Page:Japanese plays and playfellows (1901).djvu/66

46 or farcical interludes, were announced in the following order:

1. Shunkwan, the High-Priest in Exile. 2. Koi no Omone, the Burden of Love. 3. Ai no Uye, the Sick Wife. 4. Funa Benkei, Benkei at Sea. 5. Tsuchigumo, the Earth-Spider.
 * Kiōgen.

1. Kitsune-Tsuki, Possession by Foxes. 2. Roku Jizō, the Six Jizō. 3. Fukuro Yamabusshi, the Owl-Priest

By an hour before noon the audience, seated on cushions in little pews holding four or six persons, had composed itself to that air of thoughtful anticipation which I had hitherto associated with devotees of Ibsen or Wagner. Many peered through gold spectacles at the copies of the antique text, whose phraseology was not without difficulties even for the scholars and artists present; the women's faces were far graver and more thoughtful than one usually sees in the land of laughing musumé; the prevailing grey and black worn by women and men suffered sporadic invasions of bright colour wherever you saw children settling, like human butterflies. For these, though their ears availed them little, could follow with wondering eyes the strange succession of gorgeous or terrible figures—warriors and spectres and court-ladies—evoked for their delight.

The story of Shunkwan, however, was quite devoid of spectacular appeal. Exiled in 1177 with other rebellious priests by Kiyomori, the ruthless Taira chief, to Devil's Island (Kikai-gashima), he is discovered celebrating with his companions an oblation to Kumano Gongen and praying for speedy restitution