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 250
ESSENTIAL
JAPANESE
KANJI
CHARACTERS
Volume 2
REVISED EDITION
KANJI TEXT RESEARCH GROUP
UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO

TUTTLE PUBLISHING
Tokyo • Rutland,Vermont • Singapore
p2©pg_250KanjiV2 6/12/08 10:00 AM Page 2

Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offices at 364 Innovation Drive,
North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 U.S.A. and 61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12, Singapore 534167.

Copyright © 2008 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written
permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

250 essential Japanese kanji characters / Kanji Text Research Group, The University of Tokyo.—Re., expanded 2nd ed.
p. cm.
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0994-0 (ebook)
1. Japanese language—Writing. 2. Chinese characters—Japan. 3. Japanese language—Textbooks for foreign speakers—
English. I. Tokyo Daigaku. Kanji Kyozai Kenkyu Gurupu. II. Title: Two hundred fifty essential Japanese kanji characters.
PL528.A16 2008
495.6’82421—dc22
2007038896

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 TO THE LEARNER
Do you like learning kanji? Or do you wish that kanji would disappear from the face of the earth—or at
least from the Japanese language? Well, learning kanji can be fun, if you are motivated. And this kanji
book was created to motivate you, with practical learning methods that really work, and which will enable
you to enjoy studying kanji.
The first edition of 250 Essential Japanese Kanji Characters Volume 1 was published in 1993, and
Volume 2 was published in 1997. Since then, they’ve been used by countless learners to master kanji. In
these new second editions, we have revised the books to include all the 410 kanji required for the College
Board Advanced Placement Japanese Language and Culture Course Exam.

Taking an Active Approach

An important feature of this book is the active approach it takes to introducing kanji. By using authentic
materials, periodic quizzes, and memorization aids, it gradually helps learners acquire the ability to
understand and use kanji in natural contexts—that is, in everyday life.
Another key aspect of 250 Essential Japanese Kanji Characters is the presentation of authentic
materials, for instance the name cards you might receive from people you meet in Japan. We also use
photographs, many of which were taken by our foreign students during their adventures in Japan. The
kanji taught here are, clearly, based on everyday use.
Also, for each kanji we include either etymologies or memory aids, which will help students to
understand and memorize the kanji systematically. The list of kanji compounds will also help learners
understand how new words are created by combining the familiar kanji, and to realize the power that
mastering kanji offers them.

Each lesson helps you master a new group of kanji, and consists of several sections.

• Introductory Quiz introduces some familiar, everyday situations where the kanji is likely to be used.
• Vocabulary contains the readings and meanings of the kanji that you’ve encountered in the Quiz.
• New Character Grids teach you the kanji systematically, by introducing the meaning, the basic on-
kun readings, the etymologies or memory aids, and words, i.e. mostly the compound words consisting
of the kanji which you’ve already studied.
• Practice will help you improve your kanji reading and writing skills.
• Advanced Placement Exam Practice Question will test your competence in reading and writing
semi-authentic natural Japanese. These questions reflect the format of the College Board’s Japanese
Language and Culture examination.

We wish to express our gratitude to Koichi Maekawa, Michael Handford, Su Di and Sandra Korinchak.
The following books were useful in compiling some of the kanji grids: Reikai Gakushū Kanji Jiten
published by Shoggakkan, and Kanjigen published by Gakushū Kenkyūsha.
We sincerely hope that this book will help all learners—yes, even you who have been stymied by kanji
before!—begin to enjoy learning kanji.

Authors: 著者:
Kanji Text Research Group 漢字教材研究グループ Junko Ishida 石田 順子
Japanese Language Class 日本語教室 Kazuko Karasawa 唐澤 和子
Department of Civil Engineering 社会基盤学専攻 Tomoko Kigami 木上 伴子
The University of Tokyo 東京大学大学院工学系研究科 Akiyo Nishino 西野 章代
Illustrator: イラストレーター:
Hitomi Suzuki 鈴木 ひとみ
3

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 3 6/24/08 3:38:52 PM

 CONTENTS
To the Learner ........................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 6
Understanding Kanji ............................................................................................................. 7
Understanding Kana ............................................................................................................. 9
A Sample Kanji Grid ............................................................................................................ 12

1: Living in Japan 日本に住みます ...........................................................................................13

Finding an Apartment
Kanji: 広 交 活 利 家 賃 理 礼 身 向 好 私

2: Homestay ホームステイ ......................................................................................................21

Living with a Japanese Family
Kanji: 遠 父 母 働 親 相 太 登 録 犬 近 集 短 皆

3: Host Family ホストファミリー .............................................................................................31

Getting to Know a Family
Kanji: 族 持 姉 主 婦 経 兄 去 同 仕 弟 今 州 妹 校 数

4: Airport Procedures and Facilities 国際空港 .........................................................................42

Navigating the Airport Successfully
Kanji: 港 第 旅 客 免 税 両 続 待 合 帰 荷 関 飛 機

5: Convenience Store コンビニへ行きます ..............................................................................53

Taking Advantage of the Kombini
Kanji: 台 調 味 野 氷 枚 組 白 冷 送

6: Strolling along a Shopping Street 近くの商店街で買います .................................................60

Finding Shops and Services
Kanji: 商 写 真 酒 米 花 横 美 容 古 落

7: Recycle リサイクル .............................................................................................................68

Handling Garbage and Recycling
Kanji: 考 別 指 以 遅 聞 紙 類 制 個 願

8: Visiting Friends 友だちの家へ行きます .................................................................................76

Signs and Getting Around
Kanji: 友 現 橋 川 池 町 転 置 公 園 駐 育

9: Library 図書館へ行きましょう ..............................................................................................85

Reading Materials
Kanji: 辞 雑 漢 英 初 心 必 要 選 単 力 字 思 困

10: Learning Japanese 日本語を勉強しています .....................................................................95

Language Studies
Kanji: 課 試 点 問 題 反 対 難 読 勉 強 忘 練 習 答

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 4 6/24/08 3:38:58 PM

 CONTENTS

11: Seasons in Japan 日本の季節 .........................................................................................105

Four Seasons
Kanji: 節 風 運 春 夏 秋 冬 暖 暑 寒 温 度

12: Akihabara 秋葉原へ行きます ............................................................................................ 113

Visiting Akihabara; Digital Camera Functions
Kanji: 説 次 画 音 声 再 多 量 額 重

13: Events and Fairs in Japan 日本の年中行事と祭り ............................................................122

Celebrating Holidays, Events and Festivals
Kanji: 昨 神 若 赤 昔 伝 的 少 化 打 言

14: Visiting Kyoto 京都に行きます .........................................................................................132

Kyoto’s Sites
Kanji: 幹 乗 宿 泊 得 夕 寺 由 石 庭 朝 昼 海

15: Onsen 温泉に行きます .....................................................................................................142

Tourist Attractions
Kanji: 早 起 島 静 然 村 飯 晩 夜 寝

16: What’s Wrong? どこが痛いですか ...................................................................................150

Body and Illness
Kanji: 悪 治 頭 痛 顔 鼻 足 背 熱 元 笑 泣 弱

17: Weather 天気はどうですか ..............................................................................................159

Weather Reports
Kanji: 天 側 晴 雨 雪 最 低 降 接

18: New Year’s Card 年賀状を書きましょう ..........................................................................167

New Year’s Greetings
Kanji: 失 結 婚 卒 賀 状 配 達 返 信

19: Shopping at a Department Store デパートで買い物します ............................................176

Department Stores
Kanji: 絵 形 色 服 世 界 贈 決 黒 忙

20: Meeting People いろいろな人に会います .........................................................................185

Japanese Name Cards, Names, and Job Titles
Kanji: 社 係 長 青 作 林 進 員 森 授 夫

21: What Are Your Weekend Plans? 週末は何をしますか .....................................................194

Amusements and Recreation
Kanji: 末 泳 体 歌 遊 術 変 楽 映 未 走

Appendix A: Main Radicals .............................................................................................. 205

Appendix B: Kanji Compounds ........................................................................................ 206
Answers to the Introductory Quizzes and
Advanced Placement Exam Practice Questions .......................................................... 208
On-Kun Index ..................................................................................................................... 210
Vocabulary Index ............................................................................................................... 213

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 5 6/24/08 3:38:59 PM

 INTRODUCTION
This book contains 21 lessons introducing 250 kanji. Each lesson focuses on an everyday situation in
Japan.
There is a short explanation of kanji and kana before the lessons begin. You will also find the
Appendices, the On-Kun Index and the Vocabulary Index useful to refer to as you learn.
A modified Hepburn system of romanization has been used.

Each lesson is composed of the following sections.

1. Introductory Quiz — This section describes situations that you may encounter in daily life, and
is followed by a quiz. By referring first to the words in Vocabulary, you’ll learn the readings and the
meanings of the words that are introduced in the lesson. And by solving the quiz, you will understand
the situation that’s presented. Try the quiz again after the lesson, and you’ll find out how much you
have learned.

2. Vocabulary — This section contains the readings and meanings of the words used in the Introduc-
tory Quiz. Refer to it when studying the illustrations or taking the quiz. The numeral above each kanji
indicates the lesson where the kanji is introduced.

3. New Character Grids — This section introduces the kanji of the lesson using Kanji Charts
with their meanings, basic on-kun readings, stroke orders, etymologies or memory-aid hints, and
compounds with their English translations.
The compounds essentially consist of newly or previously introduced kanji. (Kanji that are not
included in the 500 taught in the two volumes of this series are marked with ×.) More important
compounds are shown in the upper part of the list. However, you are encouraged to study those in the
lower part of the list as well. When kana is optionally added to kanji (okurigana), the most common
usage is adopted and formal usages are shown in parentheses.

4. Practice — This section provides practice for reading and writing the kanji in the upper part of the
kanji charts. You should use the practice as a final check for the kanji learned in each lesson. Answers
to the practice problems are not provided in this book.

5. Advanced Placement Exam Practice Question — This section provides an exercise simi-
lar in format to the College Board’s Advanced Placement examination for Japanese Language and
Culture. You can try the exercise after each lesson, or after completing all the lessons.

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 6 6/24/08 3:39:00 PM

 UNDERSTANDING KANJI
The oldest Chinese characters, the precursors of kanji, originated more than 3,000 years ago. Originally
they were simple illustrations of objects and phenomena in everyday life, and developed as a writing tool
mainly characterized by pictography and ideography. Thus each of the Chinese characters carries its own
meaning within itself.
Chinese characters, or kanji, can be classified according to origin and structure into four categories:

1. Pictographic characters are derived from the shapes of concrete objects.

→ → 木 ＝ tree

→ → 日 ＝ sun

2. Sign characters are composed of points and lines that express abstract ideas.
→ → 上 ＝ above, on, up

→ → 下 ＝ below, down, under

3. Ideographic characters are composed of combinations of other characters.

木 (tree) ＋ 木 (tree) → 林 ＝ forest
日 (sun) ＋月 (moon) → 明 ＝ bright

4. Phonetic-ideographic characters are composed of combinations of ideographic and phonetic elements.

Upper parts or righthand parts often indicate the reading of the kanji. About 90% of all kanji fall into
this category.
先 (セン previous) → 洗 (セン wash)
安 (アン peaceful) → 案 (アン proposal)

The Japanese had no writing symbols until kanji were introduced from China in the fifth century. Soon
after this, kanji were simplified into phonetic symbols known as hiragana and katakana. Thus the
Japanese language came to be written in combinations of kanji and kana (see page 9).
This kanji-kana writing system is more effective than writing with kana only. As the written Japanese
language doesn’t leave spaces between words, kanji among kana make it easier for readers to distinguish
units of meaning and to understand the context. Readers can easily grasp the rough meaning of written
text by following kanji only.
Kanji can usually be read two ways. These readings are referred to as on-yomi and kun-yomi. On-yomi
is the Japanese reading taken from the original Chinese pronunciation. Kun-yomi is the pronunciation of
an original Japanese word applied to a kanji according to its meaning. Hiragana added after kun-yomi
readings are called okurigana. Okurigana primarily indicates the inflectional ending of a kanji, though
the last part of the stem is occasionally included in the okurigana.
Most kanji are composed of two or more elements, and parts of one kanji are often found in different
compounds in other kanji. Certain commonly shared parts are called radicals, or bushu in Japanese.
Radicals are used to classify kanji in dictionaries; thus each kanji is allocated only one radical. Each
radical also carries a core meaning. For example, the radical 言 means “word” or “speak.” Therefore the

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 7 6/24/08 3:39:01 PM

 250 ESSENTIAL JAPANESE KANJI CHARACTERS

kanji 語 (language), 話 (speak, story), 読 (read), 記 (note down), and 論 (discuss) all have something to
do with the meaning of 言. There are 214 radicals altogether. Some frequently seen radicals are listed
below.
1. 冫 ice 3. 女 woman 5. 广 slanting roof 7. 禾 grain 9. 門 gate
2. 彳 step 4. knife 6. 尸 corpse 8. 糸 thread 10. fire

Kanji strokes are written in a fixed direction and order. There are several fundamental rules for writing
the strokes.

1. Horizontal strokes: from left to right

三 (three) 土 (soil) 工 (engineering)

2. Vertical or slanting strokes: from top to bottom

十 (ten) 木 (tree) 人 (man) 八 (eight)

3. Hook strokes: from top left to right or left bottom

日 (day) 手 (hand) 分 (minute) 氏 (surname)

4. The center stroke first, followed by the left and right strokes
1 1

小 山
2 3 2 3
(small) (mountain)

5. The outside strokes first, followed by the middle strokes

2
2

月 中
1 3 4
4 1
(moon) 3 (inside)

6. The horizontal stroke first, followed by the vertical stroke (usually followed by another horizontal
stroke)

土
2 1 2

十
1
(ten) 3 (soil)

7. The left-hand slanting stroke first, followed by the right-hand side

八 六
2 2 1
1
3 4
(eight) (six)

As your knowledge of kanji increases, kanji dictionaries become more helpful. There are three ways
to refer to a kanji.

1. Look for the kanji by radical in the bushu (radical) index.

2. Look for the kanji by stroke number in the kakusū (stroke number) index.
3. Look for the kanji by pronunciation in the on-kun reading index.

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 8 6/24/08 3:39:01 PM

 UNDERSTANDING KANA
Japanese Writing Systems
There are four different kinds of characters used for writing Japanese: kanji, hiragana, katakana, and
romaji (Roman alphabet). Kanji incorporates meanings as well as sounds. Hiragana, katakana, and romaji
are phonetic characters that express only sounds. However, unlike English, one kana character can be
pronounced only one way: 「あ」 or 「ア」 is only pronounced [a].
Japanese sentences are usually written with a combination of kanji, hiragana, and katakana. Katakana
is mainly used for foreign words that are adapted to fit Japanese pronunciation. Kanji appears in nouns,
verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Hiragana is primarily used to show the inflectional endings of kanji
(okurigana). Particles, conjunctions, and interjections are mostly written in hiragana. Although hiragana
can substitute for kanji, a combination of kanji and hiragana is much faster to read. For example, compare
these four ways of writing the same information:

Kanji and hiragana: 私は毎朝早く起きます。 出かける前にテレビを見ます。

Hiragana only: わたしはまいあさはやくおきます。 でかけるまえにテレビをみます。
Romaji: Watashi-wa maiasa hayaku okimasu. Dekakeru mae-ni terebi-o mimasu.
English: I get up early every morning. I watch TV before I leave home.

Japanese Syllabary Chart hiragana

Each square in the chart below represents one pronounced syllable. あ a
romaji
a i u e o katakana ア
あa い i うu えe おo
ア イ ウ エ オ ya yu yo
k か ka き ki く ku け ke こ ko きゃ kya きゅ kyu きょ kyo
カ キ ク ケ コ キャ キュ キョ
s さ sa し shi す su せ se そ so しゃ sha しゅ shu しょ sho
サ シ ス セ ソ シャ シュ ショ
t た ta ち chi つ tsu て te と to ちゃ cha ちゅ chu ちょ cho
タ チ ツ テ ト チャ チュ チョ
n な na に ni ぬ nu ね ne の no にゃ nya にゅ nyu にょ nyo
ナ ニ ヌ ネ ノ ニャ ニュ ニョ
h は ha ひ hi ふ fu へ he ほ ho ひゃ hya ひゅ hyu ひょ hyo
ハ ヒ フ ヘ ホ ヒャ ヒュ ヒョ
m ま ma み mi む mu め me も mo みゃ mya みゅ myu みょ myo
マ ミ ム メ モ ミャ ミュ ミョ
y や ya ゆ yu よ yo
ヤ ユ ヨ
r ら ra り ri る ru れ re ろ ro りゃ rya りゅ ryu りょ ryo
ラ リ ル レ ロ リャ リュ リョ
w わ wa をo
ワ ヲ
んn
ン

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 9 6/24/08 3:39:03 PM

 250 ESSENTIAL JAPANESE KANJI CHARACTERS

g が ga ぎ gi ぐ gu げ ge ご go ぎゃ gya ぎゅ gyu ぎょ gyo

ガ ギ グ ゲ ゴ ギャ ギュ ギョ
z ざ za じ ji ず zu ぜ ze ぞ zo じゃ ja じゅ ju じょ jo
ザ ジ ズ ゼ ゾ ジャ ジュ ジョ
d だ da ぢ ji づ zu で de ど do
ダ ヂ ヅ デ ド
b ば ba び bi ぶ bu べ be ぼ bo びゃ bya びゅ byu びょ byo
バ ビ ブ ベ ボ ビャ ビュ ビョ
p ぱ pa ぴ pi ぷ pu ぺ pe ぽ po ぴゃ pya ぴゅ pyu ぴょ pyo
パ ピ プ ペ ポ ピャ ピュ ピョ

Additional Katakana
Created with small ァ ィ ゥ ェ ォ ュ

a i u e o yu
y イェ ye
w ウィ wi ウェ we ウォ wo
kw クァ kwa クィ kwi クェ kwe クォ kwo
gw グァ gwa グィ gwi グェ gwe グォ gwo
sh シェ she
j ジェ je
t ティ ti トゥ tu テュ tyu
d ディ di ドゥ du デュ dyu
ts ツァ tsa ツィ tsi ツェ tse ツォ tso
f ファ fa フィ fi フェ fe フォ fo フュ fyu

v ヴァ va ヴィ vi ヴ vu ヴェ ve ヴォ vo ヴュ vyu

10

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 10 6/24/08 3:39:05 PM

 UNDERSTANDING KANA

Derivation of Kana
Hiragana and katakana are Japanese phonetic syllabaries developed from kanji in the eighth century.
Hiragana, which are cursive letters, derive from the shapes of entire kanji characters. Katakana, which are
combinations of straight lines, derive from various parts of kanji characters. In some cases both hiragana
and katakana are derived from the same kanji, such as ka, mo, te, yu, ra, and ri, shown below. Kana
derived from some of the kanji introduced in this textbook are also shown.

i 以 い mi 美 み

ka 加 か yu 由 ゆ
ka 加 カ yu 由 ユ

mo 毛 も ra 良 ら
mo 毛 モ ra 良 ラ

ta 多 タ ri 利 り
ri 利 リ
te 天 て
te 天 テ ru 流 ル

11

p3-12Intro250KanjiV2.indd 11 6/24/08 3:39:06 PM

 A SAMPLE KANJI GRID
A sample from the kanji charts is explained below.

j m
163
i-u, koto, (goto), gen

言 い・う、こと、(ごと）、ゲン
speak, word k
l
言 combines something that comes 言う いう iu to say
out from the mouth and the mouth 一言 ひとこと hitokoto a word o
口. Thus 言 means to speak.
小言 こごと kogoto scolding
言い分 いいぶん iibun one’s say
発言 はつげん hatsugen remark p
方言 ほうげん hōgen dialect
予言 よげん yogen prediction

n
j The kanji and its serial number in this textbook.
k Meanings.
l Readings: kun-readings in hiragana, and on-readings in katakana.
Hiragana following a dot [・う in the sample above] are okurigana.
Readings in parentheses ( ) express euphonic change, i.e., modified readings. [For example, こと、
（ごと）]
m Stroke order.
n Etymology or memory-aid. (The authors have created new derivations for some kanji when the
etymology is unclear or confusing.)
o Important compound words, and their readings and meanings.
p Additional compound words, and their readings and meanings.

Note that:
• Kanji marked × are not included in the 500 kanji taught in Essential Japanese Kanji Characters.
• Kana in parentheses ( ) in kanji compounds is optional when writing. [For example, 終 (わ) る can be
written 終わる or 終る]. Two sets of ( ) appear for most nouns derived from compound verbs. The
kana in both ( ) or in the former ( ) only may be omitted, but the kana in the latter ( ) alone cannot
be omitted. [For example, 取 (り) 消 (し) can be written 取り消し、取消し、or 取消、but not 取
り消.]
＊ indicates exceptional readings.
• Small numbers placed above certain kanji in the Vocabulary sections refer to Lesson numbers in this
book.
• “々” is a kanji repetition mark, used like “少々”, shō shō.

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 LESSON 1
Living in Japan
日本に住みます

L ooking for a place to live is one of the most important matters for newcomers to Japan. Three ways
are available to search for apartments or houses: using the Internet, looking over a real estate lease
information magazine, and visiting a real estate agent. The listings show various kinds of floor plans;
among these, the studio and the 1K (one room, plus kitchen) apartment are the most common. In this
lesson, you will learn some technical terms commonly used when searching for housing.

13

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 LESSON 1

1 Introductory Quiz
Look at the illustrations below and refer to the words in Vocabulary. Then try the following quiz.

Which apartment will Ichiro and Kaori choose? Write the appropriate letters (A, B) in the parentheses.

1. さくらマンション ( ) 2. ふじアパート ( )

8 5 6
5
2 2
2 1

A B

Ichiro Kaori

14

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 LIVING IN JAPAN

2 Vocabulary
Study the readings and meanings of these words to help you understand the Introductory Quiz.

1. 広い ひろ い hiroi spacious
2. 交通 こう つう kōtsū transportation
3. 生活 せい かつ seikatsu living
4. 便利な べん り な benri na convenient
5. 〜帖／畳 〜 じょう ~jō counter for tatami mats
6. 家賃 や ちん yachin rent (house)
7. 管理費 かん り ひ kanrihi maintenance fee
8. 敷金 しき きん shikikin deposit
9. 礼金 れい きん reikin key money
9
10. 必ず かなら ず kanarazu surely
11. 身分証明書 み ぶん しょう めい しょ mibunshōmeisho identification card
12. 南向き みなみ む き minamimuki facing south
13. 日当たり ひ あ たり hiatari sunshine
14. 良好 りょう こう ryōkō good
8 8
15. 公園 こう えん kōen park
16. 私 わたくし／わたし watakushi/watashi I
15
17. 夜 よる yoru night

3 New Characters
Twelve characters are introduced in this lesson. Use the explanations to help you understand and remember
the characters. Study the compound words to increase your vocabulary.

広 交 活 利 家 賃 理 礼 身 向 好 私
1
hiro-i, (biro-i), kō

広 ひろ・い、(びろ・い）、コウ
broad, wide, spread

Roof 广 and 厶 arm combined, 広 広い ひろい hiroi spacious

means the space in the house where
one can stretch arms widely. Thus 広
広場 ひろば hiroba plaza
means wide.
広大な こうだいな kōdai na vast
広間 ひろま hiroma hall, spacious room
広義 こうぎ kōgi broad sense
手広い てびろい tebiroi extensive
広々 ひろびろ hirobiro extensive

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 LESSON 1

2
maji-waru, kō

交 まじ・わる、コウ
intersection, exchange

Six 六 people are at work and 交わる まじわる majiwaru to intersect

interacting 乂. Thus 交 means to 交通 こうつう kōtsū transportation
cross or exchange.
交番 こうばん kōban koban, police box

外交 がいこう gaikō diplomacy

国交 こっこう kokkō diplomatic relations
社交的 しゃこうてき shakōteki sociable
交代する こうたいする kōtai suru to take turns
交付 こうふ kōfu deliver

3
katsu, (ka’)

活 カツ、(カッ）
life, activity

舌 is a pictograph of a tongue. 生活 せいかつ seikatsu living

Tongue 舌 and water combined, 活 生活費 せいかつひ seikatsuhi living expense
suggests wet tongue. Thus 活 means
活動 かつどう katsudō activity
life and by extension activity.

活発な かっぱつな kappatsu na lively

活用 かつよう katsuyō practical use
自活する じかつする jikatsu suru to support oneself

4
ri

利 リ
advantage, interest

Grain 禾 and a plow combined, 利 便利な べんりな benri na convenient

means profitable, because if you plow 利用する りようする riyō suru to use
the earth, you will reap more grain,
利用者 りようしゃ riyōsha user
which is a benefit to you.

有利な ゆうりな yūri na advantageous

不利な ふりな furi na disadvantageous
利子 りし rishi interest (on a loan)

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 LIVING IN JAPAN

5
ie, ka, ya

家 いえ、カ、ヤ
house, family, person

Pigs 豕 were important animals in 家 いえ ie house

ancient China, and they were kept in 家内 かない kanai wife
the house 宀 where people lived. The
大家 おおや ōya landlord / landlady
original meaning is to roof animals
like pigs, but it has changed to mean
a building with a roof. 家計 かけい kakei house economy
家事 かじ kaji house work
家出 いえで iede run away from home

6
chin

賃 チン
fare, wages

任 is a combination of a person イ and 家賃 やちん yachin rent

the load the person is carrying, thus 電車賃 でんしゃちん denshachin train fare
meaning responsibility. 任 combined
賃料 ちんりょう chinryō rent
with money 貝, 賃 means the amount
of money one is responsible to pay.
賃金 ちんぎん chingin wages
賃貸 ちんたい chintai leasing
工賃 こうちん kōchin wages
手間賃 てまちん temachin wages

7
ri

理 リ
reason, logic, principle

The king, or ruler, 王 of the village 里 管理費 かんりひ kanrihi administrative fee
is reasonable. 管理 かんり kanri management
管理人 かんりにん kanrinin supervisor, superintendent

無理な むりな muri na impossible

理学部 りがくぶ rigakubu faculty of science
料理 りょうり ryōri cooking
修理 しゅうり shūri repair
理事 りじ riji director

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 LESSON 1

8
rei

礼 レイ
bow, thanks, etiquette

礼 combines shrine ネ, and a line 礼 れい rei bow, thanks, etiquette

suggesting to bow. Thus 礼 means 礼金 れいきん reikin key money
bow.
お礼 おれい orei thanks

無礼 ぶれい burei rudeness

祭礼 さいれい sairei religious festival
目礼 もくれい mokurei nod, greet by eyes
非礼 ひれい hirei impolite
洗礼 せんれい senrei baptism

9
mi, shin

身 み、シン
body

This is a pictograph resembling a 身分 みぶん mibun status

pregnant woman. Thus it means to be 身分証明書 みぶん mibun identification card
filled with many things like muscles; しょうめいしょ shōmeisho
a body.
出身地 しゅっしんち shusshinchi hometown
中身 なかみ nakami contents
終身 しゅうしん shūshin for life
自身 じしん jishin oneself
前身 ぜんしん zenshin antecedents

10
mu-ku, kō

向 む・く、コウ
face toward

The air flows out through the window 南向き みなみむき minamimuki facing south
口 of a house toward one direction. 方向 ほうこう hōkō direction

前向きに まえむきに maemuki ni positively

外人向け がいじんむけ gaijin muke for foreigners
向学心 こうがくしん kōgakushin love of learning
向上心 こうじょうしん kōjōshin desire to improve
oneself
意向 いこう ikō intention

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 LIVING IN JAPAN

11
su-ki, kō

好 す・き、コウ
fond

Women 女 like 好 children 子. 好きな すきな suki na fond

好物 こうぶつ kōbutsu favorite food

好意 こうい kōi good will
好意的 こういてき kōiteki friendly
好人物 こうじんぶつ kōjimbutsu good natured person
好男子 こうだんし kōdanshi handsome man
好学 こうがく kōgaku love of learning
好都合 こうつごう kōtsugō favorable

12
watakushi, (watashi), shi

私 わたくし、(わたし）、シ
I, private

禾 is grain. ム is the figure of an arm 私 わたくし／ watakushi/ I

holding grain. Thus 私 means to take わたし watashi
in the grain or whatever belongs to an 私立 しりつ shiritsu private (institution)
individual.
私語 しご shigo private talk
私費 しひ shihi one’s own expense
私用 しよう shiyō private engagement
私生活 しせいかつ shiseikatsu private life
私室 ししつ shishitsu private room

4 Practice
Ⅰ. Write the readings of the following kanji in hiragana.

1. 交 通 2. 生 活 3. 家 賃 4. 礼 金
5. 身 分 証 明 書 6. 方 向 7. 良 好 8. 私 立
9. 広 く て 安 い ア パ ー ト を さ が し て い ま す 。
10. 交 番 は ど こ で す か 。
11. コ ン ビ ニ は 便 利 な の で 、 よ く 利 用 し ま す 。
12. こ の 家 は 南 向 き で 明 る い で す 。
かん
13. こ の ア パ ー ト は 管 理 が い い で す 。
14. 私 は 子 ど も が 大 好 き で す 。

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 LESSON 1

Ⅱ. Fill in the blanks with appropriate kanji.

1. ひろ 2. こう つう 3. せい かつ 4. でん しゃ ちん

い
spacious transportation living train fare

5. り にん 6. れい 7. べん り 8. いえ
かん
管 お な
supervisor thanks convenient house

9. み ぶん 10. ほう こう 11. す 12. し りつ

きな
status direction fond private

5 Advanced Placement Exam Practice Question

You are looking for a studio apartment. Compare two options, #1 and #2, and decide which one you will
choose.
Write which option you selected and compare at least THREE aspects (similarities and/or differences)
between #1 and #2. Also write reasons for your selection.
Your writing should be 300 to 400 characters or longer. Use the desu/masu or da (plain) style, but use
one style consistently. Also, use kanji wherever kanji from the AP Japanese kanji list is appropriate. You
have 20 minutes to write.

#1 #2

20

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 LESSON 2
Homestay
ホームステイ

W hen you come to study in Japan for a while, a homestay is a good way to get to know the daily
customs of Japanese life, as well as everyday life and special events in that particular area of the
country. You may talk with the neighbors, the family’s relatives and their friends, and better understand
how the Japanese relate to each other. Taking a trip with your host family is another great opportunity
to learn. And, as a homestay provides you with the basic essentials like furniture, you won’t have to buy
those for yourself. If you would like to set up a homestay, you can consult with the university or company
you’re affiliated with. In this lesson, you will learn terminology related to homestays and host parents.

21

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 LESSON 2

1 Introductory Quiz
Look at the illustrations below and refer to the words in Vocabulary. Then try the following quiz.

You received this letter from your friend who lives with a Japanese host family.

私は、ホームステイをしています。ホストファミリーの家は、駅から遠いですが、
みどりが多くていい所にあります。

お父さんは、会社で働いています。とても親切な人で、いろいろなことを相談できます。す
こし太っています。お母さんは、家にいて、とてもやさしい人です。外国人登録をする時もいっ
しょについて来てくれました。

ホストファミリーの家にはかわいい犬がいます。私もひまな時、犬といっしょに近所をさ
んぽします。

時々、近所の人も集まってきて、いろいろな話をします。私も短い話なら日本語でできるよ
うになりました。皆さん、とても親切です。

お会いできるのをたのしみにしています。

トム リー

Which are the correct contents of the letter? Write ○ (correct) or × (wrong) in the spaces provided.

1. ( ) 2. ( )
22

P21-30(L2)250KJV2.indd 22 6/24/08 3:21:41 PM

 HOMESTAY

3. ( ) 4. ( )

5. ( ) 6. ( )

2 Vocabulary
Study the readings and meanings of these words to help you understand the Introductory Quiz.

1. ホストファミリー hosutofamirī host family

2. 遠い とお い tōi far
3. お父さん お とう さん otō san father
4. 働く はたら く hataraku to work
5. 親切な しん せつ な shinsetsu na kind
6. 相談する そう だん する sōdan suru to consult with
7. 太っている ふと っている futotteiru stout
8. お母さん お かあ さん okā san mother
9. 外国人登録 がい こく じん とう ろく gaikokujin tōroku alien registration
10. かわいい kawaii cute
11. 犬 いぬ inu dog

23

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 LESSON 2

12. 近所 きん じょ kinjo neighborhood

13. 時々 とき どき tokidoki sometimes
14. 集まる あつ まる atsumaru to get together
15. 短い みじか い mijikai short
16. 皆さん みな さん minasan everybody

3 New Characters

Fourteen characters are introduced in this lesson. Use the explanations to help you understand and
remember the characters. Study the compound words to increase your vocabulary.

遠 父 母 働 親 相 太 登 録 犬 近 集 短 皆
13
tō-i, en

遠 とお・い、エン
far

The loose way to go to the 遠い とおい tōi far

destination is a longer way to go.
Thus 遠 means far.
遠回し とおまわし tōmawashi indirect
遠回り とおまわり tōmawari roundabout way
遠近法 えんきんほう enkinhō law of perspective
遠来 えんらい enrai from afar
遠方 えんぽう empō afar

14
chichi, fu

父 ちち、フ
father

As mature men in the family were お父さん *おとうさん otō san father (polite)
traditionally responsible for wood 父 ちち chichi father
cutting, a hand 乂 with an ax signifies
父母会 ふぼかい fubo kai parents’ association
father.

義父 ぎふ gifu father-in-law
父上 ちちうえ chichiue father (polite)
父方 ちちかた chichikata paternal

24

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Other documents randomly have
different content
Mrs. Meidema made a gesture of impatience. But Lim Yang Bing, the
wealthiest Chinaman in the residence of Santjoemeh—perhaps the richest
man in all Dutch India—was not the kind of man who could very well be
turned away. It was, moreover, no very unusual thing for him to come and
pay his respects to the ladies and, on such occasions, he generally had some
pretty little nick-nacks to show.

“Very well, show him in,” said Mrs. Meidema.

The needle-work had in all haste to be put away and concealed, and some
light fancy work had to be snatched up; for it would never do to let that
Chinaman see a European family employed in such drudgery.

“Tabeh njonja, tabeh nonna nonna. Saja halap—”

But we will not attempt to reproduce the Chinaman’s execrable Malay. In

fact it would hardly be possible to do so, as the men of his nationality find
the greatest difficulty to pronounce some of the consonants, and their talk is
often extremely difficult to understand.

“Good-morning, madam; good-morning, young ladies,” said he most

courteously, “I hope I am not intruding. I thought I might have found the
Assistant Resident at home; but since I am not so fortunate, I take the
liberty of paying my respects to the ladies—in the first place to inquire after
their health, and also to tell them a great piece of news.”

“News?” asked Mrs. Meidema, who like most women did not lack
curiosity. “Pray be seated, babah.”

And, turning to the native servant who was sitting cross-legged on the steps
of the gallery, she said:

“Todrono, bring a chair.”

As the Chinaman took his seat, the two girls looked at him with wonder-
waiting eyes.
“And now, babah, for your important news!” said Mrs. Meidema, somewhat
eager to hear it.

“First,” said Lim Yang Bing with another bow, “allow me to inquire after
the state of the ladies’ health.”

“Oh, thank you,” replied Mrs. Meidema, “we are all perfectly well.”

“Toean Allah be praised,” cried the Chinaman in high-flown tones, but with
the sweetest of smiles on his lips.

“Now for your news, babah!” cried Gesina impatiently.

“Yes, nonna, I don’t wonder at your curiosity, you are quite right, the young
ladies especially will enjoy it.”

“But, babah, do pray speak out, tell me what it is all about,” cried Matilda
as eagerly as her sister.

“Well,” said the Chinaman, “it is about a wedding.”

“A wedding!” exclaimed one.

“A Chinese wedding?” asked the other.

“Yes, ladies, yes, a Chinese wedding, as you say,” replied Lim Yang Bing,
laying as much stress as he could upon his words.

“Delightful!” cried both the young girls.

“And who may the happy couple be?” asked Mrs. Meidema somewhat
more soberly.

“I may not tell you that, nja.”

“Oh!” said Gesina with much disappointment in her voice, “then it is not
decided yet.”
“Yes,” replied Lim Yang Bing, “it is quite certain; it is so far decided indeed
that I have samples of the silk with me now.”

“Samples of the silk!” cried both the young girls in a breath.

“Yes, the samples of silk. You surely must have heard, young ladies, that on
such occasions the betrothed couple always make some little presents to the
invited guests. And since you ladies will, I hope, honour me by witnessing
the ceremony, I have ventured to bring the samples along with me. Very
fine silk indeed; I ordered it on purpose from Nan Hioeng. But you must
judge for yourselves, ladies.”

Therewith he produced a small parcel which he carefully unfastened and the

contents of which he displayed to the women’s admiring gaze.

“Oh!” cried Gesina, “just look at that lovely green shot with red! what a
charming dress that would make!”

“And,” exclaimed Matilda, “what a splendid blue! Dark blue with flowers.
If I had to choose, I would—”

“And will not Mrs. Meidema make her choice?” asked Lim Yang Bing.

Mrs. Meidema could not help casting an eye upon the seductive parcel but
—she hesitated.

“Come, come, pray select a sample for yourself, madam,” said the
Chinaman with a supplicating look.

“But—babah—” she began, “I have never heard of gifts offered at Chinese

weddings. I know they are customary at the New Year.”

“Yes, yes njonja, you are quite right, on that occasion we offer gifts all
round to all our acquaintances; but at a wedding we only do so to our old
friends, and—I take the liberty of reckoning the Assistant Resident among
my very good friends.”
“Yes, but babah, you know Mr. Meidema, do you not?”

“Surely the njonja would not refuse my poor little present,” interrupted the
Chinaman.

“Oh, mother, dear!” whispered Gesina beseechingly.

“No, babah, I will not downright refuse; but before coming to any decision
or making any choice, I must have a talk to my husband.”

“Of course, of course,” hastily said Lim Yang Bing, “that is nothing more
than right and proper. It makes matters, in fact, easier for me, as perhaps,
madam, you would not mind to intercede for me with the Assistant
Resident.”

“Intercede for you, babah!” cried Mrs. Meidema now thoroughly surprised.
“You know that my intercession has but very little influence with my
husband.”

The Chinaman smiled—it was a cunning leer, as he said:

“No, no, madam, I did not mean you to intercede for me—I cannot have
expressed myself properly—what I meant was—to intercede for the
bridegroom.”

“For the bridegroom?” asked Mrs. Meidema. “Oh, yes; but who is the
happy man, babah?”

“Madam, that is a secret—However, I may just as well tell you at once; as

soon as you know who he is I feel sure I can reckon upon your sympathy.
Well, the happy man, then, is my son Lim Ho.”

“Indeed!” said Mrs. Meidema very coolly, “and who is the young lady?”

“Ngow Ming Nio.”

“The daughter of Ngow Ming Than—is she not? A very pretty girl and a
very rich girl too—I am sure I congratulate you, babah.”
“And now, may I reckon upon you, madam, to intercede for Lim Ho?”
asked the Chinaman.

“I do not see,” said Mrs. Meidema, “in what Lim Ho can need my
intercession.”

“Ah, well,” sighed Lim Yang Bing, “I fear that the poor boy is not in very
good odour with the Assistant Resident. If only you would speak a good
word for him, madam.”

“But why? His marriage can have nothing to do with Mr. Meidema.”

“No, njonja; but—” said the Chinaman dropping his voice, “You see there
is something about an opium business in which the poor boy has got mixed
up.”

“I will have nothing whatever to do with that sort of thing!” exclaimed Mrs.
Meidema now fairly frightened. “There, babah, please put those samples up
again.”

The Chinaman was taken aback, he reluctantly rolled up the parcel and
slowly and deliberately put it into his pocket.

“But, njonja,” he mumbled, “the poor fellow is as innocent as the babe

unborn.”

“I won’t hear anything about it, babah, not another word, please, on the
subject.”

“If only the toean Assistant Resident would hear what he has to say,”
insisted Lim Yang Bing.

“Come, mother,” whispered Gesina, who, to her infinite vexation saw the
splendid silk dress fading away on the horizon, “If father would but hear
what Lim Ho has to say for himself.”

Mrs. Meidema again hesitated.

“Well,” said she, “if my intercession is to go no further than that—I can see
no objection to ask my husband to do that.”

“Mother, take care!” said Matilda in a very low but very warning voice.

“I am infinitely obliged to the njonja,” said the Chinaman as he took Mrs.

Meidema’s hand and gratefully pressed it. “I shall leave these samples here
with you—”

“Oh, no! no! I will have nothing to do with them.”

“But, mother,” whispered Gesina.

“Mother, take care!” said Matilda as softly.

Lim Yang Bing did not at all like these whisperings of the two young ladies,
and so he hastened to say: “My dear madam, I can assure you that those
poor samples have nothing in the world to do with your pleading for my
son. I have the honour of inviting you and your two charming daughters—
and of course, Mr. Meidema—to be present at my son’s marriage. There is
not much harm in that I hope. I reckon you among my good friends and, as
an acknowledgment of the honour which your presence will confer upon
them, the young couple beg you to accept a slight present. In that no one
will see any harm I hope; in fact it is simply our national custom. So far, I
think we are agreed. This small parcel of samples I will leave here in order
that the ladies may have time to make their choice and to talk over the
whole matter with the Assistant Resident when he comes in.”

Put thus plausibly, the offer could hardly be refused. But even if Mrs.
Meidema had wished to make an objection she had no time to do so; for the
wily Chinaman had very hurriedly put down the parcel on the table, had
muttered his tabehs with a few hasty words to the effect that he intended to
look in again and ascertain what choice the ladies had made, and then had
disappeared.

When once the babah was fairly out of the place, the two young girls looked
at each other and at their mother.
Gesina with a smile on her pretty lips, Matilda with a very serious
expression of countenance.

“A Chinese wedding!” exclaimed the former. “No doubt there will be a

reception and then, what a splendid dance we shall have. When the Chinese
do give a party they know how to do it well!”

“Do keep quiet, Sijntje,” said Mrs. Meidema. She spoke reprovingly,
although, as a loving mother, she was pleased to see her girl’s radiant looks.
They had so few opportunities to go out, especially to such parties as this
promised to be. Once a year they got an invitation to the Residence, and
that was all.

“And how fine I shall look,” continued the girl in her glee, “in my new silk
dress.” She took the parcel from the table, “Oh, yes,” said she, “I have quite
made up my mind, I choose the green silk. And you Tilda?”

“I don’t know,” replied the other, “but somehow, I feel that all this bodes
misfortune.”

“Oh, I say, how very silly! Just look at these samples!” cried Gesina as she
opened the bundle. “Oh, what a splendid bit of brown silk—look mother,
dear, that is something for you! And that deep blue is Tilda’s choice; it is
fine, yes it is very fine; but the green is to my mind the best of all. Just look
—But—But—what is that!”

Gesina was spreading the piece of silk on her knee in order to bring out the
fine effect of the colours. As she did so—something slid out of the packet
and fell at her feet. For a moment the three ladies sat there as if petrified,
for at a glance they had recognized bank-notes—papers of five hundred
guilders. At length Gesina stooped and picked them up. She counted them,
one, two, three—up to ten.

“Five thousand guilders!” she stammered in utter confusion. “How could

they have got into the parcel? It must be some mistake of the babah’s—
surely he must have made some mistake.”
“I feared as much!” thought Matilda almost aloud.

“Five thousand guilders!” The thought flashed through Mrs. Meidema’s

brain as she took the parcel and the papers from her daughter’s hand, “Five
thousand guilders!”

Her first impulse was to send at once after the babah and to call him back—
to give him his money, and to have him and his samples and his notes
kicked out of the house. Five thousand guilders! And the Chinaman was
already so far away. Five thousand guilders! Was it wise to let the servants
know all this—no certainly not—it would not be wise. Five thousand
guilders! It was about as much as her husband’s salary for ten months
amounted to. She took up the notes, looked at them, smoothed them down
one by one, then rolled them together. Five thousand guilders! That would
pay all those troublesome tradesmen’s bills, and even then, when every
farthing was paid, there would be a nice little sum left. Then Meidema
might get leave of absence for a while to go into the hill-country. He wanted
a change, lately he had been looking very poorly—a couple of weeks’
holidays in the hills would quite set him up. Five thousand guilders! The
boys might have new jackets. All these thoughts however were cut short by
the rumbling of carriage wheels on the drive.

“That is father!” cried Gesina, “quick! put away those samples and notes!”

She tried to seize them, she had already hastily rolled up the whole parcel
together and was about to hide it under the coarse needlework with which
they had been busy as the Chinaman came in. But her mother took it from
her and quietly laid it upon the table before her. The voice of her husband
was heard in the front gallery giving some orders to his servant, and that
voice had startled the good woman out of the train of evil thoughts which
had unconsciously risen up within her, and which had threatened to lead her
astray from the path of duty. No, no, from the man by whose side she had
courageously walked for the best part of her life, she could have no secret;
from him, whom she had followed for so many years in weal and in woe,
she would have nothing hidden. She determined to lay everything open
before her husband, he might then act as he thought best. True, they were
very poor; but she felt that she must abide by his decision.

All these thoughts, in a moment of time, flashed through the mind of this
brave and loyal wife, and when Meidema walked into the back-gallery her
mind was fully made up.

The girls jumped up to give their father the usual kiss, the mother also rose
to welcome him. But Meidema saw, at a single glance, that there was
something wrong. He put his hands on his wife’s shoulders and steadily
looking her in the face he said cheerily: “I say, mammy dear—is there any
news?”

“Yes, Meidema, there is,” replied his wife gravely, “sit down, I have
something to tell you!”

“I say, old girl, you look very serious, are the girls in the way?”

“No, no, let them stay, I have no secrets that they may not hear—in fact I
prefer them to be here.”

“My love, how solemn you are! Is there anything wrong? Anything to do
with them eh? Have they had an offer? No? Of course not, you would not
have looked so black if they had.”

“Now pray,” said his wife, “pray do not talk such nonsense.”

“Oh, I see, it must be those boys! they have been naughty—trousers torn,
jackets in holes! Yes—those youngsters are an awful nuisance—Never
mind all that will come right by-and-by.”

“All that will come right!”—At those words he stopped short, poor man! his
interview with the Resident then came to his memory and he began
restlessly to pace up and down the gallery. He took out his cigar-case and
looked at Matilda.

She jumped up, “May I light it for you, father?” she said.
She put the cheroot to her lips, lighted a match, and drew a few whiffs. As
the smoke went curling up her nostrils and into her eyes, she made a funny
little grimace—then she coughed slightly and closed her eyes, and, when
the cigar was well lighted, she gave it to her father saying:

“Ah bah, horrid! How can you gentlemen like that nasty smoke?”

“Why you little minx!” said her father laughing, “you have lit it at the
wrong end!”

“It is more economical, father.”

“Perhaps so; but that is why it tastes nasty.”

“Well, father,” said Matilda suddenly growing serious, “now please sit
down and attend to mother.”

“Yes, Meidema, please sit down,” said his wife; “I have to talk to you on a
most serious matter.”

“All right, wifey—here I am seated—now I am all ears.”

“Babah Lim Yang Bing has been here this morning!”

“Indeed!—I met him a few minutes ago, he greeted me most politely—

more politely in fact than usually.”

“Do you know, Meidema, what he came here for?”

“What he came here for? Not I,” replied the husband somewhat astonished
at his wife’s words. The name of the opium-farmer had roused some
suspicion within him though he was unable to guess what his errand might
have been. “I suppose,” said he, after a moment’s pause, “I suppose he
merely dropped in to have a chat.”

“Do you know,” said Mrs. Meidema, “that his son Lim Ho is about to be
married?”
“Yes, I have heard some such rumour. To the daughter of that rich old
Chinaman—is it not?”

“Yes, father,” interrupted Gesina, “to pretty little Ngow Ming Nio.”

“Lim Yang Bing,” continued Mrs. Meidema, “was here this morning to
invite you and me and the girls to the wedding.”

“All right,” replied Meidema, “the girls will have rare fun; I daresay you
know,” he continued, as he patted the cheek of one of the twins, “you know
a Chinese marriage is a most interesting ceremony. Is that then the reason
why you all look so solemn? Oh, aye—I see—it is about the dresses. The
other day when the Resident gave his ball we had some trouble about that.
It is a great expense no doubt; but—”

“No, Meidema, that is not troubling me, for the Chinaman offers us a
present.”

“A present!” shouted the Assistant Resident.

“Yes, he tells me that, on such occasions, they always give presents.”

“Quite right—some sweetmeats, a few cakes, perhaps. But what of that?”

“No, no,” said his wife, “not sweetmeats at all; but silk for dresses.”

“Silk!” cried Meidema, “the fellow must have gone mad! I never have
heard of any such presents; and yet I have been a good while in India.”

“He has even left some samples here with us,” continued Mrs. Meidema,
“very fine silk, I assure you, most splendid quality. But there was one slight
condition attached to his gift.”

“Indeed! a condition! what might that be?”

“That I should intercede with you for Lim Ho.”

“For Lim Ho—oh, oh! and what did you say to that?”
“I told him I would have nothing to do with it.”

“Where are these samples?” cried Meidema. “Hand them to me, I will fling
them into the fire.”

“Now Meidema, do be quiet for a bit!”

“Intercede for Lim Ho! So! they thought to bribe you with a yard or two of
silk!”

“No, no Meidema, not only with a yard or two of silk—just open that
parcel.”

The inspector tore it open, and, in his excitement he cried, “Where is it?”

The banknotes fell to the ground. Pale and utterly unnerved he picked them
up, he opened them, looked at his wife and daughters with a stern look; but
he spoke not a word. At length, breaking out into a curse, he crumpled up
the whole parcel of samples and notes together into one formless mass as he
hoarsely cried: “The devil take that d—d Chinaman! the fellow shall pay
for this!” And calling to his servant he cried: “Todrono, have the horses put
in!”

Ten seconds later he had dashed out of the room.

CHAPTER XXVI.
 NEATLY MANAGED.

* * *

“Yes, Resident, I accuse the opium farmer of a gross attempt at bribery.”

Such were the words with which Mr. Meidema concluded his detailed
account to Mr. van Gulpendam of what had taken place at his house that
morning.

“Avast! Mr. Meidema, steady a bit! You are going ahead much too fast. Can
you be quite sure that the five thousand guilders were concealed in that
parcel of silk samples for the purpose of bribery?”

“I have already told you, Resident, that what he came for was to induce my
wife to exert her influence over me in favour of Lim Ho. Yes, most
decidedly. I know that the money was intended for a bribe.”

“But, Mr. Meidema,” observed the Resident, “would it not be much more
charitable to suppose that Lim Yang Bing, who is, by nature, a kind and
generous man, really felt some concern at your financial difficulties?”

“My financial difficulties!” exclaimed Meidema, fairly white with rage. “I

should like to find out who spreads those absurd rumours. I am not rich, I
admit; but if every man’s affairs were in as good order as mine! Then—”

“Let us not get out of our course, my dear sir,” remarked van Gulpendam,
interrupting him at the right moment.

“Very good, Resident, I do not wish to do so; but who gives that
confounded Chinaman any right to trouble himself about my private affairs.
What right has he to offer my wife and daughters presents of five thousand
guilders?”
“But, can you be sure it was meant for a gift?”

“What else could the money have been meant for?” asked Meidema.

“Well, I don’t know,” replied van Gulpendam, “but might not the notes have
got mixed up with the samples of silk purely by accident? You ought to
know how carelessly such fellows handle paper money, they sometimes
have a whole bundle of it loose in their pockets. Now I am persuaded, on
the contrary, that when presently you meet Lim Yang Bing the whole
business will be explained to your satisfaction. I will send for him. Have
you any objection?”

“None whatever, Resident; but the fellow may say or swear what he likes; it
will not alter my opinion, and nothing will make me retract my charge
against him.”

“Don’t be in such a hurry to blow off steam, Mr. Meidema, just allow me to
prick your chart for you, and you will soon see that you are out of your
course altogether.”

Hereupon van Gulpendam called one of his oppassers, and ordered the man
to mount, and to ride off full speed to the opium farmer’s house. “Tell him I
want him to come to me at once.”

The two gentlemen had hardly spent half-an-hour in conversation on the

ordinary topics of the day, when an elegant carriage, drawn by two splendid
Persian horses, dashed up to the gate of the residential mansion. A few
moments later a servant announced the opium farmer.

“Show him in,” said the Resident.

Lim Yang Bing sauntered into the room with his usual listless air and with
the stereotyped smile on his lips. The oppasser had already told him that he
would find the Assistant Resident of Police with his Excellency, and he
looked upon this as a good sign; and had no doubt but that his troublesome
smuggling question would be settled off-hand. He therefore greeted the
gentlemen with great cordiality. “Tabeh, Kandjeng toean, toean!”
The Resident pointed to a chair, and as soon as Lim Yang Bing was seated,
he began:

“Babah, Assistant Resident Meidema, fancies that he has reason to

complain of your conduct.”

“No, no!” exclaimed Meidema, interrupting his superior officer, “I do not

fancy anything of the kind, I actually do lodge an accusation against him.”

Both gentlemen spoke in Malay, and the Chinaman was thus able to
understand all that was said.

“And what cause of complaint may he have?” asked the Celestial, with his
imperturbable smile.

“You ask me,” replied Meidema, “what I accuse you of? I will tell you. I
accuse you of offering me a bribe—to me, the head of the police!”

“I, Kandjeng toean?” asked the Chinaman, with well acted surprise. “When
could I have done such a thing?”

“Not much more than an hour ago,” was the reply. “Just now, this very
morning at my own house!”

“The toean Assistant Resident must be poking fun at me. It is true that I met
him a little while ago; but I had not the honour of exchanging so much as a
single word with him.”

“I know that well enough,” interrupted Meidema impetuously; “but did you
not this morning call at my house?”

The Chinaman looked upon the interview as a farce, in which every actor
had to play his part. He had often acted in such little plays himself and had
performed pretty creditably on such occasions. He continued therefore;
“Oh, yes, Kandjeng toean, I did pay your ladies a visit, it was to invite you
and them to the wedding, just in the same way, and for the same purpose, as
I called at the Residence to invite the njonja and his Excellency.”
“Indeed!” said Meidema, sarcastically, “I suppose you came to offer silk
dresses to the njonja Resident? Eh?”

Lim Yang Bing winced under the blow; and his sallow face grew several
shades paler. It was beginning to dawn upon him that matters were serious
after all, and, in some confusion, he glanced at the Resident; but van
Gulpendam, who was seated directly opposite to the Assistant Resident,
could not, just then, make him any sign; yet Lim Yang Bing thought he
could detect an encouraging expression in the Resident’s eye.

“And,” continued Meidema, with increasing vehemence, “that you offered

the njonja Resident a roll of bank-notes also. Did you not?”

As he spoke these words, he flung the money down before him on the
writing-table as if it burned his fingers.

At this the Chinaman turned livid—for a moment he was utterly

confounded.

“There! you see, Resident!” continued Meidema, pointing to the farmer.

“You see! Why, guilt is written in every line of the fellow’s face!”

At these words Lim Yang Bing recovered his presence of mind, he jumped
up at once, snatched up the crumpled notes, spread them out before him,
and began deliberately to count them, “one, two, three, four—ten.” Then
slowly raising his expressionless eyes to Meidema’s face, he asked:

“Does the toean Assistant Resident really intend to accuse me of attempting

to bribe him?”

“Yes, babah, I do most decidedly accuse you of it.”

“But, may I ask, why then does not the Kandjeng toean give me back the
whole sum?” asked the Chinaman, very composedly, and with the usual
smirk on his lips.
“The whole sum?” cried Meidema, utterly taken aback, “what on earth can
the fellow mean?”

“Yes, toean,” replied Lim Yang Bing, “I said, the whole sum. I have felt for
some time that the toean Assistant Resident is by no means kindly disposed
to me or mine; but I think it is not quite fair of him to fling me back a small
part of my money, and so to try and ruin me, while he keeps back the
greater part for himself.”

All this he said without showing the slightest emotion, without the slightest
heat, without so much as even raising his voice; but in the drawling sing-
song way in which Chinamen generally speak; and with the obsequious
smirk which Chinese features always wear when the owner is addressing a
superior.

“Babah!” shouted Meidema trembling with rage, “take care of yourself,

don’t go too far!”

But Lim Yang Bing felt his advantage, and was not to be intimidated. With
the same false smile and in the same drawling tones he continued:

“But I clearly see what the toean Assistant Resident is aiming at. The
greater part of the present which I took the liberty of offering to the njonja
he keeps for himself, and to that he intends to add the fine which Lim Ho
will have to pay, should he be found guilty of smuggling instead of Ardjan.
It is not at all a bad idea, I admit; but I leave it to the Kandjeng toean to say
whether he thinks it quite fair and honest.”

Meidema sat there as if thunderstruck. A terrible suspicion began to arise

within him. Yes! his money matters were not by any means in a healthy
state. His housekeeping was an expensive one, all that, he felt, was true
enough. Could his wife under the hard pressure of circumstances—could
she have been induced to yield to the temptation, might she possibly not
have told him the whole truth? Might she perhaps have mentioned to him
only part of the bribe she had received, just to see how he would take it?
Yes! that must be it—His wife and his daughters! Yes! now it flashed across
him that they seemed much confused when he came in. And then the line of
conduct which he had adopted before the Resident who, he felt, was no
friend to him—with an awful imprecation he sprang to his feet:

“Babah!” he exclaimed, “you are an impudent liar!”

“If the toean Assistant Resident becomes abusive,” said Lim Yang Bing
with the same imperturbable calmness, “then I must request the Kandjeng
toean to give me leave to retire.”

“Mr. Meidema,” said van Gulpendam sternly, “I must beg of you to

moderate your language.”

“How much do you say there was in that packet?” asked Meidema, in
despair.

“I offered the njonja Assistant Resident ten bank notes of a thousand, and
ten of five hundred guilders.”

Poor Meidema fairly moaned with anguish and dismay.

“Is that true?” he asked again, with faltering tongue.

“I swear it!” was the quiet reply.

“Oh! I must go and get to the bottom of this!” cried the wretched man, as he
frantically rushed from the room.

The Chinaman and the Resident watched him with a curious smile.

“Splendidly parried, babah!” cried van Gulpendam admiringly, and then

muttering to himself, he said: “I wonder what port that obstinate fool will
make for in this storm.”

“Perhaps the Kandjeng toean will now allow me to retire?” asked Lim Yang
Bing, with much humility.

“Certainly, babah, certainly, let me not detain you.” And, after the usual
compliments had been exchanged, the Chinaman took his leave.
“Deep fellow that Chinaman, devilish deep! Aye, aye, those who dabble in
opium must have their wits about them, they must know how to trim their
sails!”

Foaming with rage, Meidema got home. He could not wait until his carriage
had reached the door; it had scarcely got into the grounds, before he jumped
out crying to the coachman, “Wait for me!”

He traversed the fore and inner galleries at a bound, and when he reached
the back-room where the ladies of his family were still sitting at their
needlework, he flew up to his wife, who, noticing at once his excited state,
rose from her chair. He grasped both her wrists in his iron grasp, and,
exerting all his strength, he forced her down on her knees before him.

All this had passed so quickly that, although the two girls had also sprung
up, yet neither of them understood what was going on.

“There!” roared the infuriated husband, “there! that is your proper position!
And now answer me. Where is the rest of the money?”

“What money?” asked his wife in alarm.

“The ten thousand guilders!” thundered Meidema.

“What ten thousand guilders?” asked his unhappy wife, still on her knees.
“Meidema! let go my wrists, you are hurting me!”

“No, I shall not let you go until you have told me where you have hidden
the money.”

“What money are you talking about?”

“The ten thousand guilders you had from the opium farmer!”

“Father,” said Gesina, “let mother go, and listen to me, I will tell you all
about it.”
“You!” roared her father without releasing his wife whom he still kept
kneeling before him.

“I took the parcel from Lim Yang Bing,” continued the young girl. “It was I
who opened it, and we all admired the samples of silk. At that time, I swear
to you, father, there were no notes in it. I swear it by all that I hold dear!
When mother refused to listen to his conditions, he put the parcel back into
his pocket. Later on, mother consented to speak to you about Lim Ho and to
consult you about the silk, then, the babah flung the parcel on the table and
hurried away.”

“But the ten thousand guilders!” cried Meidema impatiently.

“Let me finish what I have to say, father,” continued the young girl. “As
soon as he was gone I again took up the samples. And now I come to think
of it, they were not the same we had admired before. At the time, however, I
did not notice the change. I took one of the samples and spread it on my
knee to bring out the effect of the colours, and then—the notes fell out of
the packet to the floor.”

“Fifteen thousand guilders!” said the father who had been listening with
impatience but had not lost a word.

“No, father, not fifteen thousand; there were ten five hundred guilder notes.
There were no more than that,” replied the girl in a firm and steady voice.

“Is that the truth?” asked her father as he fixed his eye on his wife and
children.

But there was so much honesty and innocence in the eyes of his twins; and
his wife looked up at him so firmly and trustfully, that further doubt was
impossible, while all three as with one mouth and in one breath said:

“That is the truth.”

Then the wretched man raised his wife from the floor where she was still on
her knees before him. He clasped her in his arms and, as he pressed her to
his heart, he cried in a lamentable voice:

“My God! my God! I am a miserable wretch! I have dared to suspect my

darlings—the only ones I love upon earth!”

And, stretching out his arms, he flung them round the neck of his wife and
children as sobbing, he cried: “Oh, my dearest ones, can you ever forgive
me?”

Standing thus, the four formed a group which would have charmed a
sculptor; but which must have filled with rapture the heart of any true friend
of man. The wife, the daughters, overwhelmed the man, who a moment
before had so brutally treated them, with kisses and caresses. Oh, they could
so well place themselves in his position—they could so well understand
why he had been blinded by passion!

“Was I not right?” said Matilda, “when I feared that the parcel boded us no
good.”

“But do tell me, Meidema,” asked his wife, “what can have happened that
has so terribly unnerved you?”

“That beastly Chinaman,” he cried, “actually declared in the Resident’s

presence that he had given you not five but fifteen thousand guilders.”

“Good God, how infamous!” exclaimed Mrs. Meidema.

“Infamous, yes most infamous! but what can one expect from a wretched
speculator in opium? Such a fellow as that is capable of any infamy.”

“But,” asked the anxious mother, “may not all this do you a deal of harm?”
She had some little insight into the intrigues carried on in Dutch India.

“Yes,” sighed Meidema, “no doubt it will. If I had to do with honest people,
it would not trouble me much; but now!—However, I must see what I can
do. My carriage is still at the door—I am off straight to the Resident.”
“That’s a queer story of yours, Mr. Meidema.”

Such was the only remark which Mr. van Gulpendam thought proper to
make when Meidema had most indignantly given him a full account of
what had occurred. While he spoke, the Resident had been sitting most
attentively listening to his words; but the expression of his countenance
showed no sign of sympathy. Now and then there was even a slight motion
of impatience and an incredulous smile. That studied indifference and
almost insolent smile exasperated the already over-wrought Assistant
Resident to such a degree that, when at length his superior officer made his
most unfeeling remark, he could not help crying out with indignation:

“A queer story you call it, Resident. You mean, I suppose, a most infamous
business!”

“He, he, he! Mr. Meidema, not quite so fast if you please.”

“But, Resident, what do you mean—Do you not then think it a most
infamous business?”

“Oh, yes, most certainly I do; but the question is for whom?”

“For whom? Is that the question, Resident? Then it appears to me you do

not believe me.”

“Don’t be in a hurry, Mr. Meidema, just listen quietly to me.”

“But, Resident, this is a matter which demands an instant explanation. If

you do not take my word—”

“Now, Mr. Assistant Resident, I beg you will allow me to speak.”

These words Mr. van Gulpendam uttered with that measured tone of voice,
and with that dignity which only a Resident knows how to assume. They
brought about an immediate and entire change in his subordinate’s
demeanour. Meidema at once mastered his excitement, he replied not a
single word; but only bowed in sign that he was ready to listen.
“I said just now,” began the Resident, “ ‘a queer story’ and now I repeat the
words—Yes, it is a very queer story, a very queer story indeed. I will for a
moment suppose, Mr. Meidema, that you are an honest man.”

The Assistant Resident gnashed his teeth and writhed with inward passion
at the insinuation; but he uttered not a sound. He had made up his mind,
outwardly at least, to retain his composure, and to listen in silence.

Without appearing to notice Meidema’s evident anguish, the Resident

continued:

“I am ready to admit, for argument’s sake, that you are an honest man; but I
think you yourself must allow that appearances are terribly against you. Just
put yourself in the position of a Resident; put yourself in my place. I am
bound by my office to inquire into these matters calmly and impartially,
without fear or prejudice, and, I must add without sympathy either; and then
just see on what side probabilities have been accumulating. It is known to
everyone, that you are in serious money difficulties—that is an open secret
—and, I must tell you, that in your public capacity as chief magistrate, that
common report is most injurious to you. When a man is in grave pecuniary
difficulties, it is almost impossible to make the public believe that he can be
impartial, inaccessible to bribes and strictly honest. The temptations, you
see, are too great. On the one side there are tempting offers, which always
manage to find a way for themselves, on the other there are the claims of
his family, claims which have a powerful voice, and which clamour to be
heard. Public opinion, therefore, needs must be against you. Under these
painful circumstances, the opium farmer comes to your house and offers
presents, in the form of silk dresses, to your wife and daughters, and he
offers further a considerable bribe in the tangible shape of money. Now, do
you think that you can make anyone believe that all this could occur
without there having been some previous relations between you, some quiet
understanding to encourage such bare-faced proposals? Surely not! You
have told me with your own lips that the opium farmer came to invoke the
aid of your wife. Therefore, he must have had some good cause to believe
that not only could her aid be purchased; but also that her intercession,
when obtained, would be of some value to him. Now, if you are compelled
to grant me all this—why, then I say that you can hardly wonder if I come
to the conclusion that she was not to-day solicited for the first time. At all
events, you must allow that an impartial judge might very easily come to
that conclusion. Now this is not all, there is yet another point to be
considered. You have yourself confessed that, at least for a time, you
yourself believed Mrs. Meidema guilty. Your description of the scene—the
deplorable scene—which has just now taken place at your house, amply
proves that. And, let me say in passing that I most strongly disapprove of
such want of temper and of such want of self-control in my subordinates;
but that in the particular case which I have now before me, I am willing to
excuse it. However, as I was saying, the scene of which you gave me so
graphic a description, amply proves that you yourself did not consider Mrs.
Meidema above suspicion.”

Poor Meidema! He sat there before the pitiless inquisitor, pale as death,
motionless as a statue. His bloodshot eyes gazed stonily at the Resident
who, with a kind of refinement of cruelty, seemed to delight in probing his
wound to the quick. At that moment the wretched man sat there accusing
himself more bitterly than van Gulpendam or any one else on earth could
have done. The voice of conscience is, to the upright man, the most terrible
voice of all. Yes—it was but too true, he had been guilty of suspecting the
wife of his bosom, he had thought evil of his two innocent daughters. The
Resident was pitiless; but he was quite right. And then, alas! that was not
the worst of it; his conscience had a still louder reproach to make. He had
been so miserably weak that he had not been able to keep that foul
suspicion to himself—he had not been man enough to keep it locked up in
his own bosom. Honest and loyal as he was himself, he had fancied that the
truth—the whole truth—would have proved the strongest bulwark for
innocence. Thus, in a moment of blind honesty, he had, for no other purpose
than to bring out more strongly the innocence of his family, betrayed to his
enemy the excess of violence into which his wild frenzy had led him. And
now, the weapon to which he had fondly trusted for his defence, had turned
in his hand; not against himself only, but also against those dear ones of
whose perfect purity he had no longer the faintest shadow of a doubt. The
thought was too terrible to bear, it was maddening—his eyes began to ache
as though a red-hot iron were pressed upon them. But, unmindful of his
sufferings, his pitiless tormentor quietly continued:

“From all this must we not then reasonably conclude, Mr. Meidema, that
your wife, terrified—and very naturally terrified—at your unreasoning
violence, must have confined herself to a simple denial after she had
attempted to mislead you in the matter of the ten thousand guilders? You
see,” continued the Resident with a friendly smile, “after all, the best thing
is, that we should give that aspect to a most lamentable occurrence; one
cannot very well hold you responsible for the actions of your wife.”

At these words Meidema could restrain himself no longer. “No!” shouted

he, “that suspicion shall not be cast upon her—my wife is innocent!”

“Mr. Meidema,” said van Gulpendam, in tones of mock sympathy, “let me

implore you to take my advice, and to consider well what you are about.
Once you let go that anchor, I have no other alternative than—”

He paused, even he seemed to hesitate, even he recoiled from what he was

about to say.

“No other alternative than—what?” asked Meidema, with something of the

listlessness of despair.

“Than to consider you the guilty man and to hold that your family are in
conspiracy with you.”

“Resident!”

“Be calm, pray be calm! Remember it is not I who choose the alternative—
you yourself force it upon me. Once again, let me remind you of your
financial difficulties; let me remind you of the animosity which, in your
report, you plainly show to Lim Ho. In that paper you eagerly seize upon
every little circumstance which can possibly be adduced to prove him
guilty; and you as carefully avoid everything which might point to Ardjan
as the culprit. In fact you screen the Javanese in every way you possibly
can. Taking all these things into consideration, the words spoken just now
by the opium-farmer must needs give us food for reflection. You remember
what he said, do you not? His words were blunt and cruel, I admit; but he
seems to have had justice on his side. ‘He wants,’ said the Chinaman, ‘to
keep for himself the greater part of the present which I offered to the njonja,
and he intends in addition to secure the fine which Lim Ho will have to pay
if he be found guilty.’ A fine which we know could not be screwed out of
Ardjan. And when, in connection with those words we come to examine the
23rd clause of the Opium Act, why, then I do not think that many words
will be needed to convince you that you must not venture to reckon upon
either my sympathy or my support.”

Meidema, poor wretched man, was utterly crushed and annihilated. Without
uttering a sound, he sat vacantly staring at his chief.

“No, no,” continued van Gulpendam, “I can see no alternative. Either you
are guilty or your wife is guilty, perhaps both are equally culpable. You
have, however, still time to make a choice; it is not yet too late, but that
choice must be made quickly, now, at once; for I have made up my mind to
telegraph to headquarters this very day.”

To telegraph! Poor Meidema only heard the one dreadful word “telegraph.”
He knew well what that word implied; he knew well in what an arbitrary
and off-hand way the fate of subordinates is decided at Batavia. Already he
saw himself dismissed and disgraced, shunned as a social leper by every
respectable man; his wife and children wandering about in poverty, exposed
to hunger and untold misery. Just then, as if he had been able to read the
unhappy man’s thoughts, the Resident said: “Come, Mr. Meidema, decide,
make up your mind, there must be no delay.”

“What must I do, Resident?” moaned the poor man, now fairly at his wits’
end.

“What must you do? It is clear enough what you have to do. There is your
report; it has just been handed to me along with the other papers relating to
the business of the Court at which on Tuesday next I intend to preside. Take
it; here it is; do with it what you will.”
He thrust the document into Meidema’s hand—who took it, gazed at it for a
moment with meaningless stare, then made some gesture with his hands as
though he would tear it up; but—before he could accomplish the fatal deed,
his brain seemed to whirl and he fell heavily to the ground.

A doctor was sent for at once. When he made his appearance, he found
Meidema lying back in a chair surrounded by the entire household of the
Residence, but utterly unconscious; and all around the floor was strewed
with fragments of paper.

The physician spoke of brain fever, and he ordered the patient to be

removed to the hospital.

“There is no danger, I hope, doctor?” asked the Resident, in tones of the

deepest sympathy.

“My dear sir,” replied the medical man, “there is the very gravest danger. It
is a very sad case, it will surprise me much if the man does not go mad—
that is if he gets over this attack at all.”

The Resident thereupon at once drove off to break the fatal news as gently
as possible to Mrs. Meidema.

The evening papers contained the following paragraph:

“We are grieved to state that Assistant Resident of Police, W. D. Meidema,

was this morning suddenly taken seriously ill. It seemed at first as if he
were suffering from some acute form of brain fever; but after careful
examination, our zealous and able medical officer has come to the
conclusion that it is a case of ‘melancholia attonita.’ It is his opinion that no
relief can be hoped for unless the patient be at once removed to Europe.
There he will probably have to pass a considerable time in some asylum in
which he can have the care which his peculiar malady requires. If we are
rightly informed, our Resident at once telegraphed to Batavia; so that it is
probable there will be no delay in obtaining the necessary leave of absence.
Mr. van Gulpendam has further exerted himself to the utmost in obtaining a
passage to Europe for the sorrow-stricken family in the Noah III. which is
to sail for Patria on the day after to-morrow. Mrs. van Gulpendam also is
untiring in her attention, and entirely devotes herself to assist the afflicted
family by word and deed. Both the Resident and his wife have once again
shown how cordial is their sympathy with their subordinates, and how
thoroughly they have their welfare at heart. Our best wishes accompany
Mrs. Meidema and her children, and we heartily pray that the Assistant
Resident may speedily be restored to health.”

The correspondent had been well informed. This much is certain, that on the
14th of July the ship Noah III. left her anchorage, and under the influence
of the Eastern monsoon, left the harbour of Santjoemeh and was quickly out
of sight.

Van Gulpendam had, in the overflowing kindness of his heart, accompanied

his friends to the ship’s side. He had warmly pressed Mrs. Meidema’s hand
and uttered the kindliest sentiments at parting. Then, when the ship was but
a speck on the horizon, he uttered a deep sigh of relief, and with a pleasant
smile, he muttered to himself: “Come, I have managed that pretty neatly.”
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