of Genji, which was sung at the end of his dance, so that some of the
people remarked that the sound of the holy bird, Kariobinga,[71] might
be even like this. And so the rehearsal ended.

When the day of the _fete_ came, all the Royal Princes, including the
Heir-apparent, and all personages of State, were present at the scene.
On the lake, "the music boat," filled with selected musicians, floated
about, as usual on such occasions; and in the grounds, the bands,
which were divided into two divisions on the right and left, under the
direction of two Ministers and two Yemon-no-Kami, played. With this
music different dances, including Chinese and Corean, were performed,
one after another, by various dancers. As the performance went on, the
high winds rustled against the tall fir-trees, as though Divine
strains of music had broken forth on high in harmony with them. The
tune of the bands became quick and thrilling, as different colored
leaves whirled about overhead.

Then, at length, the hero of the "Blue Main Waves" made his
appearance, to the delight of the suddenly startled spectators, from
the midst of a knoll in the grounds, covered with maple leaves. The
twigs of maple which crowned his head, became thinned as he danced,
and a Sadaishio, plucking a bunch of chrysanthemums from in front of
the Royal stand, replaced the lessened maple leaves. The sun was by
this time descending, and the sky had become less glaring, while the
face of Nature seemed as if it were smiling on the scene. Genji danced
with unusual skill and energy. All the pages and attendants, who were
severally stationed here under the side of the rock, there under the
shade of the foliage, were quite impressed with the effects of the
performance.

After Genji, a little prince, the child of the Niogo of Jiokio-den,
danced the "Autumn Gales," with a success next to that of Genji. Then,
the principal interest of the day being over, as these dances were
finished, the _fete_ ended. This very evening Genji was invested with
the title of Shosammi, and To-no-Chiujio with that of Shoshii. Many
other persons also received promotion in rank according to their
merits.

It was after this _fete_ that the young Violet was taken into the
mansion of Genji at Nijio, and she lived with him. The more care he
took of her the more amiable she became, while nothing pleased him
more than teaching her to read and write.

The full extent of her mourning for her grandmother was