algren'. eyes open. algren wakes again. he is lying on a simple mat. his injuries are such that he can barely move his head. he takes in the traditional japanese furnishings. algren writhes on his mat. trapped in his recurrent nightmare. algren sits hunched in a dark corner. his body is convulsed with shivering. his withdrawal from alcohol, his wounds, his isolation and his imagined sins are devouring him. . algren now kneels at the table with the rest of the family as they eat. he is in considerable pain from the rigors of training. he tries to roll the stiffness out of his neck, when be notices that higen it imitating him. toshiie laughs. algren is asleep. and then we note that the ground is vibrating . he slides across his mat .- wakes with a start algren writes on parchment by the light of an oil lamp.