Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/153

Rh her face wreathed in smiles. "How manly! I feel as if I could behold you fighting a glorious fight! This cup is intended both as your wedding cup and Jūjirō's farewell cup. Take it quickly, bride! What a joyful occasion it is!"

The more the old lady rejoiced the more Hatsugiku felt the grief of farewell. Her husband was a handsome warrior, and yet now she must exchange the last farewell cup with him!

"You must fight bravely and achieve many glorious deeds, dear husband," she said, smiling bravely to disguise her grief. "But I hope you will return in triumph this evening"

She could not breathe another word. Her bosom was so wrung with grief that it choked her utterance. When Jūjirō perceived this, he wept also, his tears moistening the string of his helmet. At that moment a sound of battle drums was heard, borne in upon a gust of wind. He summoned up his courage and sprang to his feet.

"And now," he cried, "I must bid farewell to all of you!"

He shook the sleeves of his armour from the grasp of his wife, and darted for the battle-field. Hatsugiku fell to the ground.