Page:Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan.djvu/119

 and I seize the chance to run away to the writing-box, hiding my face—

"So prompt!" said he, smiling, and ordered a writing-box to be brought [for himself].

His answer:

One wet and calm evening I was talking with Lady Saisho. The young Lord of the Third Rank sat with the misu partly rolled up. He seemed maturer than his age and was very graceful. Even in light conversation such expressions as "Fair soul is rarer than fair face" come gently to his lips, covering us with confusion. It is a mistake to treat him like a young boy. He keeps his dignity among ladies, and I saw in him a much-sought-after romantic hero when once he walked off reciting to himself:

Some such trifle as that sometimes lingers in my mind when really interesting things are soon forgotten—why?

Rh