Madame Miyamura avait été effrayée de son étourderie, et elle en avait exprimé le regret à ma femme. Si Mariko avait connu la vérité, elle se serait dit qu’au lieu de porter ces chaussures, elle aurait dû les conserver pieusement en mémoire de sa mère. Mais, ayant vu Mariko sortir ce jour-là toute fière, chaussée de ses souliers, Madame Miyamura s’était sentie soulagée, assurée que la jeune fille ignorant tout.
En écoutant ma femme, je me demandais s’il pouvait y avoir quelque rapport entre la femme du docteur et l’entrevue que celui-ci avait sollicitée.
Il me téléphona le lendemain soir. L’annonce de sa visite me surprit ; je le savais fort occupé au lendemain du mariage de sa fille. Était-ce donc si urgent ? Je l’introduisis tout de suite dans mon cabinet, pour le soustraire à la curiosité de ma femme. Le docteur s’excusa de sa visite tardive et, après avoir essuyé son large front chauve, il défit le paquet qu’il avait apporté. Il commença sur un ton hésitant :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19WgUlJJxTERPl7Y6E9DG7xQrPUqFh4ql/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j_ATW3gehFm29wV2BY_FRo6b4CcYnzR4/view?usp=sharing
Madame Miyamura had been frightened by her thoughtlessness, and she had expressed regret to my wife. If Mariko had known the truth, she would have told herself that instead of wearing these shoes, she should have kept them piously in memory of her mother. But, having seen Mariko go out that day proudly, wearing her shoes, Madame Miyamura had felt relieved, assured that the young girl was ignorant of everything.
Listening to my wife, I wondered if there might be some connection between the doctor's wife and the interview he had requested.
He called me the next evening. The announcement of his visit surprised me; I knew he was very busy the day after his daughter's wedding. Was it so urgent? I immediately introduced it (him) into my study, to remove it (shield him) from my wife's curiosity. The doctor apologized for his late visit and, after wiping his broad, bald forehead, undid the package he had brought. He began in a hesitant tone:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15Fff51gHTBMx1tQZXe-dbauioNH78dKt/view?usp=sharing
