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248 HONDA THE SAMURAI.
" Did no one help him?"
" Not a man, though the people
in the boat saw
him, and there were a dozen men at least on the
shore ; but not a rope was thrown or a pole put
out, nor did a man step in even so much as to wet
his feet. On our side of the river, owing
distance, we could do nothing."
" How did your companion take it ? "
to the
"I called his attention to the dead man, and
asked if this was the way they allowed men to be
drowned in Etchiu, as he was a samurai of that
province.
" *
' A man !
replied my companion :
or an eta.'
only a beggar
"
Well, what of that? " I asked.
'
why
he is
" He is a human
being."
" '
Oh, yes, to be sure ; but only a beggar. An
eta, most probably.'
"This was all I could get from my companion.
He had no further interest in the corpse."
" Is it not a disgrace to our language also," asked
Doctor Sano, " that in some provinces they speak of
men in number as so many beasts or animals ? Only
a few days ago I wished to engage some laborers,
and the contractor asked ' Laborers? How many
beasts ? '
I could n't help comparing it with the
European phrase ' hands '
for the workmen, which
sounds more civilized. I have read that in some
European countries they give a gold medal to any
one who rescues a drowning person or in any way
saves a human life."