a gatekeeper in a navy…blue
uniform came down the forest road on a yellow bicycle。 He was a tall
man in his early sixties with receding hair。 He leaned the yellow bike
against the guardhouse and said； 〃I'm very sorry to have kept you
waiting；〃 though he didn't sound sorry at all。 The number 32 was
painted in white on the bike's mudguard。 When I gave him my name；
he picked up the phone and repeated it twice to someone on the other
end； replied 〃Yes； uh…huh； I see〃 to the other person； then hung up。
〃Go to the main building； please； and ask for Doctor Ishida；〃 he said
to me。 〃You take this road through the trees to a roundabout。 Then
take your second left … got that？ You r second left … from the
roundabout。 You'll see an old house。 Turn right and go through
another bunch of trees to a concrete building。 That's the main building。
It's easy； just watch for the signs。〃
I took the second left from the roundabout as instructed； and where
that path ended I came to an interesting old building that obviously
had been someone's country house once。 It had a manicured garden
with well…shaped rocks and a stone lantern。 It must have been a
country estate。 Turning right through the trees； I saw a three…storey
concrete building。 It stood in a hollowed…out area； and so there was
nothing overwhelming about its three storeys。 It was simple in design
and gave a strong impression of cleanliness。
The entrance was on the second floor。 I climbed the stairs and went in
through a big glass door to find a young woman in a red dress at the
reception desk。 I gave her my name and said I had been instructed to
ask for Doctor Ishida。 She smiled and gestured towards a brown sofa；
suggesting in low tones that I wait there for the doctor to e。 Then
she dialled a number。 I lowered my rucksack from my back； sank
down into the deep cushions of the sofa； and surveyed the place。 It
was a clean； pleasant lobby； with ornamental potted plants； tasteful
abstract paintings； and a polished floor。 As I waited； I kept my eyes on
the floor's reflection of my shoes。
At one point the receptionist assured me； 〃The doctor will behere
soon。〃 I nodded。 What an incredibly quiet place！ There were no
sounds of any kind。 It was as though everyone were taking a siesta。
People； animals； insects； plants must all be sound asleep； I thought； it
was such a quiet afternoon。
Before long； though； I heard the soft padding of rubber soles； and a
mature； bristly…haired woman appeared。 She swept across the lobby；
sat down next to me； crossed her legs and took my hand。 Instead of
just shaking it； she turned my hand over； examining it front and back。
〃You haven't played a musical instrument； at least not for some years
now； have you？〃 were the first words out of her mouth。
〃No；〃 I said； taken aback。 〃You're right。〃
〃I can tell from your hands；〃 she said with a smile。
There was something almost mysterious about this woman。 Her face
had lots of wrinkles。 These were the first thing to catch your eye； but
they didn't make her look old。 Instead； they emphasized a certain
youthfulness in her that transcended age。 The wrinkles belonged
where they were； as if they had been part of her face since birth。 When
she smiled； the wrinkles smiled with her； when she frowned； the
wrinkles frowned； too。 And when she was neither smiling nor frown…
ing； the wrinkles lay scattered over her face in a strangely warm；
ironic way。 Here was a woman in her late thirties who seemed not
merely a nice person but whose niceness drew you to her。 I liked her
from the moment I saw her。
Wildly chopped； her hair stuck out in patches and the fringe lay
crooked against her forehead； but the style suited her perfectly。 She
wore a blue work shirt over a white T…shirt； baggy； cream…coloured
cotton trousers； and tennis shoes。 Long and slim； she had almost no
breasts。 Her lips moved constantly to one side in a kind of ironic curl；
and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes moved in tiny twitches。 She
looked like a kindly； skilled； but somewhat world…weary female
carpenter。
Chin drawn in and lips curled； she took some time to look me over
from head to toe。 I imagined that any minute now she was going to
whip out her tape measure and start measuring me everywhere。
〃Can you play an instrument？〃 she asked。 〃Sorry； no；〃 I said。
〃Too bad；〃 she said。 〃It would have been fun。〃
〃I suppose so；〃 I said。 Why all this talk about musical instruments？
She took a pack of Seven Stars from her breast pocket； put one
between her lips； lit it with a lighter and began puffing away with
obvious pleasure。
〃It crossed my mind that I should tell you about this place； Mr。 …
Watanabe； wasn't it？ … before you see Naoko。 So I arranged for the
two of us to have this little talk。 Ami Hostel is kind of unusual … you
might find it a little confusing without any background knowledge。
I'm right； aren't I； in supposing that you don't know anything about
this place？〃
〃Almost nothing。〃
〃Well； then； first of all … 〃 she began； then snapped her fingers。 〃e
to think of it； have you had lunch？ I'll bet you're hungry。〃
〃You're right； I am。〃
〃e with me； then。 We can talk over food in the di