s every fair flower; and, in the
autumn of last year, she received a fearful menace from the house of
Udaijin, to whose daughter, as you know, To-no-Chiujio is married.
Poor girl, she was terrified at this. She knew not what to do, and hid
herself, with her nurse, in an obscure part of the capital. It was not
a very agreeable place, and she was about removing to a certain
mountain hamlet, but, as its 'celestial direction' was closed this
year, she was still hesitating, and while matters were in this state,
you appeared on the scene. To do her justice, she had no thought of
wandering from one to another; but circumstances often make things
appear as if we did so. She was, by nature, extremely reserved, so
that she did not like to speak out her feelings to others, but rather
suffered in silence by herself. This, perhaps, you also have noticed."

"Then it was so, after all. She was the Tokonatz of To-no-Chiujio,"
thought Genji; and now it also transpired that all that Koremitz had
stated about To-no-Chiujio's visiting her at the Yugao house was a
pure invention, suggested by a slight acquaintance with the girl's
previous history.

"The Chiujio told me once," said Genji, "that she had a little one.
Was there any such?"

"Yes, she had one in the spring of the year before last--a girl, a
nice child," replied Ukon.

"Where is she now?" asked Genji, "perhaps you will bring her to me
some day. I should like to have her with me as a memento of her
mother. I should not mind mentioning it to her father, but if I did
so, I must reveal the whole sad story of her mother's fate, and this
would not be advisable at present; however, I do not see any harm if I
were to bring her up as my daughter. You might manage it somehow
without my name being mentioned to any one concerned."

"That would be a great happiness for the child," exclaimed Ukon,
delighted, "I do not much appreciate her being brought up where she
is."

"Well, I will do so, only let us wait for some better chance. For the
present be discreet."

"Yes, of course. I cannot yet take any steps towards that object; we
must not unfurl our sails before the storm is completely over."

The foliage of the ground, touched with autumnal tints, was beginning
to fade, and the sounds of insects (_mushi_) were growing faint, and
both Genji and Ukon were absorbed by the sad charm of the scene. As
they meditated, they heard doves cooing among the bamboo woods.

To Genji it brought ba