he thrust her, a heap huddled into a corner of the
room. Trembling hands adjusted what garments he could lay eyes upon.
Over all he threw a long wool cloak with hood and eyelets against the
snow. Turning to the entrance he glowered at her, hand on his
dagger--"More words of that vile jade, and _baya_ joins her own beneath
the stone. This Chu[u]dayu goes to Nakacho[u], to a public woman. If
that O'Bake comes again.... Ha! Ha!... Let her lie with Baya.... Why!
She's not even rotten yet!" He left the old woman stupefied and quaking,
himself to leap out into the storm and darkness.

Outside the gate he had a shock. In the shadow he ran into a woman
standing by, who turned at his greeting. O'Kiku's face? With clenched
fist he would have struck, but the vision faded. "Truly the _baya_ is not
wrong. Chu[u]dayu is mad, or drunk." His knuckles had near encounter with
the brazen crest fastened into the post. This brought him to himself.
Rapid was his descent of Gomizaka. At its foot was a _kago_ stand. "The
Danna Sama from the Aoyama _yashiki_--he condescends the _kago_. One all
closed? The Danna Sama will lie as snug as in a _koshi_ (_kwanoke_ =
hearse)." Chu[u]dayu took the joke badly. The fellow sprawled on the
ground under the blow--"Is this a funeral procession? Truly the night
itself is bad enough--without the joke."--"A scurvy knave," humbly
explained the _kago_ chief. "A country recruit, just to hand. Deign to
pardon his impertinence." He edged the fellow off, called up another
man--"The Danna stands not on the fare? Truly 'tis such a night as rarely
has been seen. With wind and sleet the men can barely stand. But the
Danna is in haste. Surely a woman is at the journey's end.... Not a
palanquin but with mats." Chu[u]dayu was neatly bundled into the litter.
The mats were lowered at the sides and covered with oiled paper. "To
Nakanocho[u]; and at good round pace." He hardly heard the functionary's
words. "Ah! How she hated this Chu[u]dayu! How she glared into the Tono
Sama's eyes as he dealt the blow into her pap!... A vicious jade; yet a
beauty. Where could such beauty be encountered? May the _kami_ (gods)
grant Chu[u]dayu the same good fortune this night!" More pleasing vision
soothed him. He was filled with hot wine and fast grew dazed and sleepy.
The gentle motion of the _kago_ rocked him as in a cradle. Yet he could
not get sleep. Her voice was in his ears; without, in talk with the
_kago_ men? He raised a corner of the