indeed welcome. My house is very mean, but let me invite
your lordship to come into an inner chamber."

"Pray," replied Genzaburo, "don't make any ceremony for me. Don't put
yourself to any trouble on my account."

And so he passed in, and Sazen called to his wife to prepare wine and
condiments; and they began to feast. At last Genzaburo, looking Sazen
in the face, said, "There is a service which I want you to render
me--a very secret service; but as if you were to refuse me, I should
be put to shame, before I tell you what that service is, I must know
whether you are willing to assist me in anything that I may require of
you."

"Yes; if it is anything that is within my power, I am at your
disposal."

"Well, then," said Genzaburo, greatly pleased, and drawing ten riyos
from his bosom, "this is but a small present to make to you on my
first visit, but pray accept it."

"No, indeed! I don't know what your lordship wishes of me; but, at any
rate, I cannot receive this money. I really must beg your lordship to
take it back again."

But Genzaburo pressed it upon him by force, and at last he was obliged
to accept the money. Then Genzaburo told him the whole story of his
loves with O Koyo--how he had first met her and fallen in love with
her at the Adzuma Bridge; how Chokichi had introduced her to him at
the tea-house at Oji, and then when she fell ill, and he wanted to see
her again, instead of bringing her to him, had only given him good
advice; and so Genzaburo drew a lamentable picture of his state of
despair.

Sazen listened patiently to his story, and, after reflecting for a
while, replied, "Well, sir, it's not a difficult matter to set right:
and yet it will require some little management. However, if your
lordship will do me the honour of coming to see me again the day after
to-morrow, I will cast about me in the meanwhile, and will let you
know then the result of my deliberations."

When Genzaburo heard this he felt greatly relieved, and, recommending
Sazen to do his best in the matter, took his leave and returned home.
That very night Sazen, after thinking over all that Genzaburo had told
him, laid his plans accordingly, and went off to the house of Kihachi,
the Eta chief, and told him the commission with which he had been
entrusted.

Kihachi was of course greatly astonished, and said, "Some time ago,
sir, Chokichi came here and said that my lord Genzaburo, having been
rebuked by his family for his prof