Page:Madame Butterfly; Purple eyes; A gentleman of Japan and a lady; Kito; Glory (1904).djvu/218

 says he knew naught of this, and I prefer to believe him. Yet he was not in hiding.

But, one day, some months after his last memorable visit to Shiba (he had not been there since), he took the little Titania out for a ride in his 'rikisha. For he had discovered that it was the only thing that would appease her. She was very unhappy with him, fretting constantly. Still, this was not strange, he thought, for one who had come from heaven to earth. He hoped it would be better by and by. But how to make a heaven for her on earth troubled him greatly. However, when out in the queer old carriage, she was alert for something, which, it pleased Kito to see, kept her tears away. She had become thin and old-looking.

On this day they were passing a shop in the Kojimachi-dori, when a pale woman draped in mourning came out and paused at the street to adjust her boots. Rising to go, she turned her face toward the approaching 'rikisha and its burden. Other people were looking. But the restless little eyes in the 'rikisha singled her out.

"Mama, tate me—tate me—tate me 'way f'om dis bad ole man—tate me!" wailed