A shaded oil lamp. Charcoal brazier for warmth. Shadows and darkness and patches of light.
Futons--small square mattresses--laid out as a bed on the floor, a bed for two. Downy coverlets. Two yukatas, wide sleeved, patterned cotton gown for sleeping in. Through a small door a bathhouse, candle-lit, tall wooden tub filled with steaming water.
Sweet-smelling soap. Low, three-legged stool. Diminutive towels. Everything as Andr`e had foretold.
His heart was beating very fast now and he pushed his mind to remember Andr`e's instructions through the sak`e haze.
Methodically, he began to undress. Coat, waistcoat, cravat, shirt, woolen vest, each article meticulously folded and nervously placed in a pile. Awkwardly sitting, then pulling off his socks, reluctantly his trousers and standing up once more. Only his woolen long johns remained. Weaving a little, then an embarrassed shrug and he took them off and folded them, even more carefully. His skin prickled into goose bumps and he walked into the bathhouse.
There he scooped water from the barrel as he had been told and spilled it over his shoulders, the warmth pleasant. Another and then sound of the shoji opening and he glanced around. "Christ Almighty," he muttered.
The woman was beefy with huge forearms, her yukata brief, nothing under except a loincloth and she strode purposefully towards him with a flat smile, motioned him to squat on the stool.
In absolute embarrassment he obeyed. At once she noticed the healing scar on his arm and sucked in her breath, said something that he could not understand.
He forced a smile. "Tokaido."
"Wakarimasu." I understand. Then, before he could stop her she poured water over his head-- unexpectedly and not part of his forewarning--and began soaping and washing his long hair, then his body, her fingers hard, expert and insistent, but taking care not to hurt his arm. Arms legs back front, then offering him the cloth and pointing between his legs. Still in shock he cleansed those parts, meekly handed the cloth back. "Thank you," he muttered.
"Oh, sorry, domo."
More water took away the last of the soap and she pointed to the tub. "Dozo!" Please.
Andr`e had explained: "Phillip, just remember that unlike with us, you have to be washed and clean before you get into the bath, so others can use the same water--which is very sensible, don't forget wood is very expensive and it takes a long time to heat enough--so don't piss in it either, and don't think of her as a woman when you're in the bathhouse, just a helper. She cleans you outside, then inside, no?"' Tyrer eased himself into the tub. It was hot but not too hot and he closed his eyes not wanting to watch the woman making the bath tidy. Christ, he thought in misery, I'll never be able to perform with her. Andr`e's made a vast mistake.
"But... well, I, er, don't know how much I, er, pay, or do I give the girl the money first or what?"' "Mon Dieu, you should never actually give money to any girl, anywhere, that's the height of bad manners, though you can barter savagely with the mama-san, sometimes with the girl herself, but only after tea or sak`e. Before you leave you'd put it discreetly in a place she would see it. In the House of the Three Carp, you give no money, it's a special place--there are others like it--only for special customers, one of which I am. They'll send you a bill, two or three times a year. But listen, before we go there you have to swear by God that you'll pay the bill the moment it's presented, and that you will never, never introduce anyone else there or talk about it."
So he had sworn and promised, wanting to ask how much but not daring to. "The, er, bill, when does that come?"' "When it pleases the mama-san. I told you, Phillip, you can have pleasure the year round on credit, under the correct circumstances--of course I'm surety for you...."
The warmth of the bath water permeated him. He hardly heard her bustle out and then, later, bustle back again.
"Taira-san?"' "Hai?"' Yes?
She was holding up a towel. Curiously lethargic, he climbed out, his muscles drowsed by the water, and let her dry him. Once more the special places he did himself, finding it easier this time. A comb for his hair. Dry starched yukata and she motioned him towards the bed.
Again panic surged through him. Shakily he forced himself to lie down. She covered him, folded back the other coverlet and again left.
His heart was thundering but lying down felt marvelous, the mattress soft and clean and sweet-smelling, feeling cleaner than he had felt for years. Soon he was calmer and then the shoji opened and closed and he was filled with utter relief but no longer calm. The half-seen girl was tiny, willowy, pale yellow yokata, hair long and cascading. Now she was kneeling beside the bed. "Konbanwa, Taira-san.
Ikaga desu ka? Watashi wa Ako."
Good evening, Mr. Taira. Are you well? I am Ako.
"Konbanwa, Ako-san. Watashi wa Phillip Tyrer desu."
She frowned. "F... urri... f."
She tried to say Phillip several times but could not, then laughed gaily, said something he did not understand, ending with Taira-san.
He was sitting up now, watching her, heart pounding, helpless, not attracted by her, and now she was pointing to the other side of the bed. "Dozo?"' Please, may I?
"Dozo." In the candlelight he could not see her clearly, just enough to know that she was young, he estimated about his own age, that her face was smooth and white with powder, teeth white, red lips, hair shiny, nose almost roman, eyes narrow ellipses, her smile kind. She got into the bed and settled herself, turned and watched him.
Waiting. His shyness and inexperience paralyzed him.
Christ, how do I tell her I don't want her, don't want anyone now, that I can't, I know I can't and it won't, it won't tonight, it won't and I'll disgrace myself and Andr`e ... Andr`e! What can I tell him? I'll be a laughingstock, oh Christ why did I agree?
Her hand reached out and touched his cheek.
Involuntarily he shivered.
Ako murmured sweet sounding words of encouragement but inside she was smiling, knowing what to expect from this child of a man, well prepared by Raiko-san: "Ako, tonight is a rare moment in your life and you must remember every detail to regale us with at first meal. Your client is a friend of Frenchy, and unique in our world--he's virgin. Frenchy says he is so shy you will not believe it, that he will be frightened, will probably weep when his Honorable Weapon fails him, he may even wet the bed in his frustrated excitement, but do not worry, dear Ako, Frenchy assures me you can deal with him in the normal way, and that you've nothing to worry about."
"Eeee, I'll never understand gai-jin, Raiko-san."
"Nor I. Certainly they are all peculiar, uncivilized, but fortunately most are pleasantly rich, it's our destiny to be here so we must make the most of it. Very important, Frenchy says this one is an important English official, potentially a long-term customer so make him experience the Clouds and the Rain, one way or another, even if... even if you have to use the Ultimate."
"Oh ko!"
"The honor of the house is at stake."
"Oh! I understand. In that case... Somehow I will."
"I have every confidence, Ako-chan, after all you have almost thirty years experience in our Willow World."
"Is he like Frenchy in his tastes, do you think?"' "That he enjoys his back part tickled, and occasionally Pleasure Pearls? Perhaps you should be prepared but I asked Frenchy directly if the youth had leanings towards liking men and he assured me no. Curious that Frenchy chose our House to initiate a friend, instead of the others he now frequents."
"The House was not to blame, never. Please, don't think about it, Raiko-chan. I am honored that you have chosen me, I will do everything necessary."
"Of course. Eeee, when you think that the Steaming Stalks of gai-jin are usually much larger than civilized persons, that most gai-jin fornicate satisfactorily though without Japanese vigor, flair and urge to plumb the limits, except for Frenchy you would think they would be happy fornicators like normal persons. But they are not, they have so many cobwebs in their heads that somehow fornication is not our Most Heavenly Pleasure, but a some kind of secret, religious evil. Weird."