nd woman. For at the moment in sprang another female, in whose worn
emaciated face and figure was displayed such concentrated evil passion
of hatred and jealousy as rarely to be seen on human being. Like the
flying hateful god Idaten she sprang upon the girl, grasped her long
black hair, and hurled her to this side and that. Helpless the victim
held up the bloody stumps of fingers. Now the face was seen to be dyed
in blood, the garments dyed red with blood, the girl again agonizing in
a pool of blood. With horror the pilgrim and the woman hid their faces.
The man's hands trembled as he struck the bell and intoned the holy
recital. Thus in a daze, amid the counting, the cries and shouts, the
weeping and the wailing, he went on. The cry of the cock was heard. As
if by magic all the wild sounds ceased. The wanderers looked around in
amazement. The altar was the stone curb of a well. The _yashiki_ and its
magnificence stood close by; but the building was roofless and in ruins.
Chilled to the bone, half dead and half mad with fright, the two
fled--to reach their inn.

At their tale host and those assembled shook their heads. "It is the
Sarayashiki of the Bancho[u], the well that of the old Yoshida Goten,
whence ghosts issue; unless by good fortune the vision be a trick of fox
or badger. Honoured Sir, have prayers said to avoid ill fortune." But a
merry, foul, cynical old fellow--peasant turned townsman--twinkled in
his laughter. "Then O'Kiku San has favoured the _shugenja_ and his
spouse with feast and gifts?"--"'Twas very strange," naively replied the
pilgrim. "Copious and splendid the entertainment. Of the reality there
can be no doubt. This Jubei did not feast in a dream on those dainties."
The host and other auditors broke into coarse laughter--"Feast! The
_botamochi_ was of horse dung, the macaroni was earth-worms, the
wine--was urine." All roared in their great joy. The unfortunate
pilgrims, much put out, made gesture of discomfiture and fright. Said
the peasant-townsman, in sly hit at the host--"Perchance O'Kiku brought
the viands from near-by inn or cook shop. Surely these furnish little
better." Laughing he left the now angry innkeeper to aid his wretched
guests, writhing and retching in all the pains, actual and imagined of
such a feast.

Command went forth to the holy man--and from the Sho[u]gun Ke himself. A
halt must be brought to these unseemly proceedings so close to the
suzerain's dwelling. These priests of