sses lived. The Wistaria flowers in the gardens could also
be seen from this spot, and several ladies were looking out on them.

"I have been too much pressed. Let me take a little quiet shelter
here," said Genji, as he joined them. The room was nicely scented with
burning perfume. There he saw his two half-sisters and some others
with whom he was not acquainted. He was certain that the one he wished
to ascertain about was among them, but from the darkness of the
advancing evening he was unable to distinguish her. He adopted a
device for doing so. He hummed, as he looked vacantly around, the
"Ishi-kawa,"[79] but instead of the original line, "My belt being
taken," artfully, and in an arch tone, substituted the word "fan" for
"belt."

Some were surprised at this change, while others even said, "What a
strange Ishi-kawa!" One only said nothing, but looked down, and thus
betrayed herself as the one whom he was seeking, and Genji was soon at
her side.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 75: Composing poems in Chinese was a principal part of the
feast. The form of it is this, a Court scholar selects in obedience to
Imperial command, the subject, and then writes different words on
pieces of paper and places them on a table in the gardens, folded up.
Two of these are first picked out for the Emperor, and then each one
after another, according to precedence, goes to the table, takes one,
and these words form their rhymes.]

[Footnote 76: It was also the custom, when each had taken his paper,
to read it aloud, and also to announce his particular title or
station.]

[Footnote 77: "Oboro" is an adjective meaning calm, and little
glaring, and is specially attributed to the moon in spring. The line
is from an old ode.]

[Footnote 78: The ceremony of girls putting on a dress marking the
commencement of womanhood, corresponding to the Gembuk in the case of
boys. These princesses were the daughters of the Niogo of Kokiden. It
was the custom that royal children should be brought up at the home of
the mother.]

[Footnote 79: Name of a well-known ballad.]

CHAPTER IX

HOLLYHOCK

The Emperor has at last abdicated his throne, as he has long intended,
in favor of the Heir-apparent, and the only child of the Princess
Wistaria is made Heir-apparent to the new Emperor.

The ex-Emperor now lived in a private palace with this Princess in a
less royal style; and the Niogo of Kokiden, to whom was given the
honorary title of ex-Empress,