Note: This story was first published in October 1916 in the monthly magazine 中央公論, Chūōkōron, "Central Review" (literally "Central Public Opinion"). The original Japanese title of this story, 手巾, is here to be read Hankachi, "handkerchief" in the Revised Hepburn notation. The sinicized pronunciation of this word, though, is shukin, from Mandarin shǒu jīn "hand towel".