sister, he who had acted as more than brother in the vengeance
taken. Thus through the long years to her final and irrevocable release
without any earthly condition.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE SARAYASHIKI

Again the site of the Yoshida Goten lapsed to waste land. Through the
years stood the _yashiki_ of Aoyama Shu[u]zen, in wall and roof and beam
gradually going to rot and ruin. Passing by on nights of storm wayfarers
saw most frightful visions--the sports and processions of spectres
issuing forth from the old well of the one time inner garden. Their
wailing cries and yells were heard. Conspicuous among them was the sight
of the unfortunate Kiku, her wan face framed in the long rank disordered
hair; the weird beauty frightful in its expression of horror, as with
the stumps of fingers she counted--"One, two, three ... four, five, six
... seven, eight, nine." Then came the haunting fearful cry--"Alas!
What's to be done? One lacks. Oh! Oh!" Sight, sound, glare went to the
hearts of the stoutest witnesses. Soon the ill fortune of those thus
favoured with the vision of the Lady of the Plates was rumoured abroad.
Wounds, money losses, even death fell on them or on their households.
Men no longer were curious. They fled the neighbourhood of this ill
omened gap in Earth's surface, unseemly exit for these foul spirits. On
nights of rain and storm none passed that way. Even by day the children
were rebuked and forbidden to approach the well.

Many are the stories as to the place. To instance one of these: It was
Ho[u]ei third year (1706)--the approach of winter in this tenth month
(November). Then came to Edo town a wandering pilgrim (_shugenja_) and
his wife. Tramping the land all summer to Nippon's varied shrines and
sights, now they were on the return to their home in Michinoku
(O[u]shu[u]). Much had they heard of Edo, capital seat of Nippon's great
lord. Every day busied with its sights they returned wearied to their
inn in the Shitaya district. This day they had wandered far. Returning
from Renkeiji of Kawagoe they passed the Naito[u] Shinjuku quarter.
Almost as great, if of different kind, was the woman's curiosity at
sight of the caged beauties, waiting the summons of those far better
supplied with cash than her own spouse. Finally in indignation she
dragged away the loiterer; and muttering rebuke followed after the
jingle of the rings on his pilgrim's staff. They were passing through
the Go Bancho[u], along the long