About 100 years ago, the ship Ejima Maru left Yokohama for Seattle, carrying Yoko Satsuki and the famous Dr. Tagawa and his wife on the boat. By choice, Yoko decides to assume the role of “inferior” in dealing with Dr. Tagawa’s haughty wife, and treats thus Mrs. Tagawa as her “superior.” These events take place in Takeo Arishima’s(1) novel “Aru Onna.”(2)

(Oh dear… there are going to be some pretty long quotations in this and the next column, but please bear with me. Next time, I promise our discussion will be as fresh as a cool evening.)

As the purser was removing his cap and attempting a greeting, Mrs. Tagawa, in her European clothes, made a beeline for Yoko. Silk skirts rustling, she sidled up to Yoko, peering at her sharply from the depths of her spectacles with small bright eyes, and said: “So you’re the one Mrs. Isogawa has been gossiping about. She said your name was something or other.”

By saying “she said your name was something or other,” Mrs. Tagawa had clearly indicated that she was condescending to talk with this anonymous person. Yoko, who had been unusually passive in front of the purser until then, came to her senses, jolted awake by these words. With what attitude should she respond? Like a cornered mouse, her mind raced frantically. Yoko quickly decided and answered extremely humbly and plainly. She made a startled noise—“Oh!”—then bowed her head low.

“Thank you for coming all the way over here to talk to me. My name is Yo Satsuki. Although I am unaccustomed to traveling, here I find myself traveling alone…”

She immediately turned to Dr. Tagawa, and said:

“I apologize for taking your time, but I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Then she bowed her head again.

[ARISHIMA Takeo “Aru Onna” 1911–1913.]
Editor’s note: emphasis removed.

As Mrs. Tagawa had a perfectly “superior” attitude, the relationship between Yoko and Mrs. Tagawa appeared to be stable in its form of “inferior and superior.”

The others, whether Japanese or foreign, turned their eyes from Yoko to Mrs. Tagawa.

“Pardon.” said Dr. Tagawa, as he withdrew.

Mrs. Tagawa nodded curtly to him, then said to Yoko in a clear voice loud enough for everyone to hear:

“We were concerned as you haven’t come to the dining-room at all. Are you feeling seasick?”

With these sophisticated, clever words, she demonstrated that she was a person of importance, used to standing above others. Yoko just nodded and smiled silently, feeling no discomfort at the reduction of her own position.

[ARISHIMA Takeo “Aru Onna” 1911–1913.]

However, things are not what they seem here.

During this isolated, long sea voyage, lasting dozens of days, a new order rears its head to replace the order of reputation and learnedness—which is meaningless in the absence of the external world. Amidst this, Yoko’s overwhelming beauty is gradually perceived by the others, and buoys her status. (To be continued)

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