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Show 234 increased. The samisen t h r o b b e d ; one of the geisha was i m i t a t i ng the c a l l e r at a p u p p a t - p l a y : in p a t t e r n e d nasal tones, r i s i ng to snarling laments or s i n k i n g to low, h a l f - s o b b i n g melancholy, she pulsed away to a d e l i g h t e d audience. In the middle of the floor, two of the o f f i c e r s were showing a geisha how to I n d i a n - wrestle: more s h r i e k s , l a u g h t e r , thuds. Jennings t r i e d another hand-stand, and formed a v o r t e x of h i s own. A group attempted harmony near the window. Sake had increased i t s e f f e c t on P h y l l i s , and she decided that i f she was t o work on Japanese, Mori must E n g l i s h. "Your t u r n , " she s a i d , her head wobbling a b i t . "You ask. Anata. You," " H a i , " said M o r i . "Watashi i i m a s u ." " R i g h t o , my g i r l . Watashi ask, _a_n ait a answer," Mori g i g g l e d . "What I say I ask?" "You say" - again P h y l l i s ' s head bobbed; i t seemed to have developed a d o l l - l i k e f l u c t u a t i o n of i t s own - "What. Is. That. Got i t ? What i s t h a t ?" " H a i . Wot.Is. D o t . " Ready to begin, Mori looked around. "Wot," she s a i d , her hand t r a c i n g an arabesque, " i s dot?" " D o t , " said P h y l l i s , " i s t a b l e ." "Tabr?" "Table. 'L.' L-l-1-1." She fired away like a gattling gun. "R-r-r-r. Muzukashii yo." "Not muzukashii. Easy," |