Untitled Document

Takase-Bune

Original: Ogai Mori
Script: Naoto Murai

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　☆　☆　☆ 　Act Ⅰ ☆　☆　☆

Narration

Takase-Bune is a boat that goes up and down the Takase, a branch of the Kamo in
Kyoto. The role of the boat is to carry deportees to Osaka. Although most of them are
vicious criminals, there are some pathetic homicides that have been compelled to kill a
man against their will. In order to protect such criminals, an executive officer usually
accompanies them to Osaka.

☆

The time of this drama goes back to the Kansei era (1789-1801). In the spring
evening, Shobei Haneda, an executive officer, takes aboard a strange criminal who is
sentenced to deportation for the crime of killing his brother. His name is Kisuke, who is
about thirty years old and has no fixed address. Most criminals on the Takase-Bune
grieve over their crime and are in confusion, but Kisuke is calm, gentle, polite and even
happy despite his serious crime. Shobei sometimes thinks that he may be crazy, but he
is interested in Kisuke’s enigmatic behavior.

☆

(On the Takase-Bune)
Shobei:     What are you thinking, Kisuke?
Kisuke:     Yes, sir. Nothing particular. (Kisuke seems to be a little bewildered)
Shobei:     You even look happy in spite of being exiled to a distant island, although
          most criminals grieve all night long with their relatives.
Kisuke:     (With a smile)
               Thank you very much for your kindness. As you said, I can also imagine
          that the banishment to a remote island is hard to bear. However, such
          an emotion is probably what the persons that have lived comfortably feel. I am
         different from them. I had a harder time than any other man did. My
         hardships were beyond description, so going to the remote island is not hard
         to me.
Shobei:     I suppose that you had an unbearably hard time.
Kisuke:     When Obugyo-sama (a magistrate) delivered judgment on me, he gave
          me 200 mon. (arch. currency). I have never had such money, so I am happy.
          I’d like to start a business with the money on the island.
Shobei:     Is it true?
Kisuke:     Yes, it is.

☆

　　 Narration

Shobei is deeply impressed by Kisuke’s unselfish behavior. Although Shobei lives in
a simple way, his wife is not satisfied with his income. She often spends money freely,
and borrows money from her parents in order to make the accounts balance. This
sometimes causes quarrels between husband and wife. Kisuke realizes that he should
be content with his lot in life. Compared with him, Shobei thinks that there is little
difference between them. Kisuke looks as if his head is surrounded by a halo. Hence,
Shobei says in spite of himself.

Shobei:     Kisuke-san.
Kisuke:     (With a surprised look) Yes, sir?
Shobei:     I’ve heard that you killed a man. Please tell me about it in detail.
Kisuke:     Certainly. I’ll talk about myself.
(Dark Change)

☆　☆　☆　Act Ⅱ　☆　☆　☆

Narration

According to Kisuke, his parents died from a plague when he was young. He and his
younger brother, Minosuke, were left as orphans. Their neighbors were kind enough to
take care of them. Kisuke and Minosuke worked for them by running errands. Owing to
these kind people, they grew up safe and sound. Last autumn they could find work as
weavers at the Nishijin district, but his brother got ill and his condition was too serious
to work.

(Minosuke is in bed in a dark room.)
Minosuke:       Kisuke, I’m sorry not to have been working for a long time.
Kisuke:         Never mind. I hope you will get better soon.
Minosuke:       I have been imposing too many burdens on you. I’m eager for us to work
             together, but I can’t. Oh! How miserable I am! I wish I were dead.
Kisuke:        You should not say such a thing. Take care of your health with patience.
              Don’t worry; I can work for you.
Minosuke:     Thanks, Kisuke.

(Several days later, outside the room)
Yone:           How’s Minosuke?
Kisuke:         Thank you very much for your solicitude, Yone-san.
Yone:           Don’t mention it. I sympathize with you because your brother is
             suffering from such a serious disease. He may be desperate.
Kisuke:         Be quite. Minosuke in the room may be awake. Please be sure to give
             him this medicine after each meal, Yone-San.
Yone:           I see. I’ll serve three meals for him, too.
Kisuke:        Thanks a lot. I’ll be back in the evening. Bye, bye.
(Kisuke leaves the room.)
(At noon)
Yone:           I’ve brought a lunch for you. (Yone opens the paper sliding door)
Minosuke:      Thank you very much for your constant kindness. I have no appetite
             today. I have to apologize to Kisuke because I am always putting him to a
             lot of trouble.
Yone:          I advise you not to be so serious. Your brother is a good person. Please
             take care of yourself in peace.
Minosuke:     But I am too dependent on my brother’s kindness. Oh! I wish I were
            dead.
Yone:         Are you all right? Keep your senses. Take this medicine.
(Minosuke takes the medicine)
Yone:         Good. I’ll come in the evening. See you again. (Yone leaves the room)

☆

(Serious music)
Minosuke:     As Yone-san said, my illness may be incurable. I can’t give my brother
            trouble any more. If I were dead, he would also be rescued.
(Minosuke takes out a razor)
             I’d die with this razor before I’d bother my brother.
(Minosuke tries cutting his windpipe with the razor. His throat bleeds. He crouches
down and groans with pain)
             Confound it! My hand seems to have slipped and missed the vital organ.
             Alas! The razor is fixed in my throat. I have difficulty in breathing.
            Oh，no! I want someone to draw out the razor.
(Kisuke comes home)
Kisuke:        Hi, Minosuke!
(Kisuke opens the paper sliding door. He is surprised to look at the floor covered with
blood)
              What’s wrong with you, Minosuke?
Minosuke:      I’m sorry, Kisuke. I thought my illness might be incurable and that I
            shouldn’t give you trouble any more. If I were dead, you would also be
            rescued.
Kisuke:         Why did you commit such an outrage? Oh, no! What shall I do?
Minosuke:      Kisuke, pull out this razor from my throat at once.
(Kisuke gives a moan of pain)
Kisuke:        Just a moment, please. I’ll call for a doctor.
Minosuke:      It’s useless. Ah! Take away the razor, for God’s sake. Please!
Kisuke:         There is nothing for it. I’ll remove it from you.
(Kisuke takes away the razor)

☆

Yone: Minosuke-san. It’s time to take a medicine.
(Yone opens the paper sliding door. She looks at two persons)
Yone: Dear me! You murderer!!
(Yone runs away in a fluster)
(Dark Change)

☆　☆　☆　Act Ⅲ　☆　☆　☆

Narration

Minosuke dies soon. For a while, Kisuke is stupefied and looking at his brother's
body. The police come in the room and arrest him. He dosn’t resist against them at all.
Obugyo-sama, a magistrate, delivers the judgment of exiling Kisuke to a distant island.
He obeys him passively.

☆

(On the Takase-Bune)
Shobei:      I sympathize with you. You are not a simple murderer.
Kisuke:      No, I’m not.
Shobei:      You may be innocent. It depends upon Yone’s testimony.
Kisuke:      It makes no difference to me. If only Minosuke had been put out of his
          misery, I would be happy. I am thankful to Obugyo-sama because he took
          my special circumstances into consideration. I was to be put to death.
Shobei:      Kisuke-san, you are creditable.
Kisuke:      I’ll live on the remote island all my life holding a mass for my brother.

☆

Shobei: Although you are not a simple murderer, Obugyo-sama’s judgment may
have been a good one.
(The Takase-Bune taking two persons on board sails on the dark river)

The End

☆

Cf., Naoto Murai, Takase-Bune, Meisei Gakuen Kenkyu Kiyo [Meisei Gakuen Study
Bulletin] No. 21. (October 31, 2001), pp. 31-37.

Meisei High School English Club (Boys' Department) gave a public performance
of this drama on November 3, 2000.

No parts of this script may be published without permission by Naoto Murai.