Notes - The Enemy

Chapter Summary

Dr Sadao Hoki

Dr Sadao Hoki, a famous Japanese surgeon and an accomplished scientist, lived in a house on the Japanese coast.

He was married to Hana, a Japanese, whom he had met while studying in the US Sadao was not sent in the 2nd World War because he was into research. Moreover, General Takima, who was old, was being treated by Sadao.

The Prisoner is Washed Ashore

One night, Sadao and Hana found a wounded man washed ashore. He was unconscious and was bleeding profusely. Sadao saw that a bullet wound had reopened. Sadao wanted to throw the man back into the sea, as he had now realised that he was an American prisoner of war.

Hana also agreed. Sadao knew that giving shelter to the enemy would get them into trouble. He was torn between his moral duty as a doctor which urged him to save the dying man and his national duty which required handing him over to the Army as a patriot. Both Hana and Sadao finally decided to take the man home, as he was in need of urgent medical attention.

The Servants React Bitterly

They carried him to Sadao's father's bedroom as his father was no longer alive. The American was very dirty and needed to be washed. Hana said that Yumi, the governess, might wash her.

However, Yumi and the other servant, were frightened as Sadao had given shelter to an American soldier. So, Yumi refuced washing the soldier. Sadao operated upon the soldier with the help of Hana and removed the bullet.

The Patient gets Better but the Servants Decide to Leave

After being operated Hana took good care of the man. She served him, as the servants refused to enter the room. The man was surprised to see Hana talk in English. The enemy revealed his name to Hana. His name was Tom. Sadao was still confused about handing him over to the police. The servants resented their decision to help the American soldier and left Sadao's house.

The General's Messenger; Sadao Goes to See the General

One day, a messenger in official uniform came to Sadao's house. Hana was so scared that she was unable to speak. She thought that he was there to arrest Sadao for sheltering Tom. In fact, the messenger had come to inform Sadao that the General needed him. Sadao told the whole episode to the General. The General knew that Sadao was indispensable to him. The General promised Sadao that nothing would happen to him. The General then planned to get the American soldier assassinated. He told Sadao that his private assassins were very competent and would also remove the dead body.

After that meeting, Sadao spent three restless nights waiting for the assassins. But they didn't come. Finally, the torture became too much to bear for him. He planned to get rid of the enemy himself.

Sadao Helps the Enemy

Sadao told the escape plan to Tom. He arranged a boat, food, drinking water and clothing for the young man and also gave him his own flashlight. He told Tom that he should flash the light two times if he needed something, once if everything was fine. He must do this only when the sun dropped under the horizon. He further added that Tom could find many fish to eat but he should eat them raw, lest the fire be seen. Even Hana didn't know about this plan. Sadao had told Tom to board a Korean ship. Sadao went to the General and informed him that the American had escaped. The General informed Sadao that he forgot about the prisoner, as he was unwell. He told Sadao not to leak out this information to anybody. Back at home, Sadao remembered his days in America and the Americans he met there. He wondered why he could not kill Tom, his enemy.