十
祭典不会停止，所有人都会沉溺于轮回，而我，为这个故事写上开头。
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theoffering
one
whenthebelltolls，iknowtheceremonyisabouttobegin.
it‘safamilytradition，heldeveryeighteenyearsonthisday，wherethefamilyhostsagrandandluxurioussacrificialritetohonoroursupremedeity.
two
andiamthesolepriestessinthisritual.
three
dressedintheintricatevestmentsofapriestess，iboardthepalanquinboundforthetempleundermymother‘sworriedgaze.beforedeparting，ifollowtheoldcustomsofthefamilyandbestowthepriestess‘sblessingupontheunbornchildinmymother‘swomb.
four
thetempleisbuiltatopamountain，andthepalanquinstopsatthefootofthehill.withadevoutheart，iascendthestairsleadingtothetempleonestepatatime.
thepathislong，andtheceremonialrobesfeelexceedinglyheavy，yetidonotsensetheexpectedweariness.
frombirth，iwastaughttoshouldertheresponsibilitiesofapriestess.
five
uponreachingthetemple，iseeeveryonebrimmingwithhope，tearswellingintheireyes.theyretreatnaturallybehindme，ignitingthecandleinmyhand.iunderstandthatthepathaheadisminealonetotread，fornooneotherthanthepriestessisallowedinsidethetemple.
six
thetempleisdark;thedooropensbrieflybeforeclosingagain.holdingtheonlysourceoflight，islowlymakemywayinside.iswearthatnoonehaseverenteredhere，foriftheydid，theywouldwitnessthebonesstrewnacrossthefloor.
seven
uponseeingtheso-calleddeity，iamnotsurprised.imerelyundress，makingmyselfreadyforthe”deity‘s”feast.
eight
fromtheverybeginning，iknewiwasthesoleofferinginthisceremony.
nine
thechildinmymother‘swombisborn.thatisthenextofferingileavetothefamily，thenext”me”.ineighteenyears，hetoowillbecomeapriest.
ten
theceremonywillnotcease;allwillbetrappedinthecycleofrebirth.andi，iwritethebeginningofthistale.
第4章《富士山下》《昨日重现》
《富士山下》
beneaththefujimountain
一
我在富士山下卖苹果，一半过去卖给自己，一半未来卖给行人。
isellapplesatthefootofmountfuji，halfsoldinthepasttomyself，andhalfinthefuturetopassersby.
二
苹果本就甘甜，我从不多加叙述，那些前来的人们自然会吃下这份无味的甘甜。