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Suddenly he said to the priest, I had once a dream which made me
anxious to know who was living in this house, and here to-day that dream
has again come back to my memory! The priest laughed, and said, A
strange dream! even were you to obtain your wish it might not gratify you.
The late Lord Azechi Dainagon died long ago, and perhaps you know
nothing about him. Well! his widow is my sister, and since her husband s
death her health has not been satisfactory, so lately she has been living here
in retirement.
Ah, yes, said Genji, venturing upon a guess, and I heard that she
bore a daughter to Dainagon.
Yes, she had a daughter, but she died about ten years ago. After her
father s death the sole care of her fell upon her widowed mother alone. I
know not how it came to pass, but she became secretly intimate with Prince
Hiôbkiô. But the Prince s wife was very jealous and severe, so she had
much to suffer and put up with. I saw personally the truth that care kills
more than labor.
Ah, then, thought Genji, the little one is her daughter, and no
wonder that she resembles the one in the palace (because Prince Hiôbkiô
was the brother of the Princess Wistaria). How would it be if I had free
control over her, and had her brought up and educated according to my
own notions? So thinking, he proceeded to say how sad it was that she
died! Did she leave any offspring?
She gave birth to a child at her death, which was also a girl, and
about this girl the grandmother is always feeling very anxious.
Then, said Genji, let it not appear strange to you if I say this, but I
should be very happy to become the guardian of this girl. Will you speak to
her grandmother about it? It is true that there is one to whom my lot is
linked, but I care but little for her, and indeed usually lead a solitary life.
Your offer is very kind, replied the priest, but she is extremely
young. However every woman grows up under the protecting care of some
one, and so I cannot say much about her, only it shall be mentioned to my
sister.
95
Tale of Genji
The priest said this with a grave and even a stern expression on his
countenance, which caused Genji to drop the subject.
He then asked the Prince to excuse him, for it was the hour for
vespers, and as he quitted the room to attend the service, said he would
return as soon as it was finished.
Genji was alone. A slight shower fell over the surrounding country,
and the mountain breezes blew cool. The waters of the torrent were
swollen, and the roar of them might be heard from afar. Broken and
indistinct, one might hear the melancholy sound of the sleepy intonation of
prayers. Even those people who have no sorrow of their own often feel
melancholy from the circumstances in which they are placed. So Genji,
whose mind was occupied in thought, could not slumber here. The priest
said he was going to vespers, but in reality it was later than the proper time
for them. Genji perceived that the inmates had not yet retired to rest in the
inner apartments of the house. They were very quiet, yet the sound of the
telling of beads, which accidentally struck the lectern, was heard from time
to time. The room was not far from his own. He pulled the screen slightly
aside, and standing near the door, he struck his fan on his hand, to
summon some one.
What can be the matter, said an attendant, and as she came near to
the Prince s room she added, Perhaps my ear was deceived, and she
began to retire.
Buddha will guide you; fear not the darkness, I am here, said Genji.
Sir! replied the servant, timidly.
Pray do not think me presumptuous, said Genji; but may I beg
you to transmit this poetical effusion to your mistress for me?
Since first that tender grass I viewed,
My heart no soft repose e er feels,
But gathering mist my sleeve bedews,
And pity to my bosom steals.
Surely you should know, sir, that there is no one here to whom such
things can be presented!
Believe me, I have my own reasons for this, said Genji. Let me
beseech you to take it.
So the attendant went back, and presented it to the nun.
96
Young Violet
I do not see the real intent of the effusion, thought the nun.
Perhaps he thinks that she is already a woman. But she continued,
wonderingly how could he have known about the young grass? And
she then remained silent for a while. At last, thinking it would be
unbecoming to take no notice of it, she gave orally the following reply to
the attendant to be given to Genji:
You say your sleeve is wet with dew,
Tis but one night alone for you,
But there s a mountain moss grows nigh,
Whose leaves from dew are never dry.
When Genji heard this, he said: I am not accustomed to receive an
answer such as this through the mouth of a third person. Although I thank
the lady for even that much, I should feel more obliged to her if she would
grant me an interview, and allow me to explain to her my sincere wishes.
This at length obliged the nun to have an interview with the Prince.
He then told her that he called Buddha to witness that, though his conduct
may have seemed bold, it was dictated by pure and conscientious motives.
All the circumstances of your family history are known to me,
continued he. Look upon me, I pray, as a substitute for your once loved
daughter. I, too, when a mere infant, was deprived by death of my best
friend my mother and the years and months which then rolled by were
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