past seems to me only like yesterday. But do you disapprove of my
sending this?" Kokimi replied in a few words, and took the letter back
to his sister, and told her, when he gave it, that she might easily
give him some sort of answer. She did indeed disapprove of treating
the matter in any way more seriously than she had formerly done, yet
she wrote the following:--

"By Barrier-House--oh, name unkind,
That bars the path of friendly greeting;
We passed along with yearning mind,
But passed, alas! without a meeting."

After this time some other correspondence now and then passed between
them. As time rolled on the health of her aged husband visibly
declined; and after fervently enjoining his sons to be kind and
attentive to her, in due time he breathed his last.

For some time they were kind and attentive to her, as their father had
requested, and there was nothing unsatisfactory in their behavior
towards her, yet many things which were not altogether pleasant
gradually presented themselves to her, and so it is always in life.
Finally Cicada, telling her intentions to no one beforehand, became a
nun.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 124: The name of a seaweed, but also meaning the eyes that
meet, and hence the twofold sense of the word.]

CHAPTER XVII

COMPETITIVE SHOW OF PICTURES

The introduction of the late Saigu, the daughter of the Lady of
Rokjio, at Court, was now arranged to take place, with the approval of
the Empress-mother (the Princess Wistaria). All the arrangements and
preparations were made, though not quite openly, under the eye of
Genji, who took a parental interest in her. It may be remembered that
the ex-Emperor was once struck by her charms, on the eve of her
departure for Ise; and though he never encouraged this fancy to become
anything more than an ordinary partiality, he took no small interest
in all that concerned her welfare.

When the day of introduction arrived, he made her several beautiful
presents, such as a comb-box, a dressing-table, and a casket
containing rare perfumes. At her residence all her female attendants,
and some others, assembled, who made every preparation with the utmost
pains.

In the Palace, the Empress-mother was with her Royal son on this day.
He was still a mere boy, and scarcely understood what was going on;
but he was now fully informed on the subject by his mother, and was
told that a very interesting lady was going to reside in the Pala