laughed. "Does not her ladyship set the example for
others to follow? Deign...." The plea of his relations with the mistress
came quite fit to the coarse feeling of Iki. Not so to the girl, who was
warmed into some indignation, and drew all the more from him. He would
persist; but just then her ladyship called from the next room--"Takeo!
Takeo!" The voice was impatient, as of one in haste. Iki had time to
thrust a letter into the girl's hand, which she quickly transferred to
her bosom. All the boldness of O'Chiyo was at stake as the maid came to
the closet. Close down she crouched; but Takeo had one eye on Iki, and
only one careless eye on the heap of _futon_, of which she drew from the
top. Iki made a grimace, for the benefit of the one he really loved. Her
ladyship's appearance was received with the warm and flattering
affection of the favoured lover; and O'Chiyo had proof positive that the
relations of the two were kind indeed.

The suicide of the wife, the letter of protest she left behind, had
more influence on the public than on the conduct of Hanai Iki. It simply
removed the last restraint and means of reaching him. All now depended
on her ladyship's infatuation. Old vassals sighed with joy when they
heard of the proposed removal to Edo. As _karo[u]_ Hanai Iki would be
left in charge of the fief. Not so: it was soon learned that his name
headed the list of those transferred for household service. The
grumbling was as open as it dared to be. The fief was to be contented
with the service of two vice-_karo[u]_; no great loss, except in matter
of prestige in dealing with other Houses. The _karo[u]_ became a kind of
male superintendent of the _oku_! But at all events the fief was rid of
him. Nor was Iki particularly pleased. He had been feathering his nest
in the material sense. The severance of the connection, without loss of
esteem, meant to him a quicker consummation of his wishes with Takeo
Dono, whom he would ask for as wife. Their relations had gone forward at
a wild pace. Once thrown into the whirl of passion Takeo sought but to
meet the wishes of her lover. The passion of the _himegimi_ stood
between them.

Established in Edo, at the Yoshida Goten, all went mad with content in
their beautiful surroundings. The palace gardens were noted. A hint of
the fine construction of the buildings is found to-day at the Kugyo[u]ji
of Iinuma, built subsequently from the materials. For the use of the
Sho[u]gun Ke in enterta