Page:Eminent Authors of Contemporary Japan.pdf/35

Rh as in a looking-glass! Now she is dressing her hair, and drops of water are falling from it … the golden drops are falling in showers as she binds it up … She has finished at last! She is squeezing her towel, and commences to dry her feet … and now she is putting on her white linen shoes! … Are you ready now, Rosa? … Are you coming out? … I am here. (He hurriedly goes to the entrance of the cottage.) At last she is coming, and … Rosa?(As he says the last word, a fox disguised in the dress and body of a woman appears in the door-way. The figure looks like that of some Occidental woman. A robe made of white towelling covers her body, and on her bare feet are white linen shoes. She carries a basket in which can be discerned a soap-case, sponge and towel. As she moves from the door, the pale opalescent moon-beams that were previously streaming into the door when she was bathing, now follow her as she leaves. The cottage becomes dark again, and the beam of light enshrouds her body and bathes her in a milky light. Upon seeing her closely, Kakutaro steps back a little, as if attracted by her great beauty. The fox glances once at him, then glides with a quiet step past him, and is about to cross the bridge.)
 * Kakutaro.—(With some hesitation) ExcumeExcuse [sic] me, Rosa-san, Rosa-san! Please tell me if you are Rosa-San?
 * The Fox.—(Stops half way across the bridge and looks