"There was a cold mountain stream flowing just in front of the tea house and I was about to scoop up a ladle full of water to drink. Just then, however, I remembered that it was the height of the hot season and there was a widespread epidemic of some horrible disease going around. Some distance back I had passed through a village called Tsuji and had seen that the villagers had spread quicklime everywhere.

" 'Excuse me, miss,' I said self-consciously. 'Is this water from your well?'

" 'Why no. It comes from the stream.'

"Suddenly I was very cautious. 'I have heard there is a terrible epidemic sweeping this area. Doesn't this stream flow through Tsuji?'

" 'No, it doesn't,' said the girl indifferently. At first I was happy to hear this, but listen to what happened next.