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"Did you know, Uncle, that in addition to the thirty or so colors such as red and blue that you find in a paintbox, there is a separate sad color, and that this sad color is something you can really see?"
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From THE HUNTING GUN by Yasushi Inoue, translated from the Japanese by Michael Emmerich, 1949/2013.

A clever and elaborate framing device sets up a story of love and deception:

🐕 A poet observes a hunter walking with his dog on a country trail. He has a vintage hunting gun over his shoulder. The poet catches a glimpse of the man's face and is struck by the emotions he sees playing there. He never spoke to the man but is inspired to write a poem about this brief encounter... The poet publishes a prose poem that paints the scene.

...and the hunter makes contact with the poet after seeing his poem in the magazine. He identifies himself as the hunter on the trail, and feels he must explain his emotions. He encloses 3 letters in the package, which he claims to have received just before the poet witnessed him on the path.

✍️🖋�� Three letters from three women, all addressed to the hunter. His niece, his lover, and his wife.

Shifts of perspective, stories from different angles - calls Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's "In a Grove" to mind, but Inoue is more subtle in his approach. This is a story of long suffering, deceptions on multiple fronts, and tragedy.

"To love...or be loved."

Easily read in one sitting at just over 100 pages. I can see why Inoue's work is well-regarded and prized.

Enlightening Afterword by the Inoue also included in this Pushkin Press edition. He began his career as a novelist at age 42, and The Hunting Gun was one of his very first works - and most recognized, even though he later regarded it as "very green".

Well, if this complex tale is considered very green... 🤔

Several of his novellas available in English translation - I'll be seeking out some more of his work.