hing--"Ha! Ah! The Danna Sama is a sly one. He is the one to make
friends with the beauties. The lady regretted the Danna's absence, said
that she would wait the honoured return.... Who? 'Tis she so sought by
the Tono Sama himself; and who instead favours the Danna. O'Kiku
Dono...." Before the wild stare of Chu[u]dayu, the clutch on her wrist,
the old woman stopped in fright. Then from within came the
counting--"One, two, three, four, five"--"Six," Chu[u]dayu mechanically
joined in. "Seven"--"Seven"--"Eight"--"Eight"--"Nine"--"Nine"--the words
were followed by the chilling lamentable wail of a soul in agony. "What
shall I do! What shall I do!" With a yell Chu[u]dayu dashed to the
_sho[u]ji_ and threw them back. No one! With astonishment and terror the
old woman gazed at him as seeking an explanation which did not come.
"The lights in the Butsudan! Namu Amida Butsu! Namu Amida Butsu! Praise
to Amida, the Lord Buddha!... Wine! Wine, and much of it; very hot!"

He sat, his head in hands, watching the flickering light in the altar
stand. "Ha! 'A woman and a man of small comprehension: these are hard to
govern.' Ko[u]shi (Confucius) says it. This Chu[u]dayu has played the
fool to the Tono Sama's extravagances." The bell of Gekkeiji began to
strike the hour of the watch. It came clear and mournful across the
snow. "How like a woman's nature," says the native scribe.
"One"--"One"--"Two"--"Two"--"Three"--"Three." ... Chu[u]dayu went on,
mechanically following the blows hammered into his brain. Then came the
heart rending hopeless wail which chilled his very soul. The old woman
in amazement and pain gave a howl as the hot wine ran over hands and
fingers. Chu[u]dayu on his feet stupidly gazed at the bottle rolling to
the end of the room. "'Tis of no import," he muttered. "Now--to get
hence. Close up all. To-night Chu[u]dayu returns not."--"But Danna Sama!
Condescend to consider! The Danna Sama is not himself. Truly he will be
ill. Deign the honoured couch." The couch in that room! He shuddered all
over. The old woman wrung and wiped her scalded fingers, and would
persuade him to seek rest. She simpered in her blandishment. "Where
could she possibly have gone, for _baya_ saw no exit? Perhaps the lady
comes again; and in the _yashiki_ there is no greater beauty than O'Kiku
Dono. Fortunate the Danna...." Truly she thought him gone mad. "Shut
up!" roared Chu[u]dayu. His eyes blazing under the heat of the quantity
of his hot stimulant