"IN THE REALM OF PASSION" "1895" " A village in Japan" "Good afternoon" "You must be tired?" " Have some, Seki..." " No, no..." " Want more hot water?" " No, I'm getting out" " Was Toyoji here today?" " Yes" " He seems to come often" " Now and then, since he's out of the army" "He should spend his time working, instead of pestering others" "Toyoji isn't in love with you, is he?" "Really now..." "I'm nearly as old as his mother!" "You must admit you look much younger" "You're "Little Seki" to everyone, you don't even look 30!" " Are they good?" " Of course they are." "I should know:" "my wife made them fresh today" " I'll give you 3 cents for 4 of them" "Hah!" "That's a losing deal But as you are such a steady client" "What a beautiful day it turned out to be!" "Hungry?" "Care for a treat?" "How kind of you; thank you." "You always spoil me..." "Why?" "No, it's nothing at all!" " Where did you get them, Toyoji?" " At the store" "They were too tempting to resist." "They ought to be good they're fresh" "We'll see..." "Good!" "Then I'll have one." "I'm always letting you spoil me!" " Shall I make us some tea?" " Later, why don't we eat first?" "Toyoji isn't in love with you, is he?" "Is anything wrong?" "You looked so serious..." "Dear lady, have one" "What' s your reason for coming to see me?" "The last one, for you." " You take it, it's yours" " Go on, I insist." "No, Toyoji, you have it" "Tell you what, how about sharing it?" "Thank you very much, Toyoji..." "Here..." "I'll give you an empty for a full one" " Here yo go." " Congratulations!" "Little Seki, I thouht you'd forgotten us?" "Seki would rather look after her husband..." "Seki knows the secret of eternal youth is keeping her man happy" "See?" "You have as many admirers as ever" "Gisaburo, that must cause you much worry!" "Gracious lady, allow me to say how happy I am for you today" "Is it because of the sake, or that you're happy by nature?" "Even when I'm drunk, I've never neglected my wife" "Mr Toyoji, you're welcome to come in!" "You should be thinking of marriage, too, Toyoji?" " How old are you anyway?" " The same age as the groom" "You must've been so beautiful..." "on your wedding day" "Thank you" "It's those pesky children again" "Dear lady" "Dear lady" "She's sleeping" "You're very lucky" "If I were you, I wouldn't hog it all." "There's enough for us both!" "Sleep, little treasure, for mothers's sake... for when you wake, ..." "you break her heart" "My dear lady!" "Dear lady!" "Toyoji..." "You'll catch cold..." "I had to lie down, my shoulders ached" "I can fix that, if you allow me..." "Feels good?" "At sunrise the little child cries..." "the mother sighs" "No" "Don't do that, Toyoji!" "Why?" "I'm only trying to make you feel better" "No!" "No, no!" "Then stop struggling." "Just be still, relax..." "You like it, don't you?" "And now, look at you!" "That hurts." "You don't need to be so rough" "It is cold in here!" "The master won't be home till late, huh?" "I can't get over it." "Look at that!" "Look at what?" "Beautiful, eh?" "Look!" "That isn't nice, Toyoji." "You are embarrasing me" "Don't be silly..." "I want you to see what you do to me" "Gisaburo would never understand We have to stop, for his sake" "Listen, Seki..." "Only the first time counts, and you know you loved it" " Don't tell me you wouldn't love it again?" " Really!" "When I was a child, an old villager told us a story I'd forgotten till now" "What was it about?" "A woman whose eyes wouldn't close when she slept, because she had been raped when she slept" "Seki, you've changed since the first time" "When we are together, Toyoji... it's easy to forget you are 20 years younger than I" "I forget too" "I don't care if you're 20 years older than I" " Exept..." " Except what?" "When we're not together, the thought of you and Gisaburo together drives me crazy" "Daddy!" "You are falling asleep!" "I know, I'm so relaxed" "You haven't eaten much, want more?" "I had too much to eat, now I need to work it off" " Do they feed you enough where yo are?" " I suppose, but I'm always hungry..." " Is the work hard?" " I'd rather go to school instead" "You must learn childcare as your mother did in her day" "School is a waste of time." "And we cannot afford it..." "In school, you won't learn anything but foolishness" "All I really want is a good life" "I remember..." "That's how your mom talked when she was young" "She wanted a good life too..." "One better than she had had" "She learned to be happy with the little she's got" "What are your mother and father doing?" "Not making love, are they?" "In broad dayligh?" "Go see what she is doing..." "Then return and tell me" " Do you hear me?" " Mama... mama..." "Who is there?" "Good afternoon to you." "Are you well?" "Weather is not fit for ducks" "Toyoji, what brings you out in such a downpour?" " People-watching?" " Even without watching, we can't help seeing?" "In such weather, I doubt if even the rickshaw driver would go out!" "He is with little Seki..." "And I know what they are doing" "I haven't seen them for a while" "I haven't seen a living soul, not even a stray dog" "It's a miserable New Year's Day!" "Won't you have tea with us?" "Come on in!" "No, thanks" " Oh!" "Toyoji!" " Seki!" "It is dangerous, -- everybody can see!" "No one is here to see us" " Where have you been?" " Had to take food to my sick aunt" "And I thought you were......" "What are you doing in this rain?" "It is been so long since we were together, I missed you." "Come!" " Where?" " To my house!" " Isn't your brother there?" " I do not care" "It's getting late, soon it will be dark, and they'll be expecting me" "Who?" "Shave it..." "Shave it..." "Shave it..." "Shave it!" "We must kill him" "Who?" "You don't want him... to see you shaved" "What will you do to keep him from seeing it tonight?" "I will make an excuse" "If he sees it, he'll want an explanation" "I couldn't kill him." "I couldn't go through with it" "Like it or not, you must go through with it" "There is no other way?" "It is the only way" "Seki, I could never live without you" "If we don't kill him, I'll kill myself" "What can I say?" "What do I have to do..." "Toyoji?" "We'll kill him, and throw him in an old well, where he'll never be found again" "Will the body disappear?" "The body will rot down there, it will sink into the mud." "Soon nothing will remain" " What if we fail?" " We won't fail!" "It couldn't be that simple." "How could it be?" "He must die, or we will never be happy" "You'll get him drunk on sake, and then we'll kill him while he's in a stupor" "What will it take?" "Two bottles should be plenty" " He is used to drinking a lot" " Do you think he'll need more?" "He holds his liquor. 2 bottles a night are nothing to him" "He won't have a hangover!" "It's too cold, eh?" "An early winter is a bad sign" "Seki, my dear!" "The first snowfall of the year!" "It's really coming down, too" "Finish that, little one." "It's time for you to go to sleep" "I'm frozen to the bone!" "I'd have been caught in the storm, if I hadn't hurried" "I had to go like the wind" "Honey, I'll warm some sake for you" "If you use the scissors for that, won't they rust?" "I sharpen them" "I always did think tuna was better than cod." "It is always best, when it is dried and salted, cut into long thin strips and snipped with scissors" "Your husband is a lucky man" "I wish I had a wife like you, who'd spoil me like that" "Is he the one, all this is for?" "You're a good girl." "Not like my old woman" "She would never think of such a thing." "She seldom serves sake, though we have tons of it" "I wish you'd have a talk with her" "Having guests tonight?" "Get me a cord, or a piece of rope" "Not that!" "For a grown man, not a child!" "Don't you have a rope?" "Look... pull it with all your might" "Don't let go of it, no matter what!" "All you do is keep pulling, understand?" "Come on!" "Don't let go!" "He is dead!" "Listen... swear you'll never say a word to anyone!" "Stop crying!" "Stop it!" "He is dead now, it is all over!" "You hear?" "No one will ever know, if we keep our mouths shut" "If we are ever found out, they will hang us" "What if they ask questions?" "What do I say?" "If they ask questions, say he's gone to work in Tokyo." "Do you hear me?" "What do we do with that?" "With the body?" "How long do we keep that?" "What?" "What are we going to do with that?" "I told you -- we throw him down a well, down an old well" "How are we to get him there?" "How do you think?" "!" "You and I must carry him!" "What do we if someone sees us?" "No one's out in this weather!" "Don't worry!" "All right!" "Only, we must hurry, beacause it's going to dawn soon..." "I can't do it..." "Can't go through it!" "Keep going, we can't stop now" "With the first winds of autumn, the trees begin to shed their beautiful, burnished leaves" "Silently, one by one, pine needles fall to the ground" "Peasants come to the forest to rake up dead leaves." "Leaves serve as fuel for the fire" "That is the wisdom of the poor" "But the woods themselves are the Masters property, and taking the leaves is a theft." "Still, the Masters are tolerant, and give it no thought" "And the poor, who have nothing, continue to gather the leaves" "That year, however, Toyoji acquired a very peculiar habit" "Toyoji does not return home with one basket, two baskets, three baskets of leaves, but takes them deeper in the woods emptying them into the old well" "He has no idea why he does this, he only knows he cannot do otherwise" "There is something that makes him do it" "No one notices his strange behaviour" "There was no one to notice, till one day..." "Why gather leaves, if you're only going to throw them in a well?" "I gathered them for the fire, but, they are not good for that today" "They won't burn, they are too wet, so I throw them away" "You should be careful of these old wells, though." "All it takes, is one false step, and you are finished!" "However, the young Master thinks nothing of it  and goes on his way, filled with other concerns" "Toyoji forgets the encounter, and continues as before" "Been gathering leaves again?" "3 years passed, and late in the summer of the 3rd year, as All Souls Day drew near the villagers began asking questions, they began to gossip about Gisaburo,  the rickshaw man, whom they hadn't seen or heard of for a very long time" "Isn't this Oshin?" "!" "Look how you've grown!" "Visiting your mother?" "She must be happy to see you" "You worked hard." "Thanks for all you've done" "It was nothing at all, thank you" "I hate to leave when there's still work to do, but my son awaits me" "Tell us, are you quite sure it's not someone else awaiting for you?" "Gisaburo must be doing well in Tokyo to stay so long?" "Think of all the money he must be sending you!" "I wouldn't know how well he is doing, since I've had no news of him nor his money" "I should think you'd be very worried about him?" "If anything were wrong, he'd have managed to let me know" "But since he hasn't bothered, I'm sure he's okay" "Little Seki, Kurazo told us Gisaburo came to him one night in a dream" " Didn't he, Kurazo?" " Yes!" "Well, it must've been a week or 10 days ago" "I said nothing, as I didn't want you to worry" "Just remember, it was only a dream..." "Gisaburo said, he'd come to tell me he was uncomfortable, wearing the same clothes for so long" "He wondered if I'd bring him a fresh change" "If Kurazo knew where he was, he'd have taken them the next day" "Kurazo is sad, since he wouldn't like Gisaburo to think he's let him down" "Kurazo!" "I'll tell you what caused your nightmare --- Something you ate" "How he eats, it's no wonder!" "I don't see why he would ask you for clothes, anyway his wife should've dreamt that!" "But Seki never sleeps, she hasn't time for it!" "So, she doesn't dream either!" "Ishichi, did you start that fire?" "No, I did" "Oshin!" "You frightened me!" "I didn't expect to find you here" "One day that child will set fire to the house" "I didn't expect you back till the holidays" "I keep dreaming father is dead" "By New Year's day he would return home for good he would bring us lots of money and we would be happy again" "He didn't come back that New Year nor the following New Year" "I think the truth is father will never come home" "I know... you think he would have sent word at least" "I don't understand it" "What if he really is dead?" "He's always dead in my dreams" "Seki..." "Seki..." "Gisaburo... forgive me!" "I beg you to rest in peace!" "Wait, I'll go get you some" "It's you, Seki." "What are you doing out at this hour?" "So, Gisaburo has finally come home?" "Seki!" "What are you doing here?" "I must have thought I was at home" "It will be a problem if anyone sees you!" "Come on..." "Let's go!" "You've got to spend the night at our house I'm afraid to stay alone in the house" "It's impossible!" " You know I can't, when Oshin is there" " What does it matter if she's there?" "If anyone learned that I slept at your house, they'd soon say we killed Gisaburo to get him out of the way" "We've got to wait a bit longer" "I wonder if you..." "If you are tired of me?" "If you're not interested in me, now..." "I wouldn't worry if I weren't in love with you, would I?" "We will go on seeing each other in secret" "For how long?" "When you think that it's been 3 years..." "Why are all these stories going around, and ghosts showing up?" "No look, Seki, it won't last forever" "You must be patient" "I can't go on like this!" "You know, if you don't want to be alone you might ask the Mistress to stay with her" "I'm sure she wouldn't mind" "She complains of loneliness and insomnia." "Her snores keep me awake!" "These should ward off spirits, too!" "It's a wonder she can sleep, with the racket she makes" "I pity any man who sleeps with Seki --- it must take all the joy out of it" "I hope the ghost doesn't come..." "I'm not afraid of ghosts, Gisaburo can hardly reproach me" "Ghosts, indeed..." "You need a sick mind to see such things!" "Good evening, Mistress..." "Do you recognize me?" "You know me, don't you...?" "Gisaburo, the rickshaw driver" "Good Lady, please, I beg you..." "Gisaburo!" " Seki!" "I saw him, I saw the ghost!" " And I was dreaming about father, too!" "It wasn't clear, but it seemed like he was in danger He was trying to get out of a dark hole it looked like the bottom of an old well and he was crying out for help" "Oshin!" "Toyoji!" "Oh, it's you!" "I had come to see you here..." "beacause you wouldn't stay with me" "Denzo's here." "I'm not alone" "I know, but it wasn't to make love I'm afraid the ghost will appear again" "What makes you so sure he won't appear here?" "I don't know;" "I have the feeling he wouldn't dare come here" " What's wrong with him" " Nothing!" "Denzo!" "Good morning!" "I'm Police Inspector Hotta." "I want to talk to you." "You scared me!" "What's wrong with you, are you deaf?" "Excuse me?" "The ears are no good anymore:" "I can't hear a word you say" "Listen, I'd like you to answer a question, if you can about the man who ran the ricksaw" "One thing I know for a fact, whether you like it or not we could use some rain" "What about the rickshaw driver?" "What was that?" "Speak up, son!" "Can't you hear anything?" "Tell me, have you seen a ghost around here lately?" "G-H-O-S-T!" " Good afternoon." "You are little Seki, no?" " Yes" " Have you got an other half?" " Why, yes... yes, of course I have" "What's your husband's name?" "Gisaburo Desa" "Gisaburo Desa" " He wouldn't be here, would he?" " No... he's not here." "He's away, working" " And where is he working?" "In town?" " In Tokyo, I think" " Where in Tokyo?" " I don't really know" "Come on, who would know if not his wife?" "What sort of work does he do?" "He pulls a rickshaw" "How long will he be gone?" " Hear from him, now and then?" " Yes" "Then you know he is well?" "Would you show me one of his letters?" "I do not have one." "You see, he cannot read or write" "Tell me..." "How do you know he is in Tokyo then?" "Someone said they saw him there" "Someone saw him there..." "Just who is this someone?" "Is she your daughter?" "Yes, she is on holiday; and she stayed longer than she should" "She must think of returning to her work soon" " What is her name?" " Oshin" "Oshin!" "Your father has not tried to contact you, has he?" "We are told that his spirit has returned" "And you are not the least bit disturbed?" "I intend to find out what happened to him Understand?" "The last time you heard from your husband was 3 years ago" "Wouldn't you say that is a bit peculiar?" "No, please... don't make me go home I cannot sleep, I am too afraid!" "Listen, you have more to fear from a cop than from a ghost" "Use your head, will you?" "The ghost isn't dangerous, it can't harm you" "But if the cop ever discovers the truth, we're done for, you hear?" "You haven't seen the ghost, you don't know what it's like!" "Every time I see him, it feels like he is sucking my life from me" "I keep wondering why it is, Gisaburo never appears to me?" "It is strange." "All I know is if he tells anyone he is in the well, then were are lost..." "You must be strong, okay?" "If we lose our courage, it is over!" "We will finish up at the end of a rope" "You've got to be strong" "We won't see each other as long as that cop is around." "We don't want him to suspect anything" "It is easy to say that we mustn't do anything to cause suspicion" "But in the beginning, you didn't care!" "When you shaved me, you weren't careful then!" "Now, don't cry!" "Please, don't cry!" "I do not want to go." "I do not want to leave you I want to stay here with you" "Do not worry... do not worry" "Why else would I put you through all this if not so we could be together in the end!" "I just cannot bear to go on any longer!" "I know you can take it, but I can't!" "I can't!" "Denzo!" "Charge!" "Where did you get the trumpet?" "From the Inspector!" "Seki, go home, and stay there!" "We can't be seen together" "And do not be afraid of the ghost If he shows up again, give him some sake" "Seki, do you know..." "Do you know what everyone is saying?" "They say you have someone" "So, you are getting this for him, then?" "The thing I do not like though, is all this talk of a ghost" "You don't think he is jealous, do you?" "Well Seki, if he comes here, don't worry, I will give him good advice" "I will tell him he would do you more good, if he'd rest in peace!" "You don't look well, sorry if I upset you" "Thank you, Seki, and good night" "I do not like hearing about ghosts myself" "Seki, are you going home now?" "Then, get in." "I am going that way, too" "No, I would prefer to walk" "Seki..." "Won't you get in?" "My poor little Seki" "Okay, I will get in, then" "Are we on the right road?" "We are not on the right road!" "Strange, I must have forgotten the way home" "Seki, you will have to guide me" "I will try, but we'll have to turn back" "It's not the road!" "I do not even know where we are!" "Don't go so fast!" "Where are we, anyhow?" "I do not recognize this!" "I do not see anything familiar!" "If only I could tell..." "If only I knew where we are!" "Wait, will you?" "!" "It's useless to keep going, if you don't know the way" "Gisaburo!" "Have you forgotten the way?" "Gisaburo!" "Gisaburo..." "Gisaburo!" "Help me!" "Help me!" "I am afraid, Gisaburo!" "Help me, Gisaburo!" "Are you really Gisaburo?" "Gisaburo, let me see your face" "Mother, what happened to you?" "Oshin!" "Mother!" "Oshin!" "Mother, I am leaving you now" " Do not leave me!" " You said you didn't want me to stay here" "I know, since all you talk of is your father" "If I stay, I will be reminded of him all the time" "Mother..." "Are you sure you do not know where he is?" "Oshin..." "Don't worry, I will never tell anyone of my dream" " And I will never return again" " Why?" "What do you mean?" "Mother, I have to go" "Take care of yourself Don't go out alone at night anymore" "It's not good to leave Ishichi alone" " Good-bye!" " Oshin!" " Little Seki, helping with the harvest?" " Yes" "Toyoji has nothing to do from morning till night" "Couldn't the lazy bones better help you a little?" "Some people have no shame, they cheat on their husband, then kill him when he finds out!" "Some people talk too much!" "It's easy to gossip, when you don't know the truth." "Couldn't you be wrong?" "Don't tell me something here isn't fishy?" "Aren't you jumping to conclusions?" "I know what I am saying, believe me!" "You'd be blind not to see what they're up to and the strange goings-on" "I agree with you!" "Each afternoon, he goes off alone." "He is in the woods, up to no good!" "Listen, do you know what he does there?" "He throws a basket of dead leaves into an old well!" "Can you believe it?" "!" "Strange behaviour, if you ask me" "What do you know!" "?" "Ever see him in the woods yourself?" "Did you ever see him at my house?" "There is nothing going on between us!" "You only gossip!" "You worked hard." "Thank you" "May I come in?" "I was following him, but didn't expect him to come here" "The young Master saw me throwing leaves into the well" "It's trouble if he tells Hotta" "Do you think he will?" "I will listen to them." "Go home and wait, I'll see you there" "If the police arrest us, what do we tell them?" "Hurry up, we don't want to be seen here" "Little Seki!" "Are you in bed already?" "I cooked some sweet potatoes for you" "That was kind of you." "Wait, I will let you in" "Don't bother, I will leave them outside the door..." "I didn't want to disturb you if you were with someone" "Gisaburo!" "Please forgive me, but I have nothing in the house to drink and I am too tired to go out and get something for you" "Would you like one?" "Here!" "Gisaburo!" "I would like to know why you still haven't denounced me yet?" "Tell me... that night before you died, you must have seen who was killing you?" "You knew it was me?" "Why don't you tell someone?" "Gisaburo!" "Gisaburo, where are you going?" "I want to go with you Please take me with you!" "Gisaburo, don't go" "Seki, it is me!" "Seki!" "Toyoji, is that you?" "What is going on?" "Open the door!" " Toyoji, just go away!" " What?" "I do not want to see you again" "I cannot hear you The Inspector is still there." "They may tell him about the well" "I do not care." "They can arrest me now." "I don't care what they do" "Whatever they do to me," "Seki... it couldn't be worse than this poverty, the endless aching, hurting... when all hope is gone" "Always waiting for you, Toyoji, and you never come..." "Open the door!" "Toyoji, I told you to go" "If you do not go, I swear, I will tell the Inspector, that I killed Gisaburo" "Seki, why won't you open the door?" "What is going on in there?" "What is gotten into you?" "Have you gone crazy?" "Go away, leave me alone!" "Let me die!" "I want to die, then everything will be okay!" "If I'm dead, they can't do anything to me, and you can live in peace" "Leave here, make a new life somewhere!" "Travel to Tokyo" "I want you to be happy" "Open the door!" "Open it!" "No." "It won't do any good to die together" "No!" "I want us to live together" " To live together!" "We are going to live together" " It is no longer possible." "So, I want to die!" "Toyoji!" "Go away!" "Go!" "Don't let them see you here, they will arrest you!" "No, I won't go away" "Too late!" "If I mean anything to you, then you'll go!" "No, Seki, I won't go!" "No, Seki, I love you!" "I love you, Seki, don't you understand?" "!" "You don't scare me" "Go away!" "Gisaburo..." "Seki... she cannot die!" "Seki!" "Seki!" "Seki!" "Forgive me" "Forgive me... please forgive me, Seki!" "Three more days..." "Three more days" "I wanted to live with you" "Hurry!" "We must try to save them!" "Are you okay?" "Be careful in there!" " Is everyone okay?" " Yes" "Well, it is the young master!" "What are you doing in this part of the woods?" "I am out for a walk These are our woods" "And you, Toyoji?" "So, was it you who said you saw me throwing leaves into an old well?" "Why, no, I never said a word" "But aren't you the only one who saw me do it?" "These old woods are full of surprises, full of old wells, too" "You may not even recall at which one you saw me" " You did tell the Inspector?" " I think so" "I don't believe you" "You don't even know which well it is If you knew, you wouldn't be out here looking for it" "You will die for what you have done!" "Maybe I will... but first you are going to die!" "Good evening" "Toyoji, hurry!" "Don't keep me waiting for you" "It's been already 5 days, in the cold, being eaten alive by mosquitoes..." " That's very kind of you, Odame, thank you!" " It's nothing, don't mention it" "My dear Lady, good evening!" "Is the little one asleep?" "Do be quiet, he sleeps so lightly" "My dear Lady, would you like a treat?" "You don't call me "Dear Lady" usually, do you, Toyoji?" "Seki, you said all you wanted was to be together for 3 days of happiness?" "I couldn't think of what to do, till I remembered, when I called you "Dear lady"" "when I had come for tea..." "it was then we were happy together" "And we never gave any thought to being seen together" "So, for the next 3 days, why don't we live that way?" "The Inspector has no right to stop us" "Dear Lady, would you care for a treat?" "How kind of you You are spoiling me again..." "Why, no, it's nothing at all..." " Where did you get them?" " I bought them at a store" "They were too tempting to resist, ought to be good, made fresh today" "Oh, yes!" "I will try one, then." "Why do I allow you to spoil me?" "Shall I make us some tea?" "Dear Lady, won't you have one first?" "Go on!" "Toyoji isn't in love with you, is he?" "No, don't cry!" "We will ruin everything if we make a mistake now" "Good, that's what I am waiting for, for you to make a stupid little mistake" "Is anything wrong?" "What are you looking at?" "Why are you laughing?" "I was thinking how we used to share the last one" "Well, Toyoji, this time... the last is for you." "No, you take it, it is for you dear Lady" " No, you take it" " No, I insist" "Toyoji..." "Seki, stop!" "Who's there?" " Who's there!" "?" " What is it?" "I heard a noise out there" "I didn't hear anything What to you think it was?" "It sounded like someone was moving out there" "But no one is there... unless it's the cats They're in heat this time of year" "Cats, my eye!" "You're the one in heat" "Strange, what they say about the young Master" "They say he hung himself to save the family honour because he was the one who killed Gisaburo!" "It's hard to believe that story!" "Gisaburo... no one knows if he is really dead" "How can we know?" "Kurazo dreamt he fell into a well." "How could he survive?" "I heard he had been daydreaming" "I don't believe that story This story is far from clear" "I hope to know if he is dead or alive" "Why are they so sure the young Master committed suicide?" "Inspector Hotta!" "Why haven't you arrested Gisaburo's murderer yet?" "You must end this talk, that my son was the killer and that's why he took his own life" "Madam, I can't make an arrest without proof" "But the whole house talks of an old well and someone throwing leaves into it" "No one knows which well it is" "You should arrest him first, then force him to confess!" "Madam... you have my sympathy" "My dear lady, according to the present laws in Japan... if I arrest an innocent man, then I am the guilty one" " What are you saying?" " I'm stating the law!" "Inspector, you've got some nasty mosquito bites there" "Been chasing girls in the woods again?" "Toyoji, I thought you'd like some cakes" "They are funeral cakes" "Think the Inspector will come tonight?" "Seki, you know, it really does not matter, I have decided to confess to killing Gisaburo alone" "You had no part in it, you knew nothing about it." "As soon as Hotta arrests me," "I will say Seki is innocent" "No, do not talk like that!" "Funny, I am no longer afraid of them" "Toyoji, tell me something" "I shouldn't be asking, but was it you who killed the young Master?" "Toyoji..." "I knew it." "I don't understand..." "if you killed him, so he wouldn't give us away, so we'd be safe, then, now that he's dead, why must you confess?" "True, I killed him so we'd be safe" "Only, it doesn't matter whether I go on living or not" "I couldn't live without you!" "Look, Seki, I want you to go on living" "What if they arrest us?" "They won't hurt us, will they?" "100 strokes with the cane" "When young, I saw a man caned..." "You're stripped and bound hand and foot, and beaten with a cane till given 100 strokes" "Completely naked?" "It's horrible torture to have your back laid raw and your flesh torn open" "No one can take the pain, the unbearable agony" "Forget it." "Don't think about it" "Just remember: you didn't kill Gisaburo It's as if nothing happened" "You had nothing to do with it You know nothing about it" "But, how can I forget he is in the well?" "There still the Gisaburo's body" "Gisaburo doesn't exist" "There is no body anymore There is nothing left of him by now" "Yes there is!" "It is still there in the well" "The body's there, slowly rotting..." "What must it look like now?" "You know, we must get it out of there" "We will get the body out of there, and bury it" "We can't do that" "Yes, we can" "I don't see how, Gisaburo's ghost still loves you I'm sure he wouldn't want to hurt you" "He wouldn't let them arrest you, if he could help it" "I can't see!" "Oh, my eyes!" "My eyes..." "I can't see!" "I can't see!" "I can't see!" "What's wrong with you?" "Toyoji..." "I am blind!" " Can you see this?" " No, I can't" " Look at me!" "Look at my face!" " But, I can't see!" "Hold me, Toyoji!" "Toyoji..." "Seki..." "Toyoji..." "Seki, is it true, you really can't see?" "You know..." "I'm not young any longer" "I thought we said once that age didn't matter?" "!" "You must try to get away, while there's still time" "Didn't I told you?" "I've nothing to be afraid of" "I am no longer afraid, either." "I killed Gisaburo all alone!" "You had nothing to do with it" "You must escape while you can Don't stay here any longer" "Then we'll both go away together As far as we can" " No, I can't go, now!" " Why not?" "I can guide you" "I would only be a burden to you" "That's what I've been all along, a burden to drag you down" "Seki, wouldn't you be sad if we left each other?" "I'd rather die." "Life would have no meaning without you" "As long as we live, we'll always be together" "Nothing but death is going to separate us now" "You don't have to die with me" "You must go on, Toyoji..." "go on to live" "Not alone!" "Then..." "Kill me!" "Then take your own life" "No!" "You said you were no longer afraid of anything" "Toyoji...you know..." "later on, while I'm asleep..." "you could do it, then" "Toyoji, look at me, now!" "I know I'm..." "I'm not beautiful anymore" "But look at me, so you'll always remember me" "Seki..." "Toyoji, can you still love me, now?" "Seki, even if you can't see, open your eyes, as if you're looking at me!" "You are very beautiful!" "Toyoji..." "Toyoji..." "let me touch you" " Toyoji!" " Seki!" "Kill me, please!" "I beg you to kill me!" "Promise me you'll kill me while I'm asleep!" "Do you still say you didn't kill him?" "No, I didn't kill him!" "I did not kill him!" "Mount Shibano was the place of torture" "The two were arrested and taken there" "On Mount Shibano they were hung from the great oak tree" "And then, the excruciating torment began..." "Inspector Hotta was determined to extract their admission of guilt" "Without it, he himself would be ruined" "Time and again, the bamboo rods whistled through the air landing their cruel blows on the helpless, swinging bodies" "Time and again, Seki lost consciousness and each time, she was revived with a bucket of cold water" "Her face was soon hidden by her long hair matted with blood and water" "Not a trace of her former beauty remained" "At last, crazed with pain they admitted their crime" "I did it!" "I murdered him!" "I did it alone!" "I killed him all alone!" "There was a hint of autumn in the air on Mt." "Hacho" "A chill breeze rustled through the forest touching the first leaves with colour" "before they swirled to the ground" "Slowly, very slowly, as villagers gathered by the well the unrecognizable remains of Gisaburo's body were pulled from the well" "For 3 years, Gisaburo had lain in the well" "Now, as he appeared, they were stunned into silence" "Although his features were decayed beyond recognition a length of rope was still seen around his neck" "At this moment Toyoji lowered his gaze" "But Seki, suddenly uttered a heart-rendering shriek" "Had her sightless eyes somehow seen Gisaburo?" "The autumn leaves had fallen and several years went by  the woods of Mount Hacho were green, then gold then white with snow again as winter returned to the countryside" "On day, gossip reached town of the two lovers who'dbeentakenawayand were all but forgotten" "According to the idle tongues" "Seki and Toyoji were condemned to death, and executed"