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V r - ^ . ^*/^ A 1 / ! r 1 •" /^ V 4 ^ 1 y i) ^ ^y~ •■ aNADA NATIONAL LIBRARY ' BIBLIOTHEQ.UE NATIONALE ) / / / // \ '}^ y 1 ' / / ■/ v. -rMm^- N '/ A '/ i. i OF omno PVliiU3H£R3 MCMII 13U772 Corviv;hl. IT"?, by Hakffi .^- PruTiihrs. I'ublished Septcmlier, I'joi : 4 -J^: H s of :::X=i==zz5irz__-zr^ 3= '3 «^ ":P 1 S»*-?^Jt^rS<*>* r. TOE .Wooir^o Of \W3TAR) A HEX after a life that had never lacked variety the Ladj' Wis- tarui came to the years of tran- quillity, she was wont to say, with the philosophy that follows dangerous times : " No one, man or maid, ever really began to live before the time to which the first memory reverts. " The first recollection of the Lady Wistaria goes back to an earlier childhood than that of most mortals. This she a.s- cribed to its terrible and awful import. She could .scarcely do more than move with the uncer- tain direction of babyhood, when X ' fcS: TOE-VOOJINO op ViSTARlA 3: a: 5^ her father, ahvays now in her memory as j^^aimt, lean, ha^^^ard, tail, had taken her upon a lnnL,r journey. They had travelled partly by kurumaya, and, towards the end, on foot. That is,' her father had walked, carrying her on hi(.,'h in his arms. When they hiilted at Yedo they stood amid a vast concourse of people, who remaincxl silent and resi)ectful a^^ainst the background of the buildings, while in the centre of the road marched steadily and i)omi)ou.sly a great glittering pageant. Wistaria had clapi)cd her hands with glee and delight at the mass of color, the glimmer of .•^hielu and breastplate, the i)rancing, snort- ing horses. Hut her father suddenly had raised an enormous hand and in a moment had stopped her delight. Wistaria lapsed into an iicute silence. Instantly she was awakened from her pain- ful apathy by her father, who moved her high- er in his arms, and turned her head slowly about with one hand, while with the other he iK.inted to a shining iMjr.sonage reclining in a ixilaiupiin borne high on the .shoulders of ten stoul-legized attendants. "My daughter," said her father's hollow voice in ..er ear, "yonder rides the man who killed your mother. It is through his crime that you are orjihaned and have no mother to care for you and lo\e you. Look at him well! I hush! Do not weep or shake with ^ ■■ — r -3: -sc- ^ i: fear, but turn your eyes upon him. I.ook at hun! Look! L(M)k! Yonder ri(k-s your moth- er's munk'rer. Do not fortret his face as hm^ as you hve. It is jour dutv to remember it!" Whereupon Wistaria, who. in olx-dience to her father's commands, had stared with wide eyes fixedly at the reclininf,^ nobk\ set up a most extraonhnary cry. It was un- Hke that of a httle child — a wild, wailinjr shriek, so weird and piteous that the by- standers started in horror and fear. The noble raised himself lazily on his ellx)w, star- ing across the heads of all, until hi.s eyes rested upon the man with the child held on high. lie fell Ixick with an uneasy shrug of the shoulders. HThat was the Lady Wistaria's oldest mem- ory. There were others, but none so vivid as this, the first of all. Even later, when she had ceased to be a child, she had been unable to pierce the mystery of her father's life, or in- deed her own. One half of her earlier years had been spent in a small, whitewashed cottage, built on the crest of a little wind-blown hill, far enough re- , moved from the dwellings in the village below \ to Ix; entirely cut off from them. There was a touch of the uncanny and weird about the little village, whose slender streets, ascending and descending, zigzagging up and down, disappeared among hillocks += X ^ k' mi:^isi^i^' i 1. . 't ^ ^ 4 TOE.VOOirsGOf? ViSTARiA :X and bliifTs, thuutrh built in reality in the hollow outskirts of a lio\irishing city at the fcxH of a small chain of mountains. Though the land here was j^reen ami beautiful at all times of the year, there came no one from the j^ireat city beyond to this solitary settlement, whose inhabitants Iwre the nnpress of toil, pain, and op])ression. Why her father, who, she had been told, was of noble blood, resided here on this hill- top, isolated even from the strange people who dwelt in the silent village Ixlow, the Lady Wistaria had never learned. When she had (lue.slioned her uncle and aunt, she had been frigidly informed that curiosity and impiisitiveiiess were degrading traits, which a maiden should strive with all her strength to overcome. Neither did she ask her father, who, taciturn and cold during her brief resi- dence each year in his houst-, gave her no opyxtrtunity for winning his confidence. His love Wistaria had never dreamed of jxjssess- ing. Xeverthekss, whenever she went to her father's house, a wistful longing and ycarn- nig for him pos.se.n their breasts and shoulders glistened with a sinister sheen, and beneath their blazing helmets fierce e^'es burned out their unswervmg allegiance and ^ 3 ~ I rk. I JL '(' "^ 3C: 5 i f ^t A R tt TOE ^ yoojlNG Oj^ V/i^TAPJA f^ -*= 4 loy.'ilty to tluir lord and their scorn and dc- fiaiuc of all his iiitiiiics. Their coats, all ciiihlazoncd and embroidered with >^olden dragons, Ijore two crests, that of the Sho^fun lyesada, and that of the iK)werful Daiinio nnder whom tluy served, the Lord of Catzu, uncle of the Lady Wistaria. Here in her uncle's palace Wistaria was watched over, cared for, nurtured, and refined. Lackeys and servants were alx)ut her on all sides, ready to sjirinu^ to her .service. As a clnld she had attended a private .sch(M)l, ]m the school-hcnise, carryinj.^ her Ixioks, her wrilini,'-lx)X, her kneeling-cushion, and her little table. When she .^rew older she attended the ele- mentary .'^cIkk)!. After she had left thi.s, a silert woman of j)erfect manners and ex- (piisite ai)i)earance had come to her uncle's palace and attached herself entirely to her. With the comiiiL,' of this j^overness, Wistaria ceased to ]iay her annual visits to her father's house. He himself came to the jjalace in- stead, once every year. I'jum these occa- sions Wistaria was brought into his })resence. Ik' would i)ut a few stern (jucstions to her ^ r 4. I J ■p A t 4 Ti1£*WOOi^oof ViSTARiA a: concerning Ik-t knowlcdne of her duty to her ^ parents, to which Wistaria would res|)ond with ixprcssions of (ihal submission to his will in all thmi^s. IVoiii iIr governess, Wistaria learned the elej^ancies of conversation and how t(t act on nieetini; ureat personages at court. She had e\tn iK'en drilled in certain graces which should not fail to enchain her lover, when he, the proi»er one, should l)e chosen for her. Now that sIk had reached the atje of fifteen years, this i^rfect |)er.s m had departed from the palace to teach maidens of younj^er years. The I^ady Wistaria had arrived at an a^c when she could Ix' said to have Ixvn graduated from her governess's hands as comi>etent to pa.ss the rest of her life without further in- struction, save that constant restraint exer- ts cised over her l)y her aunt, the Lady Evening Glory of Catzu. 3: 3C:: 7 ^ f lie education of a Japanese maid is not alone a matter of cultivating tlie nund ; it is an actual niouldin(T of her whole character. 'Ihe averapc ^irl under such di.scij)line succumbs to the hereditary instinct of imi)licit obedience to her dic- tators, and becomes like unto their conception of what she should be. But the Lady Wis- taria was not an average ^irl. That is the reason her appearance at the court of the Shogun in Yedo created a furore. Her fresh, young beauty, her crrace and bcwitch- i 1 *■ X i T/1£ .VOOjrsG oj' ViSTARiA zr if ^ 31 1 iri!,' charm, were a rcvclati.in to the jaded ttiiirt. The Lady Evening:,' <;iory, who had y.\Kut years of thought and preiiarauoii for this event, had warned her rejvatedly that iiikhi sui h an ausjucious occasion she was to tread across the vast hall witli dnwiKast eyes and an attitude of yraeeful huiudity. She was on no account to looU about her. Wlule all eyes nii;;ht ^aze u|K)n her, she must see no (trie. And this is how the Lady Wistaria carried out her instructions. When first siie beLjan the slow jjarade tow- ards the Slioj^^uin's throne, my lady's head was dro(j|)cd m the correct iK)se, with her eyes modestly downcast. She had proceeded i)Ut a few i)aces, however, wlun she was thrilled hy the intuititm that the sj)cctacle was worthy of any sacrifice necessary to sec it. Her small head beuan to erect itself. Her eyes, wide oj)en, with one j^Teat sweep viewetl the sjjlendor of the i)icturi — the t,^race- ful courtiers, the lovely women in their cos- tumes of the sun. A sharp j-inch ujKin the arm brouf,dit her back to the exacting presence of the Lady IC veiling' Glory beside her. Down drooiK.(l her head a^'ain. (iraduallv the eye- lids fluttered. My lady i)Ce[)t^d! There was a low murmur throuj;hout the hall. The waving,' of fans ceased a ypace. The Lady Evenintj Glory recoLrnized the sij^nificance of that murmur, and then the ^ 1 y— J a -— - y t^ ^ 't 4 c=. 3 THE*VOOji>iG Of ViSTARiA — ^t^ ^ T n ^ h" hush that ensued. A trenieiulous fhittenn^ pride arose in her 'ocisoin. Iler e.\])erieiice of lUiiny years assured her that her niece's beauty was coiiipelhnij its splenchd tribute. Then the Lady Wistaria was jiresenled to the Sliouun. Her i)rostration was made with inimitable uraee. Her Ijeauty and charm call- ed forth words of ])rai.se from the Shoyun him- self to her uncle. A younu; noble, more darinu; and ardent than all the others, separated him.'^elf from the assembled company, and, crossinti to where the Lady Wistaria stoiKl, kissed a hyacinth and droi)i)ed it at the uirls feet. The Lady I'^veninu; (ilory CDtdd have shriek- ed aloud with fury at the action of her niece, due solely to her innocence. She had no thought whence it had come. A flower in her path was not something she could tread U]K)n, or even pass by. There in the centre of the ^ortreous hall she stoo])ed tenderly and i)icked up the pleadinu; flower. " Wild M^irl!" cried lier aunt, in a sufTocating whis])er. Wistaria started with a little cry of trenuine dismay. She had forgotten in (»ne moment the instruction of years. In her confusion .she stoi)ix'd short in her i)roy:ress across the hall. As if imi)elled by some great subtle force within her, helplessly the Lady Wistaria raised her eyes. They gazed im?nediately into the deptlis of another pair, afire with an ^ » 10 TOE.Voojr^o o/? ViSTARiA awakening' passion. The next moment the youn-^r ^rirl had bhished, red as the tints a masterful sun throws to coquetting clouds at sunset. All the journey through, to their temix)rary palace m Vedo, her aunt abu.sed the Lady Wistaria. The training of years wasted! Ingratitude was the ba.sest of crimes! Was this the way she repaid her aunt's labor and kindness? Well, back to Catzu they should go. It would be un.safe to remain longer in the capital. Cerlanily her niece had much to learn before she could continue in Vedo longer than a day. The Lady Wistaria sat back in her palan- quin, jHHiting. What, to be taken from tlie gay capital one day after arriving — before she had had the chance to meet or even sjxiak to any one! Oh! it was cruel, and she the most stupid of maidens not to havecomixirted herself correctly at her presentation! "Dearest, my lady auni," said she, "pray you, do let us contiiuie in the capital for the season." "What! and be laughed at by the whole court for our shocking and magnificently bad manners? People will declare that you have been reared in the fields with the iK'as- ants." * "Do not, I beg, blame me for an accident, dear, my honorable aunt. It was not, iii tnith, uiy own fault.'" IZ II '"■ r» ajL la: "Indeed!" "Indeed, I do assure you it was the fault of that honorably sillv flower " "TSIIH!" "And of that niapnificcnt and augustly handsome courtier who droj)ped it." "Droi)ixd it! My lady niece, I saw the impudent fellow throw it at your feet!" "What! Vou saw! Oh, my aunt, then it IS you who arc jointly guilty with me!" "What is that?" cried the aunt. ant,'rily. " W hy, my lad\-, your honorable eves were imj)roper also." The Lady Evening T.'ory turned an offended shoulder. " We will start tf>morrow for home " "Oh, my lady!" "I have s[)oken. " "Hut, dear aunt—" "Will you condescend to tell me, girl, who is truardian, thou or 1?" With the Lady Evening Glory, " thou" was the end of discussion The following day, therefore, the returning cortc^ue set out for Catzu. As fortune would have It, the Lady Evening (llory travelled in her own train, while her niece had also her personal retinue about her. Consequently the journey was joyous for the Ladv Wistaria. W hen first the corti^ge l)egan to move through the city a stran^ie little procession followed in its wake. It was made up of the love- '^ ■^ 5: TO£-VOO]i>iGof ViSTARiA 3E: 3: "^ sicU- suitors, who, havintj but once gazed uiK)n the beauty of the Lady Wistaria, wished to ser\ e and follow her to the end of the world. The following was quite laritje when the cortCjge started. A number droj)))od off as they reached the city liuuts, then gradually the hojx^-less and disappointed swains with drooping heads turned back to Vedo, there to dream of the vision of a day, but to dream hopelessly. Wherever the Lady Wistaria's jx.'rsonal train travel'{xl there lay scattered uix)n the ground, and blivwing in the air above and about her, tiny I ts of white or delicately tinted and I>erlu..;ed paixT. They were, alas! the love- letters and iK)ems i)enned by the ardent lovers, which the hard-hearted lady, tearing into infinitesimal bits, had saucily tossed to the winds. It was thus she to.ssed their love from her, she would have them believe. Hopeless, and finally indignant, therefore, backward turned these crstwliile ho|)eful suit- ors. Sir Genji, the big samurai, who had especial charge of Wistaria's train, reported to her, with a smile of satisfaction, that she wt)uld suffer no further annoyance, as all save one of her suitors had finally retreated. "Bring closer your honorable head," .said the lady to Genji, who stnxle beside her nori- moiio, ever and anon ordering and.stokhng the runners. He brought his car closer to the girl's lips. zzx 3:: =S=3 •:iG op Wi^TARiA JZ M? She leaned over and whi.s{x;red, while a pjde bj pink flush came, fled, and grew and deepened again in her face. "Tell me," said she, "which of the honor- ably bold and silly cavaliers is it that re- mains?" " The one, my lady, who, not content with despatching his love-letters and tokens to you by underlings, has had the august im{)erti- nence to deliver them himself in person." " Vcs — yc-es — of course, ' ' said Wistaria, blu.shing deliciously, "and that was honor- ablv right. Do vou not think so, my brave Genji?" "Perhaps," admitted the astute samurai, frov>ning at the same time u[Kin a i)<)rtion of the parade belonging to the Lady b^vening Cllory. Wistaria laughed with infinite relish. "Well," she said, "if my honorable aunt or august uncle were to learn of his boldness, I fear me they would command that the cur- tains of my insignificant norimon be drawn so tightly that I should surely sufl'ocate." "Fear not," said (lenji,"I shall take im- mediate measures to ])revent such an occur- rence, my lady." Wistaria ])<)uted, and frowned as heavily as it is ]M>ssil)le for bright eyes and rosy lij)s to do. She toyed with her fan, oix:ning and closing it several times. " Vou arc honorably over-zealous, Sir Gen- ii," she said. 3: 3E: 14 rmMJOOit>^0 0/5 ViSTAR)A H 1= "My la(l\'/' hu replied, "know you aught of this stranj^cr?" 'lie has a i)retty j^'race," said Wistaria, " and the l)earinK' of one of noble rank. Have y<«u not noted, Sir (lenji, the beautj' and ricliness of his niatcnificent attire?" " I have, my huly. It is of that attire I would sjMjak. " "Do so at once, then." "it is tile auire, niv kidv, of the Mori fam- ily" " The Mori ! What ! Our honorably hostile neiuhbors?'' T? "ICxaclly," said Genji. "Oh, dear!" nmrnuired Wistaria, as she sank back in her cushions in troubled thought. After a moment her little black head again a[)])eared. "d, my lady, this Choshui ix'ople have many worthy and admirable (lualities." "Vou are a very clever fellow, my dear Sir den," said Wistaria, smiling engagingly 15 ^ ? h ^ ¥ TOE .>VOOij>iO Of Ns/iSTARJA 3z 3t now, " and I shall bespeak you to my honora- ble uncle. An ' now — now — if you would real- ly wish io serve ine, do you pray show sonic kindness— some little insitjnifieant courtesy to this unfortunate Mori courtier. Perhaps he may have some gotxl attributes." " L'ndf)ubtcdly, my lad\-. " "And do be careful to allow my lady aunt > know nauuht concerning; him, for she, liavini; come from this .M(.ri, is actually more sour auainst them than we, you and I, Sir Cicn, who have not indeed." Just then mv lady heard a familiar tramp to the left of her nonmono. There were but few horses in the CDrtc^Lje, and most of thcin had uone ahead with her father's samurai. Consequently the beat of a horse's hoofs was I)lainly to be heard. The Lady Wistaria wavered between lyint,^ back in her carriage and drawint; about her di.screetly the curtains, or s\{iu\i^ up and feigninji indifference to the horseinan. The rider had fallen into a slow trot behind her noriniono, and seemed to be making no effort lither to overtake or ride beside her. For the space of a few minutes the I.ady Wi.s- tana, with a bri.uht, expectant red spot in either cheek, waited for some sign on the part of th.' rider. His stubborn continuance in the background at first thrillexl, then irri- tated, and finally distracted her. My lady liut her .shining little head out of the vehicle. 16 X . f>->v-=-l c=> ^ then, leaning quite far out, she looked back- ward. Instantly the rider spurred his horse forward. In a flash his hitherto melancholy fact became luminous with hojc A moment later he was beside the lady's nonmono. Before her oOicious maid had time to draw the curtains a love-letter had fallen into my lady's laj). It was possibly the fiftieth ap[)ea) he had penned to her. Hitherto he had borne the bitter chagrin of seeing the torn bits of pa{)er fall from a little hand that parted the silken curtains of her gilded norimono and scattered them to the winds. The lover rode within sight of his mistress's palanquin until the first gray darkness of approaching night crept like an immense cloud over the heavens, chasing away the enchanting rcsy tints that the departing sun had left behind. Undaunted by the fact that his letter re- ceived no respon.sc, encouraged rather by the fact that it had not shared the fate of its predeccs.sors, the lover now set him.self to the task of comjxising more ardent and flowery ejiistles. What time was not occupied in eagerly watching for the smallest glimpse of the little head to appear was S[)ent in writing to her. He wrote his love-letters and poems with a shaking hand even while his horse carried him onward. He wrote them by the light of the moon when the train halted ^ !? J? f TOR.VOOjrsG v^j^ Vi5TAR)A a; X for the nijfht. lie wrote them in the early (hiwn before the cort^j^'e had awakened. And lie delivered them at all hours, whenever he could o!)tiiin oiiiM)rtunitv. Thout^h the Lady Wistaria by this time must have acciuired a j^ocKlly quantity of useless literature, she took no measure to relieve herself of the burdensome ba^i^age. Xcvcrthcless the lover bewail to desjjair. A few hf.iirs before they reached her uncle's province he delivered his last missive. It was really a very desi)erate letter. At the ris!; of his life— so he wrote— he would follow her not only to her uncle's province but into the very ^.-rounds surrounding.^ his j)al:tce — into the palace it.sdf if neces.^ary. lie be- sought her tlr t she would send him one small Word of fa\-or. He waited in impatient excitement for a resjKMi.se to this last fervid apj>eal. He felt sure she must at least deitrn to express her wi.sh in the matter. Hut when they ii'ached the jnovince he saw her carried acros.s the borders without havincf j^nven him one .sij^n or token. In his despair l.c dismounted, and was divided I)etween returninti to Vedo or con- tinuinu his hopeless quest. As he remained j)lunt:ed in his ploomy reflections and uncertainty of purixKse, an I enormous .s.-miurai touched him .sharply u]xm 4, the arm. In his irritation he was about to C=U T— ^ :=X X ^ rcsfiit the fillow'.s faiiiiliarity, when he f)cr- ccivcd a little roll i)f ricc-paiKT protruding from his sleeve. Stealthily the samurai reach- ed out his arm to the lover. The latter seized the scroll eagerly. #- 73^ - ■ JLl 19 -a Jfr t ■% >•• f^ ^ en 4 X ^ So it hapiKiicd tliat while ihc Lord Catzu was one of the most intitiiate aiul coiifuk'titial of the advisers of the Sho^^'un, his nei^jhbor, the old Prinee Mori, Daimio of the province of Choshui, desired to see the Mikado once more, the real, instead of the nt)minal, ruler of Jajwin. Consefiuently the two neif^hborint^ clans, while displayini; extravagant courtesy tow- ards each other in public, were in reality un- friendly. Only durint; that iM)rtion of the year when the Sho^un's edict ordered a Vedo residence for all daimios, did the lords of the provinces meet one anf)ther, and that under the Shojjun's eyes in his Vedo seat of govern- ment. In the capital they simulated suavity and cordiality, but once back at tluir pro- vincial capitals they preserved towards each other an attitude of iK)lite defiance which made all intercourse between them imjxjssiblc save that of the sw«)rd, when their resix.'ctive samurai and vassals, coming,' in contact with one another, fought out their lords' political diflercnccs. Imbitterinc still more the feeling existing naturally between the Mori and Catzu clans, there was a personal clement in the situation. ^ When Catzu had first been made lord of the province he had met on a visit to the Shogiin's Yedo court the Lady Evening C.lory, whose brother and guardian (she being an orjjhan) was a young samurai in the service of the 3 21 cr^ 'fl 4 3: 4 I'niKc Mori. 1., i^r falkn a victim to the l.uly's hcaiity and ihariiis, the lord of Catzu was dctcriumul to lia\c Ikt for wife despite the on was envelopint: the laud in an etliereal ulow. The courtier re- mained under the friendly sliadow of a urove of iMiie-trccs. Ills eyes were cast uihui the st.itily Calzu slnro (palace). It seemed a;; tliuuuli the iiioon-rays had sineled out the uraceful old castle and was bathing it ten- derly in a halo of soft liyht. It was cold, no* bitterly so, but shan)ly chill, as it is at nii^ht betwixt the winter and the .-priu','. Hut unconscious of the chill, erect and trraceful, the courtier leaned against a tree trunk, his arms crossed over his breast, his eyes full of moist sentiment, (lrinkin).x in the bcautv of the ni^ht scene, which had an added enchantment for him, a man in love. All about him, l)efore, behind, and around him, eraceful pine-trees .aised their slender, lK)inted heads up to the silver li^ht. In the distance, hke a strange, white miraj^e set in the moonlit sky, a snow-caj^ixxl mountain seemed hunu as in mid-air. The j,'rass Ix'- nealh his feet was yountj and intensely soft, witli dewy moisture u|M)n it. A niuhtinirale on the tip of a tall bamboo sam.; with such })assionate sweetness that it brouLrht the lover out from the shelter of the shadow. Quiverincj with emotion, his 23 ^ ou to abandon so foolhardy a purpose as to fol- lovv me ,., n,y uncle's home. I would fe.gn warn jou that my uncle's guards arc fierce and ofUunes rucl, and to one wearmg the garb of a hostile clan fear they would show no mercy. Therefore I tx^scecii you, do you pray abandon your honorable purpose. " Also condescend to permit me to add, that if you must m.Iecd truly attempt so hazardous an un- crt«kn,g I would beg to mform you, that though e grounds are surrounded by such great walls urn and"'. T" !!^'' '?" ^ ^"'"'^''^ ^^^ "''^'^t chmb them, and also the gates arc guarded by the fiercest samurai nevertheless, on the south there is a small •er. .Mayhap you will hire a boat Then do you WeTnl r """''''^*'^ "■'^"^' ^^'^'^'^'■"^ ^^«- *«'l><^ hr" f; 1 "T"'" -'"''" ^'^^^ >-°" «•'» discover a break in the south wail, which leads into the gar^ dens surrounding the [)alace f«*^lord, my uncle's guards are not so vngilant -^4 H before sunrise, as I myself have ofttimes rcmnrkcd wlien I have arisen early of a morning and have l(K)l- — ^ -^ tr H ^ =# of plum and cherry. Sho could not but caress ihciii with her li, ds, her lips, her eyes, her burninu cheeks. ^Vith little, treiiiblin^r hatids she searched ainouL,' them and found what she sought — a scroll — a narrow, thin, won- derful scroll, luim, yet only a few inches in width, with j^^olden borders down the sides, and the faint, exainful tuition of years, she shoidd have jnished very deliberatel>' the flowers from her sill and torn the scroll nito ra^tred ])ieces, £i chasti.^ement i)re.scribed ])y every etifjuette for tlie temerity of a i)resiunptuous lo\er. Ikit the Lady Wistaria did nothing of the sort. She gathered the flowers tenderly and took them in. Then .she came baric to the h> ^. ^ ^ -7 ■ r» — f #> — » Il ^ 13:= 7M ^WOO JNG o/? V;;iSTAR)A ^ f= — 3: I 4^ .1* is casement, and, Icaninj,' far out, j^^azed with IMcrcmj,' wistfulncss out into the little parden below. For some mniutes she waited, the patience of her caste fadnii^ away j::rad'ually into that of the mipatience of her sex. A voice beneath her casement! She leaned farther over. A youns; man's eager, glowing face smiled up at her like the rising sun. Again the Lady Wistaria forgot the training of years. Her trembling voice iloated down to him : "Pray you do consider the perils in which you j)lace yourself," she imi)lored. ''I would pass through all the perils of hell so I might reach you in the end," he fi.T\i(lly whisi)ered back. "Oh, my lord, look yonder! Sec. the sun IS pushing Its way upward above the moun- tains and the hill-tops. Do \ ou not know that soon my uncle's guards will pass this way''" "Inder the heavens there is nothing in all this wide world worthy as a gift for vou dear lady. That you have deigned to accept my honorable flowers and niv abominably constructid poem has given me such strength that I am prepared to fight a whole army of guards Ay! And to give up readily/too, my life. •'And if you love me," she replied, "vou will guard with all your strength that "hfe which you are so recklessly exposing to danger. :^' ^ 2« X =8r=:^ 7F=* 6 fl TOE.VoojrsG Of \57i3TAPJA IX: ffl "Ah, sweetest lady, can it be true then that you condescend lu take some concern in my insifjnificant existence?" She made no resiH>nse other than to pluck from the climbuitx vnie about her casement <«ne little half- blown leaf and drop it at his feet. As he sto ^9 k %^ Czitsti TO£.V;ooij>jo OF Vi:5TAR)A 35:- -^Ei f^ 4 The victorious one, slinmtrinLT his shimlders imi)ercei»lihly, at,rain bowed with a smile of disclaimer. "May I he permitted," he said, "to put one fiuestiou to you, my lord, find then I am l)erfectly i)repared to t;ive myself up to vour fathers >.,aiards, though not, 1 promise you, without a stru^t,de, which I doubt not your vassals will Umu: remember. " And he blithely bent the blade of his sword with his two hards. ''Nay, then," cried the youth, imi)etuou.sly, "Vou do me injustice. 1 am ready to swear im)tection to one who has acted so bravely as thou. Hut a question for a question, is not that fair?" "Assuredly." "Wry well, then. You serve the Prince of Mori?" "In a very humble capacity," returned the other, guardedly. "In what capacity?" inquired the young Toro, quickly. "Ah, ihat is two questions, and you have not even deigned to listen to my one/' "Sjieak," said the youth, curbing his curi- osity and impatience. Ihe Lady Wistaria — she is your sister?" "My cousin," answered the other, brief!}'. " Will you tell me how it is jH)ssible for one unfortunately attached to an unfriendly clan to pay court to your cousin?" "Two questions, that!" exclaimed Toro, 30 :-.' I H TOE.WOOilNGO)^ Vi3TAR)A '^ i ?* .az. k i r-^^ a : proinplly, uhcant tluy both laiit;hctl, their fru'iKlship growing in i)rojx)rti(>n to their UOiKl-humor. ".\(>\v," s.iu) T'lro, "1 will answer what- ever ([UesliDns ymi may ])ut to uie, if you ni return will only satisfy my innul concern- iiiLT eerlain mailers whieh 1 am i>erishing to know." "A fair exchaneel f'loodl" "Tluii," Saul Toro, unl(M)sening his own c.iiK- from his hii)s, "pray throw ihis about you, fcr 1 fear you will be observed by my falher's samurai. ICveri my presence," he added, with a sigh, "could hardly i)rotect you, for I, alas! am under age." "Is it possible':*" .said the stranger, with such alTecled surpri.se that the boy Hushed with delight. "\ow, my lord "—he hesitated, dou1)tful- ly, as though h,)i)ing the other would .sui)ply the name — "now, my lord, let me e.xplain to you why I truly sympathize with you in your love for (.ne who must seem iniiXKssible." "Not nnix)ssible," corrected the lover, .soft- ly, thinliing tenderly of the Uuly \Vi.staria's fears for hiin. "I, too," confes.sed Toro, "am in the ; .me plight." "What'" cried the lover, in dismay; "you also adore the lady?" "No," replied Toro, shaking his head with sad melancholy: "but 1 have conceived the JI ^ „ TOE .WOOjrSG Of WiSTAFJA a: i most hopcLss allachmciU fur a lady whom 1 may nevi r dream of wiiminfr." " Then 1 am mucli mistaken in you. I lliini^ht, my lord, lliat j )ii were not only a brave man, but a darinf,^ knight." "But you cannot conceive of the extremity of my case," cried the youth, piteously, "for consider: the lady 1 love not only belongs to our rival clan, but is already betrothed." "Well, but betrothals have been broken be- fore, my lord, and the days of romance and ad- venture are not altogether dead in the land." " Ah, yes, that is true, but my rival is not only more powerful, but in every respect more prejK\ssessing and attractive." "Indeed? Well, all this interests me very much. Still, 1 must say, my lord, that though I iun in *he service of the Mori, 1 have not seen the knight or courtier who could prove so formidable a rival to you, either in graces or rank— for are you not the son of the great lord of this i)rovince?" W "And has not our neighboring lord a son also?" " Wh — what!" cried the stranger, darting backward as though the \-outh had dealt him a sharp and unexpected blow ; then scan- ning the other's face closely, "You do not mean — the Prince — ?" " Ves— tlie Prince Keiki. Tliat swaggering, bragging, noisy roustabout, who bears so many cognomens." ZJl =f fc. "IT 13: ^ '^ M 'rt r7 c4: "Hum!" .said ihc oilier. "They call him llie I'liiKc Kci— , truly—" "\\s," .said ihc youth, jealously, "and also 'HiUal- Keiki-no-Kiiiu ' (the iShininLj Princr Keiki).' " \ ou have lold nie strantrc new.s indeed," .said the .Mori courtier. "1 did not know of the betrothal of our rrince. It is very .sad truly." "Sad! To he betrothed to the Princess Ilollyh<.ek .sad?" "I'or you, my lord," replied the other, with a .slight smile. Toro doubled his hands si)asmodically as he frowned with the fierceness of a .samurai, that the other iiii^ht not ob.serve the soft moisture of a woman in his eyes. "Now let me tell you a .secret," .said the .stranger, touchuiij his arm with confiden- tial .symi.athy. " l.'pon my word, the PVin- ce.ss Hollyhock is not betrothed to the Prince Keiki." " .My lord, you do not say so! Are you sure''" ''.\s sure as I am that 1 am here now." "Oh, the trwls them --'Ives must have sent you Imher!" cried th^ youth. "Will you ^ not accei)t my i)rotection and constant aid in your suit for my cou.sin?" " Vou are more Kt-'nerous than—" "Your Prince, you would .say," interrupted :f. Toro, bitterlv. ♦ b =X :x 00 H <:r=^^ TOE.WOOJiNG Of? \WSTAR)A X " — llian the ^<>ds, 1 was alxiiit to remark," ^ said the otlur, gravely. "Now kt us form a compact. \'ou on your side will promise ine protection and aid here on your estates, and I will swear to you that you shall win and wed the Princess IlollylvKk." "I have a small house yonder, my lord," cried the impulsive youth, excitedly. " It is hei)t by my old nurse. Come yctu with me thither. I shall lend you whatever clothes you may require and you shall remain here as loni: as you wish. I will intrcKlucc you to my family as a friend — a student from my own university in Kummommotta. Then you can make suit to Wistaria, and, havint^ once wed her, who can separate you, let me ^ asl "Not the Rods themselves, I swear I" cried the other. "And your name — what shall 1 call you?" The courtier hesitated for the first time. " My name is insignificant. It is a Mori name, and therefore dangerous in your prov- ince." " Vou must assume another, then." "I him! Well, what would \'ou suggest, my lord?" "How will Shioshio Shawtaro do?" "Not at all. It has a trading sound." " llo! ho! How about Taketonii Tokioshi?" 'Too imjK'rious." "Fujita (knnba?" 34 ■ ,^ods for the i)rivile^e of beinp in izz;^ X .1^ =g=» . a^zz ii i T rx = < f c^ Ikt prcsoiKc call day, yd, iiTipctuoiis, warm- l>l()<>(lc(l, and aril*. lit, he could tml hul cliafc at the distaiHL- and the sdciicc which scciiicd impassalilc !)ct\vccti thciii. Wistaria, he thuiicht, iiiiuht just ns well ha\e been a twinklmt,' star in the heavens al)o\c hill as to l)e placed at one end of the uuist-rooMi, her iips sealed in maidenly sileiue, while at the other end, in the jilace of honor, ninst sit he, the aimust uuest, inwardly the l)iirniim lo\er. netweeii them interi)used her honorable relatives and certain members of her uncle's housihold, sei»aratinLi the lovers With their exlravauant ixdileness and words of gracious comi)liment and hospitality. In the second place, the pilot uiH)n whom he had relied for safe conduct throutih the icy forms whiih hept him from his mistress had fleserted hiin i>erlidiously. Toro, the reckless and foolhardy, his imaj^inatii)!! fed bv the darini; and sant^-froid of the Mori claiisiiian, his own heart aflame with as deej) a passion as his friend's, had borrowed his dress and departed for Choshui, there to risk all chance of dantror with the bravery, but uiihout, alas! the wit, of the Mori courtier. To ofT.sct these two hardships, the lowers saw a LMft sent by the ^jixls in the indisjxisi- lioii of the Lady ICveninc: (ilory. After the loiv^ and tedious journey from the cajMtal, the ladv, who was of a delicate constitution, re- tired to her apartments with a malady of the # 2E: 0/ X I it r if si 3 ■ — — % — -^ ' :ac ^ w head and tooth. In ]X)int of fact, the Lady ICvcning (dory sufTcrcd from ntuialuia. The lovers prayed that her ilhiess mij^dit he lon^f and linperinf,', thouj^di Wistaria, havinjx he- sought her to keep to lier hed as lonj^ as jh^s- sihle that relai)se niij^dil he avoided, teni|XTed her i)rayer with a petition to lier favorite K<>tl tliat her aunt's ilhiess inifL^ht he unattended ', ilh pain. With the Lady I-^venin^' Cdory, the vigilant mentor of Wistariii, safely out of the way, the trirl found no cause for despair. This was the reason she returned her lover's i)lead- in^ and ofttimes reproachful glances with smiles, which, hut for the joy of .seeint^ them, he would have thou;.;ht heartless. The joy of Wistaria's smile almost comiK'n.satcxl for the l)ain of her lover's i-)oii:rnant surmise that her he.irt had no pity for the woes of her adorer. .And, indeed, at this time there was little else in the C'rl's heart save a sint,nn^ joy, a ri])])lintr flutter of new emotions and thrills, which .she, too innocent as yet to recognize their full imjK)rt, cared only to welcome with deliLrht. to encourage, to foster and enjoy to the uttcnnost. Bel ween Wistaria and her uncle there was utmost confidence and love. The young girl occuj)ied that place in his heart which would have heen held h the daughter denied him hy the gods. The mantling flu.sh, the ever- shining eyes, now liri^ht with joy that would 2Ei: 3^ :3C JD. rhc k i k ^ H f ::=3 TOE .VOOii>iG op ViSTARU = t k t)verflt)\v, nuw iiuiist with the unbidden teitrs that .sprni^^ to the eyes when the heart is disturbed with an cinolK)n mure sweet than expression; these — the eiianj^^e whieli youn)^ love alone can produce in a maiden — he Wcis quick to jHjrceive. The Lord Catzu's own marriage had been most romantic, and if his lady had livcxl down frigidly to the world, her husband at least had retained his sentimental remeiiibtance of the adventurous escajjades attending it. Such were the opiK)rtunities of life to the daimio of a province at jx-'ace that, to all out- ward ai)i)earances, Catzu was too indolent, too listlessly, luxuriously lazy and pre(x;cupied with his own pleasures to observe his niece's condition of heart. But the Lord Catzu, with all his placidity, was astute. Beneath his lazy eyelids his own small eyes nusscxi little that passed before him. In fact, it was not long before he became aware of the attachment between the young IK'ople. The courtier, he knew, bore an as- sumed name, for Toro had hiborcd with awk- wardness when he endeavored to invent a lineage for the friend whose ai)i)earance at the Catzu {)alace without the customary ret- inue of servants or retainers had convinced its lord that he had discovered a tinge of that delightful mystery which but added to the favor of the unknown in the eyes of the sen- timental Lord of Catzu. In addition, it was X 2£: X h-: ■i 3 .'9 "iTT^''r"-->faai C^Z T«£ ."WOOING Of Vi3TAR)A IX 13: the mode for yount; nobles of the realm to undertake courtship over an assumed name, so that an lur of romance mi^ht be lent to their love affair. As to the younij: man's rank there could be no (luestion, since his manners and breeding, his ^race of jx^rson and charm of sjK^ech, were caste characteristic. Lookint; secretly with hiuh favor upon ihc j-omig man, Cat/.u considered how he might aid the lovers. Slothful and deliberate in all he undertook, Catzu might prov oke imi)atience, but his grad- ual accomplishment of his ends was gratify- ing. Just as he took his time in the serious business of life, so was he leisurely in the pursuit of his pleasures. As a consequence the lovers for a time were kept in an agony of waiting and suspense. Keiki, maddened and irritated by the con- stant presence of the smiling Lord Catzu, who in his opinion stocxl between him and his heart's desire, once more fell to writing imploring letters and poems to the Lady Wistaria which made up in epithets of en- dearment what they lacked in rhetoric. He l)rayed her to fuid some means by which he might be with her alone, if only for a frac- tion of a minute. The one word "Patience," written uixm a little china i)latc, so min- utely that he could scarcely decipher it, was the rejily brought by the Lord Catzu, with the information that the Lady Wistaria hcr- -t^ ^ 3K= 40 X ■■■Jt . ?m:w^ -•WJ' %* '-"fs^.'i^ * uf ^ e (r" « -# TOE .WOOji>iG Of? \^^3TAR»A Sflf had i)aintcd the plate for their august guest. Meanwhile Catzu, cognizant of every sigh, every ai)iK\'iling expression, every significant motion, laid his plans carefully for the im- patient suitor's happiness. Certainly within the walls of the palace itself there was no hope of solitude for tlie lovers. Pretexts for out-door pleasure-i)arties were never wanting in the warmer season. Local ffites, the birth of each new flower, family events — all these were sullicient invitation in themselves for such con- vivial jv'irties as delighted the soul of the Lord of Catzu, and could not have failed in their chance op)X)rtunity for dual solitude. At this time of the year, alas! there was neither snow nor moon nor flowers to serve a i)retext. A series of heavy rainfalls, most distressing and persistent, was the only fugi- tive hefoie approaching spring. Yet even the rain-gixls have a limit to their tears, and, after all, the rains precetling the first month of si)ring are ofttimes the very means by which the land is cleansed ere it bursts into beauty and bud. Xot so interminable as it seemed to them was the lovers' waiting. Three .short days — yet how long! — and then the sun which had struggled for ascendency over the troubled heavens rose up proudly triumphant. The thunders retreated into tremulous growls of defeat ; the gray - black clouds rolled away X ^ T^ 41 Cz 3r- -hi * 3: 3E: 42 X f l)cforc the blindin^j Hushes of the sun -rays, flittinf^ hkc ^^hosts before the dawn. An iin- niense rambow, spanning the entire heavens, si)rang out of the skies, a signal of the sun- god's victory. What mattered it that the land was barren as yet of flowers? The griiss \vas green and the tr^es almost bursting in efTort of emulation. Catzu, having satisfied himself that the moist- ure on the grass was but the dew of spring, forthwith devised a small i)arty. It consisted of his lady niece and the august guest of the hou.sehold, who was graciously entreated to accomi)any them, and who accepted with an alacrity almost lacking courtesy. With but two attendants, the party set out from the palace. Taking a small boat, they made a swift pilgrimage up the graceful riv- er to a small island where a picturesque tea- hou.se and gardens, with twenty charming geishas, iiuide a fairyland for lovers. To receive so early and unheralded a visit from the august lord of the province threw the geishas into a delighted panic of excite- ment. Their attendants were seen rushing hither and thither throughout the place, hiis- tily making it suitable for the reception of the exalted guests. Hastening down to the beach, the chief geisha herself apjlogized for the island's condition. The Lord of Catzu went to meet her. For his guest to be received without t u '-MiJ ' w^mmm:immm'm^i 1 M 4 3E a: l)reparati<)n, he explained to Keiki, would be inifitlinff. Coiise(iutiitly he beji^^'d him to remain on the beach, while he himself pro- ceeded with the chief geisha to the tea-house to issue instructions. The stolid and indifTcrent lackeys who had attended the party returned to the boat, where they fell into conversation with the oarsmen. At last the lovers were alone. For a long moment Keiki and Wistaria looked into each other's eyes. They were safe from all observation, for the gardens, and indeed the whole island, was oi that r(x:k-and-,' bl)le-built variety favored by the Japanese, fk'hind and around them thej' were screened by quaint, grotesque nxks of natural form and immense size, carried from a mountain to this tiny island, placed there in miniature to simulate nature. rs'evertheless Keiki, the imj)aticnt and ar- dent, now at the crucial moment, had naught to .say. fie had confes.sed his love in his letters: she had admitted tacitly her own. Still they did not embrace, or even touch each other. Culture is strong in Japan, where also is the fire of love. So these two but looked into each other's faces, all their hearts' eloquent j)assi()n in their eyes. Wis- taria's eyes did not fall before his tender gaze. Only a rose-red flush cre})t .softly like a mag- ic glow over the oval of her cheeks, tingeing h> 43 zar ip m^m^^ * •• i ^ *:i T her little chin while accentuating her brow's whiteness. Without a word her lover dropped uixm one knee, lifted the long sleeve of her kimono, and buried his face within its fabric. Five minutes later, hiind in hand, they were standing on the same SjX)t. They were watching the river, swtjllen by recent rains, as it burst over the rocks beyond, bound- ing down the river-bed, rolling swiftly along, twisting, curving, and winding about the sinuous form of the i.slands shore, holding it in the grudging love of the water for the land. The water was blue-^reen in color, save where the sunbeams reflected its own light in glistening gleams of quicksilver, ever moving, ever playing, while the shores on either side threw shiidows of their trees and rocks ujxin it. A.s it ran busily, merrily along, now and then lapjnng the shore and leaping to their very feet, it seemed a living thing which babbled and laughed with an inward knowledge of their joy, and also sighed and wailed with a proi)hetic undercurrent of coming woe. The touch of their hands close clasped to- gether made them tremble and quiver. Their eyes met to droop away and meet again in the vivid recognition of their own innwent happiness. They could not speak, becau.se their hearts had laid claim to their lips and sealed them in a golden silence. 44 X i t t^^^'mi:^''^^^: n TOE . WOOif^G 0)^ VJ3TAFJ A f» fe^ 4. Then, after a lorifr interval, Keiki found his voice. If he .«iH)ke of the flowinj; river at their feet, it was not the river itself that absorbed his mind, but because in it, as in all thiiic^s beautiful in life, he now saw re- flected the iiTiat^e of his beloved. " The honoral)le nver/"' he .said, "flows hiph at this .sea.son, but before the summer dies it will be but a thin line, very still, very quiet." " Ves," said Wistaria, tremulously, "but the lotus will sprin!.,^ iil> in its honorable waters, and if the river should continue to rise and rush onward like this, I fear me the water- flowers would perish and the noise of its cease- less flow would drown the voices of the birds, which make the summer speak." "That is true," .said Keiki, "but when the summer passes then the flowers must still die, and we may no lontr^r hear the sintrinp of the birds. Then still the river will be silent and motionles.s — iH.Thaf)S dead." I\eiki sipfhed with the moodiness of love attained. A pentle depression stole from him to the Lady Wistaria. "Alas! my lord," she murmured; "it is so with all thin^^s in life that are beautiful. They vanish and die like the flowers of sum- mer." "Then," said Keiki, "swear by the (rod of the sea. by whose waters we now stand, that our love shall never die. and that for the time of this life, and the next, and as =X 3E:z 45 IX * H many after as may come, you will be my flower wife, and lake me for your husband." "By all the eij^^ht million ^1,0^^ of heaven, and by the god of the sea, I swear," said Wistaria. ( 46 ^^ » ^y; ii -^ — =x=^: UK air was balmy, the sky of a cerulean blue, the Dew- droji pardens were sweet with a strange charm and mystery all their own. Pebbles, sand, and stone, were cunninj^ly dis- played and miiifrlcd to create the illusion of an apjiroach to a giant sea. In themselves the wondrous rocks were so fashioned as to form a land- scape wherein neither foliage, trees, nor flowers were neces- sary. Small, grotesque bridges, made of rare rocks in their nat- ural form, imdcfaccd by hammer or chisel, spanned the miniature # m^:- .f: ^-j;,f\^r'*-^g^#mffl^W^^ «^ TO£.VOO)rsGOf WJSTARiA f J 2r 48 X -g ^- T- ^F '^^~^7f^ rivers, which, snalcililvO, crept ntul threaded their way iti iind out of the rock island. Sud- denly ai)|)eariuji caverns yawned wide a(.,r;,jH.', only to show on closer approach that they were nauffht but jrij^^antic rocks, hollow within. Though the gardens were bare of foliaj^e, yet the spot shone (Hit hke a jewel set in a nia>;ic river. Here was the perfection of art, that art so coni|)lete that without the very thinj.js of nature which .seem neces.sary to a land.scape, the cunnniLj hand of man had fashioned the like out ^ the liard and jai4).fed substance of stone ai i rock. And in this the hand of the Cre.itor had aided, since the very rocks which formed this i)recious and priceless island, the ])ride and wealth of the Lord of Catzu, had been untouched by the tool of the artisan, for, having been t^'ath- ered toijether from all jiarls of the country, they were planted in their natural form u|)on this island jewel. Across the narrow river the shores were preen, while beyond the silent surface of the moats the f^ranite walls of the Catzu i)alace rose to a heip:ht, white and stately, tipj)ed with golden towers and i)eaks that were taller than the cedars and the i)ines centuries old. A stir of expectation thrilled the Dewdrop tea-house, and then a clear, shrill voice cried aloud : " The Lady Wistaria passes into the honor- able hall." r ■'HV ',, ^ - imwf^^-.i:^^^' oi- 4^ J i T; e twenty >,a-ishas prostrated themselves .'it my la.ly's feci. «iracefiilly she returrietl their courtesy, Ix^^iiij,' that they would serve lur and her auj^ust ^uest, the Lriod in histor>' oc- eupyu.^' a hi^di and dij^antied |M)sition in swi- ety, expressed their wish to serve their lady for the rest of their lives. They broutcht the lovers fresh fruit, shining and I'l.scious, and drndi froin a well of sweet- est and purest water. Humbly aindogizing for the honorable meanness of the refresh- ment, the chief geisha prayed that they would condescend to pardon her. for not even in her dreams had she imagnied that the gods Would favor her .so soon in the season with such august guests. Hut the lovers only smiled Ix-ncvolently u|M)n her, and insisted that never, no, never in all the honorable days of their lives, had they been blessed with more gracious refresh- ment. Whereat the geisha, with many low, grateful obeisances, retired. The lovers sighed as in one breath. "Once more alone," said Keiki, blissfully reaching over the little table and laying his own hands softly up.i was so bitter against us, and I do assure you tha* in Catzu the l)rejudice exists ngt .so much against your clan, as aeainst your lord and prince." ".'Mas, that is too true!" answered Keiki, lialf under his breath. "Well, a courtier's loyalty to his Prince need not at all lie shaken if he marry the in- significant niece of a rival clan. My own honorable father was of that very clan him- self. Know you not that, my lord?" Keiki groaned suddenly. Whereat the girl [ilaced her hands on his shoulders and forced him to look into her eves. 53 X 3C S .* W^l ^-W^ ar^f'-~^-\ ■i p ^ ^ : - y— r = y T rm " Mj' lord," she said, "do you know auj^^it of !iiy father's history?" Slowly Kciki drew himself up from her clinj^'injf hands. PlacinK f»iie arm close about her, he drew her to his breast. " Let us no louj^^er talk of these distressful matters." " Xa\', I have asked you a question. Do, I beseech you, answer me." "What can I say?" His voice was very low. "Tell me of my father — prav' tell mc," she imjjlored, almost piteously. "Of your father? But surely I can tell you nothin/^ that you do ncjt already know?" " I know nauj.jht of my father, save that he was a Choshui samurai, and for sotiie honorable offence was banished Ijy that wick- ed and cruel Prince of Mori." Keiki was silent. " I have questioned every one about mc — m\' uncle, his samurai, the very servants about the castle — but none will make answer to me, whether from ignorance or by command of tho.se in authority over them, I know not. Do you, then, my lover, answer me." "Mv little flower -pirl, I do not know the offence of your hotiorable father, nor do I know why or wherefore he was sent into exile. I was but a child of five when this penalty came u|ion him." "Then wherefore did vou tremble and turn =5b ?' X y- : 54 rii' ^ #) .l> WE.WOOjriG Of? Vi5TAR»A ciway your eyes when I spoke of my honor- able parent?" " Because I know that injurj' of some sort was wrouj^ht against your honorable parent bj' my — by the Mori, and since then so im- placable an enmity exists between our families that nothinfj but bUxxl alone can ever wijx; away the stiiin. Think, then, of the wronj^j I do your father in loving his own daughter I" "No, no — dear Keiki — it is no wrong, I do assure you. If there be a feud existing between my father and the Mori Prince, truly you and I, who are inn(x:ent, cannot \)C im- l)licated in any way, and, indeed, it is not as if I were about to wed one of the Mori family itself, but—" " In that case," he interrupted, quickly, "if I were indeed of this Mori family, what then?" I'^or a moment the girl recoiled, shrinking backward, and regarded him with frightened, shocked CV' s. "That — would — be — impossible," she said, and she shivered with api)rehcnsion. "If it were jx)ssible?" said the lover, hoarsely. "It could not be," she insisted, "for the Mori princes are proud and ill-favored, wliile you—" " While I?" " — You are more beautiful than the sun- U g.Kl." ^ * I 55 T* :^iM^-^i^-S^M g'r^.'h'f^-'^^- -■f';» ^L^z:^ ■* — ^r- ^ -y — " But you have not answered nie. Suppose it were— Prince Keiki, the heir of Mori, who wcKXJcl you?" "I cannot, my lord. Oh, the Prince is otherwise occupied than in wanderinu; with love," re[)lied Wistaria, sniilint,^ at the thought. "Why, he is the head of a wicked i)arty of Inij)crialists, I have ofttiines heard my uncle declare, and is the most cunniiu; and base fer- mentcr of intrigue against our august Sho- gun in the whole empire. Indeed, he has no time or inclination for dallying with love." "But — if I were indeed he, what then?" "Why, then — then," said the girl, slowly rising, and regarding him with shining eyes, "then still I would say, 'Take me.' What have we to do with the quarrels of our ancestors, the wrongs or the rights of our honorable parents? Vou and I are under the sheltering wings of the god of love. We rec- ognize no law of country, lord, or kindred. Let us go into the mountains together and find refuge in a cottage where we can live and love in yK'acc. " "Oh, thou dear one!" he cried. " But why suggesl such a horribie po.ssi- bility?" she continutxl, tremulously. "Thou art not that base and traitorous Prince? Thou art—" "Thy love! That is all," he said. ^ k' ^ ^ 56 ^M^- :Jh'^: - v>«-.^;^S^ --iJ^^,. -^tji^- /«* f=* «4 i B :g' : ^ :t ^ r- N the joy and sunshine of Wistaria's nature, wliich would have driven sadness from the soul of a hermit. Reiki's mel- ancholy was evanescent. Her lover's fears at the mere [xxssi- hility of their beinjij forced ai)art were st)on dissiik'ited by her. A week i)a.ssed — s])ed like so many minutes. The i)ale ffreen of the sj)rinej j^^rass was deepenint:: in hue and the trees were in leaf. The lovers lin- fs^ered in the paths that led down to the little boat-house, whence each day they sailed slowly down the river to the 5=3 57 az ^ i t! H c=# TO£-WOOji>iG Of? v^STAPv)A =Jb rock island. There in the \ixzy, drifliiiK boat, the drowsy Lord (^f Cutzu dosed back aj^^ainst his packled seat, while the lovers looked into each other's eyes, or furtively i)ressed each other's hands. Meanwhile their short hours of happiness were bein^f slowly ticked off by the j;y the slidini,' doors, hi the .same instant down went her own shutter. So wlien the Lady Evemnj,' (ilory entered the chamber she found her niece sitting' on the floor, her back set stiffly a-ainst her ca.sement shutter, and a deep rosy coloring' all over her face. Her K"ihy eyes fell before the cold glare of her august aunt. The next thing the Lady Evening Glory's sharp eyes fell u{)on were the flowers. They lay in a great, tumbled mass all about the Lady Wistaria. There was no mistaking the meaning of tho.se tell-tale blos.soms. The Lady Evemng Glory's lips became a thin, punsed line. "The flowers? Whence came they?" ''From the honorable garden," answered AMstaria, trembling. "There is no tree in all the garden with blossoms in full bloom. They are only com- mencing to bud, and will not blossom before ^ the first of Ajjril." To this undeniable fact Wistaria made no r*. s|K)nse. " Answer when thou art Sfxtken to," prompt- 4 cd her aunt, sharply. r*i 3: (W X S9 IP :^ TOE .VOOjiSG of v^STARJA X =5=. ?^ '« ^^ -8 "My lady — I do not know whiit to sas'." " Then you leave nie to my own conjectures. Wm have a lover." " Oh no, indeed!" "What! i'lowers fre.^h with the niornniK dew in >()iir chamber, and you with your hair unlx'und! I'ray when did it become an honorable fashion for ladies of our rank to venture out to j)urchase tlowers before sunrise — and in such scanty attire?" "My aunt, you are kilhni; me." " \'our health appears to me to be far from feeble." "1 am innocent of any wronu," said Wis- taria, with a flash of sitint. "Then you will not object to inform mc who presented you with these (lowers?" "An honorable Kcnlleman/' said Wistaria. " Indeed ! And what is this honorable geiUleman's name, may I ask?" Wistaria hesitated. Then a sudden idea came to her. She smiled mysteriously. "Hut I do not know his name, ' she said, which was (piite true, as she was unaware of her lover's true name. " Vou do not kncnv the name of your lover!" cried her aunt, incredulously. " Indeed, I wish I did." "Vet you acce])t his ^'iiil You are en- tirely without shame, ^irl!" "Oh, lady! the flowers were so beautiful I could not resist them." 3^: to r' m^ ■-■^3nr^^'^- .-f-n ^ TO£>WOO ]NG Of? V/iSTAPJA n J " Hcautiful!" .shricUcd her aunt. "And be- cause llowers are beaulilul, is tliat an excuse for accei)tinK' the love of some impudent ad- venturer?" "Acceptint,^ the love!" rei)cated Wistaria, falterinir. " Ves, indeed, and \-ou need not pretend iu- norance of my words. They are ciuifo clear to you, I have no douht. " " But—" " Vou are well aware that by acccjUint,' the flowers you also accept his despicable love, and practically betroth yourself to this fellow. He shall be flo^Lced for his im|)ertinence. " "Floi^'^ed!" cried Wistaria, becoming verv pale. "FlofTcred, I rei)cat," said her aunt, coldly. Wistaria shivered with apprehension. She had not until now i^^rasjK'd the real seriousness of her iH)sition. Voi'.r father," continued the Ladv Evenintj fllory, "shall be sent for this day. " We shall sec what those in authority over you think of your conduct." The aunt had but to mention the father to fill Wistaria with fear. She sprantz to her feet and stood trembling amom; the scat- tered blo.ssoms. " I am guilty of no wron^,^ I do assure j-ou, my lady aunt. But I aro.se to enjoy the .siin's awakening, and— and I did find these honor- able fl.nvers on my sill, and indeed they spoke ui :l T' i i : ^. ^ V .T- ^ i.. r * 4 to !iic of — of tilt' coitiMiu sumTiiLT^atul so many thinus, dear aunt, that 1 was fain to taUc thciii m." "T'lcn do. jiray, my little dove, inform me what you know eoiKernin^ this pre- sumptuous fellow who i)laced them on your sill/' "Oh, my lady, he is indeed honorably iiohle. " "Indeed!" "1 do assure you. lie is — " she b'-f>ke ofT, l)ainfully dehatinn in her mind tht wisdom of confessing the truth to her aunt. "He is — ?" repeated her aunt. "Our own august j^uest." "Ah — hoi Then, it that is .so, you siK^ke V'OOjr^G Off Vi^TARlA ^-. MIC i>rcvit»us it would scvin lh.it you had .S( iic(iuaiiitaricc with liiiu?" "lie followvd our c<.rt;!^:c from Vctlo, nia- damc," cotifcssfd the unhappy j^rjrl. \\ hat! Vou do not is that insolent M mean to tell me that ht <»nly after my arrival h()me? on eourtier of whom i heard I I'ressed her hands tit'' 'ly to^cth SI raised her head with almost defiant h ler. Wislari le seemed overcome. Then s ddenFy sh ra\ ery said. 'He' is of the Ah)ri cl, m, madame. she Tlie Mori clan I' shrill: Urounds?' How came he, tl li lady's V dice rose len, to enter our ' 11 e came, my la ly, hv ihe south riv where there is a hreak in th " Hut how could he I, tliat at once." er. e v.al now this? Answer me W ill you deii4;n to inform me wheth ir as to answer the I ler vou ove condescended so f; letters of this yountr man. for I have no doubt he favored you with manv?" said - I wrote only one insij,'nificant rep] Wistarij i'ly ply?' And what, [)ray, did you sav in this re- "I implored him to follow us no farther, I besought him to k'wc up the imix»ssible exploit of entering' our j^rounds. and. kn lOW- mi ^ what would be his fate if he attc^ipted to 3E: 3C: I. Sil^iJ^l' TOE-M/oojiNC or V^iSTAFJA a= X =5^3 t I3E: 64 (l(t so, I .ilso informed liiiii that if he must in- (krd ctitcr, to do so hy way of the south river, thai a iM)rtioii of our urouiids ran down to this honoraltlc nvtr and was unprotected by the walls, which otherwise surrounded us on ail sides." "So it seems that you have betrayed to our enemy the weakness of our condition?" " .\ot an enemy, lady! He is not, indeed." "And may I ask how your redoubtable lover, having gained entrance to our (grounds, J also contrived to wedue his way into the pal- ace and become a j.ruest of our hospitality?" "Toro— " faltered Wistaria. Her aunt's face flamed. "Toro, he discovered him the first morn- iuLT, and — and — thev became friends at once." "My .son!" "Oh yes. madame, and on my two knees, I am prepared to betr you to show him mercy " " Keep your knees, my young lady, to beg mercy for your.self. V.>u may have need ' of it ere long," said her aunt, with chilling irony. --+ ROM the insinuations and threats of the Lady Eveninn 4f'j<>ry it niiKht seem as if Wistaria's lover were in im- minent danger, and that the Catzu family might he expect- ed to hasten instantly to cast hmi out from their province or have him imprisoned as a trcsjvisser and imix)stor. But Jajjanese craft is more subtle Besides, the right of judgment i lay in the hands of the father of Wistaria, who was her natu- ral and legal guardian. It was necessary, therefore, that the young man should, for the Sv^^S^^^a^^^^^k^^^?^^'-^ ■^asammm .3¥Mmm ^ t- *1 r^ M 1 ^1^ XI :3E: of his mistress, had no heart or ears for the words of coiiiplimciit pressed ujxjn him by her family. He s])eTil his time rovinjr restlessly about the grounds of the palace in the neighborhood of Wistaria's easement, but the blinds were drawn ti^ditly, moruinc, noon, and niffht, and there was only the memory of the girl's 66 ^ > time beinti, j^ather no suspicion of their dis- covery. Consequently the Catzu fanuly re- doubled their cxi)ressions of good -will and friendship for their guest, while the only one who could have warned him was placed where she was helpless to do so. With excessive sweetness, the Lady Evening Glory informed the courtier that she had heard such go(Kl reix)rts of him from her honorable husband that she had risen pre- maturely from her bed of sickness in order to greet him and assure him of her solicitii- tion for his comfort and pleasure during his stay in Catzu. All these marks of friendship and compli- ment from the honorable lady of the house, besides the increased cordiality of the Lord of Catzu, would have been very delightful to the lover, but for the fact that almost coin- cident with the return to health of her aunt it was announced that the Lady Wistaria was unable to leave her apartments because of a sudden illness. The lover, therefore, in an agcmy of apprehension for the health IP Oifcli ^ — -r zzEzzz: ^ *^ X:: * exquisite face at iV ' ndow to torture the lover. The arrival of Sh. zu, the father of the Lady Wistaria, createil no stir in the Catzu I)alace. He came silcmly at ni'^dit. If any of the servants or members of the household knew of his presence they were dumb con- cerning the matter. The lover, consecjuently, was wliolly unaware of nis comiiiff. Shi mad 'u was closeted for some hours with his sister and brother-in-law. The Lady Evening (ilory was bitter against her niece. Not merely the fact of the indelicate and un- conventional manner of the courtship, nor even the fact that the lover was a member of their rival clan, and through his residence among them iiuist have actpiired information concerning their province which would be of value to his prince — not these things in- furiated her so nmch as the thought that her son, the pride and joy of her life, the heir of Catzu, had been led by this stranger into an / undertaking both {)erilous and shameful, the outcome of which was most uncertain. The Lord of Catzu was milder and more lenient towards the guilty parties, ])ossibly realizing in his inmost soul a measure of {^ the resjKinsibility. He endeavored to palliate their offence. As for Shi mad zu himself, he had not one word to say. He listened to the se[>arate s|x>eches of his sister and brother-in-law. H 4^ X 5: f 67 T" „ TOE .VOojiNG Of ViSTAR) A rr jhlf iz ^ — H ^P rr : .-i ± i ■« t and when ihey had cnnchidcd he simply re- quested that his daughter be ordered into his presence at once. Wild - eyed and trembling'. Wistaria was l}r()Ui,dit in. (Jone from her face, ])ale and drawn with the intensity of her sufferings, was all the sun. During the three days pre- ceding the arrival of her father she had been locked up alone in an interior r(jom of the I)alace. Xo one had api)roached save her august aunt, who brought fo(Kl with her own h-'inds, and who.se absolute silence in- s])ired her with a great dread. She would si)eak no word, or even deign to l(K)k at the unhapi)y girl. Wistaria, rendered frantic by her fears for her lover, had ofttimes thrown her.self at her aunt's feet, jnteously beseeching that she would enlighten her as to the fate of her lover. But the Lady Eveiing filory would shake her skirts icily and contemptuou.sly from her grasj), to retire without a word of res]K>nse. \ow Wistaria i)rostrated herself before the parent who had always insj)ired her with such inconii)rehensible fear. He motioned her to be seated, though he himself remained standing. Mutely, mechanically, she obeyed him. I-'or a moment there was silence. The deej> set eyes of the father looked out at the yoving girl, noting the piteous tremble of the hands, the small, bowed head, the down -drcHijied 3: (hS X g-y-^ 7^ k THE .WOOjr^G op VJSTAFJA n % :n =: — ^ T i tJii eyes which dared not meet his own, and all the other evidences of her sufferings. What- ever the thoughts of the father, whether mer- ciful or cruel, his ii| missive face revealed not his iimer feelings. In some strange way this samurai seemed steeled against the jwiin of the world itself. Suddenly he sfxjke, his hol- low voice snuting with a shock the frail, highly strung girl. "My daughter, had you a nw-ther t.- love and guide you, you would not. now be un- hap])y. " lie jvuLscd to note the effect of his strange words— strange because of the lack of emotion and symi)iahy that should have accompanied them. Wistaria raised her head pauifully, but she did not sjx^ak. "Tlicrefore," continued her father, "I wi.sh to inform you that it is because of an enemy that you are now motherless, and therefore misguided. "An enemy"'" rcjx^ated Wisla.ia, dully. " And It is to take my revenge ufxin this cnemv that I am now about to impo.se a cer- tain duty uph! Well, that is but a natural re- ply. What is his ai)j)earance?" For a brief moment a gleam of strange pride came over her face. She pres.sed her little hands passionately together. "Oh, my father, he is honorably noble, I do assure you. He jnxssesses — " " 1 did not ask for a rhaps(xly ui^^n his mer- its," interrupted the .'samurai, coldly. "How- ever. 1 am satisfied as to his rank." .\ tiar fell .softly upon her little hand. Fecl- iuL', rather than seeint'. her father's iiritation, .she Itr'.ished it away impatiently, trying \ain- ly to a]>i>ear l>rave. " \ow," re-;imed Shimadzu, half to himself. 3= X:: 70 X MttJ * S: "if he is of noble rank it follows that he is close to the Mori family. \ ery good." I^Ie turned to his clauj,^hler "He is a go«xl IiiijKrialist?" "He IS honorably loyal," she replied. "Loyal to his pruice, you mean, or his party?" "Surely to both. He could not he other- wise. He is a brave and ue ji-ntlenian, my father." " \ ery well, I have no more questions to ask you. I .shall now oulhne to you the duty I have prepared for , ou. Von are ready to obey my will?" " In all thinjj . honore<] parent." That IS Well. I roniniend you for your filial words. First of all, I desire all [X).ssiblc information concerning the voung heir of Mori." "But—" she faltered, "how is it possible or mc — ^ "Vour lover," said her father, quickly, "is a Mori courtier. There i.s no doubt he will give you all the information I reriuire " "Oh. llu-n, my father," she cried, elaspitig her hands together, "you will be lenient tow- ards him, will you not? V.^u will i>eniiit him to .see me''" " I have nothing against your lover," said her father, with .slight irritation. "Oh father'" In a mcment her face was aglow with hoix; and happiness. a: X X ;t3 ar:i: 'Si ^ k " I advise j'ou to listen to nie," he rejoined, coldly. "SiH-ak! si)cal<, aumist father! I will fol- low your coiiiMuinds faithfully, joyfully." " I wish to know the nature of this prince, his habits, his nuKle of life, and the esteem in which he is held by his jjeople. Once you have learned these facts, you must secure for me specific details concerning his political schemes against the Shogun. (Iradually Wistaria had risen to her feet. She had grown strangely pale. Her eyes were frightened and apprehensive. " You desire," she reiK'ated, slowly, as though she scarce comi)rehended the word.s — " you de- sire to know the secrets of — of his honorable party?" "Exactly." "V<-ii desire," she began to reiK-at, "to know the .secrets — " "More than that." " More. You — you — my father, you would not injure his — his party?" " \'f)ur ai)prehension, my lady, for a hostile party, is strange for one of your training. Are you, then, turned Im|)erialist?" " \o. I have no fear for my.'^elf, my lord. Hut he — he — You must understand, my lord, he believes in — loves his honorable ])arty — whether right or wrong. 1 would not injure it because of his sake." " I ha\ e had enough of tills weakness, — a if 7^ X ^ * T i^A-T^'^^mr- azy-r Ti1£ .WOOii>iG Of? VfiSTARlA 3E r? my dauiLjlitcr, and you must admit I have i^ been i»atient. To relieve your mind, however, of one thing, I will inform you that I have ^ no desij^'ns against either tlus young man or his party." "Oh, you lift from my heart, my honored parent, a weight too heavy for me to bear." "I'ugh! It seems you are determined not to listen to my orders." "Sjvak at once. I will not again interrupt you. " " \'ery u(mh1. While I have said I have ni.lhing against this Im|)erialist party, I am, nevertheless, desirous of knowing all their plans and secrets, li will lie your duty, there- fore, to ascertain these for me. Do not inter- rupt—" as she made as if to sjK'ak. "You w-Hild say your lover is too loyal to betray his party secrets, even to you. Then you will use your wit to conii)el him to do so." ' "I— I will do so," she replied, drearily. " That is not all. I wish you to ffirce your lover into lietraying some scheme or intrigue of his prince which would, if brought to the attention of the Shogun, implicate him crim- inally. Xow I have arrived at my chief de- sire— in other words, I wish to accomf)Iish the ruin— the death of the Prince of Mori." Wistaria's head swam in vertigo. She •scarce could think or feel. Only one horrible thought hammered itself into her mind. By the cajolery and arts of a false woman she i. * 73 T '»-n ^-z-lt^ -X- 3: :^ I was to assist in the betrayal of the prince to whom her lover had sworn allegiance. It was revolting, cruel, horril)le. The mere thought of it made her head whirl in dizziness. When she attempted to si)eak. her words escajx'd her slowly in gasps. "I can— not— do— that!" A terrible expression came into her father's face. " You dare defy my authority?" he shouted. "Oh, my father, put upon me any other task but this. It is base, cruel, cruel. And I— 1 am only a weak woman—" "That is true. Do not, then, 1 advise you, attempt to pit your weakness against my strength. If you are so lacking in all those qualities admirable in a woman and a daugh- ter of a noble race, I shall take means to force you to do your duty." A sudden wave of courage swept over her. She ceased to tremble, though the .samurai was fierce and menacing. There sprang into her eyes a light of defiance. "You have reminded me, my father, that I come of a race of proud and heroic men. Then let me tell you that 1, too, am con.scious of ix)ssc.ssing the intrepid blood of my ances- tors, and that you can force me to do nothing against my will." As she spoke she had backed slowly across the room, away from her father, as though re- treating from a blow. Now she stood against ~ 4 X ^ , X 74 m^^^^^^^^uik^u ^mi^mm^A ^it-j — ^ 1 3:11=: i: < > 4 the wall, her arms sjtread out on either side, the hands clulchin^i the partition. " In ten iiiinules I shall show you, my lady,' said her father, l)etween an^ry, cliiuhed teeth, " tiie fate of one who dares defy her honorable parent." " Do .so," was her astonishing resiKni.sc. " Kill me, hreak all my honorable bones, my lord. We all must suffer and die!" " Vou are too (juick to ch(M).se your meth-

- ane.se girl can regard it otherwi.se. The Prince of Mori is our bitter enemy. Wc must accom- l)lish his undoing — his death!" " Ves, yes," she said, between her chattering lecth; "and you will not harm hitn ?" " I repeat I have nothing against this man. It is his prince whose proud spirit I will break! Kill!" " Ves, yes — only his prince — the old prince. Von wi.sii me to kill him? Ves, I will do so." "Xo; it is the young prince who mu.st die — the son of the Prince of Mori. Do you not understand that I accomijhsh a more -p -A t: 70 i -5. TOE.WOOirMG Of? MWSTARJA r— — ^ :i- M r - coniiilLtc rcvctitje by c<)tiii»i»s.siii(^ the death of hiin who IS the salt of his hfc?" " Vts, yes; 1 see it clear. I must kill the imioeent. Ah-h! Oh, it is cruel, cruel! ' She was weepinj,' broUenly, pitecnjsly at his feet ajj;aiti, her physical strenmh quite gone. The samurai leaned (ner her. " Soon, my daughter, you will have regained your stren^'th and will. From your attitude of a little while aijo I am made aware that you are ix)sses.sed of such qualities as mi^'ht imi)el you to attempt to betray your father. He assured that you shall l>e ^iven no op- |)ortunity U)r doinj^ so. I'or your own ^(kxI I would advi.se you t») lay the honorable force of ref)ression u|K)n your di.sturbed spirits, and briniLr your.self to do that which I have .set for you with completeness and swiftness. In this way you will render a .service to your father and family, and save the hfe of this man vou love." ' # * 1 — : 77 I -^ -^"T^w^zM M^^i mm MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART ANSI and ISO TEST CHART N.j 2 1.0 i- M 2.5 1^ 11^ 2.2 t m 2.0 I.I 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ APPLIED \MA[3E Inc -^'■este*'. New Tori. '4^ '■6> 482 - OiOO - Phone "■6) 288 - e.989 - fo. — izr=2 C -i^ 1= S^ PRIL danced lightly over the land. Merrily she flung her rainbow showers of sweetest water ufxjn the earth, the trees, the fearsome grass which March had coaxed in vain to do more than j)eep its head above the soil. Now the land was covered with a mantle so soft and ten- der that its young life seemed a thing that it were wanton to crush beneath the foot. Early, early in the morning, before the birds and flowers had cocked up their little heads to seize the first sun -kiss, a lover stood in a garden all 78 ^ i- ¥ 4 !P We-WOojf>iG o/? ViSTAPJA 2t :5=3 made of gently sloping hillocks, crowned with trees whitened, as if frost -laden, with the full bloom of the cherry and plum. And the lover's voice called softly and tenderly to his lady's casement: " Lady Wistaria! My sweetest Wistaria!" At first there was no res[)onse. Moving nearer the casement, he called again: "Sweetest, dearest one, will you not come to your window for a minute — but a fraction of a minute?" Softly a hand slid back the shoji — a slender, small, expressive hand of perfect form and contour, and then a young girl's face ap- ix?ared at the o|x?ning. Her eyes were very dark, and infinitely, intensely sad in ex- pression. Indeed, one might almost wonder whether their very brightness was not caused by the dews of unshed tears. She was pale. There was no color in her face at all, save that of her red lips. So pale and ethereal she seemed to her rapturous lover that, for a moment, he was filled with an eerie fear— was she mortal, or one of those fragile spirits who abide on the earth for a sea.son only? Then, all in a mo- ment, her eyes meeting those of her lover, the sadness of the night pa.ssed from her like a shadow which is vanquished by the sunlight. An instant later she was again jiale. "Speak to me at once," implored the lover, " for but a moment since I thought you a — r J ^ lU 79 h F* ' j^: :2C — ^F7 -!C=3 spirit. Dearest one, assure nic that my pas- sion is not in vain, and that my eyes deceive me when they fancy that yours are sad." Her voice faUered and trembled at first. Gradually she steadied it. " My honorable eyes," .she said, "are not al- ways "faithful mirrors of my heart. Yes, in- deed, you are deceived, my lord. Look a^am. Surely you will see that— that they do simle." " Yes/' he replied, resardin^ her somewhat wi.stfully, "it is true. They do smile, and yet—" ile hesitated. " You do not apix'ar happy, Fuji-wara." A "strange little laugh esca|X>d her lips. But she made no reply. She had turned her eyes from his, staring out before her. As the trouble deepened in the lover's eyes, he reached up, touching very gently the small white hand on the sill. The light touch of his hand startled her. Before he could sjx-'ak she had recovered herself, leaning farther over to him. Her words sounded strangely harsh. "My lord, do let us resume our conversation concerning this brave cause to which you adhere." He flushed warmly. "It seems incongruous," he replied, after a moment, "that a tender maiden should be interested in jwlitical conflicts." "That is very unkind, my lord. You do not credit me, then, with any other quality, apparently, than that of pale .softness. Indeed, -^ ' ^^ ^T -3 1 1 ? \H \H ^ H 80 T^ *:a = : i 4 tny vanity has saved tnc from the knowledge that the gods have been most unkind." "Nay, do nut s[)eak so," he tenderly chid her. Of late he had chafed not a little at her persistent waiving aside of all tenderer subjects to discuss those of larger niiijort to men alone. " Well, then," she ixirsisted, "say that I am capricious, whimsical, what you will. But do, pray, humor me, and if 1 find it necessary" — she stammered over her words — " if I find it interesting to discuss such matters, pray allow me to do so." "Do so, then, at once, dear one! I am all ears to listen and all tongue to reply." "Pray tell me, then, are \ou trul^' an Im- perialist at heart, or merely so in name because you are a Mori?" " Pray tell me where my insignificant sym- y^athies should lie, and there I swear to you shall they be." She protested that he but begged her ques- tion. Did he, then, : onsider, because she was but a weak maiden, that her interest in such a matter must needs be a slight thing? Was she not herself a daughter of a samurai, and did not the flame, the fire of patriotism glow unceasingly in her breast also?" "Dear Wistaria," entreated the lover, "I pray you do not disturb j-our gentle bosom with these questions which are meant for .soldiers, not for maidens." 8l T O ~< ly — 3 0^ •'i w TOE.WOOjiSGOf ViSTARiA =2£ 4 "Nay, then," she replied, and there were tears in her voice now, " why will you yx^rsist so? You are quite wron^, too. Let lue re- peat: I am the daughter of a faiinly whose women have had their honorable share in the affairs oi the nation." "True, but your house has sttxxl always on one side only. They have never deigned even to hear the argument, the pious, patriotic cry of the other side." "My house! Well, my lord, and am I a house?" He kissed the slender hand on the window- led!.,fe. It reached just to his lii)s. " Nay, I swear you are a ;.,UKldess. It could not be |H)ssible that one so ^ood and fair would favor an evil cause." "Evil? Ah, then, my lord, is the cause of my house an evil one?" He looked up into her eyes earnestly. "I should be a traitor, my lady, did I take advantafje of the friendly hosjiitality your house has offered me to rej)ay it by sowing seeds of mischief." " Fiut if the seeds were not mischievous, my lord? If they were worthy and Kof'tl?" He droy)ped her hand abrujitly, and juiced for a time up and down the small grass-grown walk beneath her window. In the shadow of the room behind the Lady Wistaria another face appeared for the space of a moment only. Long, lean, cadaverous ^' J ^ a: 82 X T-an I I i WEMJOOir^O op WJSTARIA 3: a: H h^ f** la VOU?' " The question which cuts our country into two bitter ftictions, each defiant and warhke towards the other." Into the lover's face there crept vague, baf- 83 X ^ f it was, wherein fierce eyes burned hke hving coals. With a shudder. Wistaria clutched her hand over her heart. Back to her casement came the lover. "My sweetest ijirl.do not let us discuss so melancholy a suljject. " Imi)aticnt to sijcak with her of other mat- ters nearer his heart, the lover let full, pas- sionate apjHjal shine in his eyes. Wistaria's paleness deejxjned, if that were [wssible. Her eyes grew humid with repressed sadness. Her voice trembled and broke in spite of her words. "Melancholy, my lord? Naj', you would treat me as a child. Vou would turn my heart from a lofty subject with the graceless remark that it is too melancholy for me." " Ladj', I would turn your heart to the holiest of all subjects on earth." " Ah, what is that, dear Keiki — No, no, no! Pray excuse my honorable rudeness. Do, pray, my lord, rather iierceive my intense curiosity in the matter of which we have sjK^keii. Then when you have enlightened me, speak whatever you will, my lord. I will listen." And concerning what am I to enlighten li- en -■k ^ •f- -^ ^ A fled jxirplexity mirrorin>^ the th«)Ut;ht beyond. Coquetry, or desire for ixtlitical truth — which swayed his mistress? If the former, there was no conihatiiij:! it; if the latter, then— why then lie would .s])eaU her true, lie said; "Will you tell me, then, whom you have been taught to ret^ard as the ruler of Japan?" " Why, our good Shogun lyesada," she re- turned, promptly. "Vet he is not so regarded by every one in Iai)an." "Why is that?" " Becau.se there arc many who would see our rightful sovereign, our divine Emperor, ujKin the throne." "Hut, my lord, his Imperial Majesty is, in- deed, already u|H)n the throne, is he not?" "Oidy nominally. I fear, my lady, that you have not read the Dai Nihon Shi of the Prince of Mori?" "No, but I am much mterested in it." "The history," continued the young man, with vehement bitterness, "was purged re- peatedly by the Yedo cen.sor of the Shogun. It dared to si->eak the truth to the jieople. I do assure you it was not destroyed, however, before it had done its work well." "How? Pray do tell me all about it." "Have you never heard that pious — fanat- ical, if you will— cry, a barely half-nmffled war-cry now, ' Daigi Heibunor!' " [the King and the subject]. # ^: 84 X »:: ^ ^ ,T r — E n His voice rose with ii growing pas.sion. Into his eyes lL'ai)e(l the tjleain of the juitnot. An exclamation escajK'd the hps of the yoiinjf girl. "Oh, my lord, do not speak so loudly. I would feign warn you. I — I — " She broke off in her agitation. But her apparent fear for him only tilled her lover with a great joy. His voice softened. " Fuji-wara, will you sufTer yourself to listen hereafter to a confessed traitor?" " Dear lord, traitor to tlie wrong?" "Oh, dearest girl, can it actually be that you sympathize with our noble cause?" "I — I — Tell me, do, pray tell me, with whom does the young Prmce of Mori svmpa- thize?" "Oh, the ra.scal is a descendant of the Mori of whom I sjx)ke just now." "And an adherent to his views?" "Pos.sibly." "You do not know for a fact," she urged, trenudously, "just to what party the Pnnce does adhere?" "My lady," replied the lover, with some constraint, " the Prince has his pride of caste. He is also not without the inherited genns of i)atriotism in his soul." "And still they do say that he is as silly as a butterfly, and so given to frivolity that his head can hold no .serious thought." "I do assure you," ref)hed the other, fllush- ' — a r i -k I — a: — p ^ i ^ H 85 4> ^:^.\ '.J '■i '^ I TOE -Wo^^JING oj- v^JSTARiA -iE J7 ing wannly, " that our prince is not all he may sccni." ^ " My lord, I have conceived the most over- \vhelMun>.j interest \n this youni^ I'nnce Mori." "Indeed!" The youn).,^ man started bacU in humorous dismay. The girl smiled now, a little, dreary smile. "Be assured, my lord, that the interest is not of a sentimental nature. Hut it would seem that the youn^ Prince was surely born for a j.^reat j)urj)ose. " "Ves?" inc^uired the other, eauerly. " And that is, to follow m the steps of his honorable ancestor." "Oh, dearest j.,nrl, you fill my soul with joy! I am ready to swear that your sweet heart beats for the right — the noble cause to which — " "The Prince Mori is sworn?" she interrupt- ed, quickly. "Ay! and all the patriotic sons of Japan! ' "And what do these .sons of Japan jJroiKJ.-ie to do? ^Vhat are the plans of the Prince Mori?" "My lady!" "Pray, why do you start so, Keiki-.sama?" "You ask a weighty question with the same lightness you would bestow if intpiir- ing about the weather!" "Then the tones of my voice do me in- justice." "Wistaria, I swear I will not speak aii- 3£ 86 J,-- ^ aK H H h k otiier word on tins subject. No — not even to vou." "But—" " \(), no. I swear 1 will not." " .My lord—" " Did I ari.sc an hour before the .sun, think you, to preach polities tt) my niistre.ss?" " Vou recall the hour to me now. It seems I must bid you farewell. My maid even now is tappinti on my dtwr. Do, pray then, depart." The younp man appeared cut to the heart at the partint;. He sighed so deeply that Wistaria could not bear to ^aze u\Hm him, and, conscious of the impatient presence with- in, she drew her windowf; back hastily and shut out the sitzht of her lover from her. Then she faced her father within. " Vou have heard all, honored parent?" "livery thing." " Vou are a witne.ss of my continued efforts. I fear we have learned all there is to know." " Vour opinion was not asked," re|)lied the father, coldly. " Vour services are all I re- quire. Vou will resume them to-morrow." The Lad\' Wistaria prostrated her.self before her parent with the utmost humility. " I am prei)ared to obey your aut^ust will in all thinps," she murmured, in the most filial and submissive of voices. ^ ^ C=^ 87 ir 4t=3 - TOE .VOOjiNO Of V^JSTARJA * 63=3 llIC .i^a-d c.'istlc iroat was dark- ly luclanclioly, thouj^'h its banks on Cither side were IxxaUiful with the damp ^rass and the meeting' wiUow and wistaria. C"()ld, stdl, and dee]) were its waters. Ai ni^ht it seemed ^rewsome and uncanny, per- ha|)s because of the trape'dy of its history, which every Cat- zn courtier knew. Even in the bright sunhj.jht its beauty was sechictively sad, for its dark waters were covered with white k)tus, mingled with red and purple, with gold- en hearts, whose little cups ^ y= 88 X i^- TOE.VOOjiSGOi' ViSTAFJA r ^i CI each held OIK' drop of dew — a );;li.stcuini^ tf.-.r. VVat)dcriiitj dejoctedly aloiit,' the IkiiiUs of (he old moat, KeiUi vainly >ouulit in his mind for some clew to the phetiomeiial chanuc in his mistress Thon^fh at times her evis seemed drowned in tears of tendrrness, more often they were coldly glassy. Her conver- sation, ttH), was spasmodic, devoid of all endearment, and of a sort alirn to lovers When he had first seen her after the illness which had kept her from his sitrht for some days, he had lost all self-contn)l in the joy of Ix'holdini^ her once more. In ardent im- agination he revived the memory of those dream -days on the little rock island of the twentv- geishas, but thoui^^h she appeared to have recovered her health, she no longer accompanied him ujxin such excursions. In- deed, she was rarely seen in the Catzu palace, except on the formal occasions of the guest- room. Keiki had Ix-en forced to content himself with those early morning meetings at her casement, .so brief, so unsatisfactory. For she no longer murmured shy words of love and happiness. She talked, in.stcad, of ridiculous matters, the politics of the coun- try! Nevertheless, through her apparent sym- pathy for this cau.se so clo.se to the heart of the young man, she had revivified tho.se thrills of patriotism which, "^or the nonce, he had 89 ing j ir H A f" „ rm MJOO^uo Of ViSTAPJA ? pushed aside to devote all his heart and mind to the sweeter einjjloynient of loving. In a moment ot enthusiasm, f»nly two days before, he had conlided to her the far reach- ing plans of the Mori i)rinces for their country. She had begged him with tears in her eyes to tell her of them; then, before he had half finished, she had entreated him wildly to tell her no more, and the next instant, piteously, tremblingly, begged him to continue. And then as he went on she had dropjied her head ui on her arms and buried her face from his sight. Her emotion had thrilled him. At the moment he could have fallen on his knees, beseeching her to do something to hasten their marriage so that he might return to Choshui to do his part in this noble cau.se. Befoie he could speak, however, she had raised her face and gazed for a moment upon him with such an expression of penetrating agony and appeal that he had sprung towards her, hastily crymg out her name, "Wistaria! Wistaria!" A moment later she was gone. The fol- lowing morning he had waited in vain in the garden beneath her casement. Over and over again he liad tai)ped ui)on her shutters and called her name, but there was no re- siKjn.sc. He had met with the .same exinrri- ence this morning. Keiki was very miserable. Since the change in her seemed inexi)licablc, his confidence was -haken— not his confidence C=^ r-i f^ J I X 3E= 90 h ;=J -^ ^-^-—9*— <- ? H P J- u = 1=3 in her faith or truthfulness, but in her love, lie began to torture his nund with the jxissi- bility that she inieht not love hun, that she had Ixxn but a girl, after all, who, flattered by his manner of wooing her, had thought she returned his aflection. His faith in her purity of soul was so perfect that no slightest thought of any designs u|K)n his jwlitical schemes ever occurred to him in connection with Wistaria. Thus unhappy, worried, and very much in love, Keiki walked moodily along the bank of the old castle moat, his old assurance and egotism completely- gone from him. Suddenly as he strolled along something struck him sharply on the temjile. Stooping, he raised from the ground what seemed to be a soft pebble. Examining it more closeh', however, he j)erceived it to Ix; a lady's fine I)aper handkerchief rolled into a little ball. Half wonderingly, half idly, Keiki undid it. A faint, familiar perfume exuded from it as he shook it out. In an instant he was pressing it rapturously to his face. It was from W'lstaria. Tenderly turning it about and enjoying its sweetness, he found as he was smoothing it out a little word in the centre: bo. The lover became pale as death. lie read it again, then repeated it aloud — "Go!" Its meaning was plain. He did not doubt for instant from whom it came. That one X H y; I z^tz3 91 cszriba I -^ -X I 3z 3C: ^ r^ ■st: little word from her explained everythini^ — the change in her, her realization that she did not love hi in, and this silent means of tellinu; him the truth, lie crumpled the handkerchief in his hand. A moment later he was jxicinj^ — almost runninj,^ — up and down aloiiK tlie^ '^ank of the silent, mockinj; moat, lie could not think. He could only feel. Then he threw himself prone uixin the ground, his face huried m the lon)^ f:rrasses. He was smothering and choking back the hoar.se, terrible .sobs of a man — one who had been trained in the indexible school of the samurai. The day i)asscd over his liead. The sky, ruddy with the .setting sun, i)aled gradually, until it .seemed as though a veil were drawn softly acro.ss it. Still I\eiki gave him.self up to his desi)air. For him it seemed that the sun had gone out, life had ceased. As the shadows continued to spread their batlike wings over the heavens, darkening, darkening the skies, until only an impcnc>- trable vault of darkness dotted with myriad magic lights was above and about him, he still lay there. A rustle disturbed the grass. Possibly a hare running by. Keiki heeded it not. Something was stirring, moving near him. Mechanically, dully, he listened. Some one had lost his way among the willows and with his hands was feeling his way. From his :3~=z ^ JE 1 -^ :? \i 9^ 3z r ^ own despair Keiki was recalled by the sudden acute knowledj^^e of |M)s.sible daiijj;er to this person who had evidently lost his way. One false step towards the l^oj^^uy grass, and Ix:- ose water- yond was the treacherous moat, wh flowers and reeds hid its dark surface. Sud- denly he sprang to his feet and called out hoarsely : " Who is the lionorable one?" He fancied he heard a cry. He ran towards it, then stoi)ped short. He had come u]nm her there in the willows. Her kimono shone out startlingly white with a .stray moon-lxam upon it, but her gown was not k\ss white than her f, ice, which stared into the darkness lil ke that of a statue. Slowly he went to her as though drawn by subtle, compelling hands. Clo.se to her, almost touching her; he did not speak, be- cau.se he could not. Bitter words had sprung to his lips only to die before birth. He per- ceived that she was trembling from head to foot. Her hands stood out from her sleeves, each finger apart, and they trembled, (piiv- cred, shof)k. With an inarticulate crv he cauuht them th in ^ savagely, in his grasp. Then his voice came nge. ^ to him. It was very husky and stra " S|)eak "Go!— Txo!" This was all she wh^spcringlv cried. She 93 :s:=3 f? is own, inclosing them warmlv, almost ^ r^ =3=^ r rt TO£.VOOjr^GOf ViSTARiA a4t=x -3E: ^ <■ kept repeating it over and over between her chattering teeth. As lie wound his arms about her shivering form he found that she was drii)ping wet. Could it be that she had fallen into the moat? By what miracle of the gods, then, had she been saved? The dark waters were so deejj — so deep! " Vou arc wet and cold I You have met with an accident?" " No, no," she said. " It was the honorable grass— so wet — so cold, like a lake. I crawled through it, on my hands and knees, close to the moat." " But why did you do it, why did you do it?" His voice was im])loring. "To come to you. To be with you— to— " He clasi)ed her closer, warmed to the soul by her words. "Ah, then it is not true," he cried, "and you do still love me, Fuji-wara?" "Better than my soid. Better than my duty to the gods," she whis])ered. The sound of her voice was mufTlcd. Her words literally sighed through her lijis. He could not comprehend : he knew only that she loved him, had come to him, and now she was all water -wet, pale -eyed, and trembling as one who sleeps with fear. And because that strange voice hurt his soul, he covered her lips with his hand. She made no re- monstrance, but sank into his arms, almost as if she had fainted. But looking down he X h-' 94 I— 3r ■^ i« ^ saw her eyes were wide of)en, shining like dark stars. They startled hun. They were like tlKxse of a dead woman. He shook her almost routfhly in his fright. "Wistaria! Six.'ak to me! What is it? Tell me your trouble." " Trouble?" she rei)eated, dazedly. "Trou- ble!" Then she remembered. She grasped his arm till her fingers almost pierced through the silk into his flesh. " Vou must go— go! CfO quickly— run all the way. Do not stop one moment— not one little moment." "Co away? Run? What are you say- ing?" "Listen! In a moment, perhaps, I may not have power to six^ak. My strength is failing me. I thought you would obey the word I sent you. But I saw you fall down among the grasses, and all day long I have watched from my window, waiting, waiting, waiting to see you depart. No, no— listen unto me— do not speak. I escaped the vigi- lance of my jailers- my executioners. Oh, will you not imderstand ? I have come through |)orils you cannot imagine to warn you — to l)og you on my knees to go away at once Hasten to Choshui!" Ilcr breath failed her. She had been speak- ing quickly, in sharp gasps. "But I do not understand." he said. = « 95 X ( h V TOE -WOOusG Of -WiSTARIA zzm :aE: ^■-^ "Your prince — your august prince is in danger 1" " What?" "The Prince of— the young Prince Reiki/' she ^asiK'd. " The young Prince Keiki!" he repeated, in- credulously. " Yes, yes; they have discovered his secrets — they will arrest hitu for treason and — " He almost shouted. "His secrets! The cause! Oh, all the gods!" " You can save him. There may be time. They will take him and cast him into a dun- geon and kill him!" " I must set off at once," excitedly he mut- tertxi. "What could have happened in my absence?" Her shivering, trembling presence recalled him. He was distracted at the thought of leaving her. He could think of nothing else. He tried to see her wliite fiice in the darkness, but could only trace the pale outlines. Sud- denly he took it in his hands. "Fuji-wara," he whispered, in a voice of mingled love and agony. " How can I leave you? How can I do so? And yet you would not have me ao' the part of a coward, the false traitor. You would be the first to bid me go." "Go, go!" she cried, releasing herself from his hands feverishly. ^ X 3E: 96 X i I i: m^m^ And vou?' " Lead me back into the path. I shall find my way from there." Leading her, he questioned anxiously : "There is danger for you here. Wistaria? Tell me, or I shall not depart." She turned the question. " Last night there was a slight earthquake in the province. There is always danger. But you and I have pledged each other. For the time of this life and the next, and as many after as may come, I will be your flower-wife and \'ou my husband." At parting he kis.sed the hem of her kimono and the little, water-soaked foot beneath. fy ^ :2E: tbt 7 97 "^ az:^3=SE 7m .WoojrsG Of \^3TAR) A IIEN the tender veil of the first hours of the morning was raised from the face of the sun, the early light revealed a small, still, white face at a window where ihe morning- glory, rising from the midst * of spring roses, mingled with the wild ivy of Japan, clam- bered up and encirclee-d across the sinali division t(» tlie l)ri(lL,re spannintj the moat, and was sj)eedini; tliroutrh the wcKxled j)ark beyond. In less than lifteeii minutes the samurai (ienji was bendnig the knee to the Lady Wis- taria. "Thy service, my lady!" "Oh, Sir (ienji," she cried out, throwing all caution to the winds, " I am in such dire trouble — such fearful, cruel trouble!" "Why, my little lady?" The bit,' samurai was on his feet, reifardmtj her with amazed eyes. " Ves, yes — I know it seems incrtxlible to you that I should have trouble of any sort, but indeed it is so, and — " "Ar^ moshi, moshi!" .soothed the samurai, patting her hand rea.ssurini.ily. " Vou will be my very good friend, will you not. Sir Gen?" " Friend ! Command me to cut myself in half and I will do so at once!" "Last nitrht," .she whisjjered, "he—" He nodded comjtrehendinj^ly, certain that only one " he" could exist in my lady's mind. " — he csca[)cdl" she gasixxi. "Escaped?" ■ j I a^ T iianzi \ II lOI =r» ^jr^ rccl ^uest, was he not?" "His prince is tny fither's mortal enemy My father has heen my jailer for many days now, and I — I have heen f(jrced to cause him to hetray his prmce. Oh, will you not un- derstand!" "Hah! It is all (pute jtlain! But why did you not inform me sooner?" " Because until yesterday my father kept so constant a watch .ssil)le for your father to have overheard you. he left Catzu af tioon yesterday." "Ah! Then if that is so. it will be t(X5 late to warn the youn^ I'rince Mori," she cried. " Hut do n(*t think of this prince. :iiy lady Be happy that your autjust lover is safe." " Oh," she cried, despairinf.jlv. " but I cannot have the death of this inn«)cent prince U|)on my hands. 1 should die if anylhinj^ hapi)ened to him." "Well, do take some comfort, my lady. Vou say your lover dejuirted last ni^ht. Very gfXKl. The .samurai Shimadzu left yesterday at noon. Vet the youni; man, I am ready to swear by my sword, will be tlie first to reach Choshui." "Oh, but vcntrcancc and hatred will lend wiufrs to my [)arent's feel " " And the wings of venRcance and hatred, tny lady, arc not so fleet as those of the wings of love. Be assured." "Sir Gen, vou do not know, you would not believe all I have suffered." Sir Gcnji s brows contractcxl. Ever since he hiid followed her to the old Catzu palace, when she was a tiny, bewitching little creature of five, with laughing lips and shining eyes, a flower ornament tumbling down the side of her hair and a miniature kimono tied about iOJ ^ ^^ y TOE-Voojiso o/? ViSTARJA jt i^ -i=3 with a purple ol)i, she had been his favorite. He could scarcely believe it jxxssible that any one could be cruel to this beaulilul youn>^ |j;irl His looks jusi then bode ill for any one who should cause her pain. Never- theless, for many days now the >ounff (.girl's chamber had been nt)t unlike that of an in- quisitorial prison. It was true there were no thumb -screws or neck -halters or burn- int^-irons within, but there were instruments of torture more refined and e.xcruciatint,' in their torture, because they pierced the mind rather than the body. If the eirl awoke screaming in the niudit, one could be sure that some creepinsj;. si)yin,i.,^ l)re.sence had entered her chamber and had ^^rown ujxHi the consciousness of her dreams, rudely awakeniuL; her to the fearful night- mare of an im.seen presence. In the early mormni^ she was awakened from her sleep and forced to carry (m th(jse nerve-shockintr, hearl- breakinti interviews with her lover. She fell asleep at ni^ht with the intuitive knowledtie that one watched unceasingly in her cham- ber. She might make no stir or movement unobserved. This Sir ('".enji heard for the first time. " And I may rely on you for the future?" she asked, in conclusion. The samurai raised his sword. "With this, gcnitle kidy, I'll serve thee and him,"' he said. 104 a: H THE .WOojiNGOf^vfisrAPv) A r ^f — 3 Then with a (luick nuncmcnl he fhing the sword to the ground. 'I'hree days passed away. She seemed hke one in a dream, under a s])cll, as she hun^; over her flowers. Inder the fruit-trees she wandered. Their i>elals, tnlorous and dcwy- hiden, fell around and upon her liUe a cloud of sununer snow - Hakes. They made her (juiver with memories that caused her pain. She ran throus^h the ^ra.sses away from them, her little feet scalteriuLC the jietals hefore her, seekiiiii the hanks of the moat far away from where he had lieen wont to stand at the dawning', pleadnm for her love. Jkit the lotus with the dew ni its cups smiled •It to weep. She threw herself down by the water's edi;e, and swept with her hand the lotus back from the surface of the water. The flowers at her touch left one little oval spot, out of which her small face shone up at her with its startled eyes of tragedy. She fancied it a mat^ic mirror wherein the face of the divine ff(xldess of mercy was reflected. So she prayed to the goddess very softly, and fpiite as one who.se mind has been over- weighted with trouble, for jx-ace and mercy for that wilful and fooli.^h Lady Wistaria, whose lover had i)assed out of her life and Kone the u:ods knew whilher. And the lips of the tr(Kkless in the water moved in .sound- less resiKmse,but,"IIe is ^onc— gone!" said the hapless Lady Wistaria. —z — —— -nzzr: — zk -X i 7~^ =z H 105 5=3 iM CzrC: TO£.VJ0O]rSG oj^ ViSTAPvJA # HE Lady Wistaria was carried to her father's home at nii^hl. There was no i^^or^eous cort^^a', no gayly bedecked attendants or retaniers to bend the back and knee to her. She travelled alone, in a covered palanquin borne on the shoulders of hired runners, Ijesidc whom the tall, lank figure of her father strode. They set her down in the heart of the city, the rest of the journey beintr made on foot. When she had last visited her father's home he had carried her on his back, after he had dis- missed the palanquin, for she = it iz=zz=-a H ii 1 06 f 4 7n^MJ0O]i>^0of v;»sTAPv)A 3; 3E: =S=3 4 was then but a small trirl of ten. Now she walked silently, dumbly, by his side. As they reached and passed through the silent little villafTe that had impressed her as a child, strantic fancies flitted in and out of Wistaria's mind. There was none of that strange up-leaping of the heart, experienced on returning to a home not seen for years. The old mystic horror and fear of the place had taken possession of Wistaria, but now, with a woman 'o wide-o])en eyes, her wonder and fear began t< form themselves into vague fancies. Slov ./ passing along the silent, sjural streets, climbing up and around hillock after hillcKk, they came finally before the small, whitewashed house with its dark, empty, cold interior. The old, old woman who had fon- dled and sung to the child Wistaria came hol>- bling and mumbling to the door. She wept over Wistaria's hands, caressed them, and drew her head to her bosom with a crooning laugh that was almost a sob. "I am very weary and would fain retire at once," said Wistaria, as she returned the old woman's caress. Madame Mume attendal Wistaria tenderly towards the stairway which led to the upper part of the house. But, as she did so, Shi- madzu called to his daughter in his hollow voice of command. "Stay," he said. "I have much to say to you to-night." 107 IP Cz P c=>: T/1£-VOOii>iG Of ViSTAFJA -it. az dE: -::ac; J7 Bowing obcdi cully, if wcaniy, to her falhcr. Wistaria handed her cape l<) the old woman and nicchaniad'y followed hnu into the ozashiki. "My dauKhter," bcuan the father, "do you know where ou now are?' This strange (juestion suri)rised Wistaria, but she replied, with a i^entle smile: "In my honorid)le father's house." "That is true, but do you know where your father's house is situated?" "Xo." " Very well ; I will tell you, then. My house, though seeminuly apart, l)ecansv.' (if its situa- tion on the hill, is built in the heart of an Eta settlement." "Cta?" repeated Wistaria, mechanically. Slie had heard the word somewhere before, but just what it signified her nund at the moment could not recall. So she rej>eatcd the word again, as though it troubled yet fasci- nated her. "i:ta!— Kta!" "Eta," rcix-ated her father. "In other words, the social outcast, the despised pariah class of Japan." Then silence fell like a swift, blank darkness u)H)n them. Wistaria trembled with a creei>- ing horror .she could not fathom or grasp. Somewhere, somehow, vaguely, dnnly, she had heard o[ this class of i)eople. Perhaps it was at .school. rerhai)s her au!it had instructed her ni their cotuhtiou. One thing lo5 ?■: i -« W H tti — JL — ^ l\ w ^ was certain, slie was siuklenly made aware of just what the cine word ICla sijitiilied. It described a class in Japan uiK)n whom the ban of ostracism and isolation had been placed by an inviolate heritage and a cruel custom. So \ irulent and bitter was the prej- udice against them and the contempt in which they were held, that in the eiumicia- tions of the jjopulation they were onntted from the count and numbered iis cattle. Herded in separate villau,es, their existence i).nu)red bv the communities, none but the most detrraded tasks were assigned to them — ■ that of buryint^ criminals, slaughtering cattle, that of the hangman and ])uijlic executioner. Whence they had come, why they were held in the contempt of all other citizens, what their origin, none could tell. When had there been a time in the history of the nation that tht-y did not exist? Some old histories aver that they vvere originalh cajv tives from the great Armada of the Tartar in- viiders \.ho dreamed of conquering the sacred realm. Others declare that they were the do- sce.idants of the public executioners from time immemorial; and again, more recent students assert that they were descendants of the fam- ily and retiiiners of Taira-Xo-Masakado-IIei- shimo, the only man in Japan who ever seri- ously conspired to seize the imi)erial throne by armed force. Whatever their origin, they were the outcast j>eoj)le of the realm. They 109 I ^' H i Cz:5=3i T/IE.VOOirsG op ViSTARJA — -a.: ^- y n : ^ ^ 4 were not i)eriniUcd to mingle with or marry outside ol their own chiss, and any one who chose to marry amonj,' them must either suHer the |)enalty of death or become one of them. The ion^ silence winch ensued after Shi madzu had s]Kil — the Lady Wistaria, the dainty, cultivated, carefully j^uarded and nurtured lady — an Eta tfirl I I ler mind could not grasp, would not hold the thought. " Listen," said her father, slowly. "I was born in a city of the south, th'? seat of a dai- mio of eight hundred thousand koku. My father's house stood within the outer forti- fications surrounding this prince's castle. I was trained in the school of the samurai. 1 grew ui>, honoring and swearing by this prince. When I became o^ age 1 entered his service. No love of man for woman Avas more ix;rsistent than my loyalty to his cause. De- votion to him was my highest ideal. "My prince had a bitter rival and enemy. * '^ liO X T" ^ THE.VOOirsG op VJJSTAPJA ■#V* He was a good and powerful lord, though a Shogun favorite. This lord loved my sister ^ and was loved by her In an evil moment 1 listmed to her entreaties, and forgot my allegiance to my prince in 30 far as to assist his rival to win and wed my sister, now the Lady of Catzii. Immediately I brought down upon my head the bitterest detestation of my own prince. I was a.ssigned to the jioorest and most degrading of posts, that of the spy and the suppressor of petty broils, and finally detailed to live in and protect a certain Ivta settlement. So much of my time was thus forcibly spent among these y)cople that I came to study, to understand, and finally to sym- pathize with them. "I was 5'oung, as I have said, impression- able, and I had been trained in the school of chivalry. It fell to my lot to be the pro- tector of an Eta maiden of such beauty of person and purity of soul that — " He broke off in his recital, and, to clear his husky voice, raised with a shaking hand a tumbler of sake to his lips and swallowed it at a gulp. He began again, with passionate fierceness. His eyes glittered with inward hre. "I married the maiden!" With a sudden little sob. Wistaria moved closer to him and drew his hands up to her lips. "My mother?" The words pas.sed her lips as a quick, burning question. i - 14-1 i t III tP ^^^ ' T^ n ai ^ "Thy mother, " he repeiiled, and then she saw in the dim hijht of the room the ^xreat, shiniiiR tears roll down the hard crevices in her father's face. She tnoaned and crept chx'^er to him. "For her I hecame an Eta — an outcast. Do not shudder, my daughter, lias the word, then, so evil a soimd? Then I jierceive you have heen wronudy bred — in the scIkm)! of prejudice. The lOta, though an outcast, is a human beinu; — more human, indeed, ihan many of our (ii.sd.iinful lords who ride o\er their heads and tramjjle them like insects be- neath their feet." "Tell me of my mother," she whis|)ered. "Of her antecedents I know nauuht and care less. Iler honoral)le j^^randmother stdl abides here in my house." "Old Madame \hmie?" "Ves." "Continue. Pray do so." "After my marriaufe I was cast off im- mediately by my prince, my titles and honors were taken from me, my ])roi)erty confiscated. For all this I cared nolhinsj;. I was content and haj)py to be left at i)eace with my wife." His l(jn!:. thin iin^ers clinched and un- clinched. He moistened his lips, biting into them. " Did I say that this prince under whom I served was arn)uant and cruel? Did I tell vou he had a heart of Hint and a pride so 112 2C M fcJt '^ ' 4 — qt T^ -X I ^ induinitablc that he would not brook one of his samurai bcin^j other than of noble birth? Six of his vassals, the most j^^raceless and worthless in the province, to humor his pleas- ure, utulert(K)k to seek me out in my exiled hajipiness and enf^aue to make life intolerable for me. Whether their actual intention was evil or not, I cannot say ; that they wrought evil is all I know, and that they came with the exj)ress knowledge and c«)nsent of their prmce. " Wistaria observed that her father was trem- bliui^ so violently that he scarce coidd si)eak. She i)ressed his hands convulsively within her own. "S|)eak quickly, my father," she implored. " They nuirdered her," he whispered, hoarse- h'. "Curses and maledictions uixjn iheir souls'." -fF =3E: f J} ¥ HE death of the niolhcr of Wistaria had taken ilacc the day after the j^irl's birth. Iler father had left his youni^f Eta wife to iio to the vilhi^'e to purchase nudieines and fo(Kl. She was in tlie care of her j^rand- nuither, who was old and weak, and J owerless to I'rotect her. '1 he Mori .saiiuirai, ah of them 4 in a sla'.e of sava^a^ intoxica- tion, had cone to the house deniandintr and callir.ji; for Shi- niadzu. They had been drinU- inu; h.eavily all day, and swore they wov.ld have their liiial cup with ib.eir former comrade. -: ,— -^ i zz 3~=i: 114 ^- ^4: 4 ^___ ^^ ^ :^ j~ :^ When Madame Mume assured thciii (tf his absence, they insisted utH)n enterin^j the house, and, pushinj^ past the old woman, straightway took iK)ssession of the place. One of I'.icir number su^i^a'sted that in the absence of Sliimadzu they nuist be enter- taincxl by his F^ta wife, whereuiH)n the oth- ers, takinii:^ up the cry, boisterously began to shout for the hostess t)f the house. Meanwhile llie yount; wife, very weak and ill from her recent confinement, listened with feverish excitement to the loud voices and the bedlam of noises now rattling through the lit- tle cottage. Fearful for the safety of her lord, in a moment of delirium she arose from her sick bed t(j go to them, staggering through the dividing rooms until she came to the ribald debauchees. As she pushed aside the sliding doors and stoixl in the of)etung, her white bed-rob<>s about her, she seemed like an apparition. A sudden silence fell ujHni the revellers. It was broken by a samurai whose sake cuj) dropi)cd from his nerveless hand to the floor, where it shat- terefl into fragments. The next instant there was a general move- ment towards the figure between the shoji. That simultaneous, half-savatie advance seem- ed to snap the last vital cord in the woman. When they reached her she no longer swayed between the shoji. They bent over her in va- rious attitudes of horror, where she lay prone =n: a : t: 3^: _i r c4l n — t-;^ z:3: H ,i..i. at tlu'ir fivl.a wluti, cnislud thiiii,' w Im.'-c (Uli- calc life had Ikcu !)ru(ally snurfLd out forever. With a loud cry of fear and dismay tluy rushed from the chamher, out from the house into the opi'ii air. where their hifotr^ed hraiii.s still seemed to hehold a vision of ati aveiij^'iiiL,', pursuiiiLi spirit. Hearing the wailing cries (;f the old grand- mother while he was yet afar olT from the house, Shimadzu he^an to run at his utmost sjK'ed, a premonition of disaster forcinu itself u\Hm him. I'p the lulloeks he spid. A mo- ment of fearful, strivinLi effort and he was l)e- side the old woman. Something froze in Shi- madzu, paralyziuif his faculties. Power of sj)eech and movement was trone. The old \.<>inan caught his arm, shook it, and i^iucd with her fading eyesight into his starint^ eyes. "Master, master!" she cried. He only stared at the figure uinm the fioor. The old woman rushed from the house, shriek- ing and calling aloud for helj). Neighbors came rushing up from the little village below and began to fill the house. They tried to arouse the stricken .samurai, but he heeded them not. But when they altemptcxl to move the young wife, a strange guttural sound of savage protest escajK'd his lips, so that they dared not touch her. Then the neighbors mingled their cries with those of the old woman, and the house of X ixG X =ip J?'»9T** ^>J ^"^ns- :mc^m^^P^^^^^^-^^r^^^^^i H* ^^^ TOE .H/oojr^o Of v;iSTAR»A n f ^ .^ — — '^. — =r r — y-j death Wii.s rciulcrcd hide )ii.s with their ecu; v- k'ss moaning; and the niufllttl Scatinj; of Sliinto drums. All iu\i\\i lon^ the satmirai crouched in that paralyzed altitude by the side of his wife. Hut in the iiionuiiu strong and stout armed men from the vdlaiL^e, disreirardin^j his cries of |)rot(.st, lifted the IxKly of the wife ujK)!! the death -couch, drew the lids over the staring eyes, closed the frothed mouth, where the teeth shone out liUc small white fan^s, and folded the frozen white hands acro.ss her breast. Then the samurai came back to life — vivid, horrible, insane life. Some kindly woman brought in the little Wistaria and held her towards him with a l)ityin).x exclamation, knowing that this little life could not but comfort the bereft man. He seized the child wildly in his arms. Then holding his one-day-old babe over the dead body of his wife, he swore a fearful oath of vem^eance. From that day the samurai had but one purj)ose in life, but one hope uiid ambition: to encompass tlie ruin and death of tho.se he deemed the murderers of his wife. It \\i\\y- l)ened that he came of a iH)werful family, who, in all his troubles, had ofTered him their sym- jKithy and would j^ladly have received him back anionic them in sjjite of his marriage to an ICta girl. They were in hiu;h favor at court, and now they carried his case to the Shogun 3: 3E: X ^: #=» «7I» „ TilE.WOOjrSG Of ViSTAPJA n (nr hitnsclf. The exiled saniurai was forthwith ordered to apjajar before the Shof^un, who had been deeply impressed and touehed by his sorrows, and who had cause for prejudice a^aitist his former lord. The ShoLfun offered to force his lord to restore to the samurai his estates atid rani;, but Shimadzu fiercely refused to accei)t these favors, wildly declarini^ that he would rather be buried alive than enter the service of such a lord. The Shotgun, still anxious to i)leasc lis family, beijL,fed him to make some re- (piest which it would be in liis j)ower to j^'rant, whet' er for service under another lord, or at court in attendance u])on his own person. "I have but one recpiest to make, my lord," responded the samurai. "That is?-" "To be made the public executioner." .All these things the Lady Wistaria now learned for the first tune. She was as one struck down by a sudden shock of grief. In one little hour she had fallen from a great height, and had learned of things that had caused her to quiver with anguish and shame. She could not at once share the thought of the father whose wrongs hauntcfl him, de^ manding venecance and justice. She thought, instead, of other things. She was the daughter of the public executioner, the hangman! — an Eta girl — an outcast! The odium of it all crushed her. In that, hour of agony ii8 X ff f^ ^ w n TO£.VOtl3 i* I: her imaiL'iiiation c(mjurecl up the nol)le, hiL,'h- ])orn face of her lover, lortiinnif her soul with its infinite distance from her. She l• di\inc riuht. To underlines I i^ave the pumshment of the yniblic criminal, but to myself I kept the sacred task of seeking, tracliinu;, ruimnu;, and kdlint^ with my own hands the destroyers of my house." " 'Ihen," .said \\ istaria, in a stranj^ely plead- ing voice, " you have avem^ed my mother. All is done, all is fimshed. Oh, my father, let us forj^^et all this ])ast, and ^o away where we may not be knowii and pass our days in [)eace until the end." " \ay, all is not done," replied the father. "Yi)U forj^et that while I have had the holy joy of executint? the six imirdcrers of my wife, their prince still lives." 'Ah!" "Once I served under him, honored him above all men ; now I desire nothing else on earth but to bow his head in the dust. He is a great prince, beyond my reach, but I have sought and found a better means of striking at him. For this purpose, my daugh- ter, I need your aid." "You mean — " she began. X i ^ 119 ^P ^*FW* H L 120 -=3: ^ H "This IVince of Mori is the man. Xow you understand. His heart, his whole life, is \vrai)[x;d uj) in his son. Hut yesterday, my daughter, I caught that son ni the trap which 1 set through you. To-morrow he l)ays the penalty of the sins of his father." Wistaria ♦ottered to her feet. Then she fell on lier knees and crept ui)on them to her father. "Father, dear, my father, I hc(T, I imi)lore you to show mercy." "For whom do you ask mercy, my lady?" asked the father. "For the innocent — for this vounj^f Prince of Mori." "You — \'ou ask mercy for this prince! — you, the daughter of a nuirdered womaTiI" In an instant she was sitting,' up stifT and rij.^id. "My lord," she said, "T am, indeed, too in- significant and xuiworthy to he tli > daut^hter, but for one small moment I did forget our wronj^s and fain would have speired my soul the sacrifice of innocent blood.'' 1= •r ^ ARLY in the mnrninp the inhabitants of the hllle ICta villatie were startled by the unusual sound iia the streets of the " elii)-elop" of jtalanquin runners' sandals. The I-^ta were not used to beini^ carried in gilded norinions, or of trav- ellini^ in any other fashion than or. foot. Con.scquently, the specf'icle of an extiuisile- ly finished noriuion, carried on the shoulders of liveried at- tendants, created as much stir as it is |>ossible for the i)lacid Japanese to manifest. The bamboo curtains of the noriiuon 't?\ I3E: 121 X 'f^ cz5=?; TOE-VJOOjiNG Of V)5TAPv)A -St- :X: ^ '^ C=?!- wcre closclv drawn. The runners sixd f-wiftlv alone, paying no liccd to the raised shutters or the curious eyes at the wall holes. On cither side of the palanquin two couriers or fx^rsonal samurai walked. The runners sto])ped before the house of Shiinadzu, and, having thrown aside the curtains, bowed low as they backed before a veiled lady, who stepped from t!ae norimon. The lady, however, unmindfid of her bend- ing servitors, hurried uj) the gravelled path- way* to beat upon the door v.ilh her delicate fists. The early morning visitor entered the hou.se before the Lady Wistaria had descended from her chamber. When she threw back the covering from her head, the proud face of the Lady Evening Glory appeared with all its cold beauty and strange pallor. Her lips trembled so that she could not keep them together. She had travelled all night in the utmost haste to throw herself at the feet of her brother, praying his mercy for the young Prince of Mori. She did not wait for her brother to question her, but began at once a pitiful, dis- jointed tale concerning her son Toro The young man had involved himself in great trouble in the Cho.shui province, and was now held a y^risoner l)y the Prince of Mori. Toro, the foolhardy, imitating the ac- tions of the j'oung courtier of the Mori clan, ¥ 3E=: 122 X 1p 3 r Jb f^ had fared badly. Caught scaling the walls surrounding the pakice of the father of the Lady Hollyhock, he had been arrested and brought before the Prince of Mori. This nobleman had at first nitcnded to return the young fellow to his neighbor courteously, with some satirical rebuke which would scorch the vanity of the boy's father, but just at this juncture had come the fearful intelligence of the arrest, secret trial for treason, and sentence to death of the young heir of Mori. The old Prince, rendered frantic with fear and angui.sh, dcsi)atched word immediately to Catzu that unless the Prince Reiki were spared, the same fate should be meted out to the young Catzu Toro. So the Lady Evening Glory had come now to her brother to demand, to beg the pardon of their enemy, this young Prince of Mori, while her husband had hastened to Yedo to seek the aid of the Shogun. Never- theless, both father and mother knew that the fate of their son depended not upon the august Shogun, but upon their brother, the samurai Shimadzu, for the Shogun would scarcely have time to send forces to compel Mori to release Toro before the execution of Keiki took place, which would be undoubt- eiUy the signal for the immediate despatch of Toro. The unexpected answer the lady received from her brother stunned her so completely ,. a: I 123 T" Olfcl r fv tr tliat she was robhal of all hope. Xow she suffered in turn all the jianu's of frantic desjiair and auony that her niece had so lately under- f^rone ihrouuh her agency. "WliatI" cried the sanuirai, with stern derision, "|)erinit the ccnsuniination of the work of a lifetime of misery and torture io slij) throuuh my achinu; linirers now? Not for a thousand nej thews!" Vet he endeavored in his rouu;!; and stetn way to comfort his sister with these strange words : "Catzu Toro is of samurai 1>1ou{ lier aside, wliereuiKHi she fell down at his feel, claspiim her arms about his let^s, while her lijis eniilled straime and piteous outcries. Vet what couK'. the utmast strcnuth of a delicate lady do a<-rainst that of a samurai man? With one (luick movement he freed himself from her climrint^ hands. The next moment the Lady ICvenini^ dlory was (piite alone. She suddenly realized that the ^ods had denied her all succor, and crawled across the room until she stood in front of the small slirine in the phice of the lokonona. There she ])rostrated herself, but her lips could not frame themselves in i)etition to the gcxls. How lone she lay thus she could not have told. (iradualK' she ])ecame con.scious that some one was kneeling beside her, and that a soft and tender hand was smoothincr back the wild hair that esc-qx-'d about her face. A gentle voice whisi)cred : "The gmls are gcxxl — k ,)ckI I" Then the proud Lady of Catzu, raising her- self to a kneeling jK^sture, gazing u\i into the bendmg, j)itying face above her, saw her niece, whom she had so \indictively jxTse- cuted. Before she could speak one word. Wis- taria drew her hand to her breast. Then the 125 nsc n H SP3 "W^ ^ ^ A ■r' (* ^ bereaved mother gave way to a passion of tears of weakness and despair. " You are calmer now, dear avmt," said the Lady Wistaria after a while. "Wee]) no more, I j)ray you. But try rather to bring your niiiul to think clearly with mine. We must conceive some way by which we can outwit my honorable parent. We have yet two hours before the time when my father will depart for — for his prisoner." But the after-effects of weejung, great sighs, rendered the Lady Lvening (llory speechless. She could only shake her head hopelessly, heli)lossly. "All night long," said Wistaria, "I have kept a vigil. I hive thought and thought and thought, untd my brain has seemed ready to burst. I, too, my lady, have yielded myself to such des])air as you now feel. I suffer more than the pain of one who loses a beloved, for I am tortured with the knowl- edge that I am guilly. Oli, lady, was it not I who betrayed this prince, and would I not be the iudircct cause of dear Toro's death also? Therefore it is my task to save the life of this prince, if that can be done." "But it cannot — cannot," moaned the Lady Evening Glory. "Thou knowest not thy father!" "And yet," said Wistaria, slowly, "I have thousiht of one wav." "Anata!" 3CZ;:: 125 X it V W" az5=x ■ •'fn ^ ' I t I 4 1 T' ^ " Tell me first, my lady, is it not so — that one who marries an Eta is fore%er after di»- ijraced — branded?" " Ves, yes, that is true — but — " " It is of imiK)rtance that I know all this. Now is it not also true that my father's chief ambition is to break the pride and spirit of the old Lord Mori?" " Yes, it is so, it is so." "Then, my lady, be comforted. Mayhap I shall find a solution to all our troubles." Arisinp, gently she took her arms from about her aunt to hasten into the adjoining chamber. Her voice addressing the Madame Mume came to the Lady Evening Glory. "Tell my honorable father," she said, " that I beg for just one minute of his hon- orable time." When she returned to her aunt her face had a waii liitle smile of hope on it. The samurai Shimadzu followed her into the room. Wistaria prostrated herself before him with the utmost humility. " You have asked for an audience, ray lady. Speak quickly, for I . ve work to do ere long." " Honored parent," said Wistaria, with her eyes upon his, "I have thought much upon what thou wert pleased to tell me last night." "Indeed." "And, my father, the more I have thought of the matter the greater have the wrongs 4 tt W 127 If Cnj^rrrrr^ ^^ — — -\ — -? T, A P t- of my father aiul iiiiiiL', Uiosl' of our house, appi'arcd to me Id 1)c. "Tliou siieakesl imw," said tlic samurai, (juic'tly, "as hLVouKs an honorable daughter. " "Oh, luy father, .so deeply do I feci the wrotms of our house that I have felt that e\eti the \ery death of this vounu prince would not be a suliicient veHLreance. " She was speakinu; slowly and distinctly, so that each sentence should take elTect ujxjn her father. "Having l)roken the heart and sj)irit of my enemy," said Shimadzu, " I shall have ac- comi>hshed all. It will be suliicient, and my work, my duty, will then be consummated." " liut think you, my father, that by the killinu; of this i)rince you wdl indeed have broken the heart and spirit of your enemy?" "Ay! I'or I .shall have robbed him of that thiuLC which he prizes alx)ve all else on earth — his sonl" " But has he not seven other sons who would (puckly fill the place of this one?" " That is .so. Were it jx^ssible for me to have seven instead of one Mori prince for execution this day, I would be seven times the happier." "August father, you have taueht me, and I have learned, that death is not the preate.st of sorrows that can befall us. Execute this l)rince and he will quickly pass into another world, where the fates niay befriend him. X 1 -£ : I- \4 128 TOE.VOOjiso Of \^STAR)A k .•f Jiz He will be beyond our reach. In the eyes of his parent he will have died an heroic and exalted death, since he gives up liis life for what he deems a noble cause. Oh, my father, in all the empire of Japan, what Imperialist would not envy him such a death? No, the death of this prince would be inadequate re- venue for the wronf^s we have sufTered. Far better if he could be forced to live so that he mij^^ht sulTer the devils of pain to gnaw at his heart all the rest of his life." " Th.o'.; wouldst liave him spared for pur- poses of torture?" " Ves, honored father." "Thou art indeed a woman," said the sa- murai. " Vet i: samurai's sword has never been turned to such a purpose." "That is right, for your honoraljlc sword is not sufficiently sharp, my father." "Thou speakest darkly, my daughter." "I have thought darkly of our v/rongs, my father. I have found a more refined re- venge to inflict upon this prince, one which would wound him more deeply than the death of one of his eight sons." "Well, and what is your revenge?" " First answer me this : What would be the feelings of this proud and arrogant prince if his idolized heir were to be guilty of that ver>' fault for which he exiled liis sa- mur-^i ;?■' "What fault?" 3Er 129 4_^ > #^ f- 'I I trij: XIE .V/oojiNG Of^ Ns/iSTARiA =1: :3= r-7 C=:i = a stranj^'c a lalainitv " 'I'lic faiill (A iiiarryiiiLj into a dcj^radcd and outcast class." The samurai started. Then sriulc flitted across his thin face "Ills pride would fall. Sui h would crusn — bend — kill hiui!" "True. Then if Ins pride is such, let us strike at it Ix'fore his heart. I think I see a wav hv which this can he acccnijilished." ••How?" " HriiiLj this youns^' i)rince hither. Leave him to mel" ^ 1 o you! She went very dose to her father and raised her face ujjwiird so that he imt^ht see it i)er- fectly. " Look upon me, honorable parent. Am I not fair? Hrinir hither this son of an evil prince, and in twenty-four hours he will be ready to wed an ICta maiden." "An I'vta maiden!" suddenly shrieked her aunt. "Who? Not — " She made an inde- scribable gesture towards the f^'irl. "L" said Wistaria, throwing back' her L^ad — "I am an I">ta maiden, my lady." She bowed very low, then moved towards the door. Before pa.ssing out she turned. " I )j:o/' she said, " to garb myself in the dress of an Eta maiden. But do not Ixdieve, ray lady aunt, that I shall have lost that beauty with which the jj:ods have blessed me, and witli which I shall win and wed this Mori X X ^ ^ :3=3 130 - W£ .WOojJSC Of? ViSTAR) A 'tr y-* ^- -^ •'^^ ^ prince to tlie disasti-r of bis linuschold and the triumph of my father's." Wilh that she was uone from the room. They heard her hj^jht feet tlyiiiLT up to her chamber above. " It will crush— bend— kill the father'" mut- tered tlie sanuirai, softly. "It is well!" "It is well!" rei)eated his sister, but in a different tone. i f ^U - 3 VJ 131 h « TOE-WOOii^o op ViSTAPJA -'iC-^ HE j'ounj^ Prince of Mori, no longer the Shining Prince Rei- ki, lay huddled in a corner of his dungeon. Vainly he had thrown his weight against the stone doors, onlj' to rebound, baflled and bruised. \'ainly he had called in piercing ac- cents for help. There came no resixmse from man or gods. L- Only his frantic voice, fleeing 3 like the wind through the pas- sage-ways of the empty prison, dark, damp, and for long un- i^ used, seemed to call back to him in the m(x:king tones of a demoniac. ¥ 13^ X f —5- W.f ^ s z: — -^ :3l * A prisoner! A prisoner! He, the heir of Mori, the hojx?, the idol of the brave Iniix:- rialists, the son of the most i)0\verful prince in all Japan, barring not even the Shogun himself! A prisoner! Penned like a common criminal vithin the stone walls of a loath- some dungeon! It could not be true. It was a hideous nightmare, caused by that terrible, ceaseless, excruciating pain in his head, and the mad turmoil in his brain. He had been captured on the outskirts of his father's province. He was alone, with not one vassal or retainer in attendance upon him. He had made the wildest resistance. More than one samurai i^iid with his life for the capture of the Shining Prince. Over- l)owered by such numbers that it seemed mad- ness not to yield, Keiki could not be taken while a spark of life remained in him with which to resist. Only when he was beaten quite senseless were the Shogun's oflicers and the Catzu samurai able to capture the Prince. Even then many of the samurai refused the inglorious task of carrying away the young Prince, who had fought against them with such desperate bravery. To drag his uncon- scious, bleeding, helpless body before his judges would be beneath the dignity of a samurai. So the ofTice was assigned to some of the Shogun's spies. When Keiki had returned to conscious- ness he was as one in a dull dream, a night- — J— —z=m 4 I ~J — ^ 133 ,. h w t". A k ? i c=^ TOE-VOOjiSG Of ViSTARJA ist 3t 3E: mare, wherein paiiiful events wove a net about him from which he could not stir or move to save himseh'. The trial had been a brief one. A few qucs- tiotis, a imillitude of ])roofs, irrefutable evi- dence, the testimony of some false sanmrai now become a ronin, a private statement by the saimirai Shimadzu — that was all. No word or question whatever was addressed lo the i)ris<)ner, nor was he j^iven the opiK)r- tunity to speak in his own defence, had he been in a condition to do so. He stood be- tween two uuards, one on either side, while four others stood before him and a score at his back. Keiki was quite beyond understanding the proceediuRS, and only the Spartan will of the samurai lent to him that almost un- natural strent,4h by which he stix>d stoutly uiK)n his feet while his head swam. Out of a multitude of surtjing words and sentences otdy one word reached his ears and penetrated to his con.sciousness — 1 reason ! And the word called up a haunting memory of a dark and stagnant mor.t wherein the sacred lotus blos.soms, symbolic of the purity of woman, hid the treacherous waters be- neath, of a sloping bank where the grasses grew hi till over his he;td, and the willows at the bottom waved in a foot of water. A younii girl's face shone out of this strangely mixed - i — ar^ iz: X 3E: * ^■ k i 134 ^ rm . VOOiisG Of N^iSTAR) A ^jh^- 3Ei: 3: t---* backj^round. It was very lonjf apo, it seemed to Keiki, and ihouffh her face was quite dim to his vision now, he renieiiil)ered that it was hke unto the lotus, ix;rfeclly pure and j)cer- Icssly beautiful, only l)ehind her beauty, un- like that of the lotus, there were no treacherous deeps of darklint^ waters. Keiki remembered vaguely now that she had crawled through the willows, throuji;h the moat, j)erhai)S, to come to him to warn him of this treason. Treason? Whose? Thus Reiki's tangled mind followed not the mockery of the trial, nor heeded the sono- rous voice of the crier, who echoed the words of the Lord Judge, and shouted mechanically : "Guilty! Death!" A small company of armed men led him from the judgment-hall. They made a long journey, marching by night. Passive, stupid- ly indifferent to everything, Keiki was led to prison. Only when they had locked him within the em[)ty stone cell, did the old, i)assionate re- bellion that had swayed him so sa\agely when he had resisted cai)ture break out with renewed fury, driving in a Hash his apathetic dulness from him. His captors had taken his two swords from him, the two proud swords from which a samurai must never part. The Prince was to become lord over the samurai, yet he had been trained in the same school, and with as X ^ 135 CtzSz t=# 136 X ^ k severe a disci])line as that of the simple soldier. Had they loft him these, his samurai swords, in all probability the Prince would have ended his misery. As it was, he sjx-nt the night in fruitless, im|X)tent raving. Morning found him e.xhausted. Even the samurai's great power of will over the phj'sical body could avail him no longer. When the samurai Shimadzu unlocked the door of the cell no desj)erate, wild-eyed prince leaped at his throat. The young Prince of Mori lay stretched across the floor of the dungeon. The glittering cords of his coat, tho golden hii)-ca])e, with its billowings and embroiderings of dragons and falcons, all the late luxurious finery which had earned for him the sobriquet of "The Shining Prince," and which were also the insignia of his high rank, were now torn and stained with the cruellest of colors. The dark hair fell back, clotted with the perspiration on his noble brow, from which the blue veins start- ed through the fine skin. The long lashes covered the eyes and swept the almost boyish curves of the death -white cheeks. His lips were parted, and he was still raving, but in the babbling, weak, piteous fashion of one delirious from loss of blood. After feeling the P'ince's hands and head, Shimadzu was satisfied with his condition. Roughly binding up a bad woimd upon the shoulder, he called for a stretcher. Borne ^ k Cr-S- !.• r« c=i^ :it io7 X >^ upon this tcm{X)rary couch, straightway the Prince was carried to the home of the execu- tioner. Meanwhile Wistaria had made ready for the reception of their ex|)ected guest. Hav- ing taken ofT her silken omeshi and removed the jewelled ornaments from her hair, she ap- {x;ared in a rough cotton kimono, of a hright red-and-yellow pattern, such a garment as a laboring woman or one of the heimin would have worn. But she had taken esjiecial pains with her hair and face. The shining, dark locks, which formed such a charming frame for her be i .tiful face, were spread wide and folded bcick, so that their beauty might be exaggerated. Because she was pale, as one about to die rather than to wed, she had rubbed ujKm her cheeks, chin, and brow bra- zen red paint, something previously she would have scorned to touch. Instead of brighten- ing the pallor of her face, however, it only heightened its haggardness. Wistaria sat in the centre of the chill, empty guest-room. She was ."-luiling. She had been smiling ever since she had descended from her chamber. Her eyes were glassj', and shared not in that forced, blighting smile which she wore uiK)n her lips. Very still, like an automatic j)uppet with the works unwound within it, .she sat. The Lady Evening (llory, on the other hand, flitted back and forth lilcc a restless % It i: T" Qz 3 — % 3i 1^ i z spirit. Sometimes she jtaused by tlie little, waiting figure, stiokintr the shiiiim: head. But in her heart the proud Lady of Catzu had little sympathy for the one who was to be sacrificed to the ventreance of a samurai. When she recalled that her niece was renounc- ing her lover to whotn she had i)led^ed her- self to all eternity, she thought, with the selfish egotism of one who has outgrown her own heart, that in niarryinj^ a prince, even though she won him by trickery, certainly her niece would be faring better than if she had be- stowed herself on one of his vassals. Then, too, Wistaria, after all, was merely a female — an Eta maiden. So the lady's self- ish mind fed itself upon one thought, mingled hope and susjHin.se for the fate of her son. Wlien the sound of tram])ing feet were heard without, the Lady Wistaria did not stir, but the cold and stately Lady of Catzu went rushing across the room to fling her.self against the window. The trami) of feet grew louder, deeper, heavier. They smote ujMni Wistaria's ears like the beat of vShinto drums at a funeral. Still she did not stir, not even when the doors of the hou.se were ])ushed wide ay)art and the trami)ing feet entered, passed through the outer room, and then into the guest-room. The set smile uixin her face deepened. Wistaria laid her head to the mats, prostrated herself in exquisite, humble greeting. ^ ■ T b' 138 GijLs rmMjooiuo Of >^stApjA 3: ^ h «*i Ip: Thus, for soine time, she courtesied low. Some one pulled her sleeve She sat up aud stared at the figure on the stretcher. They had set it down beside her on the floor. Somewhere in another part of the hou.sc she heard dim voices, above them all her father's deep, hollow voice, sounding slranirc — clear. A sort of awe and horrible reverence fell uix)n her as .she clutched her aunt's hand. Then the two half crept, half crawled, close to the stretcher. Wistaria looked at the face, looked, and looked, and looked again. A heart-rending shriek burst from her lips. She fell across her lover's body, spreading the wings of her sleeve over and about him, as though to sliield and protect him from all harm. 3E= 139 Ir „ im Mjooino Of \^iSTARi A (r= S-lF ^ ^-1 "f" ^ ROT HER, you were surely blind that yi)U did not recognize your prisoner," said the Lady livening (ilory, after the lovers had been earned from the room. "His ajij^^arance, my lady, had no interest for me." " Now that yiGOi^ ViSTARiA ^ ^ brinj^ about their early union. This shall he edected just as scx)n as the youn^ man re- gains suflicient strength. Meanwhile — " " Meanwhile?" " Vou have permi.ssion to despatch word to Choshui that a delay has been granted to the Prnice. This will keep iheiii for a time from attacking Catzu Toro. Al.so, the shogun- ate, availing itself of the time t<> march upon Choshui, will rescue your son." " But will not the Mori immediately retaliate by sending tr(K)ps here to attempt the rescue of their own prince?" " Not so, since the whereabouts of their prince is entirely unknown to them. As you are aware, his trial was in .secret. Only the shogunate is acquainted with his present abcKle. The secret will be guarded, rest as- sured. In fact, for the very j)urjK)se of fore- stalling any such attemjH on the part of the Mori, they have j)laced at my service a compa- ny of soldiers and a large number of spies." " What are your intentions with regard to this Mori prince?" " He shall marry, as you already know , the Lady Wistaria, and in that way will become an outcast, both legally and morally." "And after their nuirnage?" "Immediate notification of the fact to his father." "And after that? What of the order from the shogunate touching his execution?" : 71 X h M rzi 141 ="\:* if •»= 'T «: — — -3r==2K=X= c=» "It shall be (k'slroycd. I have ^iven my ymwnisc lo my dau^htLr. " " But when this fact reaches the shof^uinate IK-'ople they will resent it, and will never jKniiit so valuable a priscmer t(» escape them. They will send tnKjps, if necessary, to take him from you. In the event of your refusing to execute him, they will find another who will do so." " Very well , let them do .so. I have no doubt, however, that the Pritice Kciki will escaiK.- them. But having become an outca.st, he will be useless as an Imi)erialist leader." "Which does not alter the fact that the Shogun's men will continue to fear him. Even now, you say, theii spies and soldiers are lurking about on all sides. I tell you it is quite impt)ssible for him to escajx; them now." " Well, all that is his affair, my lady. So far as I am concerned, on the day of his Eta marriage I shall destroy the order of execu- tion." "Which would be a criminal act, and one that would place you under the ban of the law." " That is true, but I shall answer, I assure you, for whatever unlawful acts I have com- mitted during my lifetime to a higher tribunal than any that could be formtxl by the august shogunate." "Brother, what do your words nnply? " Sister, I cannot answer that question yet. Wlien my purjiose in life is accomplished you -n -^ T 142 v"^':^r,':r k '^ J shall have tlie answer. And after that, will you iHjrfonn a favor for nie?" "Certainlv." "The Lady Wistaria vill he alone." "Alone' Sh'j will have a hushand." "She will he alone, I repeat. Do you stifv IM)se I should rest i)eacefully in my grave with the knowledge that the I)1(hk1 of Mori was ininulintj with my own? I rejicat once more, my daughter will he (juite alone, sister. Be gentle with her, and as tender and kind as it is jMissible for one woman to he to an- other. She will not lack for worldly wealth, for I shall le..vc her a fortune. I do not wish her to return to Catzu. I desire that a small temple shall be built for her somewhere in a quiet and remote region. There I wish her to become a high i)riestess, to devote the re- mainder of her life to works of holiness and charity. In this way she will atone for the many sins of her father, and the g(xls will listen to her j)ravers and show charity to his soul." " Oh, brother, from your words I begin to have lamentable fears that you contemplate connnitting some frightful harm to your- .self. " " We are children of the same father, my Ic'idy. Your words surprise me. Surely they are unbefitting one of your blood and rank. Do you see any disgrace in my contempla- tions? I would rather wi.sh that vou would a: =3E= M3 X ^ # »■ ^ ^-r~ ^ _X=r_:ir_JE^ — — O urnc inc to lh;il deal y..u appear todnad. for otherwise n.v life wnuld be w.lhoul honer^ Therefore lav aside your uiuvurthy fears and assure me that v..u udUarry out my wishes. " 1 shall do so, ani-san" (elder brother), she rcplietl, somewhat brolanly. "That is all, then. Why do you wait? " Vnr a letter siiL^ned bv you as exeeutu>ner, statm^i that the execution has been iH.stiK.ned nKlelimtely. We must put 'l<.ro s safety for the nexl few days beyond a doubt. Hastily writiim a few words .i;Am pfMXT the samurai handed it to his s.sler, who se./.a It eaua-rlv. Then, havnm examined the scroll carefuUv, she nuirmured a few words of thanks and prepared to leave the room. The samurai slaved her. "One moment. Hy whom do you scud this paper to Choshui?" '• I have two couriers." "Well, Init one of these samurai must at- tend you to Catzu." "Certainly." . ,, "Then onlv one can be sent to Choshm. " But why so? I shall not leave here untd my couriers return with inlelliyencc iis to the fate of my son." "I can assure vtm, my lady, that your couriers will not return, and I should advise you to part with but one of the two samurai attending vou." "Why--'*' * f« ^ ■-4=.-^ 1-. i % -^ — : — y nr =#- I " The Mori ih.'o|)1c will not let this courier depart, rest assured, unless he divulge the hidinij-place of their prince. This no sanuirai would ever do. If your courier has not the Wit, therefore, to deceive the Mori, I aiu very much afraid his life will be endanj;ered by this undertaking" "And what sanuirai," inquired the lady, quickly, "would not welcome the chance of thus ^ivinj^ uj) his life in the service of his lord? What I have to (Kcide now is, which of the two sanuirai to .send, for each will claim the privilege of the undertaking." "What are their names?" "Sir Ni.shimua Matsue and Sir Takcmoto Genji. The former has been in my lord'o service for twenty years, and is so trusted by him that whenever I am forced to travel alone, as at the j)resent lime, my lord intrusts me to his esj)ccial care. Vou are already ac- quainted with the history of the other, Sir (lenji. He was one of your own comrades in Choshui, but after your exile he deserted the Mori and became a ronin. Afterwards my lord pre.s.sed him into our service, and he became at- tached personally to I.ady Wistaria. Vou will see, therefore, that it is a dilTicult matter for me to choose between these two brave gentlemen." "Not at all. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind as to which is the most fit for the service. Bid the samurai Genji come hither, if j-ou pleaoo." X f A nfcia 145 - ■* ::! n « 4 A few minutes later the bi^ sainurai C.enji and Shitnadzu were bcwin^ deeply to each other Fruni their low bows of silent courtesy it was hard to believe that these two men had once been the closest of friends and com- rades in arms. Now they met a^ain after many years of separation, vet neither ex- hibited that emotion which lay at the bot- tom of their hearts. Shimadzu did not even allow opportunity for the usual exchanj^^e of compliments, but went straight to the point. , , '•My good friend, vour lady, my honoral)le sister ,^" said he, " has an augu.st mission f.>r you to i)erform, but one fraught with exceed- ing great danger, and of a delicate and diplo niatic nature withal." The samurai bowed calmly, as though the fiict of the danger were as indifferent a matter to him as the mission itself. " In fact, she wishes you to carry word to Choshui of 'the ,x)stiH)nement of Prince Keiki's execution. I need not point out to y«ni the dangers of such a mission. The Mori will insist UT)on vour revealing the place of im- prisonment of their prince, and uixm your refusing to do so will Uxkc drastic measures to comix^l you. These ix^rils. however, will be to vour liking, I am sure." "TJ mv liking, that is so," said Genji, "but-" " , T^ • "What?" interrupted the Lady hvening -5C — -- 146 i^ Glory. "You hesitate! You do not set off at once!" "I do not hesitate, tny lad}'," replied the samurai, bowing respectfulh'. "I refuse. I do not set off at once becau.se I am not going." The Lady Evening (Uory could scarcely be- lieve her ears. Never in her memory had a samurai refused to do the bidding of his lord or lady. That Geaii, of all samurai, should do so, astounded her. Nevertheless she brought herself to listen to his amazing words. " My lady, long before I entered the service of my Lord of Catzu I was a ronin, an in- dejjendent samurai who owed allegiance to no lord or prince. I was induced to enter your service not for I'-'e of your lord or desire to ingratiate myself \ h the Shogun powers, for, though a deserter for persor^ d reasons, I was of the clan of Choshui, and an Imperialist at heart!" "Such insolence," said the lady, furiously, "shall be punished with thy insignificant head." "Tsh!" interpo.sed her brother, angrily. "Permit our good friend to speak. I have a liking and understanding for his words." "As I have said," repeated Genji, "it was neither for love of thy lord nor his cause that I entered his service, but because I desired to be near to, and to serve with my life, if neces- sary, the orphaned daughter of my old friend and comrade, the Lady Wistaria." X 147 III HUM I I II I II li «4= P ^ ^ y :=Tz i " It is well," said the Lady Evening Glory, sharply, " that you did not acquaint my Lord Catzu with all this. If my memory serves me correctly, you came to Catzu with great l)rotestations and promises of allegiance and loyalty to his lordship." "And," said Genji, "during the time that I have served the Lord Catzu, there has been no samurai whose allegiance has been more unswerving than mine." "And yet," said the lady, scornfully, "at the first test the allegiance you boast of is found wanting." " I resjjectfully beg to call your attention, my lady, to the error and injustice you com- mit in making such a remark. In following my inclination at this present time I exix^ct to be discharged by his lordship, or I shall submit my resignation to him. Under the circumrstances, I am once more a free samu- rai, and, being out of service, I am at perfect liberty to serve whom I please. Nevertheless I shall take delight in obeying any commands you may be pleased to bestow when I am at lib- erty to do so. At present I am not at liberty." "May I inquire," she asked, with her cold eyes disdainfully fixed above his head, "why you condescended to accompany me?" "Certainly. I had a fancy that you were about to set off for the place where the Lady Wistaria might be residing. Consequently I besought you to i)ermit me to attend you. 148 * 1^ •'S?^-' ■*¥ cz^r =fc3 What is more, I had reason to beheve that the Lady Wistaria would be in need of nie. Hence, here I am, and here I remain, the gods permitting." " If you supixjse, Sir Genji, that by pretend- ing zeal in behalf of my honorable niece you can excuse your conduct towards those in whose service you rightfully belong, you will soon discover your error, I assure you." "There I disagree with you," interrui)ted Shimadzu, suddenly. " It is my ojnnion that my old friend's loyal zeal for the insignif- icant Lady Wistaria excuses him from any f} seeming lapses in his service to his lord, and in this I believe the Lord of Catzu will agree with me. Therefore, sister, let us call a truce to this harsh and useless exchange of bitter words. Instead, let us beg that Sir «) Genji will condescend to accept our gratitude for his loyalty to one who, though insignif- icant, is yet ( f our family." Again the two samurai bowed deeply to each other. The Lady of Catzu shrugged angry shoulders. "What is to be done?" she inquired, after a moment. " Despatch the samurai Matsue at once with the paper," said her brother. "Meanwhile" —he turned to Genji — "deign to inirmit me to lead you to my Lady Wistaria." 149 f „ TOE .>VOO)fso OJ' ViSTAR)A n HE pain was quite )j;onL' from the brain and head. The fever "^ had abated. A stranj.jc .sen.se of coohies.s and re.st i»er\aded the whole being of Keiki. The Shining Prince fell to dream- ing, thi.'^ time without a hideous ^ nightmare being wrought ujxjn his mind. Once more he was standing ■4 in a roviil garden, where the htlle winds blew about him ^ laden with the faint, sid)tle odor of early spring ; where the birds clattered and cried out indignantly at hiin for disturbing them .so early : where * 1 JT 150 ^ {' h fc 4hc sun arose from behind ihe mountains veiled in a Kold*-'" cloud and travelled over the heavens, pausing to tint the waters of a ^ slender river to the maeic ixlow of blood and cold. The Soft, j,dad winds caressed as lliev called to him now. Moved to bend the knee in t^reelimc and homage, he had become a sun - worshij)j)er. He stood waiting be- neath lowered casement, waiting in a silence preun A with inward feeling. Not a sound stirred about him ; the birds had dropj)cd to .slee]) again: but the glory of the sun had deepened and spread its full radiance upon the ca.sement. Then very slowly a maiden's face, like a picture of the sun-g'xidess with the halo oi the sun about it, grew into the vision, until gradually the dream -eyes of the Prince Keiki saw naught else save that haunting spiritual face, with its eyes laden with love and still suffused with unutterable sadness. As suc'denly as it had come, the vision faded away. Darkness passed between him and the face of his dreams. He .sal upon his couch, stretching out imploring, beseeching hands as he called aloud, witli a cry of pierc- ing pleading : ruji — r uji-waral Then he became dreamily conscious that soft hands were gently pushing him back- ward. He knew that her anus were pressed about him, that she had put her face against k. X LSI ~P ^^ jmMJOO)U0 Of ViSTAPJA -3E IX i ei his own. He tried to si)cak, but she closed his hps Willi her own u\nm them, and an- swered, in that siuhiuk' voice of hers: " It is I, Wistaria! i'ray thee to sleep!" Keiki fell into a delicious, dreamless slumber. Beside him, her arms supix>rtinK against her bo.som the weight of his head. Wistaria knelt, unmoviuK, for the space of an hour. Her eyes had that strange, brooding, guard- ing expression of the mother. Some one tapped with the lightness of a child uiwn the fusuma. Wistaria tightened her arms about her lover. Her face becmne strained and rigid. Her eyes enlarged with mingled terror and savage defiance. The tapping was re[)eated. Still she made no resixmse. There was an interval of si- lence. Then the sliding door was softly pushed aside. Some one entered the room, and stood against the wall looking down at the little, silent figure with its face of a\^ I>ealing, helpless agony. The next moment the samurai Genji was kneeling beside Wis- taria. For a moment she could not speak, so in- tense were her mingled emotions. She had thought her.self bereft of all friends on earth. In her father and aunt she could see noth- ing but menacing enemies who had assumed the dark guise of fiends. Yet here was Gcnji —Genji, her own. big samurai— whose very presence brought a sense of safety and re- '¥ ^ i =3E= 152 '« f rmMJOOii^O oj^ ViSTARiA a: ix)se. A strange little laugh, half a strangled sob, struggled through her lijjs. In one glance (ienji saw that the weight of the Prince in her slender arms was henuiiib- ing them. Without a word h<; lifted the sleeping Prince in his own arms .nul [lut him gently back ujh)!! the padded robe which served iis his couch. Tlien turning to his mistress he half assisted her, half lifted her, to her feet. For a moment she leaned against him, dizzy with weakness. in a broken, j)iterus, helpless fashion she began to cry against his breast, the ixnl-ui) anguish of many days finding its outlet. (ienji gently led her across the r(K)m, be- yond the iK)ssible awakening of the Prince. His big voice, hushed to a whisiK-T desjjite its huskhiess, was as soothing as a mother's. " Ar6 moshil See, the big Gen is here. All is well! X'ery well!" "Oh, den!" she sobl)ed, "1 do not know what to do!" "Do? \Vh>-, we must cease to weep, so we may have the strength to minister to the sick." "Y-ycs — 1 will cease to weep," she whis- pered, brokenly. "I — I will do so." "That is right." " And 3-ou w ill not let them harm him, will you, Gen?" "No! I swear by my sword I will not!" "You are so good and strong. Gen!" r- x = =3E: 15.3 r W IP Wmt} ID h ■ TO£.VOOj|>iG Off V/J3TAR)A :S t=3 i» IM.iciiiti his hands ujioii her sh(»iil(lcrs he held her hack, then }^ciilly \vij)cd ihc tears from hur face. " I fall!" lie cried. "Xow she is once a^rain tlie l)rave uirl. That is riijht. She is the daughter of a samurai, and cannot weep for lonLj. " .She tried to smile through her tears, hut it was a very pitiful little smile which strug- gled through the mist. "Now," said he, ''tell me everything." "Do you not know all?" she asked. ' Xo, I do not. I am in darkness as to how your lover comes to he here, wounded and ill ; hut I surmi.se that he was captured while on his way to Choshui and ])rcvented from warning his prince." " Vou do not know," cried Wistaria, looking up into his face with startled eyes, " that he is the prince him.self?" "The prince! Who is the prince? What prince?" "The young Prince of Mori. He" — she indicated Keiki — "he is the same per.son." It was ficnji's turn to start. lie tnade a movement towards the Prince, but Wistaria grasjied his arm and stayed him. "Nay, do not go to him. lie is so tired. Gen. He has been awake, though unctn- scious, all night long, and he needs the hon- orable rest the gods have denied him so long." 3M" 154 X + fa i r 111 ct « 4 7m -VoojjsG Of? \^iSTAR)A n "But you d(» not mean to tell tnc that your lover is the younu Mori prince?" "\es, even so, Cicn. tliout:h I knew it nut until— until they brouuht him here." "IJrouf^rht him here! Why— but this man — the Prince Mori is condemned to death! lie was found ^ruihy of treason — he — oh, it is quite imiM>ssible!" "Alas! but it is true." " Vou do not mean that your father brought him here under i)enalty of death?" I ler head was bent forward. She covered her face with her sleeve. "Shaka!" exclaimed Genji. "We must do something; at once." "Ves, oh yes! You, Gen, you will take him away — will you not, Gen?— and protect him, for if you do not they will kill him, or force u'.e to marry with him." "Force you to marry with him!" " Yes. Do you not understand? I am only an Eta ^irl." "I know that." "And my father believes that if he were to marry me to the Prince he would lepally become an outcast, and it would break his father's heart. " "That is very true." " Then you see. Gen, how imperative it is that he should be taken away at once." "Why, no, T do not so rcpard it." "You do not? Then what am I to do?" X < 155 ilP « r-S-f ^ ^ "^^ ^ * c=^ "Marry him at once." "Hut, indeed, I cannot do so." "Why not?" "Oh, r.cn, it would be too humiliating for him todeba.se himself. I could not be so false as to deceive him and drag him down from his high e.state. I could not do it." "Pujfh! Vou overrate the ignominy of the Eta. In the old days when your father married amonir them the prejudice wa.« it its l)itterest. He is not aware of the cha.iges which are rapidly taking place in the thought of the iK'ople of Jai)an to-day, ni)r does he know that thi.s very prince represents to the l)eoi)le that new era which is cibout to dawn wherein all men will have equal rights and jirivileges. Your honorable father has lived only in his own sorrows, knowing little of what is taking place in his country. Take advantage of his ignorance, I advise you." " But he would never forgive me," she said. "Who? Your prince? Never forgive you for marrying him! Why, I thought he had wooed you for that puqwse!" "Yes," .she sighed, "but he did not know the truth then. Perhaps if he had known of my lowly station — " " It would have made no difTerence. I tell you 1 am well acquainted with this family of Mori. They are a proud but not ignoble race, and this new scion has shown a braver J I ^ I J 156 ii 2=* m-f^mmmk^i^m^ ^ * % — -;r =IM ^ k ' T * and better blcKxl than all of his august an- cestors." "I cannot do it," she said, shaking her head despirinnly. "So do you, pr.ty, Sir (ien, assist me to jmt liini in hiding some- where." "TshI That is imjiossible. Wh sec, he is a big fellow. We could not carry him far, and the place here is surrounded by spies. He would meet a worse fat'- than if—" She became futler and sliivered visibly. "I do not like to hear you sj^ak so," .she said. "I do not like to see you act so, niy lady," said Gen. "What! Vou would desert your lover when he most needs you!" "Oh, Gen, no! I did not .say that." "When there is a way by which you can save his life, you refuse to do so? \'ery well, then; better deliver him uf) at once to his executioners." "Oh-h!" She interrupted him with a sharp cry of fright. The sound of her voice reaching the Prince as he slept, he turned uneasily on his couch, sighing heavily. Genji and Wistaria listened to him in breathless silence. Then, with her face turntxl towards the Prince, Wis- taria moved close to his couch, whispering tremulously : "Yes, yes, I must do it. It is the only way — the only way!" 3: 157 T^ t THE.WOOir^G Of ViSTAPJA IX "That is ri^'ht," saiJ (Iciiji, patlinK her hand rL-assurin^ly. She walked unsteadily hack to her lover. Once more she sank down on her knees hcside hitii. Her face wore an expression the hiu samurai could not hear to look ujK)n. lie moved very silently and stood against the door of the chamher, straight and iinniovahle as a statue, and strong and invincible as a war god on guard. ^ YT- 15^ TO£.>VOO)i>iG Or? WJSTAPJA RIXCE KICIKI was pacing rcst- cs.sly imd impatiently up and down the chamber wherein he had lain ill. It was the month of June. From the .>-mall open- inj.( of the dcx)rs Keiki could see that the uneven hillocks which apivarctl on all sides were blazinu with the gorj,^cous flowers colored by the yellow sun above them. At the door of the Lhaniber, his arms folded across his breast, his eyes quietly following the glance of the i)lainly irritated Prince, the samurai Genji st(K)d, still in the attitude of a guard. zSra * 159 3C: =ip '•-Mt^j' mm^ S:w^u a- ifc iH hi :ii fc 2E= :i3E: •=? -aM— i6o S "Why," inquired the Prince, frowning savagely, " may not the shoji be pushed com- l)letcly to one side? I suppose this honorable house is fashioned like any other Japanese ab(xle. Since 1 am not j)ermitted to venture out of this honorable interior, at least I might be allowed to look ui)on more of the outside world than is to be seen through such a narrow space." He indicated the screens, only partially opened, which half discovered, h-^.lf con- cealed, a sloping balcony. Very dccj) and resiKxtfid was (Icnji's bow. " It is my distasteful duty to be forced to di.saL^ree with your excellency," he said. "Vour highness's august health is such that your chamber nuist be sheltered even from the summer breezes." The Prince stopj^'d sharply in his walk. " Spare \-ourself such imaginative effort. Sir (ienji," he said. "That, you are well aware, is not the true reason why I am de- prived of sufiicient air, and am forced to reinain in a room with my shutters closed so that not even the breath of summer may enter. At (lenjrs second obeisance, the Prince, with an inii)atitMt motion, commanded him to LL'a.se, and to give his undivided attention to his rcitiarks. " Xow will \ou do me the kindness to in- form me what all these mysterious precau- ^ \k W =3 * ^ '^ i- tionsmean? Wait a nion. ,. Do not sj^eak, ^ for I iH.Tccive you are aboi.l to uUer some I further i)revarication. Think before you speak, and try to see that it is usek-ss to attempt to deceive me." "Well, my lord." said Genji. "knowing as you do the iK-ril in which your hfe will be placed if—" ,y ''Oh yes, I perceive all you would say. 1 have recently been rescued from a blood- thirsty executioner; I must remain in hiding for some time, and so on; but what I wish to understand is why is it necessary for me to continue imprisoned?" " Well, my lord, you would not wish a Sho- gun spy to catch a glimjise of you by chance?" "I fear no spy," said the Prince', with con- tempt. "If I were permitted my own way '" he added, savaj,a>ly, " I would not linger here but would start out alone, and cut my way through such worms and vi|X'rs." "If you wish to do so," said Genji, with some asiKTity. "I shall take no measures to prevent you ; but I had thought your high- ness desired to remain here at all events until after your wedding." The young Prince sighed, and, seating !^ himself on a sniall lacquer stool by the parted doors, he rested hi-^. chin urx)n his hands and stared out glcKniiily at the landscape. After a moment, in a gentler voice he re- joined : 'ft i6i i O: * " Is it not yet time for her to come?" without turniiii^ his head. " Xo, my lord." The Prince siL,'hfd attain. "I once j)ridcd myself upon my habit of early risini^f," he said. "Now it has become a nui.sance." Silence attain, and then: "Sir (lenji, what has become of the Lady Evenincj (ilorv? She has not returned to Catzu?" " Xo. She still condescends to accept my hum])le hospitality. " " I have not seen her lately — a fortunate circumstance, by -the -way. The lady op- presses me." "She has been much entjapcd with the marriajrc Karments of the Lady Wistaria." The Prince's face softened at the mere men- tion of Wistaria's name, and the look of im- patience pas.sed from his face. For a time he seemed ])lunt,fed in a pleasing reverie. Ajijain he questioned the samurai. "Do you not think it a stranj^e fancy for my lady to wish to be marricxl here at your hou.se instead of at Catzu?" " Xot at all. Your health is such that an ordinary wddincr would be harmful; besides, think of the dantjer!" " Well, it is my opinion that the .state of my health is exaijjLrerated. All I need to drive away my paleness quickly is the o[x?n air 1 JL =i ^ X 3e: 162 tP ®^ 3 3: ^ and the pclden .simlif^^ht. As for the dantrcr wns not tlunk.n^r .,f , ,,,,,,,„^^, j^ ^^^^ ' but one .n n.y own province. I .should be pcrfec ly safe there ^^vh my o,vn sa.r.urai to protect nie, and a half-dozen other souchern Clans ready to come to my assistance." "I cannot conceive of' vour excellency's |;"i;at.ence and dissatisfaction." said (.enji' when I recall that you are about to be ;vc.dded soon and to one for whon, any prince would be only too ^lad to sacnlice evervthin^r " \ou are r.^ht, S.r Ccnji. Yet is it not stran^^e that, despite all this, I fed melan- choly. I cannot understand n." lie pau.sed and turned on his seat to loolc back at the sa- murai. • Sometimes it ap,>c-ars to uie that I have caught this sadness of sp.nt from my lady herself. "^ "What, the Lady Wistaria^ Impo.ssible " t .s true." said the I'rince, thouuhtfullv ^^ V\ hv, .she sinj,r.s half the dav like a bird-" Uhose heart is broken," .,u.cklv ended the rrince. "She plays like a child—" ''Who is commanded to rejoice." "Her soul is as trav— " "As a priestess whom the black temple shuts from life. "Putrh! She laughs—" " VVith tears in her thn at " ; a-ain the Prince finished the sentence. " Ves, it is so, I tell you. 1 am not deceived." ^ r1 r ■h " Vour affection, my lord, atuscs j-ou to iiiuii^iiic things that do not exist." " Xo, my affcciKiii l)iii increases the acute- ncss of my i)erceplioiis. " " If you will jteriiiit an un\v(>rthy vassal to venture an ojnnioii, I would say, my lord, that for one alx)ut \>> wed \n a da>-, your excel- lency we.ars a most funereal countenance." The Prince arose abruptly, as ihouijh he would shake of! some oppression that beset him. " Let me tell you, my pood fellow," he said, approaching (icnji more closely, "when one we love api)ears to us to be cloakinir bi'hind a mask of painful Lrayety some secret .sad- ness, the world is apt to wear a haupard as- ]>ect which one's own .self must reflect. If you rei)eat that my imagination but conjures up such fancies, then 1 will say that I must be insane." Silently, for the space of a few moments, the two men remained looking into each other's faces. They started simultaneously at the soft pattinp of a]iproachinp footstejis. "One request, Sir (ienji,"' whisjK^red Keiki, as the fnoisteps drew nearer. "Will you for once relax your guard and j)ermit me to be alone willi — ' "Hut— " " Vou can uuaid my person just as well outside, and should any <'ne attem]>t to attack lite vou will cerlaiulv be made aware of the C=T —n — 164 -i ^ i- ^ H A ■ •^ ¥ 4 TO£.WOO)j>iG Of Vi5TAR)A fiict by whatever noise a i)air of 'ings can force. " ' Her aunt would consider it unseemly," said the samurai, with some hesitation. " I do not make it a request," said the Prince, I)atienlly, " l)ut merely bc^ the favor." A liuht tap on the door, and the ne t mo? _nt Wistaria had entered the room, iier arms were full of flowers, flaming red and yellow blos.soms that j^^rew wild on ihe hills, while about her garments clun: the odors of the lields and the mountain. She was dain|) md sweet With the morn ng dew shininp: on her hair, clinuinLj even ti. her face and arms. "What!" cried Gen. "\ou liave l)ecn out already?" She ntxlded, smiling wistfully' over the flowers, which the P.ince silently tCKjk from her artuj- and set upon the floor. His eyes never relaxed their gaze from her sweet face. "My lord's chamber," she said, as she shook the dew and a few clini^Mng leaves from her kimono, " is so barren of the beauty of summer that T thought the fields might si)are something of their wealth." Keiki turned an iiniilonng glance to Genji. The samurai turned hastily to the dc»r. "Well, then," said Genji, "I shall go and bring you seme honorable water for the flow- ers. The moment Genji had left the room the Prince seized Wistaria's hands impulsively. 165 r, tl -J > ^ f ^1 fr^^ ^ l* Ti1E.VOojj>io Off \W5TAPv)A :^ ^ :< -^ r- " Wistaria," he cried, "now I have some questions to [uit to you." One startled, uimard plancc at him she ^ave. He took her face in his hands, com- I)ellinK her eyes to meet his own. "Why are your eyes so dark?" he asked. She attempted to smile. "The t,'(Kls — " .she bei^an. "No," he interrui)ted, knowintj in advance what .she was about to .say, "but here, and here." lie passed his finders gently over the dark shadows that framed the pitifid eyes. "Have they not always been .so?" .she asked, with a pathetic attempt at lightness which did not deceive him. "Xo," he replied, almost vehemently. "Wlien first the g(xls bles.sed me with the joy of beholding you, they were not so." "Well," she murmured, tremuhmsly, "I am becoming honorably older. That is all." "No, that is not the reason," he cried, pa.s- sionately. " A few months could not have wrought the difference, nor the other changes I jKTceive in your face. The rose is gone. ^'ou arc pale and too frail. Your lips — ah, I cannot bear it!" With an exclamation of pain he broke off. An expression of fright apjx-ared in her face. Her hands clutched about his. "My lord," .she cried, "you — you do not think that I— that I have cea.sed ?o be beau- tiful" X i. ^ 166 f l^yg\ ^i " i\<), tio. Vou arc more htautiful than ever. Vou could not Ijc otherwise tlian beau- tiful, my beloved, but you apjKVjr to nie so frail that I am bet,MnninK to believe you are s(jme spirit. Tell me, do tell nie, what has wroui^ht this chanj^e in you?" For a moment she remained silent. Then she laughed. Her hands, w ith a little, childish motion of delitilU, she clapi)ed. "Wait!" she cried, breakinij from his arm. "I will show you the cause." She ran across the nxMU and brought a little mirror, which she |>< dished with her Sleeve as she returiied to him. Then leaning against h'ui, she held it before his face, while she put her own cheek against h's. " LcK)k within, Keiki-sama. Said the gods: 'Such a pak and wan Keiki will noetl a com- panion, so we will make the Lady Wistaria's face to match his!' So they did so." With a gesture of desiKur, he pushed the glass away. "No," he said, hoarsely, "for mine i:- pale and thin from nnich illness, while yours — " "From love," she said, in a breath. t- rt 4- 167 •r •=r= rSTARIA," said the Prince KciUi, with a very firm clasp of her hand, "just now I in- sisted that the samurai Genji should cease his futile deception hy useless i)revarication. And now I ask you, I heg you, not to hide under a cloak of levity any secret trouble which you may have, and which I, as your future hus])and, am entitled to know." The mirror slipix,'d from the uirl's hand. She stared at it h(>i)elessly. " Now answer me," continued her lover, insistently. " Is it not true that vou are in trouble?" JX3 ff^ m :Zi f ^r Gn: I w L—^V t ^^ :^ 1^- -r- " Vcs," she said, in a low voice ; " yes, but — " Her voice broke, and she turned her face from his K't7.e. " But, alas, I cannot tell it to you, my lord." "Xviy, do so," he entreated, with such plcadmf^ in his voice lliat she came back to his arms and nestled against his breast with a little wounded cry. "I am waitnij;," he said, softly. "I cannot tell you," she murmured against his breast. " Why not?" he inquired, quietly. In her nervous restlessness she broke away from his arms aj.fain. Her hands noiselessly cla])|Kxl each other reix.'atedly. She could not remain still. "Why not?" repeated the Prince. "There are many reasons," she said, in a low voice, still maintaining the distance be- tween them. " Nay, think a little while, and see whether your heart will not suggest to you that the mere telling of your troubles to me may be their .solution. Remember I shall be your honorable husband very soon " — he smiled a trilie sadly— "and then I shall command you to tell me the truth, you know." Wistaria .sat very still now. Ever since Cicnji had come uiwn her that first day with the wounded Prince in her arms Wistaria had been a prey to the utmost desjKiir and anguish. The infinite faith and trust of L 7r = X 2F: * It' i6y :.^«i* a ^ fii c=;(: her lover filKd her continually with a greater liorror of lur deceit, for she could not forget, not for one moment, the part she had been forced to jtlay in the undoini^ of the Prince. How could siie add to her other inicjuitics by inveifj^liiiR this noble and j^enerous-heartcd Prince into a marriage which would not fail to debase iiim? And yet she had no alterna- tive, for otherwise his life would be the forfeit. Was it ])ossil)le for her to tell him all this? Would it be, as he had said, a solution of her misery to confess her own deceit and warn him of the daniier in which he stood, that of marryintf into an outcast family? A.s .she thouuht thus .sadly, the gentle voice of her lover brought the tears to her eyes. IJut she held them back, almost feverishly placing a greater distance between her.self and the Prince. In that moment when his tender eyes held hers in their yaze, while he trustfully waited for her to si)eak, she was ready to tell him everythinj.^. " Vou are about to tell me all," he said, as thouiih he understcMnl her inisix)ken volition. "Do not mistrust me. Believe in my adora- tion for you. Give me thy heart completely." A sudden shiverinp took possession of Wistaria. Instead of s[K'akinj:, she drew her .sleeve across her face, a characteristic habit with her when in desixiir. Clradually her head sank ft)rward, until she knelt at his feet in an attitude of humilitv. » X X 170 IP f — "F 5=S- c4i "Nay, do not knctl." he cried, "nor hide thy face from nie. Do not so, I beseech thee." IlavinK pertnittctl his assistance in rising, she freed herself from lus encircling arm. "L(H)k at me, my lord," she cried. "Tell me, what do you see?" " A maiden as beautiful as the sun-K(xldess and as ^(hkI — " " Nay, then, do not speak so. Look at me again, my lord. Have you then found such pleasure in my beauty that you have not even remarked my garments?" " Your garments?" Bewilderment was in his face. "Yes. Are these the silks, my lord, worn by the hidies of your rank?" "Nay, but though I cannot conceive why you should be garbed in cotton, yet I see no disgrace in the fact. Perchance the samurai Genji is honorably poor, and you are so cour- teous as to dress in homely garments while a guest of his honorable household." "I am not a guest of his household, my lord." " But—" "I know it har been told you so. Never- theless, this is the hou.se of my father." "I do not understand," he exclaimed. He added immediately, "If it is that your honorable father is poor — " "You arc wrong, my lord. My father is 3.— 171 X !^m ^^^■wi^.mmj^m^' *~;"n ^"a^T.a:i*R:g^?i^; ^mj-: MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART ANSI ond ISO TEST CHART No 2 1.0 I.I Sii I 2.8 3 2 I: m '" I 4 1— ii^^ III 2.5 1 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ APPLIED IN'VIGE Inc >-')i tast Mam Street "3^»^este'. Ne* vork 14609 ■ I6i *e2 - 0300 - Phone ■16) 2BK - 5989 - fo> ^ in the service of the government. His reniu- ncriition is ample." "Then do expkiin to me the reason why you are so ^'arbed and situated." "Becau.se it is so enacted by the law," she said. "The law!" "I am an Eta woman." "An Eta! Imixissible!" " That was the otTence for which my father was banished — Ijecause of his marriage to an Eta maiden." The Priuc stared at her aghast. She stood as still as if made of st(Mie. Her lover's silence was due to his rei)Ugnance at this revelation, she thought. Seeing his effort to siM?ak, she prayed a little prayer to the gods that he would spare her. The Prince found his voice. "Then by the royal blood of my ancestors, I swear," he cried, " that I .shall be guilty of the same ofTencc as thy honora!)le parent, and for thy sweet sake I, too, shall become an l>ta. " With a little, trembUng cry she started towards him. "But thy cause! Oh, my lord, thy noljle cau.se ! ' ' "The cause!" He threw back his head and laughed with buoyant joyousness. "Fuji-wara," he said, "do you not ])cn:eive that a new life is about to dawn for this Japan of ours?" X -itr X ? 172 [^ r ^ ^ ^ "A new life," she repeated, breathlessly, haiiu:iiiLj uiX)n the words that escaped his lips. "A new life, ' he said, "with our country no longer broken up into factions, when men shall have equal rii^hts and privileges." He smiled at her ra])t face, and possessed himself of both her little hands. " Dearest and sweetest of maidens," he said, tenderly, " ni marrying me you do not wed a prince. I am pledged to the welfare of the peoj)le. Know you not that the great cause of the Imperialist will bring alx)ut that Res- toration which will overturn all these crush- ing tyrannies and injustices which press our people to the earth? Repeat with me, then: ' Daigi Meiljunor! Fianzai the Imperialist!' " Suddenly she remembered the blow she had dealt the cause. Her head fell upon their clasped hands. But over her fallen head the voice of the Prince Keiki was full of joy. " And now I have heard the great trouble, and have I not burst it liice a bubble? Hence- forward, then, let there Ijc only happiness and joy in these eyes and these lips." Reverently he pressed her eyes and lips. (Jenji was heard outside the door. His face was very grave and his whole aj^pearance per- turlx'd when he entered. Bowing deeply to the Prince, he addressed him hastily : ^ T)1£*VOOjiSGOf ViSTARiA 3E: "Your excclk-ncv, the Lord of Catzii has arrived at my insi^niificanl house and is Ixlow. It is his wish that the marriage of his niece should be celeljrated without further delay. I come to you, therefore, to bey; that you will consent to its immediate consummation." " I ctMiiply with gladness," replied the Prince, " but may I incpiire the reason for this haste?" " The Lord Catzu Toro is in critical i)eril in your august father's ])rovince." "I'^nough'" interrupted the Prince, impul- sively. " \()u desire my immediate mediation in his behalf?" He turned to Wistaria with an exclamation of delight. " Xow," said he, " we shall see all our troubles melt into thin air like mist Ix-'fore the sun." " But I have not told you all— there is more still to tell. 1 pray you—" Wistaria began. "There is no lime," interrupted (ienji, severely, " and I Ix'g your highness will con- vince the Lady Wistaria of the necessity for haste." " That is right," said the Prince. " There is a whole lifetime before us yet in which thou canst tell me thy heart. Come. Let us de- scend to the wedding-chamber." ^71 Prince of Japan had ever been wedded in so strange and lowly a fashion. There was not a sign or soinid of the gratu- lation, rejoicing, or pomp which usually attend such ceremonies. d When the Prince Kciki and the Lady Wistaria, attended by the samurai (lenji, entered the homely wedding aj)artment, they -^ found a small group, pale and solemn, awaiting them. It con- sisted of the Lord and Lady Catzu and one who \\as a stranger to Keiki, but whom he knew to be the father of the Lady Wistaria. 1? H 175 X f <>\vc(l very low and solemnly to those who had just entered. Their greeting was returned with an equal rnivity and grace. There was a i)au.se — a hush. Keiki looked al>)ut him uiquiringly, and then he shivered. The true solemnUy of the oc- casion dawned uj^on hun s«j that even the near joy of iKDSsessing Wistaria at last passed from his mind. He was alxnit to join through mar- riage two families who hitherto had had for each other nothing save hatred and detesta- tion. Timid and pale as his glance was, he .scarce- ly dared to look at the Lady Wistaria, though he knew she was so weak and faint that the samurai Genji had to support her. Somewhat sharply, the voice of the Lady Evening Glory hroke the silence. "Why do we wait?" The Lord Catzu stirred uneasily, glancing from the bridal couple to his wife, and then to the inscrutable face of Shimadzu. " If 1 may be permitted to remark," he said, apologetically, " the Lady Wistaria is certainly garbed unlx^fitting her rank and race." "Chut!" said his wife, angrily, "you would delay matters for such a trifle? Every mo- ment counts now against our son. Will you let such an insignificant matter as the dress of your unworthy niece hasten the i)ossible death of our Ix'lovetl? ' " When It is her wedding-dress, \'cs/' said X: 3^ OC IPC 4 4 f • ^ H — ^ z ^ -n i Catzu, stublx)rnly. " May I be stricken blind bcfurc I witness such a disgrace brought ujx>n my honorable niece's dignit}'. She must be married as Ix-'fUs her rank, I repeat." A sour snule i)layed over the features of the Lady Evenmg Glory. " That is true. Well, her rank is that of the Eta," she said, tartly. Having found the courage to disagree with his lady, Catzu now set her at complete de- fiance. He marched towards the door. " \'ery well, then. I refuse to witness such an outrageous ceremony. The lady may have Eta kin^'red, but do not forget that she has also the blood of royalty in her veins." His consort could hardly suppress her fury. " I apixjal to you, honored brother," she said. "How shall it be?" "And I," exploded Catzu, who was in an evil and contrary temper, "apjx^al to you, my Lord of Mori," and he bowed profoundly to the Prince. Shimadzu made no response. His glance met that of the troubled Prince. Keiki flushed under his penetrating eyes. Then he spoke with graceful dignity, bowing meanwhile to the trembling Wistaria. "Let her be garbed," he said, "as befits the daughter of her father and the bride of a Prince of Mori." There was silence for a space. Then 177 ^ ^ i Shimadzu made an imi)crative pcsture to Gcnji, who Kcntly lal tlic K'rl fr<>»" ^h^-' t:ham- bcr, followed by the aiigrdy resigned Lady Eveiiinir (ilory. The three men, now alone, waited in strained silence for Wistaria's return. Straight and stifT, with heads somewhat Ix'iit to the floor, they remained standinu; in almost identical attitudes. (Iradnally, however, Catzu brol^e the ten.sion by an altemi)t to relieve his exn s- sive nervou.sness. Re.stint^ first on one foot and then on the other, he shifted alxmt. His eyes linj^ered in jiainfid sympathy upon the Prmce, and then irresolutely turned to the samurai. Perspiration .stood out on the lord's brow. He was suffering physically fn)m the strain. After a Icmg interval of this intolerable silence, the doors of the chamlxT were again pu.shed aside. The samurai r.cnji entered. Bowing deei»ly. he announced: " The Lady Wistaria and her august aunt enter the honorable chaml)er!" The two ladies, close behind r.enji, now^ followed him into the room. Immediately all prostrated themselves. When they had regained their feet, it ^Aas found that Wistaria was .still kneeling. Then (ienji perceived that she had not risen becaii.se she was unable to to do .so. Without a word, he lifted her to her feet. One moment she leaned again.st his strong arm, then seemed to gather strength. 178 M h r'.' fe ttzi :J I ^K -t > T= :^ Steppinj^ apart from him, she stood alone there in the middle of the fliMir. Despite her waxen whiteness, she was more than beautiful — ethereal. Her laccpier hair was no more dark than her stran^je, lonj; eyes, both set ofT by an exquisite rolK- of aneient style, as Ix-fitted a lady of noble blood. When her hand touched that of the Prince he felt cold as ice. Involuntarily his own palm enclosed hers warndy. He did not let it go, but drawinj.^ her closer to him, unmindful of the as.sendjlcd company, he tried to fathom the tragedy that seemed to lurk behind her imi)enetrable eyes. But, her head drooping above theii hands, he beheld only the sheen of her glossy hair. Then she passed from his side to her uncle and her father. Almost mechanically, his eyes never once relaxing their gaze from the face of his l.^ride, the Prince went through the ceremony. After the service he tried to break the luicomfortable restraint. He proix)sed the health of the two noble though previously- misguided fanulie'-, whose union had now Ixxn so happily con- summated. Rut his own cup was the only one held high. Gradually his hand fell from its elevation. He set the untasted sake down among the marriage -cups and sprang to his feet. " Let us diffuse some merriment among us," he cried, "for the sake of the gmls and for our future peace and hapi)iness. Such un- * r^ 1 — -1^= :ai ^ due solemnity bodes dl for our honorable future." The samurai Shimadzu stepped forward, facing him fairly. " My lord and prince," he said, " I have this moment ^iven the signal for a courier to hasten immediately to Choshui to accpiaint my bit- terest enemy with the tidings of the marriage of his heir to my insignificant daughter." The Prince smiled, despite his uneasiness. "Surely, my lord/' he said, "you make a goodly new and honorable custom. What! an announcement, perchance an invitation for one's enemy! That is well, for we have overturned all false maxims relating to ven- geance against an enemy. We have buried our wrongs in a union of love, and embrace our enemies as friends." " With august humility," said the samurai, coldly, " I would suggest that your highness's assurance of our embrace is premature." " Premature 1 What, and this my marriage day!" " Your marriage day may be a source of woe to your proud house." "Well, that is so," agreed the Prince, thoughtfully. "Nevertheless," he added, cheerfully, " my honorable father becomes more lenient with the years. Moreover, he has but to behold his new daughter to forget all else save the fortune the gods have be- stowed upon us." g -» iC * :X=^ I i8o f « n Tfl£.VOOiN0 Of V;J3TARIA ^ " Be assured your father shall never behold her," said the samurai, with incisive fierceness. "What IS that?'* "You have heard." "But 1 do assure you that my marriage, though it may i>rov(;ke the inoinentary an^^er of my father, will never debar my lady wife from her iK)Sition in our household. \ »)U forj^a-t that my honored parent is very old, and I shall soon have the honor of lxcomin>^ Prince of Mori in my own rij^'ht. 1 shall then have no lord to deprive me of my rights, even if 1 had disregarded the law." " Vou may as w ell be made aware of the fact at once," said Shimadzu, "that no blood of mine sliall ever mingle with that of the Mon!" " I do not understand your honorable speech. Has not our august bloods just now become united?" "Only bv the law, my lord." "Well—?" "My daughter, your highness, shall never accompany her Mori husband to his home." " \'ery well, then. I will remain here with her. I am quite satisfied to renounce all my worldly ambitions and possessions for her sake, if such is the command of her august father," and the Prince bowed to his father-in- law in the most filial and affable manner. " If you remain here you will not be per- mitted to Uve." X ^ i8i IP .-^■^ -4t.^.-^/,'t- ^ 4. il ^ ^ - ^ — 2t: ^=^ A low cry, half moan, came from the ticw I'rmccss of Mori, who lay against her uncle's hrea.st. Keihi tiiriucl to her at that cry. Ik- was seized with a fi inIiodintT of events to come. Aj^aiii he tinned to the samurai. "Will it i)Kase you, honored father-in-law, to speak more plainly to me? " " Very well. This marnatie, your hij^^hne.ss, has iK'en consummated not for the jtur|K»scof nnitinj^ a pair of lovers, hut to fuUil a pledj^'e which was made to one who was nuirdered by your parent— a pledge of ventjeance. " " But I caiuiot perceive how this is accom- plished," said the Prince, now pale as Wis- taria. "Von have married an Eta \i\x\." " I am aware of that," said the Prince, some- what proudly. " I have not fmi.shcd," said Shimadzu. " Are you aware that you arc at present un- der .sentence of death? ' The Prince made a contemptuous motion. "By order of the hakufu (shogunatc). Yes, I am aware of the fact." " Verv well. I am the executionerl" "You!" " It was I who caused your arrest, and after- wards broujfht you hither with the intention of executinif you." A flood of horrible thouf^hts rushed across the Prince's mind, bewilderinfjj him. As if to press them back, he clasped his hands to his i8j * k oi- rir ^ x= i ^ 1k;ii1. Slimiadzu coiilimad iii his colil ami iiioiiotMiiMiis voice: "After your arrest, it was broiiulu to my attention that a more subtle revenue against your parent couKl Ix' uained by marrying; \ou into th.it very class of |»eoi)le so despised by your father, and forcing you to Ixrome (fudty of the same offence for which I was exiKd Stirred as he now was, Keikis faith in Wis- taria still remained unshaken. That her fa ther had had a hand m Ixtrayini,' him he was assured, but he could not yet recoLMiize in the deed the delicate hand of the woman he loved. " 'riirout^h the at^cncy of my daughter," went on the samurai, " I was soon able to learn sunicient concernint^ the workings of the Im- perialist party of which you are the head — ' "The Iini)erialist parly!" repeated the Prince, and he bounded towards the samurai with the cry of a wounded animal, liis hand s|)ran),j to his hip, where his sword had been restored to its sheath. " Vou— you ! ' ' he sIk )uted. " It was you who bjtrayed me — who — " " Vou are aui^ustly wront^," said ihe sa- nuirai, movinu not an inch, desi)ite the close proxi nity and menacintj attitude of the Prince. "Vou honorably betrayed yourself!" "1:" "Certainly. To her." He indiciited, with- out naminif, the Lady Wistaria. ^ # T^ -J = 3t ^ i ^ i f jl Slowly, painfully, driven by the goading words of the father, the blazing, burning eyes of the husband sought Wistaria, there to rest upon her while infinite horror found mirror in his countenance. Motionless thus he stood. Wistaria, braced for a shock she could not meet, leaned against her uncle, whose head bent over her. The Lady 1-^vening Glory smiled, as one who delights in the soul of a cat. Calm, satisfied, unmoved, remained Shimadzu. Reiki's eyes bulged from their sockets, his mouth gaped open. At last one word burst from his lips, but it was as elo- quent as though he had uttered a thou.sand. "Thou!" Her head sank low. He recoikxl a step. But with entranced horror he continued to gaze at her. Her face was like marble, out of which her dark eyes stared as though made of polished, glazed china. And as he g£ized, terrible thoughts and remembrances rushed upon Reiki, overpowering, weakening, paralyz- ing him. After a long, immovable silence he leaned slowly forwanl until their faces, close together, were on a level. "It is true?" he whispered, hoarsely. "Speak! Speak!" "It is true," she replied, in a voice so small and faint that it seemed far away. His swcrd leaped out of his scabbard. He raised it as if to strike her down. Hut his 3E= 184 X *■ 'i := <£=5i TO£ .WOO]i>iO Of? V7iSTAR»A k ^r- 1 — — t nr hand fell to his side. Then he spoke, in a hoarse, fearful voice: "The gods may forgive thee. I, never!" With that he was gone from the chamber. They heard the clash of his sword as it touch- ed the stone pavement, then the sound of his flying feet, loud at first, and then dying away into the silence. ^ *: w ^ t-^o iiJT'iin'jrrig'T'OTTagTBni ^ TOE .VOOirsO Of ViSTAR) A r 1^ ^— ^ T 1=^ I I c=^^== "tF i85 ar AVIXG fulfilled his purpose in life, the Shiuuulzu was ready, eacer, for his own self-itmnola- lion. He had j^repared for this event with strict oliservance of an clahorate etiquette, just as he. a sauuirai, would have prc- })ared for any event of iiiijxir- tauce in his life. The little house had hecn thorouehly cleansed and white- washed. Fresh mats of straw- had bein laid ujxni the floor, and the walls were recovered. To admit the sunshine, and the air of the out -door world, the windows were thrown wide apart. H 4 «: W^ w f W Ti^£ .WOO)j>iO Of ViSTARlA 2E: 2c: 3: X Shiin^idzu produced an ancient chest, from which he lirout^ht forth rare and costly old gariaents, emblazoned with the crests of a proud family, and a pair of very lontj swords. The hilts were of black lacquer. The guard, ferule, cleats, and rivets were richly inkiid and emlx)ssed in rare metals. But the Ix'au- tiful blades were the parts which shone out in their noble, classic iK'auty. They were ex- tremely narrow, ^los.sy, and brittle as icicles. The very sight of them would have awakened a feeling of heroism and awe ni the bosom of one less alive to what they signified than Shimadzu. They were, in fact, two swords which, belonging to a hundred ancestors of Shimadzu, had been u.sed only in the most glorious service. "The girded sword is the .soul of the sa- murai," and Shimadzu muttered an ancient saying It had been long since he lost the right to wear them through his marriage into the Eta class, and now he regarded them with such intense emotion that fierce tears blinded his eyesight. Reverently, tenderly, he lifted them to a place upon a white table before a shrine in his own chamber. Then with a low groan he prostrated himself before them, rather than the figure of the Daibutsu, which placidly rested upon the small throne. In his inmost soul, this samurai felt he had done a i^ood and righteous thing in achieving :C=3 i X: I =^r^=3 I&7 Y ?fl ^ —— 1 — ?^ n 2E: his vcnj^'cancc, even though the innocent were sacrificed. Trained as he had been in the harsh school of the samurai, in which self- deniid, contempt for pleasure and gain, scorn of death or physical hurt, and the righteous vengeance upo))le that to his friends and relatives his act was regarded as an honorable and admirable thing. Had he faltered in its accomj>lishment they would have urged him to the deed, entreating him to save him.self from the stigma of dishon- or which would otherwise smirch liis good name. The following day a large number of Catzu samurai and vassals marched through the Eta settlement and ascended the small hill upon which sto(xl the house of the public ex- ecutioner. The body of the samurai was car- ried with the utmost respect and reverence from the Eta house, whence a train, bearing it in due state, departed for Catzu. From the E)ta hou.se the Lady Wistaria, too, was carried. Her train was even more like a funeral proce.ssion than that of her father; for tliose who carried her norimon and who X f ^ i ri f 189 „ TOE .Wooijso Oi' VJ3TAR) A {?> R ff Cr tt^ 190 ar: ^3 followed in its wake had loni^ been her jicr- sonal attendants and servitors. Now, because of their love for her, thej' wept at almost every step of the journey. The two tnournful processions left the I-^ta settlement side by side, but their diilerent des- tinations led to their partiuLf company at the ba.se of the hill. The one carryin;^ the dead samurai turned in the direction of Catzu. There, (ittintc ceremonies were to be ^iven to the departed soul of Shimadzu, after which he would be interred in the mortuary hall of his ancestors. The train of the Lady Wistaria turned to the south, travellini^ many miles over bare and uninhabited regions, over i)lains, i)asf hamlets and small towns and villages, on towards the mountains of the south. While the last rays of the .settintj sim were still illuminint; the west, the cort^t^e of the new Princess of Mori entered a forest of ever- green j)ines. When it emerged, the darken- ing sky had deepened its colors until a melan- cholj' calm wrapjvd the land in an effulgent glow. The moon had risen on high and was shimmering out its holy light. The earth, re- fit 'ting its gleam, seemed a tableau of silent silver. They had reached a beautiful and tranquil hill. At the top, above the pines and cedars enclosing it in nature's own .sacred wall, the amber ]>eaks of a celestial temple, with its ^ •rj ; r M ^ myriad slanlinjj li>j;ht.s, pointed upward in the skj'. Their journey was ended. \'ery still row sto(Kl the cort^j/e. Low and deeply bent stood the silent attendants, as with streainin^j eyes the\' grazed lonj^Mngly ujMm the slight young figure which the samu- rai Genji, almost bowed over with jK-rsonal grief, assisted to alight from the norimon. In her white rol)es the Lady Wistaria seemed a spirit as she stood there under the moonbeams. Mutely she looked about her. As the muflled sobs of her .servitors reached her cars, she wrung her hands with an uncon.scious gesture of anguish greater than their own. As if in sympathy with the inten.sc .sadness over all who were there, nature herself seemed to show signs of her own distress. Clouds rolled over the skies above the mountains, veiling the moon and the star beams. A little river that flowed at the foot of the hill was heard sobbing as it rolled with a mournfid sound over iis rapids. But the lights twinkled out warmly from the temple beyond, and a white-robed priest- ess was descending to welcome the novitiate. An odor of sweet incense, such as of umegaku or tambo, was wafted to the watchers on the hill from the temple dcwrs. Wistaria turned her face towards it. Then back again she directed her glance to her kneeling servitors. Her voice was as soft and gentle as a bene- diction. — a: — 1 — ^ 1 — i 191 i 'r ^ 4^ " Pray thee " she said, " to take care of your hunoral)le healths. Sayonara!" She hesitated on the threshold of the temple. Then sileiUly she entered the place of tranqud rest amid the shadows of the mountains. ^ 4=^ 192 =S=» I -X- o: r •I HE Prince Ktiki had Ikcm on the hiL;invay three days hi.f x = 3^ ^ Jlr, Too loiiti lia 1 he tarriol wilh iticlijiatioii lie had pictured to himself a Ixaiitifid high- way ihroULih life, \\]nn\ which Wistaria should tread by his side. She was lost forever. The rou).,'h path, the developuit; jtath of struu'ule. should \k' his. He would ni>t falter, lie would 1k' true lirst to himself, his hiuher .self, and then to the holy cause of his cduntry. Patriotism and the restoration of riuhlful rule to the Mik; do should miide him in every act. The events throuirh which he had i)assed had consecrated him anew. His life could not he taken; he could not fail, until all had Ixen accom])lished. In the new life which he was alxnit to enter his course would not always 1k' i>lain ; he would not always Ix' understood. For that he must bo ])repared. When the Princo Keiki had thus set> i the past and ordered the future, he Ix-j^^an to take cotfuizance of outward conditions, as Ix-came him now. It was wet, and ^rowinix dark. He must seek .shelter for the nitrht. Turnini^ aside from the highway, Keiki asked the simple hospitality of the country-side from a little house hard by the path of travel. Althouj^h it was long past the hour of their evening meal, the good dwellers in the cottage sent their daughter to the rear of the house to pre- pare food for the hvmgry Prince. Sitting alone in a corner, Keiki, waited upon by the little maiden, f=:zz=r -m 3 -n m I - S 1 »^ tliit tlnn- (liivs ;iu() he wniilil li iw tlimmht i:iilH.' iiilc. A --tr ni^f cnin'orl ( ^ h iK s fiDiii ^ a pcrlejtlv a|'; ' ' ' 1 ni' il a'l.r tlij Ik art lias 1 -1 iri 1. It IS th.' a' M.' of dc pair, llic r / ,; III n!" CM. s (i'lly lo one's sell. Keiki, .,'. ■]> 1 ,;i ilu-sf fantastic rclli .•l;<'!is. snd- |^ (! '\ Ii.caiiie cons:i(»ns cf tlu' f."t that for .- \.i.il iniiinfi's pa4 thr ln'l/ inaul I; ^l lu\ii maUiiiu Strang .viL'nals \<> li'ii. S ■. .ni; this, iic .'-■li'.i 1 to h r to iri\aii e. Sh>.' ' e.l ill I'.rror at his ) ;ail s! i t'. ih • u 'I lu.l, ulurc she j»:(»^- 1; ,; '; li W at h > I '. her lleatl lioihhn^' in fi ,i : '• ■•• II 111, 'lis ot s 1.1 1 \'. " W I'v, uh it is ihisV ' ejaculated the Prince, di.-..' .1. "\—\i>\\r h'lrhii' '^sl" she pasprd. " Sp i!^," s ■:■! Kt k', sli t'lly. "Vouappcar de-'voas of s ;\;n'j; iiu'. What is it?" S'l' losj li'L aio'iin'jly. " \'oii I, '1-t not tai y h< re lontT,'" she whis- ptr. 1. " 'I'lie si»ie:- of the Shogun are alxmt.'* ••Ila''" "It is lao-'dly re-pirtod that the Shining Prinv'' Keik! h is es'ja;v'd his fate. The roads aij 1) t. Th'-'y are tracking his fo()1stci)s. \.\:i\ ii')\v .so ]].' of th 111 are ])efore the house. Oh. ■)]v l"ul, I l^n^l\v you to reseinjjk' too clxsely t'lj S'unin.: Trince for yon to linger here. We — the whole country — are ni symp.ilhy w ith X 190 ir^ ^=3 Siis:^?!;-;^ -■^7:=S 1 - ^ m rs: tlicc ami uoiiM iK-fruiul tluv. l.ul the slu>- UUiiatL--" SIk' I.vw'uc ..If, h.r Iv.^r iiii.l tlis- tK.-s i....i|ikul:. ()\^ .I'Dw.riUi; 111 r. Kciki Uiul an altil luiiul u', <'ii h,s su...rd. ••.\(.ia- hiav t.il..' mc iU'V. ,' h s..i>i. dc- fiaiUlv. "I.M I a ; b-. ^ul- v.... v. ^\'." '•C":ilL''" !!■ 'i llic lltlk' H.;. i. •' \Vl>;ll.. r! . . lu ;-a llu- I'l 'i.c I'll 111):; asu'K- \\i- ilot'i-s al \\:c nar. slic led K.iUruii.. [\w i,,;i-:.a. I'a- .'.:•: iluouuh It, tluy CM.,.' to a V. d. Tlic ii: .;d .si<.Ki-. "L;. id) ta-. Iumi b) llic \vi.-l. alniitj the 1" :'i a l> I uiilii >(!i c.'Uic li' a cr.>. j .'.ih. Tak-J ihil, and vnii will c.'inc(-ul \.\ u ;.>'ir SoullKrii lualc b-luw ihc dai.^>.r ] >> ..i. 1— 'lliLiv was a mmcaK'Hl u\ ih^' l.a>h. - bcliaid. "Oh, all llic uails!" .she cried. 'It i.s to.) kile, I Icar!" •■ What do you then '.'■' a v.iice, stern u.lh tlucalLiiaiU, tlea.aiukd Iroui the l-ilshes. '1 lie maid re.-poiided; " tVace I.) thee! I do but bid farewell to my lover. " A lau,i,^h aii^weretl. "Do not tear, maiden. We do not di-^turb cooinj; baJ.s," eaiue liom ih.: bu.shes, and a drawn swoid was .shilled from hand lo hand, i carele.ssl_\-. VI The warm blood .suited about the temple-s of Keiki. I3ecau.-5e of the periidy of Wisiana, he would aeceiJt no .ser\ ice from her sex. "I did n..l need thy he, maiden," he -said. tj ? i-= : 'y/ Baai =&=3 f* w Tlu'ii to those in the l)ushes he shouted: " I am he wliom yen seek, the IVince Keiki. Come, t:ike iiie!" As he sj)olkiy with these \assals — he, Keiki, the most ex- (juisite swonksman in Japan, and the most linishetl Jiujutsu student. " Come hither— hitlier!"' he taunted. " With- out dishonor ye may yiekl your.sehes to me. Keiki, the invincible!" .\ savaire yell replied. In imagination, per- ha])s, the Sho^un spies saw the ^litterin,^ price of ihe Prince's head withiti their hands. They closed with him, 'I'he hand of Keiki instcUitly snatched the second sword from his l)elt. With a sword in each hand he met the advance. The sword in his richt hand met and parried the initial blows and thrusts of his two adversaries; the sword in his left met the l)lade of the third, ;ind. thouLrh it could not attack, maintained an effect i\"e defeiice. X *■ «A 1«)>'S ezSz TOE.WOOiisG op ViSTARiA 13: a: ^B \ w The attackintj swordsiiicn were startled. Such a thiuu was beyond the traditions of |^ the samurai, and a feat weUnii^'h inii)ossi])le. Of a sudden the blade of the first of Keiki's adversaries dealt a vicious blow. Keiki met it with his left-hand sword, and before the blade could be recovered by his enemy tlie sword in his ri^ht hand had turned to the second adversary. This one, imi)repare(l for Kciki's sudden on.'^lau^ht, fell back, with his sword-arm severed at the wrist. Attain the first antau:()nist thrust; Keiki met him. He now had an antaj^onist on either side of him, at iK)ints nearly opjxisite. lie answered the blow t)f the one with the first of his two swords, while the other recovered his blade. There could be only one issue to such unecjual combat. The iK)sition of his adversaries would not permit Keiki to fi^ht them with one sword alone. Alive to the necessities of his iH)sition, Keiki kept slowly turning as his ojiiHuients tried to take him from belund. Suddenly Keiki fell uixm his left knee, as though over- come, while with hi.s ritlht-hand sword he kepi up a viu:orous attack. The sword in his left hand became feebler, weaker in its mo\e- ments. Thinkint; Keiki affected by some of p! the numerous small wounds with which he was covered desjMte his defence, the soldier on Keiki's left rushed in to desj)atch him, leavint,^ himself but |X)orly guarded. The sword o\>- po.-^ed to him became swiftly active. It passed =z3=:i w z=x a rrzuzto rt 109 ^ ^^' t^ I , c4- iiilM !lu 1 ■■..•:i-;t (.f ilu' s.miiir.ii, .>. luTc Kcild, : ' '1 i'" il ■ ■ '.:\ u.is (>\cr, allmvccl il to i,)uick]y ii:i:aiii:nLr bis k\[, the Prince dc- \i;vd hii ;.-Jl to h:.s iLnKii'.iiiiu'' eiuiuy, who v.as a !..: . ;■ .s\vord5^in;i!i iiini the others. "\!^id!" liiteatetud K^ili, as he deaU a r i:ii..us lAow at tlie <'thrr's liuid. iiis antnuonist ]at"J"^d. Innnediately f' ' 1 ''".' :•] i: I< sr.cccs'^ion at tile (»ther's , ' ; ll)!(jal. III.- Ii;sl lAow was : i.' i - on.] at ll'e l.ad was a feint. '' • ■.:• soldier rais' d his swnrd to meet it, ' ■ . ii!":i>;'!'i -L(l. lhrii>l through his throat. He fell. I];, lU ja-^r ];., a\;'y faim his exertinn, Keiki 1 ' ■' >t't hi'n ]■ r ilie I'.ud, and the sj)V ^v:. ' ' ::<■ Id .-^r.CMl. lie found the m.i:dL;i bcudui!.( o\i.r tiie liiKss htidy of his a:i;a'f'«ni-t. Fiovi h-.v limd a small dairicer slij'; '.d to tiie Li'^'Mid. Salislied as to her ^nk'iV, K ''.i i\\\\i] Iv divw out his kfl sword f:";n the bicar-l ol lii.'-: ojqoiuat. Then with- out a word lie cli'ii'^d tlie wall and took the sont])v!n u \\[r ac;i:n, d- 'aining to follow the (b: . :■ ■ < f !'^> l:'k' h'-slc';s. ill a 5\o-llLld fa' ill,'- (k^wn the road he ' '".d uj) his w.iir Is v, illi the torn lininLT of his hnori. Th'wU-h tlie larger part of the fnl' :■■ : (1; '■ he s!e| t. A .: ■' 1 l■^' t'le re.ent oeetu'ix i^ces at the lilik' h ■;i-e !i\- the hi'_h.va\-, IviUi, wjio be- 200 Oiil 1^ ^ WZMJOO\uO op Vi5TAR)A 3: :3:: licvcd that the Shof^iin had |)iit a |)ricc upon his head, iKtw travelled only at nij^ht. The days he si)ent in sleej), and in Uxatinii^, without exposinij himself too much, the scenes of *" lacj- injx exi)editions made at niuht throuj^h which he managed to secure the means of sustenance. The vif.,Mirous and unnatural ii),^ht through which he had just passed had a further n\- vigoraling elTeet uikhi lum. Before that he had been near to death in his thoughts — death for the cause. Now he resohed in fresh and vigorous deternuniition to live — and to live gloriously for the greatest cause that had ever made a pulse to leaj) in Japan. At dusk on the fifth day after the fight, Keiki set forth upon the last stage of his jour- ney, lie was now near to the i)orders of the Choshui province. A few hours later he reckoned that he had crossed the boundary and was well within the limits of his father's country, when there came to him the sound of swords clashing beyond a turn in the road. Keiki, now grown cautious, skirted the sfxit through a field, and then crejit witlun sight of the ])lace. Five men were pitted against three, while on the road lay the bodies of two more. Keiki had made up his mind to aid the lessc. |)ar- ty, when an exclamation in well- remembered tones came to him. It was from one of the le.sser party, old Hashimoto, a trusted follower of his father. ^ 201 f g-ik-tg — ^ 1 T In a moment Kciki was in the road. Re- fore either ^arty were aware of his presence, he had killed two of the lariL^cr number. ' I aid thee I" he shouted, as with his father's men he entiaj^ed the des[)ised Shoj^aui follow- ers. Speedily another of their number fell. The four obtained the easy surrender of the others. Hashimoto approached the Prince. "We thank thee for thy aid — " he be^ran. Then, recognizinp Keiki, he started back a pace and fell upon his knees. "My no])le prince! My master!" he cried, as he caught his robe and reverently pressed it to his lips. " Thy master?" repeated Keiki. " My father, what of him?" "Taken, vour highness." " Taken?" "After the rumors of your capture, your highness, we at once determined to raise the Imperial standard against the Shogun, £ind your father — " " But we were not ready. None of our plans had been carried out!" cried the Prince. Hashimoto answered ; "True, your highness, but your father was promised the assistance of most of the south- ern clans. Consequently he seized a nunilx.'r of Buddhist monasteries and cast their huge bronze lx>lls into cannon. His undertaking was revealed to the Shogun before our allies r ^ H ^ , \ 3E X 4^ * could join us, and he was surprised and taken ^ captive." "He serves a sentence?" "He was sentenced, your highness. But the gods have anticij)ated — he is dead." Reiki threw off his cape, which Hashimoto respectfully lifted. " Attend uie to the fortress," he connnanded. The followers l>owed deeply. Suddenly Keiki raised his voice. " Daigi Meibunor! The Shogun .shall die!" he cried. The followers answered with a cheer. With head lx)wed in deep thought, Keiki led the way towards the principal fortress and castle of the Mori. 9 { c=# 20^, IP ^^Vg^li^f^^ TOE .WOOjrsG op Vi5TAR)A n POX his return to the fortress, Kciki, as the capable and de- voted leader of the cause of Ini- l)erialisin, was deferred to by his brothers. He at once assumed in his own rit^ht the command of the resources of the clan. The hou.sehold was put uiK)n ci footing even more military than lx?fore. Retrular watch was kept at all ])oints of the estate and at the boundaries l ou. ' Toro shrugj;ed ant^ry shouldt-rs, a t^esture to Keiki reminiscent of his mother. The action displeased him. Sharply he dapped his hands. To the ollicers answering his sum- mons he said, bnclly : " Be jioiG of WiSTARlA X 4 t» 4 It was durinu these days (tf waititiR that the old Lord Satsuiria suiiyht KeiUi «.iil ui the interior of the fortress. There was an evident |)erturhation and eniharrassmeiit manifest in ins heariiiLT. KeiUi, alarmed lest some ac- cident shonid have endati'jered one of the l»ro]ects of the Ial)or «)f years, started nprn sijxht of his hereditary friend. "My Lord S.itsnma, is it ill with yon?" he incjuired with solicitnde. He noted that the f.ice of S.itsntna showed as never l)efore that its master would luver live to see the Uesloralion. This thought mad- dened him. Satsuma, thouixh in some pain, .^milcd gcntlv. "Ill indeed it is with me," he said. KeiUi reached out and impulsively seized the hand of the old warrior, pressing it with sympathy that words could not have expressed. "I may not he with yon." coniimied Sat- suma, "on the day »)f the haUufu s undomt;. ' " \ay, do not .say .so." "It is .so, nevertheless," said Satsuma. "I nuist t^o hefore — ' "My lord, it is hut the common lot— the common hapjtiness of life to tnve u]k to cea.se to strumile. V(nn- achievements have been many. This riHe by my hand, that cainion in the em})rasure, all the.se will s,>eak for you with terrible effect ;ilter you your.self are long silent." H f H w .som. He was trusted iilxjve men; at young years the ulol of a brave nation; fate was Ix'aring hnn u|X)n a wave of the Inghest destiny that could not fail to beat di , n the rotten dikes of o})pression. Yet all this brought no peace, no happiness. He realized in a moment the futility of all his efTorts to put the soul of the Lady \\'istaria out of his heart. Only in fierce action and strain that should engross all his faculties could he even find a tcmiH)rary easement. After that, the gods pity him! After that, he could not live. There shv)uld no longer l^e any delay. There should Ix' war, and that speedily, perhaps on the morrow. =^ i ^ * .14 =3 T/IE.WOOiisG Oj^ Vi5TARlA HI OWEVER fiercely the Pri I Reiki desired and sought 1 ii instant action, there were ex- 1 eel lent reasons in the delayed march of some of the clans ^^ journeying to the Mori fortress ^^MA 1^, for the temporary jxjstponenie- . of hostilities. Keiki at first was hitterly opjK>S(,d to any further delay, '^ but the reasonable argumerls of the older daimios and the -..^ insistence of Satsuma, the prac- ^■o^o' ^i I tical leader of the movement, ^""^ won hiin over. It was their logic, not their authority, which restrained him. He would be X, 5 dc X laz i 215 a V i TO£.WC?0)ISG Of Vi5TAPv>A IE iiiSE: IX J, -IL, compelled to wail no lonper than a Kw days more, certainly not more than a week. One morning sh«)rtly after Reiki's mterview with the Lord Satsuma concerning his reputed daughter, who so far had kept apart m strict retirement in her ajxirtments in the castle, Keiki found in his morning reports a reference to the youth Toro. lie was riding i)ost-hastc in the direction of the Choshui i)rovince with the evident nitention of crossing its frontier. What was the will of his excellency respect- ing him? So this, then, was the way in which the rash youth repaid his consideration, mused Keiki. Or i)erha])S he came Ix-cause of the Princess Hollyhock. If tliat were so, he would send him back to Catzu again, with a friendly warning against the perfidious sex. "He approaches the frontier?" he asked the soldier who brought the rejx^rts. "Yes, your highness." " Well then, let him ride unmolested towards our fortress. So long as he advances do nd touch him, but at the first sign of his return seize him and bring him to me." The soldier bowed. "It shall be as your highness commands." So it was that Toro, to his surprise, was allowed to proceed unharmed through th>e hostile country of the Mori. His journey was without incident until his arrival before the fortress. There a guard barred farther prog- a — ~- X r 2l6 ^^si^ Cti-rj, nrzra T F Xl ij (^ 4 ress wilh his sword. Toro flung himself from his panting charger. "The Prince Mori?" he questioned. " I->.Ti)ects you and will give you audience shortly," returned the guard. Ihe young heir of Cat^u was conducted to a chamber within the outer circle of the for- tress's defensive works. While this chamber was not within the inmost area of the edifice devoted to the living apartments, yet it was sufliciently near for the occasional i)assage of some peaceable member of th».' household through the grimmer servants of war to oc- casion no comment. Moreover, it adjoined the af)artments set aside for the Prince of Satsuma. Thus when the daughter of Sat.suma chanced to pass through the chamber, none showed sur- prise until the youthful Toro came. His as- tonishment, however, was such that instantly his mouth gajted wide. Before sound could add its audible testimony to his visible aston- ishment, the girl had clapped her hand upon his lips. A quick glance about the cham- ber told her that they were unobserved. She took Toro gently by the shoulder. "Come," she said. Half an hour later the old Lord Satsuma stood before Keiki in ah.rm. "My daughter is not to be found," he cried. "Not to be found!" " No, my lord. I committed her to thy care. Thou didst promise to guard her." — .T^ 217 X ^ I c^ ^- TMMJOOit^O of? \s;iSTAR)A r^ '^^S=^ C=l^ Kciki was troubled. I lis cotisciciuc smote him, for ho had p;MiifuIly i)ut off makinir the acquaintance of Satsunia's dauirhtcr and had left her to the care of his undeHinus. "My lord," he said. "I will liave search made at once. Vour honoraMc daruhler uuisl be found." Satsunia, in deep aj.,Mtation and concern, left his jHipil's apartment to make further iiKpury of liie ^niard. He had advanced but a little way into one of the armed outer chambers of the f(jrtress when a note was slii>i>ed into his hand. He tore it oi»eti and read it through in amazement. After a .second readmi,^ a broad snule oversjjread his face. He sought no more for his dauf,fhler. Instead, he de- spatched a hurried note to Keiki, briefly in- formint; him that his insi^nuficant and un- worthy dautrhter had become ill with lont;- inff for her home, and had dej^arted thence on her own account. As she was very efii- ciently attended, he had no fears for her safety. Meanwhile Keiki was holding audience with Catzu Toro. "This, then," he said, .severely, "is the pratitude of the Catzu for nie. I liave spared your life, twice forfeit to me by every law of lord and samurai. Vou have come back, it seems, and are determined to make fresh trouble for yourself." Keiki paused. Toro answered, quickly: I 31= H f^ .a^ c '^ ^ 4 "I have come back to you, your hi^ihness, to offer my alleLriance and my service." " Your allcKnancc!" "My ix)or aid, rather, to a cause of whose nol)dity I learned during my slay in vour province. Sovereignty is not with the Sho- pun, but the Kmperor. Place the nehtful ruler uikmi the throne, oust the usuri)er and tyrant, and tire riglits of the jk-oi^Ic will be listened to." "Who taught you these counsels?" "My own conscience, my lord." Keiki snulcd. "Are you quite certain, Tore, you did not read your new principles in a lady's eyes?" he asked, dryly. Tore blushed. " The Princess Hollyhock appears to have been a teacher of some weight," said Keiki. Toro cried, wannly : "My lord, you do me injustice. I love the Princess Hollyhock, it is true— I confess it. But what my honor dictates, what my con- science has seen, has naught to do with the Princess." Ingenuously: " 'Tis, my lord, I do protest, but a hi.,.py coincidence that her views are mine. Were it otherwise, though tears did blind my eyes, I should perceive the right way; though sorrow choked my voice, I still would crv, 'Daigi Meibunor!'" Toro dropped to his knees, his extrava- gance of expression seeming not to have af- 219 af- u — ^ u 3p ^2=3 fectcxl his sincerity. Kciki put out a quick hand to raise him. hi a voice of deej) emotion he ':ri-d i!ni)ulsively : "Tr r- iny brother, I wronged you. Now I make amend and receive you into our service. My heart wis bitter because of my own sorrow, but it stdl has generosity left for you, friend of my hopes. Vou are of the days of flowers. Now, after the flowers have withered, I still receive you." "The flowers have not withered," said Toro, imindsively. " Do listen to me. Per- chance — " He broke off in sotne confusion, as by some sudden remembrance. "Sjx^ak no more, I pray thee," said Keiki, commandinj.,dy. "Forj^nve me. I would si)cak of my grati- tude to you." 'Toro, I will place you in command of a sm^.U company. At first I could not do more witl.ou* antaujonizincj some of my i>eople. They v.-ould say that your adherence was too recent." Toro replied ; " I do not seek that honor. I ask a humbler station." " Vou shall be ujion my personal staff for the present," was Reiki's resj)onse. " Later, as occasion uders, I will honorably advance you." Keiki now rose. liowin^ to Toro, he sig- nified that the interview was at an end. Still Toro hesitated. X ^ 220 t r3 -4 i rmMJOOitiO op v;iSTAR)A 3: 221 TTT * ? "You wish to have further talk with iiic''" inquired Keiki. "I crave pardon," said Toro, somewhat em- barrassed, "but — " He went towards the doors into the adjoin- ing apartment and siirnalled to sotne one with- in. A youth entered quietly. He was slight, yet of a grace that owed its being equally to his exquisite proj)ortions and to his entire command of his physical being and comiK)rt- nicnt. A youth's fringe hid his fcjrehead. His eyes, cast down, were veiled from Keiki. He did not wear the armor of Toro or Keiki, but carried under his arm a small encased sword, which he handled easily. "My lord," said Toro, "I have, as you see, been able to make a recruit. He was to be my personal follower, but since I am to serve on vour staff I ha\e no need of him." "I am not an exquisite. I do not need a little man to follow at my heels," said Keiki, surveying with disapproval the daintj* lines of the little warrior. lie unwelcome visitor flushed to his ears. Toro glanced at him with what seemed a susfHcion of humor. The youth, seemingly infuriated, whipixxl out his sword. A sudden suspicion of treachery came to Keiki as he brought his hand to his own heavy blade and jmt it at guard. But the thought of the youth attacking him seemed H t 4 7( 4 to amuse him also, so that he took no trouble to defend himself. Terhaits, loo, it was hecanseof his astonish- ment, and the hea\ mess of his blade, and not because of lack of skill, that the tiny blade of the youth slipi>ed down Reiki's uuard, and, leaving the line of defence, souuht, cut, and carried away a rosette from the cuirass of the Prince. Plucking it from his blade, the youth thrust the ro.sette into his breast, while on his knees he offered his sword to Keiki with its jKtint directed towards his own breast. Keiki made a motion of suri)ri.se. The youth had answered, and worthily, his taunt. Ihtt his life huim u|Min the generosity of the Prince. Toro saw that here was a test of the soul of Keiki. The Shining Prince laughed loud and long. "(u)od! I receive thee -t once into my service. Thy name?" "Jiro, my lord," half whispercxl the youth from his kneeling i)osition. "Well, Jiro, just now you held my life in your hands. For the sake of a worthy cause i thank you for sjiaring me. A thrust in the loosened corsage below that rosette would have done for me." Jiro rose to his feet, but remained with his head resi)octfully bowed before the Prince. Toro clap[Kxl him on his slight shoulder. "In the days soon to come, when your life SC 3E: 3C= f=» crr k— > T - ^F 1 r rn: -Rr2 !■• W T :=3 223 4 w is soufxlit by the f(H.'.s of the cause, my lord, Jiru aiul I will prutctl you." When Torn, llushct ri^ht for you, a Cat/.u lord, to ride through the oiitiM)sts of your hereditary enemy, simply for a uliiiijise oi an unwortliy and in- siuiulicant maiden." " Xay — " remonstrated Toro. "To abandon \-our father's house and hofx^s for a ^irl — that is not what tlie daughters of Xipon are tauuht. " "My dearest lady—" "To follow one's conscience were an honor, but to forget all blindly, to betray your cause, to betray your house to win a wife. Think you she would have you after such f)crfidy? She would not be worth pos.sessing did she favor you then." One little, unfeeling hand Toro carried to his heart. "Dear ladv," he said, "I did not do it for thee." The Ladv Hollyhock frowned, and withdrew her hand immediately. " Vou did not?" she exclaimed. " Xay, dear lady. I did it because of my con."^cience, because I believe in the Emperor, and not the Shogun." The Princess turned her back uix)n hitn. H If : I n ^t -1 ^ ^^^ 4 " Vou are arii,'ry, sweet ludy?" interroijated the a^'itated 'loru. \o re|)ly. " Lady, you were angr>' with mc when you tliou^ht I did it for you, and now when you know I did not you are still anf^ry." "A ])riiices.s iiuist have :icr brave knight," said the Lady Ilollyhoclc, haughtily. " Vou know why I did it," said Toro, ready to forswear everythincj at her demand. A^ain he sought her hand, but stdl she denied him. "Oh, not so fast, my lord. Let mc whisper to you a reiKirt I have heard." " A rei)ort — concerning me?" said Toro, in bewilderment. "Concerninc a certain Catzu gentleman who recently awaited an audience with the Prince Mori. He was ])laced in a certain interior chamber, which hapix;ned to adjoin the apart- ments of the daughter of a certain prince of prominence. This Catzu gentleman, it is said, di-sapi^eared into this lady's private apartments. Since which time the lady has been banished to Satsunia by her own father." "Lady," said Toro, in a great state of mingled fear and bewilderment, " I pray thee rejK'at not such a story, even to the flowers." With a scornful and angry little laugh, the Lady Hollyhock-, who had inwardly hoi)ed for a denial by her lover, stepped away. i 1 ^ — : fr ^ X 2-24 =r* ■^ "■I ^ :5-^ " I am not lilaly," she said, "to tell of my own supplantinj,'. " She drew the d(H)r.s sharply between them. 'lOro, alone, mused u|K)n the imputati^ to spit forth its fire, and which, when it does vent its fury, hursts the bounds of its late en- forced supprcsMou. " TJIE.VOOIINC or N«;JSTAR)A ^ SMALL portion of the night had been .si)cnt by the Prince in that sleep, troubled by nervous starts and awakenings, which was now his onh' repose, when there Wtis a sound of disorder ^ in the great enclosure without ] the fortress. The challenging of sentinels, the rattle of arms, the gallop of a considerable body of horse, came to him plainly within the palace in- terior. Hastily Keiki passed through y the castle apartments to a para- pet high above the area of the enclosure. Leaning against a 226 X Gz 5 3E T-^:^:: ^ 36: C * P cannon, he sought atnonjjj the shadows for the cause of the disturbance. If he had any fears as to the state of his defences, none apjjeared in his face, now grown inijuissive ahuost to the point of apathj-. Gradually, as his eyes became accustomed to the semi-darkness of the enclosure, he saw that his followers were receiving an accession of fresh troojjs, many of whom were mounted. Quarters for the rest of the night were being made ready for the new-comers. Plaiidy, it was the arrival of some of the long-exi)ected clans. With the knowledge that a rept^rt would be made presently, for such was his standing order by day or by night, Keiki returned to his apartments, seeking, after a few further pre|>- arations, the chamber in which he was ac- customed to receive guests. S(x)n a number of his jH-'ople, among them Toro and the boy Jiro, ushered ni his cousin, the cadet Lord of Xagato. Scarcely had he announced the numl)er and strength of the clans he had gathered iibout him, when he burst out: "Strange news, your highness!" "Sf)cak," said Keiki, briefly. " With these eyes have I seen it. Ill augurs it for our hand and cause." "Speak," said Keiki, imjiatiently. "My lord, I have just coi'^c from Yedo, whither I went alone in di.sguise, joining my men only ycster morn." ~ ■ ■ Ju — ifc- ^^ — T" * C- 227 ii 'A Ctzi: »■ ^ fe ^ — t- "My lord," said the impatient Keiki, "i)ray remember that the hour is late. All thiuj^rs wait ui)on your utterance. Tell me in a breath what is your njws. What did vou see in Vedo?" "Foreign ships -of -war sailing up the harbor." "What wa."« their purpo.sc?" "They demand the ojK'ning of our ports, closed for two hundied vears, to the trade of the world." KeiUi reflected. "It is evil — this complication with forei},^n peo[)les at this time," he said. " But proceed, my lord." The other continued: " Four foreign shijKS-of-war arc now in Yedo Bay. They are American. They are in much doubt as to who is the ruler of the country. The Shogun fyesada has assured them that he reign.s supreme. Treaties are now being negotiated. The Shogun has taken it u[jon hmiself to change the policy of our country without reference to the Son of Heaven" (the Mikado). "This is treason," cried Keiki. "We must march again.st the Shogun at once." " Nay, my lord, permit an in.significant va.ssal to suggest that our country must i)re- sent at this critical jur.cture an undivided front against the foreigner. It may be that the Shogun in his weakness before the foreigner 22& -^y-f. Qz^: H A k -# r - 3: ;t 3: -r:^ but temporizes in his presencf». The foreij^ncr must be exjX'Ued, and, after that, the Shugun dealt with." " Vou are right, my lord. I congratulate you upon j'our wisdom and foresight, and beg that you will now retire to rest." " Ma\' I inquire whether you puriK)se t.iking any action, your highne.ss?" inquired Nagato. "I am decided," said Keiki. " In the morn- ing I shall set out for Vedo, whatever the ijeril. I must make observations." Long afier the others had retired, Keiki tried to review clearly the train of events that had led up to this occurrence. He must decide upon his course. In spite of the Euroix.*an knowledge transferred to him by the Lord of Siitsuma, the very term "foreigner" sent a vague thrill of unknown terror to his soul. He had been told of their arms and other methods of warfare, many of their secrets were his. He had, if not their armaments, at least fair imitations — gunpowder, cannon, and rifles. Yet in spite of all this, an emotion that was not fear, not cowardice, made its way subtly to his heart. These foreigners stood for a strange civilization which, despite his vaguely derived knowledge, might yet include greater destructive agencies. Then who could clearly see beyond their diplomacy? They might come simj)ly, as they said, to demand ojx^n ports. Hut their own history showed that such things had been the rk I — a x: 229 IP P 'o forerunners of wars of afTgression, wars for the acquisition of territory. No man niij,rht know what the extent cf the hitter demanded. They were a distinct i)CTil to the whole of Dai -\iI)IK)n. Vet what was to be done with rej^jard to the shotruiiate? lyesada was deahng with these foreitrners, makiiiLT treaties, without the •sanction of his imperial master, the Ahkado. If, on the other hand, Keiki should move with all his forces ajrainst the Shot^aui, would not the f(«reit,r,KTs, takint; advanta^,re of civil war, better their mysterious i)osition and gain whatever object they miLrht have in view? N(\ it seemed clear t(j Keiki that, unless something unforeseen intervened, every energy must be made by a united country to "keep out tne foreign ]x)wers. When this was definite- ly accomplished the Ahkado's reign would be established with little delay before the foreign- ers could recover. This was the final and definite conclusion reached by Keiki. He saw a certain advan- tage in the arrival of the foreign ships-of-war, pro\ided they came i n good fai th. They would serve to distract attention from the aroused and armed state in which the soutliern provinces now were, to which they had been brought under his direction. "I will go to Vedo at sunrise," he told him- self. Mis temy)les were throl)])ing painfully, the result of long nights without sleep, of 'long ~i -> 1 ^ ^ ♦ 230 n rm .WOOjj>iG Qf \yiSTARJA C-itz2 3: days of iliou^ht and care. lie si(i;hed and 1^ drew his hand across his brow. "My lord is ill?" He started at the voice. Ii had a vaguely familiar sound. The ynuncr boy, Jiro, had started towards him a pace, and then had re- treated backward, as though overcome by his temerity. "My" lord is ill?" "An insignificant pain in the brow," said the Prince. The boy slipped liehind the Prince softly and fell upon one knee. "Dear lord, will you not permit me to relieve the pain of your august brow?" The Prince stirred uneasily. Again the strange quality of the boy's voice touched .some hidden spring of memory. Taking his silence as consent, the boy laid a soft, cool hand on either side of Keiki's ten)i)les, i)ressing them with hi.s finger-tips. The action, the touch, recalled in an instant a memory that was bet- ter .sleei)ing. It was thus the Lady Wistaria had been wont to woo away the jxiin that beset his brow when he had Iain ill in her father's house. Suddenly the Prince clasixd h: :; hands over tho.se on his brow. (Gradually he was drawing Jiro to a position facing him, when, eluding the Prince's grasp, Jiro sank to the floor and laid his head at Keiki's feet. "Oh, my lord, I beseech you not to be an- ^^ ^— •» --«' 1 4 - f- fe %i 231 4 3 ^ — 1 >r gry with iiic for my furwardncss. It was my solicitude for your i)ain — " "Nay, rise, "said the Prince, gently. "Pray do not confound me with aiK)lofries." With his head still droojnnj,', the boy re- treated towards the door. The Prince smiled at the fear apparent in Jiro's demeanor. " Vou have done me no ill," he .said, kindly; "you have actually soothed away the pain. I thank you." ^ T =3C: 232 f riz:3 '« PON his arrival in Yedo, Keiki made use of every precaution hus ingenuity could devise, that tlie Iniixjrialists nu/^hl not dis- cover his presence in the capital of the iShoj^^un's fjovernnient. His ajjproach to the city had been attended only hy Toro and Jiro, but during the last stage of the journey the three had %"} ^^P^''^^^"^' entering the city from ;g opposite directions to meet in an isolated quarter near the water- front. Here the Imjx.'rialist par- ty found it advantageous to maintain a small establishment whose squalid exterior gave no 22i =11: =iFJ «=E - ~^ ^ jEzziziirr- i promise of the comparative comfort to be en- j'H-ed hcyond the threshold by those in posses- sion of the pass-word. From tliis house the movements and plans the thoughts even, of the shopunate govern- ment in Its own Vedo capital were observed and rep(i!ted to those seeking the return of rightful sovereijrnty to the Alikado in his Kioto capital. Here at all hours of the night -ame men in mean dress, whose bearing though consciously abased to that of mer- chants or laborers, was unmistakably that of the noble: here came strange, imlKTious young men who might iK)se as water-carriers, but whose hands sought an imaginary sword- belt at the least obstacle, and slight youths whose loose garments too fxxirly hid the curves of feminine figures. Of late the ac- tivity and the going to and fro of the.se per- sons had increased, but apparently without exciting the attention of the municipal au- thorities. Although the young Prince of Mori had em- ployed all artifice in gaining the Yedo head- quarters of his r)arty, yet he was surpri.sed to note that his person attracted .scarcely any attention. His po.sition of peril, and his natu- rally ob-scrvant mind, on guard to catch the shghtest suspicious augury, would have led him to exaggerate any aprkirentiv hostile glance. Everywhere, the sole topic was of the f.^reigners, their strange behavior, their 234 . ff THE -Voojrio or VISTARIA n ^=r= stated purposes, their mysterious ways, and their utter indifference to all JajKinese usaj^'e. When Keiki had been greeted by his fellow- Imperiahsts, and he had described to them the state of his southern resources, they in turn gave him sucli information as they had concerning the foreigners, whose arrival had obscured the future of their ojK^rations against the shogunate. The I^rince of I=:chizen, tem- I)orarily in charge of the headquarters, re- ported in detail to his military superior the events which he had not yet described in his regular despatches to the head of the Mori family. "I was unable, my lord, to send you further news," he said, "beyond the mere verbal re- port communicated by the Lord of Xagato before your departure." The foreigners, he went on to say, had been on the coast some days now. They had first appeared in the bay of Yedo. "Why were they not sent to Nagasaki?" demanded Keiki. "They should have been told that all foreign affairs are administered from that port." "Ah," returned Echizen, "they are dealing wiih the bakufu, not the Emperor." "Proceed, I beg you." " When first they came upon the coast they announced to the Governor of Niaga that they bore letters and presents from the Presi- dent of the United States of America ; that they X -^03 ■.^-! ^^ i i. ^ must deliver tlictn to tlic ICiiifvror in |KM-.son, or to a hitch oflicial apiM)iiUc nent over the advent of the Americans. In all event.s, the only present jH)!i«y wa.s delay. The shoj;unate might be destroyed by the foreigners, yet — A sudden determination came to Keiki. He must know the attitude of the Shoitiun, even at risk to hnnself. He turned to the future I>remier. " Vour hii,rhncss," he asked, "can you pro- cure f..r me a uiuform of the household of lye.sada?" "What! the Shogun?" "Ve.s." "Ce'tainly. In fact, one of our clan, who is secretly in sympathy with us, is a member of the Shogun's hou.sehold and stands close to his august jx^rson. Vou may jjass for the Lord Sakura." Keiki, wrapped in a long cloak, stood near the entrance of the house pwjiiting some favor- able moment, when the si cet should be clear of pas.sers-by, to slip out into the night. As he was about to make a sudden spring to gain the street a hand clutched the hem of his cloak. The boy Jiro was restraining him. 2i7 } n 7* C=^ rue .VOOiJSG Of ViSTAR)A F ^^^^ ^< -^ =^^ k' s "Cio not out alone, my lord," he entreated. KciUi frowned imiKiticntly. "One would think I were about to encounter dani^er. I j^o but to observe. There is no danger," he said, sharply. The treniblini,' hand of the boy Jiro tore wide the cloak. " This uniform, my lord. It is of the Sho — " Keiki, feelitiL; a panuj of sorro.v at hurting the boy, but delernuned uiK)n his mission, did not defer action lonjr. At any moment, the street coi.i,iaratively quiet, might be fdled with wayfarers. lie pushed Jiro gently but in- sistently from him and went out into the city. At first he Icept to the side streets, travers- ing much u.seless distance, but directing his general course towards the palace of the Sh;e the destiny of the empire. The more it,^norant c(nild not .see clearly in what wxiy this was to come about, but there was jjresent in their con.sciousness fear of an imiiendinj^ evil. Nobles of both parlies were unsettled. The foreign visitation might mean amuhilation to either party. Ruin it did mean to one, but which? The shogunate .seemed in the ascend- ant, since it had been recogiuzed, bhndly, but still recognized, by the foreigners. Thus among all classes there was manifest a great unrest, none the less threatening and fearful because its im{X)rt was hidden. Plainly the shadow of events to come had darkened the nation's mind. The trade.«Mian in his shop, showing his wares to a purchaser, stilted their price un- certainly. "Just now, honorable sir, the price is three F yen, but the gtxls alone know what it will be to-morrow, whether more, less, i)riceless be- yond measure, or smaller than nothing at all. The barbarians — " " Ah yes, thf ,e barbarians." I lis [)urcha.ser would nod unaerstandingly. At a street corner a woman approached a strolling .samurai in the Shogun's unifonn. "Honorable sanujrai," she said, "what of the foreigners who have come?" X 239 wmm «4 " 4 Ti1R.VoOii>iG Of VJiSTAPviA -it- -iX: X i The samumi shrutfj^cd liis .shoulders. "I'll tell you all I know of them," he mur- mured, without cnthu.sia.sni. A Kroup formed about him. " What do you know of them?" pres.scd one. "Tell us all," .said another. The samurai sliifted one of the swords. "Of a certainty 111 tell you all." " Yes?" "Of a truth they have come," he answered, as with a movement of disclanner he passetl up the street. In the story-tellers' halls the reciter was bcsic^fcd with requests for stories and infornui- tion concerniny; the .\mericans. In some cases he frankly avowed his ijj^norance, and in other- regaled his hearers with the weirdest tales st was open. Without a word Rei- ki strode hauj^^htily past the guards. They gave no challenge. Within the grounds enclosed by the stone walls there was no reflection of the disquiet manifest throughout the city. From the broad, elevated balconies of the palace, shining in the soft light diffused through the fusmna, there floated down to the strained ears of Kciki the sound of women's laughter and the harsher tone of men's voices. AIu.<5ic mingled with other sounds that indicated the quiet enjoj'- ment of the night. The very guards at the doors were careless in the performance of their d'?ties, looking with the eye of artistic appre- c ion ujx>n the night's gentle festivities. Still undisturbed. Reiki passed through the palace entrances. An officer of the guard stared curiously for a moment after him once, then turned in forgctfulness to answer a woman's jest. Reiki a.scended a stairway. In an upper ante -room he met an under- menial. "The chamber of the Shogun," he said, coldly. "Honorable lord," began the menial. Prince Mori thrust a parchment before his ej'es. "The chamber of the Shogun at ace," he said, sternly; "these despatches a mt of no delav." f I (S^z TOE Mjoo\r^o o/? Vi5TAR)A n c=^ "His aupust cxcellcncN' is vcrj- ill and has retired," said tlie servant. Keiki turned upon him shortly. "I know. Go!" The attendant preceded him. " One minute," said Keiki ; " understand, my tuission is secret. But jjronounce the name Sakura to his au)L,^ustness. " The man bent low. Then he entered a chamber. lie reapix'arcd shortly, and havin^r signed to Keiki to enter, disai)i)cared down a stairway. Keiki waited until h.is footstep.s had passed away. Then he crossed the threshold, hesitating in the fashion of one who enters a strange apartment for the first time, conscious that its occupant has an advantage of prior acquaintance. :^ ' lU Oz): TO£.VOOir^G OjT Vi5TAR)A OR a nioinciit Kciki was blinded by the profu.sion of bght that ,, blazed near the door of entrance, leaving the rest of the cham- ber i' shadow. It was a large room, its walls tai)estried in silk, ^ wrought with embossed figures ' telling the history of the early Tokugawa wars. At irregular intervals about the room were set ^ screens bearing the same gold- embroidered, symbolic figures. There were a few low tables, against which were thrown the implements and paraphernalia of war— swords, helmets, cui- rass, armor, all richly wrought. i' H =35= :3Z 3: ff • 3: X — lii- ? "Who are you?" Kciki became conscious of a presence in the room. Stretched upon a low divan in a shadowed recess hiy an indistinct figure, at whose elbow a low table, piled hi^h with parch- ment and writing materials, stood. "Who are you?" repeated the voice. Keiki approached nearer, bowing courteous- ly, though somewhat stiffly. "Sakura," he said, to gain time, while he held out a roll of pajx^r in his hand. lie drew nearer to the figure on the divan. The cold e3-es of the other .scanned him without fear. "Vou are not Sakura. Vou are — 1 know you. Be good enough to bring me that cabinet." Kciki crossed the apartment to the six)t in- dicated by the other's gesture. lie brought a small, inlaid, lacquer box to the side of the divan. The one upon the divan, without a trace of nervousness, opened the box and held up to the Prince of Mori a i)icture of himself. "See," he '-aid, "I have your jwrtrait, with an interesting description attached of certain cannon foundries and works 1 believe \'ou main- tain in the .south. Ah, there is .something else written beneath the picture." He held it to the light. ".Mori, Lead of the rebel cause, to be followed and beheaded. What is it you want with me?" he fini.shed, rei)lacing the portrait in the box. 'r 244 C: C « X 3E=: 245 Mori laid his hand uik>ii his sword. "What do you want with lycsada? I am he, as you are well aware. It is less than a year, I believe, since j'our lordship was at niy court." Mori winced. The memory of that last visit recalled his iirst meeting with Wistaria. lie became very pale. " \\ hat do you want with me':''' inquired the other, quietly watching him. "To know your intentions towards itie ior eigners." "Are you aware," returned the Shogun, " that a single sign from me would bring down a thousand guards uiK)n your head?" Mori smiled coldly, grimly. " Ah, but your highness will not make that sign," he said. " Why will I not?" "Because your highness loves life." "You would murder me?" " I would cut off your head and show it to the people as the head of a traitor and an enemy to the Son of Heaven." The Shogun appeared rather amused than alarmed. lie regarded Mori with a peculiar and i)enetrating glance. Then he sighed. " I was young and venture.some once," he said. " I, too, at one time, secretly believed as you do. Now — " He shrugged his shoulders. " What are your intentions regarding these foreigners?" Tf « TOE .VoojrsG O)^ V7i5TARIA g t-y-^F =:S— = ; t — - f 3E: you here to treat with me, young " Are Mori?" "If you wish, yes. I represent a consider- able party in tho cirj.ire. I ask with rij,'ht, for one clay I shall unthrone your excellency." lyesada turned himself quickly ujwn his elbow, while his eyes continued to scrutinize the other keenly. "What would you do in my place?" he asked. " Refuse their evcr\' demand and drive them into the sea," returned Mori, as the blood tinj,a>d his cheek. "No, you would not; that is, not if you are as far-si^'hted as I take you to be. Japan has been sealed to the foreicmers for two hundred years, during which time she has ^rowti stron^r in the development of her resources and her civilization. That jx^riod is at an end. It can never return. Foreign nations will demand trade with us. They will not depart at our refusal. They will use force, if neces.sary, holding that every nation must share in the comity of nations. If a nation refuse, they will divide her." " Pah!" said Mori, impatiently. " Is the poli- cy, then, of our Imperial realm to be dictated by a hoard of barbarous peoples concerning whon: we know naught, save what our history in the past has taught us? When in the years long past they were admitted to our lands and we oi)ened our arms in hospitality towards 246 I * ^ ^ 1P ^i^f^-je^-m^ anSp ^ 2C: :3E: y «^ them, what was our reward ? ForciKn disease, insolent demands, a fanatieal religion, intol- erant and exacting. Finally we came to he treated as dogs by these our inferiors until we were forced to cx\h:\ them, since which time has not our land been the happier for our seclusion?" "It would seem," said lycsada, "that you are not, in spile of the reinjrts I have heard concerning you, keeping abreast of the times. Vou are not a son of the dawning new Japan; you would retard the progression whicti is pressing ujion us from all sides." "I would not have this progression come from the outside. I would have my country advance from within. That is the reason I am an Imperialist: Vou are right, my lord ; a new Japan is about to dawn, but not through the invasion of yonder barbarians, but because the rightful ruler of our country will be re- stored to his throne." lyesada frowned. " Again I a.sk," continued Mori, flushed with his feeling, "do j-ou intend to treat with these foreigners?" "1 will treat with them. I will yield, but combating every step." " I could declare a truce with you," said Mori, "and I possess the power to enforce it, if you will assume your rightful function of war lord and expel the foreigners." lyesada looked him through. There was in X ^ 247 IP 'n,^■^ ^i 1 * 4= his glance the patient scorn of the man who sees beyond his life. " You appear. Prince of Mori, to appreciate European civihzation, you who have fashioned rifles. I have looked to you as one who iiii^ht think with me. I thought you repre.sentcd progress, in spite of the fact that your activities were directed against myself. I have left you to younself for a time. I thought you saw, as I see, the new Japan, the Japan that in self- defence must assimilate Eurojxjan civilization to beat back these Euroi)eans. I could offer you much." " I belong to the Emjxjror, who rules by the right of the gods." To his feet the Shogun leajx^d. Into his disease-deadened eyes there came the fire of strong will. He raised his arm. "Sovereignty belongs to — " " The Emi)eror," finished Mori, passion- ately. "To the strongest," said the Shogun; "to that one who, seizing it, by his ability and wisdom uses it for the good of all. I am strong — he is weak. The strong—" The Shogun ceased. Across his face there shot a spasm of acute pain. His breath came in gasps. Mori heli)ed him to regain his couch. He smiled gently, sor'-owfully. "I said I was strong, yet I am indeed weak. I cannot hve to see the new Japan. You may; but go, go! I have tried to save you ^ ? H k- r 248 ::a: i -=3 ^ . ^~- ^ TOE .V/oojjsG Qp yfJiZ7AR\k n ^= ? ^ T- i Ez:i=i a,-.-:X- zi from the folly of blind enthusiasm. You dis- apjMjint me — " "My lord!" "I will allow you to po in peace. Until now I have thoui,dU well of you. Now I give you up to your fate. Your life i.s in danjrer. " Mori's hand.s clutched hi.s sword-hilt. The Shogun shook his hand weakly. " Not now. You may leave the place safely, but I warn you that henceforth you will be hunted. You will be killed the moment you show yourself. I pive you twelve hours!" Keiki bowed profoundly but coldly. "As }-ou please, my lord," he said, in leave- taking. As Mori retraced his steps through cross- streets he heard hesitating footstei>s behind him. His sword flashed out. Running around an angle in the street, he came upon a shght figure. "Who goes there?" he shouted. "It is I, my lord," said a strangely sweet voice. " Jiro! Well, my boy, .so you followed me?" "To protect you, my lord." Mori's amused eyes scanned the slim figure of the stripling. lie laughed tenderly. " There was no need. I have twelve hours yet," he said, reflectively. -?c- ^49 f 7)1£ .WoojrsG Of \^;i3TAR>A S Jiro followed closely behind his master on their return to the little house l)y the \V£iter-front, he noticed signs of intense prc- occui)ation and irritation in Mori. The boy attenijtted to walk beside him, gazing into his face with tliat wistful appeal of the eye which Mori hi\d been unable to fathom whenever his attention was caught by it. Now he was too imich occupied with his thoughts to be more than disturbed by it. With a gesture of impatience he exclaimed, abruptly: " Thou, Jiro, walk a space be- hind me." . X 250 ^ "?»:■ 1^.c-t|^^W^ Oz s E f Jiro fell back. In this wise they proceeded for Rome minutes until Jiro perceived that Mori was making: si>,'nals to him. Jiro, quick- enin/u his step, came nearer to the Prince. "Jiro, thou slu^rgard, hasten, ' called the Prince. Jiro mad trembling haste. " Call a no: anon at once," ordered his master. Jiro ran into an .- djacent street, retuminj; shortly with the vehicle, at whose curtains he stoo.. waiting for his lord to enter. Reiki's ab-cr : glance fell uiK)n the face of Jiro. It was tear-stained. The eyes wore that strange expression of appeal which always touched ertain emotions in the heart of Mori, so that even in liis harshest mood he could never be otherwi.se than gentle with the lad. Enter- ing the i)alanquin, he drew Jiro in after him. For a time they travelled in silence, jiro broke it to inquire very timidly: "Whither do we go, my lord?" If Mori heard him he made no sign. The journey was continued in silence. At the < id of what seemed to Jiro two full hours, Mori dismounted from the carriage and bade the runners wait for him. Jiro saw that they were upon the ridge of a headland overlooking the bay at whose head stood the Shogun's city of Yedo. At a sign from Reiki the boy followed the Prince down a j ith leading to the shore 1 ,low. As they made their rough way along, Jiro saw - 1 J ~ ^ 251 > 4 f iiuhts llashiim (»ut in the bay. and :5^ 4 Tjd occasionally iic ihouuht he heard tlic .sound of oars. A ureal (hstaiiee up the .shore he .saw men at work ui).)ii a hllle huilchn^ facniu the bay. Tliey were busilv enuaued by the h^ht of abuiidanl torches. The .sj-eed of M.>n, how- ever, larnutled tlie boy to taUc few ob.serva- lioiii. Already his breathmu was heavy and labored ni his atteuii)t to keep up with his master. As thev neared the water the curvature ol the .shore hid the torch-liuhted spot from view. With sullen glance directed ahead of him, M.)ri kej)ton until he stcxnl almost at the ed^c of the water, which m lapping, niky darkness glided and twisted at his feet. Then with his chin restinj,' uinm his arm, half rechnini^ against a uiant bowlder which, torn from the headland al)ovc, had i)loughed a j^'ruduing way hither, Keiki looked out across the water. It was silent— a silence made impressive and accentuated by elemental sounds, the lapi>inK of the water below, the bursting of a crested wave, the swirl of pebbles and sand thrust insist'entlv up the beach by the drive of the water. The darkness seemed a thing alive, which, taking on fiendish, malign persoiudi- ty, .sought to blind the mind, the heart, the emotions, as it did the eyes. There was an all-i>ervading suggestion of fate, of adversitv, of other i)roi)agated in- fluences through the night. Subtle spirits X .. 252 h c=i * w 4 hovered, circled throuiih the air, met, daslu-d their win^s, turned, treiiihktl dnwti, duwji. Jiru could have shrieked aloud, could he ha\e found voice. (Jradually, faintly, as the nu)notony of the natural sounds nuinl)ed his j)hysical sense of hearing!, Jiro found that a new sense of appeal to his ear was hemtj made, off ni the darkness. As they reached his consciousness, with their uiimistakal)le human oriyin slronuly impres.s- ed, his fright ^ave way. hi its place came the calm of nerves raised to a hiL'her tension. It was now the creakiriLr of chains, the weror. Perry himself, imitating the seclu- sion of those w horn he sought to reach, took care to be seen or approached b\- no Japanese, dele- gating inferior ollicers to the task. Now for the first time he was to show himself to the peojjle, and the nobles, the jirinces Aidzu and Latzu, in their capacity of high commissioners were to meit him. Thus it was that all watched the work ufKm the Treaty House in sullen emotion. The workmen themselves nu)ved in complete si- lence, which was l)roken not by word, but only bv the noi.se of their o])erations. Their sui)eriors gave their instructions by gesture or brief word. The lunlding itself was not pretentious, al- though Its situation on a slight elevation near the water was central, in full view of t!ie fleet out in the bay, and was overlooked by the sur- rounding heights and blufTs. It consisted of an ante-chamber and a long audience - hall, ♦• i c^ c TOe,M/OOjrsG Oi^ WiSTARiA JZ 4 R h ^ around whosf side a sort of divan had been l)uilt. At llic head of iliis apartniiiit a nuiiil)cr of chairs were placed for the comfort of the foreigners, fn the centre of the space, u\Hm a raised pl.itfonn, whose tai)estries and hantj- iims snuue-'^Ic'd (he aUar of some semi - barba- rian church, stood an iimnense, red - Iaci)rehensioii his landward Course up the hei}.,dits. The olVicer was yountr ; he knew a few words of Japanese, and went at once to the ])oint u])on his arrival before the Treaty House. "What do these screens mean?" he de- manded. X ^5« X it . '. Xf jL. TOE.WOOjrsOOf? NWSTARIA ■A H 3E: :x The minor ofTicials locUttl fro/ii one lo an- other, (^le ofiicial, a determined exi)res.sion I)a.ssin^ for an instant over his face, sti pjx'd forward He bowed iM)htely. ' Wc — insit^nificant and unworthy liraincd men (hat we are — cannot understand that hon()ral)le lanmiiLie that you sikmU. ft is not Jaj)anes<. ;ior > i Dutch, which al- >ne we know. " Enough of this s!)eech was understiuKl h\' the heutenant. I'lainly, they pretended not to undv rstand his Japanese. " Wherefore the.se hidin>.:s of the h^ht of the honoral)Ie un rom our insignificant eyes?" he continued in Japanese, chanijintj his idiom. A^ain came the answer of the Japanese ollicial. " Vour excellency, we cannot understand." The lieutenant uttered an oath. These heathen were tryintr, he told himself "Any one here sj)eak I'^nj^dish?" he de- manded. Instantly a fmure sprancr forward out of the crowd of sightseers beyond the military lines. Having adv£inced boldly, the volunteer hesi- tated an instant, as if he had acted upon an impulse, ^retted a moment too late. It was Mori, but Mori still in disLTuise. The American lieutenaiit .saw his hesitatioti. "Do you speak Hniflish?" Keiki sutmnoned such knowledue of the lauLTuaj^^e as Satsuma had taui^ht him. He answered briefly : X ^ *' ^ ■i=i ^59 „ TOE .VOOji>iG OJr? Vi^TAPJA crv-ag -^ ' :^ i4 "Yes." " Then ask what these screens have been put up for." Keiki rciH-'ated the question to the Jai)anese oflicer, who, anj^ered at his i)enetrati()n of their evasion, cast surly glances ujxtn him. They answered readily, however. Mori translated their reply into lOntjlish a moment later. "They say," he rei)orte(l, " that in Xij)ix)n all ixreat gatherint^s are i)rivate. These screiMS keej) oIT the common, low j)eople. ' "Tell them these thintjs nuist come down," ordereil the ollicer, in what the Japanese con- sidered an im|)olite, not to say nisolent, tone. Mori transl.ilai. " What do they say?" asked the lieutenant. There was a pause "Xothim,^ vet," said Mori, stiffly. While the oflicials still stared, the olTlicer turn- ed to the offendintj screens. With his own hands he heu:an their demolition. Slowly, one by one, the Japanese jouied him. Soon the s|)ace once enclosed by the screens was bare to the view of all on the .American vessels. The officer mo\ ed towards his boat. " I wish to speak some more words with you." ."■■.aid .Mori, followiiiLj him. "Oh, certanily. What is ii^" "Xot here, if you please. Down by the boat." Lome. I-'ollowed by the an^ry looks of the whole 3: 260 X a: ;•-' u w ^rskmmm^.^^ m h «4 t 4 r ^ 1^ ? i r ji T^ ^T" proup of JajKincso sub-ofTicials, in which there was distinct hostihty towards himself, Mori went with the heutenant to a sjx)t towards wliich the l)oat was .'ipproachnip. " Xow what can I do for you?" niquir<*d the oflicer, more afTaljly. " Vou think you treat with the Emix?ror?" inquired Mori, his face tiushed by tlie other's lack of courtesy. " Certainly. " " \'ou do not. " "What''" Th'j ol'licer started, rei^arding Mori scepti- cally. " Xo, ycni do not. Vou but treat with his war lord — the Shopun." "What's the Sbi^un?" " There are two emiK-Tors in Jajiiin ; one the rij^^htful emperor, the Mikado; the other his vassal, his war lord, who is without authority to deal with you. He makes seeming sub- mission to the Km|x;ror. " "Is this true''" " Tell it to your master, that Lord Perry. Ask that he demand the truth from those sent to meet him, in the public gatherinix. " " Why, this is astounding ! It must be look- ed into. Will you come on board with me and reix)rt it in jK-rson?" Mori shook his head. " No, 1 cannot," he replied, " but let him seek the truth where it nuist be told unto hmi. " ^ 261 i ^ 1^ =S^ Tluv had been six-akintf in Jajwincse, with an (x-casional word of Ent,Mi.sh, whin one was unahiL' to understand the other's rendering of its e(iui\ aleut. Tlie ollicer returned to I>ngh.sh. " Vour name?" he asked. Mori replied in Japjuiese. " \ our master is honoral)ly iL,'norant of my name and ranlc. The truth from any source is sufiieient. Ask at the proj)er place, and you will know that I speak truth." The oflicer pau.^ed, with one lei: lifted over the uunwale of the boat. He made a sudden movement towards his men, sittiuLj with raised oars. "Seize him!" he ordered. Before the .sailors could droj) their oars and o])ey, Keiki, who divined the .sitrnilicance of the words, ran raj)idly alont: the sandy beach, disa|)|x.'arinL: beyond a headland. "Damned awkward, this," commented the lieutenant, "but it nuist be rei)orted to the old man." Then to his crew: "Give way, men!" i 9=^ 262 > r* ^ :« ^ ;t ^ J L_ ^ *■ IIATFA'KR speculation the sud- den friendly inlerjH)silion of u Japanese nilo the American of- ficer's dileiiur.a caused aiiionj; the sul)-oflicials in charj^e of the Treaty House, it did not run a lenj^fthy course. Xews that was whisiK-Tcxl about, lirstanion^ the niuhilude of unoflicial visitors crowding all the surroundini^ points of vantage not (Kcupied by the Shotrmi's troops, j)ene- trated uradually to the f(K:al siM>t of the greatest curiosity', f the Treaty House. It was an event of secondary inij)ortance to the exjK'cted visit from the fe i ^ r TOE .WOOij>iG Of? \W5TAR)A -i3=i:iriz:3:_ .r y -y ~— HK-n-of-war. The princt-s Aidzu and Catzu had arrival from Wdo, and uirc now awaitinj; the fcrc-iunirs ni tluciuartcrs prepared for ihein. .M;uiy of those present had never seen these powerful princes. So, crowdinLT past the com- mon soldiers, they i>ressed uik.tj their head- quarters, until stop(K.>d hy the chosen ^uard of samurai surrounding the princelv pavilions About the tent of Catzu the f)ress of the mob was heaviest. The huue Sir Cenii, tovinp with his f,ditterintr blade sif,r„i|ieantly when- ever a curious citizen came Ux) near the en- trance, remarked grimly to a fellow-samurai "Of a truth, all the doi.cs «»f Xippfm invade our ranks t(Klay. I have only to extend my s\vord to sj)lit a dozen fat merchants." " Extend it, then," growled the other, as with the flat of his blade he dealt a ^rctle blow uixm the pate of a vender of wines. The trattment accorded to the crowd by the samurai enj:rendered no bitterness. The nier- cantile classes, awed at all times bv the sight of one in s,-nimrai orders, shrank back at the hrst siicn of disi)leasure brought upon them- selves from the proudest grade in Japan. Nor, indeed, was the real displeasure of the samurai at any time in evidence. Thev, too, like the common i)eoiile, were engrossed in the exiKxtation of events. Although their im- pa.ssivc faces did not i)ermit the revelation of their real feeling, there was among them the same subtle curiosity and forebtxling. X z3:z ^:^...-di^M.y. From across the hay, rolhn^ .iiid rcvtrbtr.it- intr, striking; the roiUv aimlis of the hiuhlaiuls and driven hack repulsed, came the lonij roar of the forcit,nicrs' sahitini; mms. Instantly the |H)puh»ce l)ecatne silent, riveted to what- ever locality they occupied. Amont; the ships there was hustle and move- ment. The foreijLTners were lowering hoats from every ves.sel in their .squadron. With their crews and ofTlcers sittint; in them, the hoats swunii; froiii the davits into the water. Plainly the .scjuadron was sendinj^ every man and olTicer to he spared. While the ^uns were still vomiting forth their salute to the occasion, the Lord Catzu came forth from his tent. With a wave of his hand he turned to (Jenji. " Drive me hack this rahhle," he ordered. Instantly the .samurai, joininjr with the com- mon troop, heat hack the mass of citizens, forcing o]K:n a wide lane, that extended hut a short distance towards the Treaty Hou.se. Where no guards were, there the i)Cople ob- structed the pas.saire. (ienji quickly remedied this by despatching guards to clear a pathway to a iK»int where a similar line from the Prince of Aidzu's piivil- ion should join. Into the two paths ofx^ned l)y the Shoj.,nin's tnM)ps the corl^jfe of the two prince -commissioners pas.sed. That of the Lord Catzu was headed by a troop of the young sons of .samurai, boys small in stature, bearing -« 8 X :az 265 f ij -•rfc'^.yz' MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No 2 1.0 I.I 12.8 32 l_ l,;^ II 2.5 I 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ /APPLIED lIVt^GE ■fibJ Ejst Mor 'jt.eel "oc^iester. New rc'k 1*609 uSA '•6; -tSi - 030C - Phone "•6: 288 - 5989 - Fa« C: # TO£.VOOii>iO Of N^iSTAPJA 3: :3E 3C jE: ^: t^ H' aloft a silken banner whose ^old embroideries were the crests of the Shoyun and his feudal vassal Catzu. Next nKle a irooj) of inferior samurai, heavily armed, on l)lack horses. After them came the chief vassal of the Lord Catzu, mounted on a white horse, with three of his own vassals, each with his train of at- tendants. Finally, at the head of a brilliant and sj)arklinK train of warriors and courtiers, came the ini]>osinij and i)orlly Lord of Calzu, carried in a gilded norimon. A company of samurai, who.se chief u\xm all ordinary oc- casions was Sir (ienji, broutrht uj) the rear. The train of the Prince of Aidzu was, in general order and arrangement, similar to that of the Lord Catzu. The two corteges moved in lines .slightly converging until they met. Then the heads of each side column or division rode side by side. Throughout the whole company, in perfect order, this arrangement held, the left train of the Lord Catzu bein^ nearer the bay than that of Aidzu. So comi)lelely was the symmetry of the i)arallel mo\ement carried out that the Prince of Catzu had on his left the Prince of Aidzu. At the moment of comjilcte juncture, a word of command sjied back among the allied ranks. In a moment (lenji, at the head of a large IxKly of mounted .'^anuirai, ])a.s.sed to the riuht of his lord on his way to the van. A sinnlar Ixxly l)as.sed along the left. i^ q -^ — - r* i 266 ■■ rs TOE.WOOirsG Qf ViSTARiA 2£: =:2C =^ X ^=3 f c=^ i^ These samurai, arrived at the front, rapidly drove tlie crowds back from the hne of march, leavintf a passaf,fe, which they hned at inter- vals, clear to th.e Treaty House. Each samu- rai rode back and forth in the side S{)ace he had kept free to himself. The Kortrcous pageant advanced rapidly thnnij^di the short pas.sai,^' until its head rested ujK>n the etUrance of the Treaty House. In- stantly the lines of the two i)rinces divided as before, fallinir back on either side until the two norimons of the princes were reached. These advanced as before until the chief vassal of each ])rince stood before the Treaty House. Then the vassals assisted their lords to dis- mount from their norimons, bowing deeply and profoundly as they did so. Side by side the two commissioners marched to the door of entrance, whose threshold they crossed alone. After a respectful interval the chief vassals and functionaries, with a number of .sanuirai, followed their lords. The military force and other attendants still sto(xl with their ranks ojx^n outside, (ienji gave a quick com- mand, and, the double ranks closing, faced about so as to present a solid armed front to any one moving against the Treaty House. Inside, the princes with their chief commis- sioners were ranged at the head of the Treaty House, in silent waiting on the foreigners. Meanwhile the fleet of small boats from the squadron were nearing the shore. Splendid :X 3e: X 267 ^ >' 4 f 1^ TOE-VOOjiSG Of ViSTARiA t k ^ as was the retinue of the commissioners, and ()UtnumI)erinL{ as it did that of the Americans, yet it was ai)iJarcnt at a >,'lance that Perry had stri})i)ed his shii)S of all but a small force. The boats, crowded to the gunwales, moved slowly to the landin>,r-place, built over-ni,i,^ht. First, the bodies of sailor-soldiers were dis- embarked. They wore the dress of sailors, but each carried a musket. Then a band came ashore. Finally the oQicers of the squ£idron and Perrv's staff itself mingled with the others. A small guard was left with the boats before the march was taken up to the Treaty House. Then, in quick step to the music of the band, the comi^any set off, travelling at twice the pace of the Japanese retiiiues. The band marched first. Then came the marines with their oOicers. In the centre was the Commodore Perry, with his stafT. Follow- ing were more marines and oflicers. As this array proceeded in the quick, sharp, uniform step ixxuliar to disciplined bodies, there were no shouts of ai)i)lause, no encourag- ing cheers, no uncovering of heads, no clapping of hands. The silent multitudes regarded them sullenly, expectantly, fearfully. "Gad!" exclaimetl a young lieutenant, "they don't take to us. This io no Fifth Avenue parade." " No, it is not. More like action," mumbled his companion. When the oflicers came within sight of the ¥ 268 i ^^>1 ■i-i^'^-iAh ^ ^ ^ ii P TOE -V/ooir^o or ViSTAR) A n entrance and saw the columns lioslilelv ar- rant,'ecl, there was a ni«)venient of alarm. Hut quickly the dual force of Cal/.u and Aidzu spread out to perimt a passage ihrouuh itself. The Americans uave an order. Their band went suddeidy to the rear, its place taken by a body of marines, who moved until their head rested upon the door of entrance. They in turn oi)ened a way for the di\ ision at whose head marched the chief ollicer. With arms at "present," they stood awaitinjjj its aj)- proach. At the head of the division now advancinfj. under the colors and backed by imnor of- ficers, strode a commandintc nj.,rure. It was that of a full-bodied, ruddy, stern- featured man, in whose every jKnse of body and head was command. He was bareheaded. About his temj)les the breeze from the bay scattered his short, sliL,rhtly gmy hair. The sij^ht of the Japanese army in its menac- nig position, facint,' the multitudes, may have carried alarm to his soul. It had been in- stantly met b\' his counter arraying of marines ; but there was no fear manifest in face, j^ait, or manner. Without i)ause he entered quickly the audience -hall, followed by his oflicers. Turning his head to neither side, he seated liimself in a chair similar in respect and po.si- tion to those occujjied by the commissioners. There was a i)ause, a momentar}' embarrass- ment was felt by all present. Then the Arner- 3E: 269 '"^^^MM TOE .WOOjisG Qp v/iSTARJA ~- ^ T ^ r- lean coinnuHlore suininoncd the Dutch inter- preter, throiitrh whom the conversation was to take place. "Inform them," he said, "that I have some questions to ask.' ^=f=^ rid 270 mr^ '^:i>^fm^mM n 6 h HEN the company of foreign- ers had passed nito the Treaty House, the few moments in- tervening before the beginning of the ceremonies within were emi)loyed by the samurai still on guard outside in scrutinizing the cards of those citizens whose rank rx.Tmitted them to fill the vacant rear of the hall. At first the sanuirai, exact- ing in their task, examined carefully the invitation of each ajiplicant. Wheti, however, those in charge warned them that the time was short, they crowded ceremoniously within :>- — r J 271 r ff ^-^;^VSL «4 H w TO£.WOOir>iG cf Vi5TAR)A 2£=i :3E: ^< their lines into the hall, while those without, w hether card-holders or not, were driven back nnitfhly. The nioveincnt had been noted in its first sta>,a's by Mori, who with Toro and Jiro had been forcing his way steadily towards the ^ruardiiiK saimirai. When the first press of the rejected smote him on all sides, he turn- ed to Jiro. "If we are .separated in this turmoil, I would charge you, Jiro — " he be^an. The sudden interposition of a double rank of samurai drove him back, while it swept his companions within the circle of those beinf^ forced into the Treaty House. Turning;, Jiro watched Mori strutrule under the disadvantat,'e the crowd imposed upon him. Then, with a rcsi>,rned smile and a shrujr of the shoulders, Mori made to Jiro a sit^n of writinj:,'. A mo- uient more and Toro and Jiro found them- selves within the audience -chamber. They gained j)laces beside an oi)eninjf throutjh which the .samurai j)reservintJ order outside could be seen. \\ hen the American comnuxlore addrcs.sed his first words to the interpreter, the Lord of Catzu arose. Toro and Jiro whisjKTed to- gether as they caught sight of the gorgeous figure. The interpreter translated to him the words of the American. Then through the interpreter the Lord of Catzu made rei)ly: "August sir. Lord Admiral of the unknown 272 X 3C= W i. ■?: ^ -£= fleet, we will ha\e joy in answering; your honorable questions— any and all~in ^(hxI tune," he said. " But first allow us to offer our apoloirifs. We were unable to provide you with arm-chairs such as vour excellency IS accustomed to occupy on board your h*.nor- able ships; for that reason we are greatly piiined. and trust you will overlook our im- politeness. But that chair which vou now fill and whose brothers we humblv occupy, out of compliment to your excellency, re- sembles it so far as our abilities have been able to copy it." The American commodore looked at the chair he occupied. If the first words of the commissioner appeakxl at all to his risibili- ties, he was both too courteous a gentleman and too astute a diplomat to Ix-trav any si<,'n. His face was grave to solemnity a.s he regard- ed the superb workmanshij) of the chair ui)on which he sat, plainly an Oriental interpreta- tion of an American article. "The chair is comfortable. It serves its purpose and honors its makers," he made reply. "But I desire before presenting my credentials to question the prince - conmiis- sioners." Some one tapped Jiro lightly upon the shoulder. Looking about, he saw that a samurai, half extended through the window, had thus drawn his attention, and he was' now making him the rx.*culiar secret sign of :J:j» N ■ 27Z ^3: I i^m fci: TOE .VOOi[>iO o/? Vi5TAR)A n ilF -^ r — z ^-^ Lzzzr^. the IniiK'riali.st, that of (In.piMiij^r suddenly downward the left liand with the httle linLTir c-xtctidcd. jiro lookid into the face of the .samurai ed into his hand a tiny roll. "What is it?" whisi)ered Toro. "dcnji," said Jiro, with an expression of terror; "he recoLrnized me." "Hut what did he want?" Then Jiro recalled the pai)er in his luinds. lie oi)ened it with trenibliiiL; fiimers. It was brief, and from Mori, who had evidently trust- ed his old friend (ienji to deliver it to his at- tendant Jiro. " // aught is said of the cause, defend!" he read. "What is the meanint;?" .said Toro. "Plainly what he .says," returned Jiro; "if any one sjx^aks ill of the cau.se I am to silence and confound him." Toro smiled with sujK'riority. X -74 m-m^mm^'m^ 5. t -^ U TOE .VOOif^o op v;i3TAR)A n ^ "Vou!'" he whisiKTcd; "it is for me." uilh a passionate Jiiovetjieiit «)f iief^jation, .Jin. tlirust the epistle ifito his hosoni. " Do tiothiiiLr," iirmd Toro; "if yoii disturb this LTatheriii^ you are as ^j.mkI as dead. For a samurai it would he a iileasintr feat." Torn swelled m appreciation. " Hut for you—" He hroU-c olT. "Mori would not have asked it if he had known — " "Silence!" whisj^red Jiro. "Listen." Several of the Dutchman's translations had been lost by Toro and Jiro, hut the interpreter was now s|)cakinLr atrain for the American. "I desire to know," he .said, "before I de- liver my letters, with whom I am treating— with what EmiK-Tor— with which of the two?" The Japanese were astounded. "\ou are dealing with the Emperor of Jaj)an," they resixnided. "Out there are two. Which one?" ^^ "We are unable to explain," said Aidzu; "we cannot account for your strange belief." "Perhaps," interjected the wily Catzu, "the Lord Admiral has confounded the head of our relitjion with the head of our state." " r must sjK'ak," said Jiro, who was laboring under repressed excitement. "It is time." "Tsh-h!" growled Toro, staying his effort to rise. "Lot the prince -commissioner continue. I have been told that there are two emfx.Tors in this land, and that I have been placed in i I 3: II ^ ^ ^ ^ » — ■- conitmmication with the inferior, who is witli- <»ut iiuthority to ratify his acts." " I assure you, my Lord Admiral," said Catzu, "that you have fallen into an error coiiiiiion to foreiLTtiers." " Possihly," was Perry's brief assent. " We ha\e two heads, one a font of wi.sdom, the other of action. The one is the sjnritual head, the divine ICiiiixror; the other tlie true ruler and I->iiii»eror, with whom you are in comiiiiinication. The spiritual heiui is without authority in mundane affairs. \'ou make no error, for we, the j)rinces of Japan's real ruler, tell you this." Despite every attemf)ted restraint of Torn, Jiro leajK-d to his feet. "Thou liest! Thoti knowe.st there is hut one true ruler in .Japan, the Mikado!" he shouted, in a voice that. ra|)idly a.scendin^ in pitch, became femininely shrill. Every eye in the a.s.H-mlily, foreign and Japanese, turned ui)on the slight, cpiiverinLT figure there by the breeze - swej.t oix-'niny. The Lord of Catzu, still u\Mm his feet, stood like a sable statue, his arm still held aloft in the concluding gesture he had used a mo- ment before. The Prince of Aidzu rcmaintxl in his chair, seeminj.,dy incapable of motion. The American Perry alone preser\ed his cotn- po.sure, lookinir from one to the other in a puz- zled effort to determine the meaning of this in- terruption. * TF= 276 =r f f i h =^3 tl i ^ 4 The silence within the hall (leeiH.ned as the startled j^aze of the assctnhlane c»>ntituittl fixed uiH)n Jiro. So still was it that the voices of the siiiinirai outside seemed annoyin^ly loud, as they floated into the (juiet uikitI- nient. There was a lorit; niotiient of this stunned, hewildcred, yet intense stillness. It was bro' K-en by Toro, who, ashamed of havinjr been outdone in dann« by his shuhter companion, threw himself convulsively into the focus of the cotniutny. ^^ "Thou, my Lord of Catzu," he shouted— "thou K-nowest that the youth si)caks truth, lia-izai the .Mikado! Hanzai Xii)iKni!" Another sensational moment! The samurai (re their comrades sittinuj near to the interpreter imdersto- followed by two huue nej^roes in marine dress. The boys carried silver and l^oUI salvers, uimhi which rested the richly set Lcold boxes containing the docu- ments signed by Millard b^illmore, President of the United States of America, asking con- sideration of a treaty for open ports. As the boys reached the red-lacquered box at the head of the hall they st(MKl ujxm either side, while the negroes stopjKxl between them. Lifting the letter receptacles from the salvers, the negroes dejM)sited them in the red chest indicated by an aide of Catzu. This done, they retreated down the aisle. "All is now done," said Catzu. "Permit me to inquire whi.-n your excellency will re- turn for an answer." "In some months' time," was Perry's thoughtful reply. "We need not detain you longer," said the conmiissioner. " Permit us to express our grat- ification at meeting you and our compliments for your courtesy." The American commodore acknowledged the X . 279 tP TOE.VOOjiSoojf? \;fJ3TARlA ^ deep obeisance with which the commissioners and their staffs now favored him with a bow as courtly and dignified as their own. Then forei toners and Japanese filed out from the Treaty House of Yokohama. , 4 280 h ITH the fecundity peculiar to the storm and stress period of a nation's history, the germ al- most forcibly implanted into Japanese soil by Comnuxlore Perry waxed strong, came to blossom, fell into seed, and ended by multiplying itself into international form. No sooner had two seaports been opened through signature of the treaty passed by Perry than the Eng- lish sought and obtained the same privileges. Other nations followed the leaders in time- liness, differing as to their national equation. Then came 281 * r t. c=^ the cstaljlishnienl of fort-ij^n Ic.ifations and the peiieral intnxluction into Japan of the hatecl foreifrners. The hermit nation was no more pennitted the luxury of the solitude which had made it internally strong. But now the foreij^niers were cominp to un- derstand the dual state of Jajjanese govern- ment. The treaties which the shoj^unate had at first attcmi)ted to make without Imperial sanction were nominally submitted to the Ahkado. In a measure, the brave daring of the boy Jiro was resi)onsible for this latter development. Durintr all this time Mori had remained in Yedo watching the course of events, and the gradual rise in presti^a- of the already- power- ful shopunate. The pt)licy advocated by Mori was the same outlined by him in his act of instruction to Jiro when he had bade the boy explain to the ft)reiy:ners the true conditions of government. The shoRunate nuist ]>e embroiled with the foreif^n iH)wers in such a wav that retaliation of the world iK)wers would fall ujK)!! the sho- jj^unate alone, destroyintjf it, while at a leap the Imix.>rial party would return to ix)wer uixm an anti Shojj^un basis. This ix)licy he was foremost in i)ressing ujx)n other lead- ers of his party, but without avail. The drift of events was too uncertain to permit civil war at this time, his compatriots as.serted. Toro and Jiro did not share the Vedo vip^il 282 X n H *f :2=3 (Iri « 3: TOE.VOOjrsGof Vi3TAR)A of Mori. When, ujK)n the evening of the Treaty House assemblage, Cenji had broiij^^ht Ihein to Reiki's headtiiiarters, the Prince had received them as from tlie i^^rasp of death. The task he had set them, he knew, meant a risk of death, but even a samurai of le.sser rank would have welcomed a death decreed by 1 le cause. lie had t,nven them up as memories of tlie past when the ^reat denji brout,fht them l)efore him. "My prince," Genji had said, "I have ever been at heart one of your i)arty. As an ear- nest of my desire to return to your alle^nance, I bring you two i)risoners, committed to my hands by the Lord of Catzu." The sight of the samurai (Jenji had called back into the hfe and soul of Mori things he had put aside as unfitting his consecration to the cause. Nevertheless, he received him glad- ly, and made no objection to the i)roix)sal of the samurai ihat he should be permitted to go with Toro and Jiro to the Mori fortress, since longer residence in Yedo was unsafe for the two who had exhibited themselves before the choice gathering of the Shogun's followers at the Treaty House. So it was that for a time Mori remained alone in Yedo. The continued p.resence in the Shogun's city oi one known throughout the length and breadth of the land as the Imjxjrialist leader could not in the nature of events remain un- known to the authorities. On several oc- =3: ^«3 X ii E — i~ X * casions he was pressed so hard that he found an fxxasional sojourn outside of Vedo im- peralive. It was upon his return from one of these flitlinys that the Prnice Mori found strani^e news awaiting him. The Slioi^aui lyesada was dead. The choice of a successor devolvinj.^ uiK)n the Recent li, a man said to be of low birth, the wishes of a con- ^ siderable number of the shogunate following had been i^Miored. Kii, a boy of twelve, had been selected by the I^egent. To mak-e a show of boasted [)ower before the foreij^rners, now always jjressing for trea- ty i)rivilei;es, the I^ej^ent li had ratified with them a treaty then j)endinfj, afterwards report- ing it tardily to the Emperor at Kioto. Instantly the city rang witli protest, and, following it, the country. "This li would remain alone with a boy Shogun!" cried the nobles of both parties. Mori despatched instantly to his fortress couriers who convej'ed orders to Toro that a considerable body of Mori's troops should l)roceed at once to Ycdo. Before their arrival, however, a crisis had been reached. Ronins in great numbers had visited the Im- perialist iK-adquarters, urging instant action. These rowing samurai, having renounced all allegiance to their own lords, had become free agents (ronins), and had sworn never to return to their homes until the shotjunate was over- thrown. 284 cc ^ 4^ One Hasuda headed a party that S()iij4;ht t)ut the Prince Mori. "Let every foreign Ic^'ation be l)urned this nijj;ht," urj^etl Hasuda. "Let us drive into the seas tho.se doj^^s wlio already have de- layed our action too hm^. Let it be done to-iiiirht." "Xo," .said Mori, firmly. "Do not let your acts, which hitherto, in .spite of their lawless- ness, have been tinj^ed with patriotism, be tainted by such action as you now projKxse. The function of a patriot is not that of a.s.sas- sination, but of honest warfare. He coun- selled by me. Do nothim: yet awhile. Wait! My men are on the march. They cannot ar- rive for some days. When they have come, and when our Mikado has uive»i us the sig- nal, let us then attack and exj)el these for- eign barbarians." "No, no," insisted Hasuda, whose sword itched for action; "the Mikado is influenced by those about him who are hostile to us. He dare not." "Only by his order will I attack the foreign- ers," Mori insisted. "He will not speak," said Hasuda. "He will," said Mori. "I have assurances to that cfTect." Hasuda altered his plea. "But, your highness," he urged, "what I now advocate is j-our own iK)licy. The sho- gunate is resimnsible to the foreigners for the 3 . -y T ..ar a t j II 2&S -5 3f % ^S- ^ X z & !» f peace. Destroy their le^iitions and their wrath will descend ii|K)n the shotfunate. " "Listen; I will not stooj) to massacre, but I promise you that uj)on the order of tlie ICm- jx.Tor I will fire at once uiM)n their fleets and make warfare an^ainst them. " The ronin Ilasuda smiled slyly, as with a gesture of resii^^nation he threw his arms aside. " Vour highness," he said, " be it .so. I con- sent, upon one condition, (io thou to Kio- to. 01)tain at once audience with the Son of Heaven. Secure his consent. Thou hast means within the palace to reach him safely. Do so, then. I will await your return." "Agreed," answered Mori. Within a few moments his norimon was carrying him out of Vedo. Two ronins joined Ilasuda near the head- quarters half an hour later. "Vour news?" he demanded. "The Prince of Mori is on the highway to Kioto." "(ioo.j voice, insistent as the hiss of a seri)ent. From the shadows of the walls auaitist which they had st(MKl ronins leajK-d ujxjn the samurai and attendants about the norimon of li. These uave way instantly, .some were kdled outri^^ht, others wounded, while still others were left ent,fa^ed in deadly strife with ronin adver- saries. "Qiiit-'k! Forward'" urj^ed Ilasuda. A chosen body spumj,' out from the ronin rank's, and surrounding the norimon of the Reu^ent, drew him with rouL,di hands out into the road. They drauued him before Ilasu- da. Within the palace a cry of alarm rang throuf^h the night, followed by the hurried mustering of troops. Outside the Sakurada gate, however, the numerous ronins, showing no sign of fear, l)roceeded leisurely. li had fallen uf)on his knees. His mute lips moved in prayers for X 5=3 \ 25/- 1= II t^ S-ff ^ ~-i c=i y 1=: O: ^ rf mercy, though no sound escuiK-d thciu. His lips were livid, his eyes glazed. At what secincd this manifestation of cow- ardice the romns. outlawed samurai as they were, lauuhed scornfully. They would have r3F k «• H ^ ^ ^ ar :r- ^ 1- Without a word the Satsunic't samurai drew his sceotid sword from his hch. The hilt he rested ujk)!! the j^routid. In an instarit he fell u|M)n its |K)iiit. The ronius left tlie vicinity of the |>idace, earryniLf the head of li with tliein. This they nailed to a |M)st in a iiuhlie phue of the city. In a short tune, froin the neuly established foreign tjuarter of \e(lo, llanies lea|H.(l forth in destruction of the le^Mtmns. Many foreiisMiers found Japanese uraves that ni^ht. \'et, strange inconsistency I the ronins, still under the direction of Hasuda, went alx)ut everywhere, cryint^: "Down with the foreign- ers! Lonu live the Sho^unl" Those foreigners who escaped helievcxl that the Shouun had ordered the night's horrors At the hour of dawn I lasuda wiped his sw( on a foreij^Mi fabric. As the nu^rninj,' breezt from the \)uy cooled his tired brow he laughed gritnly. " Ah," he exclaimed, " what the nol)le Prince of Mori could not countenance himself has been accomplished; and, being accomplished, I shall lind in him no oi)en friend, it is true, but no sworn enemy." The roar of guns came faintly to his ears. "To-morrow — to-morrow!" he nuised, with a chuckle. " Nay, to-iG o/? N^iSTARiA 2t 3: T was ni^ht when the runners of the Prince Mori's noriinon, havint^ travelled the hij^hway to its tratetl termination, en- tered Kioto. Uncertain as to his exact course, the Prince was settled u|K)n one thinj^ — haste — haste to arrive in the nei^h- borh(MKl of the Mikado's ]mx\- ace, that he nii)j;ht plan in the shadows liis future actions. He had passed through the city's gates, and with new cries to his runners was again urging them forward, when a cloaked fi;^'ure, holding in one hand a naked sword, barred to the * - r J A ^ 1 Crit- p 3E= 291 X * noriiiion farllicr |«issaiL,'(.v Tlic ruiitUTs .stu|>- |>c'(l al)ru|»tly. Im|«ilitntly Mori thrust his head through the curtains. "What now, you lam,'ards^" he demanded, m no uentle voice. At the sound of Mori's words the man in the roadwav uttered a crv of surprise. "Thou, Mori!" " What then?" inquirctl the I'rince, defiantly, l)reparini; to leap to the ground, sword in hand. " It is I, ICchizen. I will join you in your norimon." " (I(kk1 !" said Mt)ri. " Ir^ently I need your advice. " I-)chizen climbed into the vehicle quickly. With a swift movement he drew Mori's cloak about his shoulders in such a way that it hid his face. "There is dantrer in Kioto for you," he said. "Just now as I j)assed, the sound of your voice instructing your runners struck me with its familiar tones. When you raised your voice I recoL^nized you immediately. Vou must be more careful, my lord." "Why should there be danuer for me in Kioto?" inquired Keiki, quickly. "1 am in my Em[)eror's capital now." " But the massacres you have just institjated in Yedo are beinj^ used to your disadvantaj^je. Aidzu has come to Kioto two hours ahead of you, and all is known to his Ma jest}'. " " Massacres!" ^ tl ^i # :4 F ^ :r— ^p rr= 292 r-ar ff^ "Are you ignorant of thcin?" " Vou do not mean — " Kciki luiuscd, a suspicion of llasuda dawnini^ upon him. "Massacres bv the ronins?"' "Yes." The Prince of Mori t^roaned. "llasuda, the chief ronin, " he said, "has broken his pledged word to me." He ex- ])lained briefly to Echizen his compact with llasuda. The Prince of I'^chizen had received a courier who came on horseback l)Ut lialf an hour prior to Mori's arrival, lie came shortly after the arrival of Aidzu, who was closeted with the Emj)eror. The courier's only definite news wa.s that the ReLCent li had been assassinated and the fvreitrn legations burned by a band of ronins imder llasuda, acluiu, it was be- heved, under ^k)ri's orders. The ronins had pretended to be the Sbo^un's men. The latter information i)leased Mori. "Goodl" he .said; "the foreigners will laj' the blame u]X)n the shogunate. " Echizen leaned from the norimon. "Proceed slowly,'' he told tbe ruimer, "in that direction," j)ointin£r to a quarter of the town distant from the Im|KTial palace. "We must adoj)t some i)lan of action," he contiinied to Keiki. "These outbreaks, which I at first thought were at your order, will have fearful conseciuences. We nuist plan to turn them to account with the EmiMjror. ^ rm .WOQJhG Of NWSTARiA ? u r 3£ la: X -y^ X Z3E: 293 H- "But he already knows of the massiicrcs. " "Assuredly. Aid/.u is trovenior of the city, and a i)erson of inlluence willi him. He will use the Vedo massacres to your disadvantage. " "But Aidzu is a sho^unate. " "True; but lately he has ^one over to the Emperor. He is still at heart a shot,amate. It is Ijy the order of the Shouun that he has come to the Mikado's court, in fact. I le is both a spy and an influence upon the Cmj)eror for the sho)ujunate. " "How do you know all the.se thinj^s?" in- quired Keiki. "Since I left you in Yedo," replied P^chizen, "I have made consideraljle progress in the favor of tlie EmjK-ror, all for the sake of the cause. I try to set myself against Aidzu." "Well, and what is the dis|M)sition of the Emperor towards my wing of the party? What does he desire us to do? What attitude should we take towards the foreigners and the sho- gunate at this time? I have a purfxjse in these questions." Echizen looked thoughtfully towards the east, where the offshoots of the still distant day were charging the rear-guard of night. ".My prince," he said, slowly, "I feel that this day will ])e a decisive one in our annals. I feel that there is a great opixjrlunity to be born a new nation to-day." "Si)eak on," said Mori. " The Emperor Kommei is, of course, desir- i a-jLj rm.\ooo]T^o op v;)STAR)A 3E: W ous of regaining; the jx)\ver once 1. Id by his ancestors. Ho knows, as an educated man, that the shominate has no le^fitiinate ri^^ht to existence. Ihit he is a man of two natures. Fear, which is not cowardice, and suspicion, whicli is not discretion, is his ruhntj motive, lie is surrounded by sho^nniate s})ies. Every effort he has made up to this time to com- municate willi us has been frustrated. Were he to })ut trust in a sanuirai and think of .sendinj^ him as a messen«:er to us, the sho- j^'unate strai^htw; v removed that .samurai." "By tlie sword, of cour.se." " Hy .secret meatis. In time the Emperor Kommei came to bebeve that the shogunate held his life in its hands, as it has. He came to distrust all men. He trusts neither Aidzu, his enemy, nor me, his friend." "What of the foreitrners?" " I believe that he would desire above all thinfjjs to issue an order for their exjmlsion, and encouray:e us secretly to make v.'ar ujxm the shotrunate, convinced as he is that his life and the very oflice of I'^miKTor are at stake. " "Could he be brought to give us secret in- structions?" "He mieht," returned Echizen, dubiously, "but su:h is the temper of the man that, while bidding us make war U]>on the shogunate, he would also warn us that if the shogunate prevailed he could do nothing for us — he would leave us to die." * la; X X H 294 G^: TOE .VOO)i>iG o/? ViSTAPv)A -» % IT ^ TZ =:a: M* With knotted brows, Mori considered ionj^^. Then : " Vou think Aidzu is endcavorinti at tliis moment to discredit me with the Emjieror hy layinjir responsibihty for Ilasiida at nij'dcjor?" "Yes, this very instatU." Mori leaned out from the norimon and sip^ned to the runners. They haUed. "One question more,' he said to Echizen. " Have you convenient access to the I-^mi)eror?" "-At any hour," I^chizen answered. Mori bent towards the runners. "Full s{)ced," he cried, "to the Emix-Tor's paUice." The norimon started ahead. "To the Emj)eror's palace?" rciK'ated Echizen. "What are you .^oin^j to do?" "To confront Aidzu, my accu.scr, and urj.ie the EmjKjror to cx|K'1 the forei^mers," said Mori. " Perhaps it is the best course," answered Echizen, slowly. "It is the opiwrtunity of which you siK:)ke," said Mori. " The opportunity for which I have long waited." ^95 S- 'r* il TOE.Woojr^O Off \W3TAR»A J IK irroup of l)uildini?s set with- in tlic wiillcd enclosure known as the Enij)eror's i)alace was not surrounded as were many feudal castles of the daiinios, and indeed other of the Imperial I residences, hy a deep moat of stagnant water. The poetic tenii)erament of a people who had returned to the jnire Shinto J^ religion, which made Jai)an a land of t(ods whose chief was the Em]ieror, would not permit the Kioto jialace to resem])le a for- ^ tress. It seemed rather a temple, in the atmosphere created in out- side eves bv its carved exterior. If- 296 X =f^ The whole interior j:jroiinds, in which were the residence hiiildint^s, were sepanited frotn the city streets only by a lieavy wall, rectan- gular in its completed course. Within, the foliijt^e, set Ijack from the street, rose hi^h above the walls, interminirled with an oc- casional roof-top. The wall was entered at intervals by ^uard- ea j^^ales, whose porticos protruded into the street. Set out into the street, upon a broad sl(jne platform, api)roached by a nudtitude of tiny stei)s, were two tall jullars, about each of which twined, car\ed in the material it.self, a scaly serpent. Above the serf)ent, in a carvexl y:alaxy f)f death, were the claws, heads, and bones of wild beasts. Between the i)illars and the edj,a> of the wall, and forming the sides of the jwrtico, were two S(]uare, wooden panels, ui>on which were carved dragons, trumpets, and the lonj^- curved, bodied stork. Resting ui)on the top of the carved pillars and extend- ing over the wall was the sinuous roof, each of whose lines seemed a snake curled in its tortuous travel path. The roof, made of highly olishi.-d bamboo, but jireservinL;- its natural form, the little loi?s beini.,^ laid side by side, swept up to a curling ix)int. Over the portico entrance of the gates, two carved, hideously grim faces leered into the faces of any descending the steps. Still higher up, under the shadow of the gabled roof, was the i)ortriiit. of the Enii)eror. ■i if I 2C7 Oi: X w ■n* ^ —rtz 3C The buildintrs within, set in their ^iirtlens and pleasure j^rounds, had in tlieir r(M)f hues the ai)pearance of the j;,Mtes. They were of two or three stories, over eacli of which a >^a- hled, curiously wrought slulf ])r(>jected from tlie sides, as a shield froni the weather. The windows, small and narrow, were set together ill pairs. In the cejitre of each lontc side on the lower floor a ])rojectin^ anule, covered by a triangular roof, made a sort of bay-window. Sliding screens ^ave admittance to the rooms within. Ik'fore the carved Kate in the eastern wall the norimon that had brought the Prince of Mori from Vedo di.schar^ed its passengers. Echizen and Mori passed into the interior. Otice within, Mori, who had approached the structure with the feelings of a devout Japan- ese, saw that the builditij^s were set closely together, makint^ an inner rectangular court, in whose exact centre a house more pretentious than its neiy;hbors stood. This he took to be the residence of Konunei Tcnno, the Mikado. To his surprise, Echizen directed his way towards a small edifice set quite without the (quadrangle, and of a style more simple and humble than any within the grounds. " Why are we going this way?" Mori asked. "The Mikado must reside there," indicating the house within the rectangidar circle. "He should live there, it is true, for that is the oflicial residence of his Majesty: but being '^^tr 4 ■< •« 298 h i^ ^ 3: WE.VOOir^G op WiSTARiA :^ 5- ^> H (^ a suspicious man, he lives in the house least suited to be his residence," returned Hchizen. As if in keej)in£j with tlie supiK.sed inco^rnito character of the house, there were no >,'uards hefore it, while the front of the oflicial resi- dence was crowded with sword-wearers. At the threshold Mori i)aused. "Come," said ICchizen. "Hut a moment/' Mori said, in a low tone whose last sound died away in a note of sad, proj)hetic fear. He raisetl his eyes to the trees leafint; in the enclosure, and then to the skies. The ni.trht mists had passed away, it is true, from the sitrht, but there was in the air a moistness which the feebly awakened sun-ravs had not yet dissipated. A tear of exi)ectation st(H)d in nature's eye. Calm and peaceful the day was dawnintr, without a sound to rufile the gentle awakeninu: of drow.sy n^iture. The purple- yellow tints crept up from bcvond the horizon, touchinj:: the to|)s of trees and build- ni^rs in soft si,t,rn of a later imi)erative sign of action. Mori bared his head. As he stocxl there, the longing of the patriotic soul surging through his bcxly until his hands tintrled to do noble deeds, the winds gently laved his brow in the C(K)ling of unalterable nature Mori was praying to his gods, for his country, to the war-god if need be, and to Kwannon, the goddess of mercy. ^ 299 P3 :v »':^'- ^ ^ f «=# T/t£ .WOOjiNO O)^ ViSTAFJA i^ ^z :a= 300 X 3C -*V- Then, at the kiss of the wind, a mood, a thou);fht, a picture came to Mori, overw liehn- inis' in its iK)tency. The Lady Wistaria! The Lady Uistaria! Iler name SL-emed to sint,'' in his brain. In a flash of thouulil he reahzed that, however fierce the action, however ^reat the strivint;, however com|)lete the attainment, there was no joy in hfe or death ever for him. The cahn of accomphslniient meant tlie wreck of ho{)e. With a fierce attack iijion this memory, Mori drove his facuUies hack to their duty. "I am ready," he said. The two ])assed within. A sort of conlidential valet stoi)i)ed them in the ante-clvmber. lie sa'd : "The Serene Son of Heaven is closeted witii my Lord of Aidzu." He turned, indicatintr <» closed door. "Vou sec," whispered ICchizen, when the servant's back was turned — "you see they have lost no time." Then to the servant : " Vou ma\' announce to his Majesty that it is I, the Prince of l^chizen." As the servant disapj)eared behind the door, Mori, on who.se brow a sliirht contraction had come, seizing I'^chizen roughly by the arm, forced him into the chamber beyond, the secret resort of the Emperor Ivommei Tenrio. At the noise of their entrance the slight man who had been pacing uj) and down the cham- 'k ^ ^ if^^'?m^:^^}^^-r^2rM.^-: ^ 11 M H l>er tiirnul in nervous apiwhension, his hand SLvkiiiii: uncertainly the naked da^trer at his waist. Tlie Prince Aidzu uianitained the iH)si- tion assumed hy liini varher in the interrupted uiterview. lie was standint,' easily in an at- titude of aj)parent assurance. An evil smile, meant for i:chi/en, played over his feattire.s as he retjarded the future premier and his present rival, for the di.sconcertinj^ smile of my Lord Aidzu was a trick usual with him whenever an enemy surprised him with his master. It was meant to convey to an in- truder nitimation of an understandinif which miuht not have heen reached i)rior to the in- terruption. Echizen met it with the greatest indilTerencc. I'or the first time in his short period of vigor- ous elTort in behalf of his Mikado. Mori stood r >n the presence of the man who was the focus and culmination, the terminal jxiint, of his most honored i)rinciple. He .saw a slit^dit form which could not he the bodily temple of the \\ vitality of genius. It was that of a man .sc£trcely beyond the thirties, yet there was no promi.se of the develojnntr years. The feat- ures, howe\er, were delicately modelled, the turn of the ankles and hr-nds were exquisite. About the whole manifest personality of the nian there was the subtle stamp of elTeminacy. The hand, the intelli),rence within *he eye- neither Leave hint of action. The brain could not conceive, the hand could not execute. f =2: 30 i i ^ jo OF NWSTARIA 2£: =3E: 302 ^ "Poor lost, fKKir betrayed cause of Jn]yan," would have been the fornudatiou of Mori's conclusion as these details, teini)cTed hy re- flection, c;!