so easy to get divorced as to get
married--unfortunately."

"In Japan," said the lawyer, "it is more easy, because we have
different custom."

"Then there must be a lot of divorces," said Geoffrey grimly.

"There are very many," answered the Japanese, "more than in any other
country. In divorce Japan leads the world. Even the States come second
to our country. Among the low-class persons in Japan there are even
women who have been married thirty-five times, married properly,
honourably and legally. In upper society, too, many divorce, but not
so many, for it makes the family angry."

"Marvellous!" said Geoffrey. "How do you do it?"

"There is divorce by law-courts, as in your country," said Ito. "The
injured party can sue the other party, and the court can grant decree.
But very few Japanese persons go to the court for divorce. It is not
nice, as you say, to wash dirty shirt before all people. So there is
divorce by custom."

"Well?" asked the Englishman.

"Now, as you know, our marriage is also by custom. There is no
ceremony of religion, unless parties desire. Only the man and the
woman go to the _Shiyakusho_, to the office of the city or the
village; and the man say, 'This woman is my wife; please, write her
name on the register of my family,' Then when he want to divorce her,
he goes again to the office of the city and says, 'I have sent my wife
away; please, take her name from the register of my family, and write
it again on the register of her father's family.' You see, our custom
is very convenient. No expense, no trouble."

"Very convenient," Geoffrey agreed.

"So, if Captain Barrington will come with me to the office of Akasaka,
Tokyo, and will give notice that he has sent Mrs. Barrington back
to her family, then the divorce is finished. Mrs. Barrington becomes
again a Japanese subject. Her name becomes Fujinami. She is again one
of her family. This is her prayer to you."

"And Mrs. Barrington's money?" asked Geoffrey sarcastically. "You have
forgotten that."

"Oh no," was the answer, "we don't forget the money. Mr. Fujinami
quite understand that it is great loss to send away Mrs. Barrington.
He will give big compensation as much as Captain Barrington desires."

To Ito's surprise, his victim left the table and did not return. So
he inquired from the servants about Captain Barrington's habits;
and learned from the _boy sans_ that the big Englishman drank plenty
whisky-soda; but he did not talk t