Page:Anthology of Japanese Literature.pdf/333

Rh the most formidable soldier, I should finish him off with one blow of my sword. I waited with my fists tensely clenched. Just then an open sedan chair went by, borne by some young men who were noisily chatting. I realized that I could not do very much with them, and let the chair pass. Then from a distance of a hundred yards or so up the road, I detected the scent of some unusual perfume. I said to myself, now someone of importance is coming. I was overjoyed at the thought that my luck had after all not quite run out.

“When I looked I could see a radiantly beautiful court lady approaching, rustling her silken robes as she walked. She was accompanied by two maids, one of whom walked ahead of her and the other followed with an embroidered case in her arms. They went by my hiding place, apparently without noticing me. I let them pass, then ran after them. The maid walking in front let out a scream and disappeared. The other maid dropped her bundle and ran off, crying for help. The lady, however, seemed unperturbed, and remained where she was without uttering a sound. I rushed up to her with my sword drawn, and cold-bloodedly began to tear off her clothes. ‘Give me your underrobe too!’ I ordered her. She answered, ‘Please spare me that. It is to the everlasting shame of a woman if her underrobe is removed.’ She unfastened the amulet bag from her neck and threw it at me. ‘Take this instead of my underrobe.’ Her perfume was so rich that I was almost overcome. But, in my depravity, I would not grant her even this. I insisted that she give me her underrobe too. ‘If my underrobe is removed I have no desire to live any longer. Please take my life,’ she said. ‘Gladly,’ I answered, and stabbed her to death with one thrust of my sword. I hastily stripped off her underrobe before the blood could reach it. Then I picked up the bag that the maid had dropped and hurried home, saying to myself, ‘How happy this will make my wife and children.’

“When I knocked at the door, my wife was surprised at how soon I had returned, and asked through the door if I had been unsuccessful again.

“ ‘Open the door quickly!’ I said, and threw the bag inside. ‘You certainly got it in a hurry,’ she cried, and, too impatient to open the mouth of the bag, she cut the drawstrings. There were twelve