For the Sake of the Citizens
I
The fact that at a time like this Arisuke felt an irresistible urge to rejoice and be merry is not in the least strange. Such things are known to happen on occasion to men of the most rigid morals—to which class Arisuke unreservedly belonged. When, for instance, these people have achieved some “supremely glorious” exploit, they feel, more than lesser mortals ever do, a naive desire to kick over the traces. So it happened, rightly or wrongly, that Arisuke went with two or three mates to have just one glass.
“Damn it all, a man wants on an occasion lke this …” Truly strange sentiments to flow, from his lips. As a member of the Young Men’s Association he had been working for the 4,000,000 citizens of Tokyo, which for the past four days had been a “legless” city. And now to-day, this day of days, the street-car strike had been settled. He felt as if a ton of bricks had been lifted off his back. “No one can say I didn’t do my bit any more.” The faces of all the citizens who had mumbled words of thanks to him and his mates floated vividly through his mind—the city’s hero.
At every street corner the busy jingle of the newsboys’ bells brought the network of moving
133
