y connected with the Royal
blood, was an official in the War Department. Her mother, however, had
been married again to the Governor of the province of Chikzen, and had
gone there with her husband; so Tayu made her father's house her home,
and went from there backwards and forwards to the palace. She was an
intimate acquaintance of a young Princess, the daughter of the late
Lord-Lieutenant of Hitachi, and she had been the child of his old age,
and was at this time his survivor. The life that she passed was
somewhat lonely, and her circumstances miserable. Tayu mentioned this
young lady to Genji, who exclaimed:--

"How sad! Tell me all about her."

"I cannot say that I know so much about her," replied Tayu. "She leads
a very retired life, and is seldom seen in society. Perhaps, some
favorable evening, you might see her from a hiding-place. The _koto_
is her favorite instrument, and the favorite amusement of her
solitude."

"Ah!" said Genji, "I see, one of the three friends (as the Chinese
poets call them)--Music, Poetry, and Wine; but, of the other two, one
is not always a good friend." And he added, "Well, you may manage some
time to let me hear her _koto_. The Prince, her father, had great
taste and reputation in such arts; so, I believe, she is no ordinary
performer."

"But, perhaps, after all, not so good as you imagine," replied Tayu,
disingenuously.

"Oh! that remains to be discovered," cried Genji, nibbling at the
bait. "One of these evenings I will come, and you had better be there
also."

Now, the home of Tayu's father was at some distance from the
Princess's mansion; but Tayu used to spend her time very often with
the Princess, when she had leave of absence from the Court, chiefly
because she did not like being at home with her stepmother. For this
reason Tayu had plenty of chances for gratifying the wish of Genji to
see the Princess; so a certain evening was appointed.

It was a sweet balmy day in spring, and the grounds of the palace were
full of silence and repose. Tayu left the palace, and proceeded to the
mansion of the Princess, attracted more by the beauty of the evening
than by the appointment made. Genji also appeared on the scene, with
the newly risen moon, and was soon prattling with Tayu.

"You have not come at a very favorable time," said she. "This is not
the sort of evening when the _koto_ sounds sweetest."

"But take me somewhere, so that I may hear her voice. I cannot go away
witho