nged to take place in September. This definite arrangement delighted the Saig?, to whom the uncertainty of the event had been somewhat tiresome. Her mother also made up her mind to accompany her t

ony of her last consecration was duly performed on the banks of the River Katzra, whence the sacred virgin went to the Imperial Palace to have the farewell audience with the Emperor. She was accompanied by her mother. The father of the latter had been a great personage of State, and she had been married to a Royal Prince at sixteen, when there had been every possibility of her coming to the Co

ht State departments to see her off in state, besi

o the highway of T?in, and passed by the mansion of Genji, who witnessed their pass

quit this sce

ou dauntless

may yet be w

cross Suz

from beyond the barrier of Ausaka (

sleeve be

ters of t

are? Too s

e that lie

er daughter disappear for some ti

recarious. The anxiety of the public was general, and the Emperor went to visit him. Notwithstanding his w

the administration of public affairs, notwithstanding his youth. He has a physiognomy which argues great qualities, and for this reason, I made him remain in a

y and repeatedly assured him that he would not neglect them. Such, however, are not subjects which we women

sible confusion. The boy Prince was apparently more pleased at seeing his father than concerned at his illness. To him the ex-Emperor told many things, but he was too young to heed them. Genji was also present, and the ex-Emperor

go) would also have visited the ex-Emperor but for her repugnan

of the Emperor began to decline, and at l

ipal mourners, put on a dress of Wistaria cloth;[93] so frequently did misfortu

all the private household of his late Majesty dispersed in the midst of the dreary weather of the latter part of December to

th now altered the state of things, and the ascendancy of the family of Udaijin became assured. The people in general entertained great fear that

g joyful or exciting accompanied

rd was filled with the carriages of visitors, especially when the days of the appointments were a

Saiin, of the Temple of Kamo, her predecessor having retired from o

d to this position; but this Princess was so chosen, owing, it seems, to the circumst

aishi-no-Kami,[94] in the place of the former one, who had le

er, the Empress-mother, who at this period spent most of her time at her father's, a

against those who had been adverse to her; and this spirit was directed especially against Genji and his father-in-law, Sadaijin-against the latter because he had married his only daughter to Genji

h Genji; but he was still young, with a weak mind, and therefore he was under the influence of his mother a

is life; and in his mansion Violet became the favorite object of attraction, in whose behalf the ceremony of Mogi had been duly performed some time before, and who had be

nd spent some days in the chamber of a rissh (discipline-master), who was a brother of his mother. Maple-trees were changing their tints, and the beauti

s,"[96] and would get the monks to explain any

whom he had left behind there, and this caused him to return. After he had requested a splendid expiatory service to be performed, he left the monastery. The monks and the

den, he perceived were far more beautiful. He, therefore, sent one of these to the resid

is Emperor, it must be remembered, was a person of quiet ways and moderate ambition. He was kind in heart, and affectionate to his relatives. His eyes were shut to the more objectionable actions of Genji

as my son, and to be kind to him in every way; but he was always a favorite of mine, and this injunction was unnecessary, for

is of no ordinary promise; but yet we must

mpress-mother, who seems to have been a person of rather arrogant and rough cha

rainbow cro

nce was fri

s intended for, but prudently proceeded on his

h cruel treatment as that which Seki-Foojin[98] did at the hands of her rival, but she was also convinced that some sort of misfortune was inevitable. These thoughts at last led her to determine to give up the world. The fortune of her child, however, had been long a subject of anxiety to

her intention to retire. In the course of her chatting with him, she said, "Suppose, tha

t so; Shikib's is changed by age, but suppose mine were different from hers, and my hair became shorter than hers, and I wore a black dress li

little decayed and blackened,[100] which gave a peculiar beauty to his smile, and the prettiness of his ap

lly preparing for some days. The rolls of the Ki? (Buddhist Bible) used for this occasion were made most magnificently-the

ent presents were made by them all. At the end of the third day's performance her vows of retirement were, to the surprise of all, announced by the priest. At the conclusion of the whole

sent, but especially on those of Hi?b-Ki?, her brother,

soon expected to take place, but the Princess Wistaria no longer took any heed of them, and most of her time

her mansion was a white horse,[101] which was being submitted to her inspection as on former occasions. When he entered, he noticed that all the hangings of the room and the dresses of the inmates were of the dark hues of conventual life. The only things that there seeme

for the Princess, she must have been prepared for such inevitable consequences of her giving up the world; but it ought not to be taken as implying that the sacrifice should be so great. Hence these facts caused much disappointment to her household, and the mind of the Princess herself was sometimes moved by feelings of mortifica

ed in his request, and confined himself to his own mansion. This gave complete ascendancy to the family of Udaijin. All the sons of Sadaijin, who formerly had enjoyed considerable distinction at Court, were now fast sinking into insignificance, and had very little influence. T?-no-Chi?ji?, the eldest of them, was one of those affected by

her in such matters as studying and playing, and they still kept their rivalry alive. They would sometimes send for some scholars, and would compose poems t

appear too particular; and many nobles and University students were also present. They were divided into two parties, the right and the left, and began betting on the game of "Covering Rhymes." Genji headed the right, and T?-no-Chi?ji? th

oses were blossoming in front of the veranda, which possessed

d, was present. He was the second boy by his wife, Udaijin's daughter, and a tolerable player on the S?h-flute. Both his countenance and disposition w

see that lo

ssomed t

ffered his cup

I to see yo

newly bloom

, took the cup

ntimely flo

beat, the wi

be full

ad

lf am but a

nd Japanese, were composed by those present, most of whom paid high compliment to Genji. He felt proud, and unconsciously exc

when every mind is not in due equilibrium, is against the war

he Court, having been attacked by ague; and the object of her retirement was

good, and she speedily r

wards him. She had seen, for some time, the lack of consideration and the indifference with which he was treated by her friends, and used to send messages of k

tments. This was really hazardous, more especially so because her sister, the Empress-mother, was at this time staying in the same mansion. We cannot reg

e conversing, a thunderstorm suddenly broke forth, and all the inmates got up and ran to and fro in t

ter, and then to that of Naishi-no-Kami. The noise of the falling rain made his footsteps inaudible, an

h to meet her father. Her face was deeply flushed, which he soon noticed. He said, "You seem still excited; is your illn

ooked aside, and all at once noticed the sash round her skirt, and became quite confused. Udaijin was a man of quiet nature; so, without distressing her further, bent down to pick up the papers, when by so doing he perceived

e lady may be easily imagined, and

ch clearly were in the handwriting of Genji, and that though venturesomeness is the characteristic of men, such conduct as that which Genji had indulged in was against all propriety. "People said," continued Udai

daughter to him, gave her to Genji, then a mere boy, on the eve of his Gembuk; and now this Genji boldly dares to carry on such intrigues with a lady who is intended to be the Royal consort! How daring, also, is his correspond

disclose such matters to the public, and pray don't tell it to the Emperor. It is, of course, an impropriety on the part of the Prince, but we must admit that our girl, also,

ity, on Genji's part, to venture to intrude into the very mansion where she was staying. And she began to medit

TNO

expressly built for the Sai

e erected in front

hinto

e province of Ise, which t

Wistaria was worn by those who were

it was to act as a medium of communication in the transmi

of the authoress of this wor

xty volumes of the theological writings which are

contrived to have assassinated an Emperor, his enemy. When he sent off the assassin this event

ival of the Empress. When the Emperor died, the Empress, a clever and disdainful woman

have been the name

that the milk teeth become black and decayed,

enth day of the new year to the Empress, the superstitio

Chinese poetry books and covering t

ame of

m the son of King Yuen, the brother of King Mu, and the uncle of King Ching; but I am so ready in receiving men in any way distinguished, that I am often interrupt