Dazai Osamu -Oblique Sun 6-2

　I quickly found an oden shop called Shiraishi in front of the station. But that person was not there.
He must be in Asagaya. If you go straight to the north exit of Asagaya Station, you will see a hardware store.　There's a hardware store, and then turn right.　There's a small restaurant called Yanagiya, you know, Sensei, these days I'm having a lot of trouble with the hostess at Yanagiya.
　I went to the station, bought a ticket, got on the Tokyo-bound train, got off at Asagaya, went to the north exit, about a block and a half, turned right at the hardware store, and a block and a half, Yanagiya was quiet.
He just left, but there were a lot of people there, and they were saying they were going to Nishiogi to drink the night away with their plover aunt.
　He was younger than me, calm, elegant, and kind. I wondered if this was the same person as Oste.
"Chidori?　Which part of Nishiogi?
　I was so nervous that I almost cried. I wondered if I was losing my mind now.
I don't know much about it, but if you get off at Nishiogi station, go to the south exit, turn left, or whatever, and ask at the police box, I think you'll find out. After all, he's a man who can't be contained in just one place, and he might be stuck somewhere else before he gets to the plover.
I'll go to the plover. Goodbye.
　I went back again. From Asagaya, I took the Ministry line to Tachikawa, got off at Ogikubo, Nishi Ogikubo, or the south exit of the station, wandered around in the mist, found a police box, asked for the direction to the plover, then ran along the street at night as I had been told, found the plover's blue lantern, and opened the lattice door without hesitation.
　There was an earthen floor and then a room of about six tatami mats, thick with cigarette smoke, where about ten people were sitting around a large table, drinking noisily. There were also three young ladies, younger than me, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.
　I stood on the dirt floor, looked around, and found them. Then I felt like I was dreaming. It was different. Six years. I'm a completely different person now.
　Could this be my rainbow, my M.C., my reason for living, that person? Six years. Her hair was still the same, but it had turned a pitiful shade of reddish brown, her face was yellow and puffy, the edges of her eyes were red and sore, her front teeth were falling out, and her mouth was constantly chomping.
　One of the girls looked at me and informed Mr. Uehara with her eyes that I was coming. She sat down and stretched out her long, slender neck to look at me, and without any expression on her face, she signaled with her chin to go away. The troupe, seemingly unconcerned about me, continued to make a lot of noise, and then, little by little, they filled the seats and made a seat for me right next to Mr. Uehara.
　I sat down in silence. Mr. Uehara poured a generous amount of sake into my cup, and then poured some more into his own cup.
"Cheers!
　He then poured some more sake into his own cup and said in a low, hushed voice, "Cheers.
　The two cups made a sad clinking sound as they weakly touched each other.
　Someone said, "Guillotine, guillotine, sur sur sur," and in response, another person said, "Guillotine, guillotine, sur sur sur," and the cups clinked together and drank. Guillotine, guillotine, sur sur sur sur sur, guillotine, guillotine, guillotine, sur sur sur sur sur," came from all over the place, and the cups were clinking together in a lively toast. They seemed to be forcing the alcohol down their throats with such a joking rhythm.
"Well, excuse me.
　Then, just as I thought someone would stagger off, a new customer would sneak in, make a little bow to Mr. Uehara, and join the group.
He said, "Mr. Uehara, over there, Mr. Uehara, over there, the part called 'ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.　Ah, ah, ah?　Ah, ah, ah?
　The person who leaned forward to ask this was Fujita, a shingeki actor whose face I also recognized from the stage.
"Ah, ah. Ah, ah, plover's sake is not cheap," said Mr. Uehara.
　Mr. Uehara said.
He's always talking about money.
　The young lady said.
Two sparrows for a penny, is that expensive or cheap?　Are they cheap?
　The young gentleman asked.
There is a saying that not a penny is left over, and there is a very complicated parable about five talents for some, two talents for others, and one talent for others.
　Another gentleman said.
And he was a drinker. I was wondering why there were so many parables about drinking in the bible, but the bible says that he was accused of being a drinker. The bible says that he was accused of being a drinker, not a drinker, so he must have been quite a drinker. He must have been quite a drinker.
　said the other gentleman.
No, no, no. No, no, no. You're so scared of morality that you're using Jesus as an excuse. Chie, let's drink. Guillotine, guillotine, sur sur sur sur sur sur.
　The alcohol dripped from the corner of his mouth, wetting his chin, and he wiped it off with his palm roughly as if in desperation, then sneezed five or six times in succession.
　I quietly stood up and went to the next room to ask the sickly, pale and skinny lady to use the restroom, and on my way back, I saw the youngest and most beautiful lady, Chie, standing there, looking as if she had been waiting for me.
"Aren't you hungry?
　I asked her with a friendly smile.
Yes, but I've brought bread.
I have nothing.
　We have nothing," said the sickly lady, sitting sluggishly on her side, leaning against a long brazier.
You can eat in this room. You will not be able to eat all night if you have to deal with those drunkards. Sit down here, please. Chieko, come with me.
"Hey, Kinu-chan, we're out of alcohol.
　A gentleman next to me shouted.
"Yes, yes.
　The maidservant, who was about thirty years old and wore a stylish striped kimono, came out of the kitchen with about ten choshos on a tray.
"Hey!
　The lady stopped her and said
"Here are two more.
　She laughed and said
And, Kinu-chan, I'm sorry, but you must go to Suzuya's in the back and hurry up to get two udon noodles.
　Chie and I sat beside the brazier and fanned our hands.
It's getting cold, isn't it? It's getting cold, isn't it? Would you like to have a drink?
　The lady poured sake from her choshi (sake bottle) into her own tea bowl, and then poured sake into two other bowls.
　Then the three of us drank in silence.
You're all very strong," the lady said.
　I don't know why," said the lady in a somber tone.