V the seventeenth century

the road Of mimasaka was one of the main transport arteries of Japan. It began in Tatsume, province of Harima, and, being whimsical twined, it lay on the locality, about which they indicated that there "the mountain costs on the mountain". Road looped between infinite mountain mountain ridges, following the boundary, which divides the provinces Of mimasaka and Harima. To traveller, preodolevayushchemu the crossing Of nakayama, was opened view of the river valley Aida, where it to its surprise revealed sufficiently large settlement.
Miyamoto it was not usual village, but grouplets of the separate houses. One heap stood on the shore of river, another clambered along the slope of mountain, the third was based among the stony pour on. Settling was sufficient to large for this epoch. Up to the past year the owner of the lock, which stood near, upstream, was prince simmen, owner IGI a comparatively small lock attracted the flow of craftsmen and merchants. Further to the north was located place Sikodzaka, where they obtained silver. The manufactured mines became deserted, but the crowds of miners worked in their time in them. Those travelling from Tottori in Khimedzi or from Tadzimy into Bidzen used this road. Naturally, they stopped into Miyamoto at leisure. Miyamoto it was noisy by place, where people from the different provinces arrived. Here there was not only inn, but also dry-goods bench, but still dwelled the flock of women night toilers, with necks whitened one's face fashionably of that time,similar to the white bats, they was on duty before their institutions. From Miyamoto Takedzo and To matakhati they left to the war.
to Otsu in the pensiveness looked at the roofs Miyamoto. This was slender girl, svetlokozhaya, with the bright hair. Light and brittle, it seemed by essence almost air, nezemnym. Elegant To otsu resembled in no way the strong, thickset rural girls, who worked below in the rice fields. Its gait was distinguished as special Grace, head it bore highly and directly. And now girl sat on the verandah of the temple Of sippodzi, resembling china statuette.
Naydenysh, brought up in the mountain temple, To otsu to sixteen years it found the elevated estrangement, such as rarely is encountered at its age. It grew separately from contemporaries and from the concerns of daily life, which gave to its features the expression of pensiveness, which frightened away from it men, who accustomed to the female frivolity. To matakhati, its fiance, was for yr older. It did not obtain information about it since by past summer it and Takedzo left Miyamoto. Passed the first month of the new year, the second, and it everything awaited news. But already fourth month here passed, and it no longer was daring to hope.
Vzglyad To otsu slid along the highly swimming clouds, and by itself arrived thought, that the uncertainty lasts already by yr.
to U of sister Takedzo also there is no news. It is foolish to hope that they are still living,it told Otsu to neighbors, and its eyes prayed that they would object to it, would suggest the hope, but no one objected. To practical rural inhabitants, svykshimsya with the fact that troops Of tokugavy engaged the modest lock Of simmen, it was lack of time be shut, as if their compatriots survived. From the family Of simmena none returned from Sekigakhary, but this was naturally that there were Samurai, and they lost battle. They simply could not seem the eyes familiar people, but the discussion dealt with the simple foot soldiers. Where they do disappear? Be they living, perhaps they would not return long ago home?
to "Pochemu,it asked itself to otsu, hundredth time posing one and the same question,why men so strive for the war?"
by Ey it pleased itself to sit on the verandah of temple and to reflect about the incomprehensible. It could sit by hours, after being immersed in the thought. The voice heard suddenly destroyed its rest:
to Otsu!