Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/230

170 moment's hesitation seized the horse's mane, and sprang upon its back.

Kikuno-Mayé, who had been listening to all this, thought that this was the last moment she would ever see her lover. She ran out. "Wait one moment, Lord Tadanori," she cried.

Hayashi stood in front of her, and tried to conceal her. Rokuyata instantly perceived the truth. He cut off the right sleeve of Tadanori's robe, and handed it to the old woman. "I beg," said he, "to offer you this in acknowledgment of your having kindly lodged Lord Tadanori. If you find it of no use to yourself, please give it to anybody else who may desire it, madame."

This was intended as a hint that the sleeve was for Kikuno-Mayé, as a memento of her lover. The passionate girl almost burst into tears of gratitude. Tadanori carrying the branch of cherry-blossoms on his back, set out on his journey guarded by Rokuyata and his troops; but his heart remained with his sweetheart.

A few days later, Yoshitsuné's army arrived at Ichi-no-tani, and a decisive battle was fought