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might be waiting for him, and he was anxious to see her ; well! by and by
we arrived at the house of my lady-love. The bright reflection of the waters
of an ornamental lake was seen through crevices in the walls; and the pale
moon, as she shed her full radiance over the shimmering waves, seemed to
be charmed with the beauty of the scene. It would have been heartless to
pass by with indifference, and we both descended from the carriage,
without knowing each other s intention.
This youth seems to have been the other one ; he was rather shy. He
sat down on a mat of reeds that was spread beside a corridor near the
gateway; and, gazing up at the sky, meditated for some moments in
silence. The chrysanthemums in the gardens were in full bloom, whose
sweet perfume soothed us with its gentle influence; and round about us the
made by birds (jays), by the intertwining of their wings. It was this which gave rise to
the popular festival, which takes place on this day, both in China and Japan.
38
The Broom-Like Tree
scarlet leaves of the maple were falling, as ever and anon they were shaken
by the breeze. The scene was altogether romantic.
Presently, he took a flute out of his bosom and played. He then
whispered, Its shade is refreshing.
In a few minutes the fair one struck up responsively on a sweet-
toned wagon (a species of koto).
The melody was soft and exquisite, in charming strains of modern
music, and admirably adapted to the lovely evening. No wonder that he
was fascinated; he advanced towards the casement from which the sounds
proceeded, and glancing at the leaves scattered on the ground, whispered
in invidious tones, Sure no strange footsteps would ever dare to press
these leaves. He then culled a chrysanthemum, humming, as he did so:
Even this spot, so fair to view
With moon, and Koto s gentle strain,
Could make no other lover true,
As me, thy fond, thy only swain.
Wretched! he exclaimed, alluding to his poetry; and then added,
One tune more! Stay not your hand when one is near, who so ardently
longs to hear you. Thus he began to flatter the lady, who, having heard his
whispers, replied thus, in a tender, hesitating voice:
Sorry I am my voice too low
To match thy flute s far sweeter sound;
Which mingles with the winds that blow
The Autumn leaves upon the ground.
Ah! she little thought I was a silent and vexed spectator of all this
flirtation. She then took up a Soh (another kind of koto with thirteen
strings) and tuned it to a Banjiki key (a winter tune), and played on it still
more excellently. Though an admirer of music, I cannot say that these
bewitching melodies gave me any pleasure under the peculiar
circumstances I stood in.
Now, romantic interludes, such as this, might be pleasant enough in
the case of maidens who are kept strictly in Court service, and whom we
have very little opportunity of meeting with, but even there we should
hesitate to make such a one our life companion. How much less could one
39
Tale of Genji
ever entertain such an idea in a case like my own? Making, therefore, that
evening s experience a ground of dissatisfaction I never saw her more.
Now, gentlemen, let us take into consideration these two instances
which have occurred to myself and see how equally unsatisfactory they
are. The one too jealous, the other too forward. Thus, early in life, I found
out how little reliance was to be placed on such characters. And now I
think so still more; and this opinion applies more especially to the latter of
the two. Dewdrops on the Hagi flower of beauty so delicate that they
disappear as soon as we touch them hailstones on the bamboo grass that
melt in our hand as soon as we prick them appear at a distance extremely
tempting and attractive. Take my humble advice, however, and go not near
them. If you do not appreciate this advice now, the lapse of another seven
years will render you well able to understand that such adventures will
only bring a tarnished fame.
Thus Sama-no-Kami admonished them, and Tô-no-Chiûjiô nodded
as usual. Genji slightly smiled; perhaps he thought it was all very true, and
he said, Your twofold experience was indeed disastrous and irritating!
Now, said Tô-no-Chiûjiô, I will tell you a story concerning myself.
It was the evil fortune of Sama-no-Kami to meet with too much jealousy in
one of the ladies to whom he might otherwise have given his heart; while
he could feel no confidence in another owing to flirtations. It was my hard
lot to encounter an instance of excessive diffidence. I once knew a girl
whose person was altogether pleasing, and although I, too, had no
intention, as Sama-no-Kami said, of forming an everlasting connection with
her, I nevertheless took a great fancy to her. As our acquaintance was
prolonged, our mutual affection grew warmer. My thoughts were always
of her, and she placed entire confidence in me. Now, when complete
confidence is placed by one person in another, does not Nature teach us to
expect resentment when that confidence is abused? No such resentment,
however, seemed under any circumstances to trouble her. When I very
seldom visited her, she showed no excitement or indignation, but behaved
and looked as if we had never been separated from each other. This patient
silence was more trying to me than reproaches. She was parentless and
friendless. For this reason responsibility weighed more heavily on me.
Abusing her gentle nature, however, I frequently neglected her. About this
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