Page:Anthology of Japanese Literature.pdf/407

Rh to you both. And farewell to you too, all of you who work here.

Thus lightly taking leave she goes to bed.
 * They fail to mark her words and only later know
 * That this was her farewell to them for life.
 * The foolishness of men is sad indeed.

Look after the fire under the kettle. Don’t let the mice get at the relishes.

They shut the place for the night and bar the gate,
 * Then soon asleep are snoring merrily.
 * So short the night, before they’d time to dream
 * The second hour of the morning comes.
 * Ohatsu dressed for death in robes of spotless white
 * And black kimono dark as are the ways of love,
 * Tiptoes to the staircase and looks below.
 * Tokubei appears from underneath the house,
 * Beckons, nods, and points, speaking with his heart.
 * Below the stairs a servant girl is sleeping;
 * A hanging lantern brightly lights the room.
 * Ohatsu, wondering how to escape,
 * Attaches to a palm-leaf broom her fan,
 * And from the second step of the staircase
 * Attempts in vain to blow away the flame.
 * At last by stretching every inch she puts it out,
 * But tumbles from the stairs with a crash.
 * The lamp is out and in the darkness
 * The servant girl turns over in her sleep.
 * Trembling, they grope for each other.
 * The host awakens in his private chamber.

What was that noise just now? Servants! The night lamp has gone out. Get up and light it!

The servant sleepily rubbing her eyes
 * Gets up from bed stark naked.

I can’t find the flint box.

While she wanders about searching for it, Ohatsu dodges back and forth avoiding her,