He has a high fever... delirious.
He keeps talking to a girl.
He never knew any women.
Move over.
No, you go home.
What's that?
Me and Sahachi are the longest tenants here.
And Sahachi's dying. You got no right keeping me from seeing him.
But you're drunk.
You don't know what you're doing when you're drunk.
I began to drink when I was nine,
and I've been drinking ever since.
I can't say when I'm sober,
but I know what I'm doing when I'm drunk.
Where's that Red Beard?
He'll be here.
You're a doctor at the clinic too?
My name's Heikichi.
I've known Red Beard a long time.
He told me once
I drank too much and threw up.
He looked fierce, awful fierce.
Said to support my family
if I had the money to drink till I was drunk.
It's no laughing matter.
Thinking about the wife and kids
would make me drink all the more.
Rich men and educated ones don't know this fact.
So there you have it.
- Stop it! - What?
What's that, talking so big?
That's enough! Bad for him!
What's that?
What of it?
Fool landlord!
Stuck-up Red Beard!
Sahachi, still hanging around!
He's worried about Sahachi. That's why he's carrying on.
You all go home.
Standing there shuts out the air.
Please look after him, Doctor.
Help him to live if you can.
He never thought of himself, just about others.
He worked till he got sick, then worked while he was sick.
Go now. He's just gone to sleep. Let him be quiet.
Why don't you examine him, Doctor?
Is it hopeless?
Two fine men dying one after the other.
Old Rokusuke died today.
He's the father of the woman I just brought.
He left this ten ryo.
Use it for what they need.
I'll do that.
But, Doctor,
a man dying at a public clinic wouldn't have so much money.
You scraped it together as usual?
We're friends. You needn't have done it.
I scraped it together, all right,
but I made Magistrate Shimada pay up.
Not only the money.
I used what I knew to get him
to release the woman too.
Shimada was adopted into his wife's family.
But he's keeping a woman at his villa. Many men do.
She's grown melancholic about this...
has grown extremely jealous.
I hinted to Shimada about the woman he's keeping.
I'm abominable.
True, the girl deserved to go free.
And the money's for my treating his wife.
But I did hint, so I did a cowardly thing.
Yasumoto.
From now on, if I'm arrogant at any time, remind me of today.
I'm going back.
You tend to Sahachi.
Pouring a while ago, but it's stopped.
What is it? I'll go see.
I'm sorry, but can I have some water?
A landslide!
It was a narrow escape. Almost crushed Sahachi's place.
A skeleton!
That...
I buried it.
She was my wife.
She's come for me.
Will you call everyone, please?
I want to tell everything and die without any secrets.
Wait!
Please take this umbrella.
Thanks, but I'm wet already.
But it's bad for you.
I want to tell you about her.
Her name was Onaka.
After returning the umbrella, I couldn't forget her.
We met many times in the field at Iriya.
I'm so happy.
You'll marry me then?
I'm happy, but I can't.
Why?
Why? Because I'm not free to do as I like.
I have seven brothers and sisters, and Father's sick.
I've been bonded for ten years.
How many more years?
One year, but I can't leave. I must send money home.
Return the money.
But I have obligations.
I'll send money to your family.
- It's not that. - What other obligations?
Another man?
Do I look like that?
I'm sorry.
I just thought...
Let's not talk about it.
It's no good.
But' wanted to marry her so much
that I succeeded in persuading her.
She finally consented.
But, for some reason, she wouldn't introduce me to her parents.
No! I don't want to!
Why? Your parents will be mine. It's funny not to meet them.
But not now!
I couldn't make her do it,
but we got married.
It seemed like a dream. We were so happy.
Then the great earthquake came.
Following it, fires broke out everywhere.
When I returned from the shop,
all the places near our home were in ruins.
When 'couldn't find her body,
I felt a great relief.
But she'd vanished from that day.
I went to see her family.
They didn't know anything.
Said they thought she'd died long ago.
I moved here in the autumn of that year,
when I'd convinced myself that she'd died.
After that, I continued living here, as you all know.
Two peaceful years went by.
Onaka was alive!
And with a baby on her back.
The baby's yours?
Yes.
His name's Takichi.
About a year old?
Eight months.
'felt a stab of pain,
like a knife entering my heart.
My own wife
nursing another man's child before my eyes.
I cannot explain it but it seemed so sad,
so unbelievably sad.
Are you happy?
We won't meet again, will we?
For several days after that,
I drank, then slept.
She'd looked back and bowed when we parted.
When her image rose before my eyes, I was so sad, I could hardly breathe.
Who told you I lived here?
Your employer. He told me many things.
You were sick a long time?
I'm sorry! Please forgive me!
You won't forgive me?
I don't know.
I don't know how I feel myself.
I don't know if I'm sad or happy that you're alive.
Will you let me explain?
If it's not too painful for you.
Don't light it!
I was promised to a man already.
We lived on the same street.
Ever since he was younger, he said he was going to be one of our family.
So he helped support us.
When he was 20, he asked for my hand,
and my parents consented.
I didn't like or dislike him.
But thinking of all he had done for us, I did not mind.
And then I met you.
I did not know what to do.
I was sorry for him.
But I could not leave you.
I finally made up my mind.
I owed a debt of kindness, but I thought it could be returned.
I became strong, almost frighteningly so.
My parents punished me, pleaded with me, but I did not give in.
Then why did you...
We were too happy together.
We were so happy, I became afraid.
A girl like me did not deserve it.
I felt I'd be punished if it lasted. So I was always uneasy.
Then the earthquake came.
' was right.
This is my punishment.
''ve had my whole life's share of happiness.
The earthquake is a portent, saying to put an end to it.
My husband will think 'have died.
That will end it all.
The time to end it has come.
I walked, brooding over it,
and found myself before his house.
I understand.
I know how you must have felt.
I seemed lost after that,
and before I knew it, I was his.
I suddenly felt awake when we met in Asakusa,
as if I'd been carried off
but was suddenly before my own house again.
He, my child, and I
seem like different people who've gone far away.
I am here and this is the real me.
Hold me.
Please. Hold me closer.
Don't let me go. Please hold me.
She said not to let her go.
I didn't want to.
I buried her on the cliff behind the house
and built a small workshop over it.
I was always with Onaka.
You understand now?
Everything I did for my neighbors
was in Onaka's memory.
I don't know about her husband and child.
Yet I made them sad too.
The only thing I could do to make amends
was to be useful to others.
But it has ended at last.
Onaka's come for me many times since yesterday.
Now we can be together again.
Onaka, you're beautiful.
You're very beautiful.
Come to me!
How nice. Finally wearing your uniform?
It's really nice.
It's pretty difficult here,
but if you want, you can learn a lot.
Useful in the future.
Exactly what Dr. Nori said.
Wish I could blush like that.
You'd make your man pale.
Next, Sadakichi.
Rest awhile. Up all night?
I'm all right. I'll help.
Doctor's taking you to see the outpatients.
I don't mind.
Yasuke!
Doctor's angry today. Be careful.
What happened?
He can't treat the outpatients anymore. The budget's been cut.
He got angry.
He'd consider the budget cut, but not neglecting the patients.
He asked the government to reconsider and then left, furious.
The government's irresponsible.
Don't worry. He won't forget you.
Don't worry.
Excuse me.
I'm Masae.
There's something I must tell you.
I'm going out with the doctor.
Don't mind me.
Lord Matsudaira's mansion's first. Come later.
I don't know what to say first.
It may be impudent of me to say anything, but l...
Everyone suffers as it is.
I wondered if you could forgive my sister...
There's nothing left to say about that.
And I'm busy today. Pardon me.
Doctor!
A clinic doctor? - Yes.
Please look at her!
Our doctor won't come! My husband still owes him for medicine!
Such a high fever too!
Measles. Go to the clinic. It's not far.
Helping people?
As I've said, you are not ill, my lord.
But you're in much worse condition.
It is due to a life of luxury and ease.
You indulge in rich food, hold nothing heavier than chopsticks.
Fat gathers,
intake and discharge lose their balance.
Chamberlain, his menu?
The menu for the last three days.
I told you that white rice is detrimental to his health.
Well, l...
One bowl of seven parts wheat and three parts rice at each meal.
No fowl, meat or eggs.
And not too much fish or salt.
Keep to this for 100 days.
I would like to be paid now.
Yes. How much?
Fifty ryo.
Was it 30 ryo?
Yes.
Pardon my abrupt question,
but is it true that doctors play no part in life and death?
It seems so.
Then people meant to live recover, those meant to die pass away?
Doctors have nothing to do with it?
It may mean that.
Bad and good doctors are the same, then?
Expensive medicines and those sold in pharmacies are the same?
Of course, an eminent doctor like yourself is different, I am sure.
Don't make me an exception.
Don't hold back. Say what's on your mind.
I'm afraid I have displeased you.
Of course not.
All doctors have to butter up rich men.
Yasumoto, ever been to these places?
Yes, when I was in Nagasaki, about three times.
As a doctor or a guest?
A friend suggested going, but I didn't do anything.
I had a fiancee in Edo.
But during my absence, she...
I mean, she broke our engagement.
But I believed in her then,
so these girls held no interest for me.
I said the wrong thing?
No.
I said to send that woman home.
She's the only one we have.
She doesn't entertain very often.
She has syphilis. She mustn't entertain at all.
Will you pay me instead?
If we did like you said, we'd starve.
The food's no good in prison.
I'll stay! I'd rather stay here!
Even if I did go home...
Do something about the girl instead!
She's 12. She won't entertain, so...
Be still! Keep your mouth shut.
Now, talk. Say something!
Otoyo, apologize. Hurry!
What a girl! Spiteful!
Looking at me like that. ''ll show you.
- Stop it. - What's that?
Why, Doctor.
Just leave this to me.
Just look at this! Just look!
This brat! See? She tore up the kimono I put on her.
What's the idea, dressing up this child?
I've done a lot for this Otoyo.
Her mother died out in front here.
She was no kin,
but I gave the funeral and then took her in.
So I'm her foster mother!
No one can complain about what I do with her.
Again! Just to spite me!
Anything happens she doesn't like, back she goes to scrubbing again.
She has a fever.
See? Always contrary, returning spite for kindness.
A high fever.
We'll take her.
Are you joking? Trying to get her for free? You!
Somebody! Somebody come!
What's up?
Anything wrong?
A thief!
He's trying to take her away. Says she's sick.
Oh, no, you don't!
Who do you think you are? Sticking your nose in where you're not wanted.
Now get out! Come again, and we'll show you.
I'm a doctor. I come to see sick people.
What's that?
You better watch out! You'll get hurt.
You be careful too.
You know, a bad doctor can kill you.
I won't kill you, but I might break a couple of arms or legs.
You! Outside!
Never mind. Don't interfere.
Shut the gate!
Get something to carry them away on.
Yasumoto, tend to them.
Bandage them up.
I'm afraid I went a bit too far.
I should've been more careful.
This is terrible. Such violence is bad.
A doctor mustn't do such things.
Otoyo!
We're taking her. Report it if you don't like it.
I don't understand.
No, I don't.
It's too cruel.
Why does such a child have to suffer so?
Her mind's far worse off than her body.
As though it had been scalded.
Yasumoto, you look after her.
She's your first patient. Cure her.
I NTERMISSION
February 9... 'bring Otoyo to my room.
Don't worry. Go to sleep.
No one will hurt you here.
Like some water?
That night, Otoyo, half awake, half dreaming,
looked at me so strangely.
February 10... Otoyo's mind has become clear.
But she won't let me examine her.
Just your tongue, then.
When she stares at me, 'don't know what to do.
Her eyes are suspicious,
insolent and very lonely.
February 11... when ' woke up this morning...
What're you doing?
You're sick.
You needn't work here.
You needn't worry about food, clothes or medicine.
Stay in bed.
But she kept wiping, wiping, wiping
until she had convulsions again.
Now drink your medicine.
Drink it and your fever will go down.
How is she?
I give up.
She won't let me examine her, won't take her medicine.
I'll see what I can do.
Good girl.
That night, she spoke for the first time.
Now, eat this.
Your fever's down. We must make you strong.
Why wasn't I slapped?
Why didn't he slap me?
You mean when you wouldn't take your medicine?
There are kind people in the world.
You've never met any before.
You can't fool me.
Mother told me.
She said to watch out for people, not to trust anyone.
And she was right.
No, no, he's not like that.
You know he isn't.
Isn't that why you took the medicine?
Dr. Niide wants to cure you,
your body and your mind that's been so hurt by cruelty.
- You too? - Of course me too.
Even now?