Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/281

Rh eyes by chance met those of Asojirō, who was looking down upon the boat, and in that momentary interchange of glances there sprang up within them an ardent desire each for the other.

At this moment, arrived two samurai, the worse for drink, who leapt into Miyuki's boat without a preliminary, "By your leave." With churlish rudeness they desired her to supply them with saké, demanding that she serve them with her own hands and entertain them with music while they drank. To all appearance a refusal would excite them to resort to any violent deed. So Asaka implored them not to press their demands on the shrinking girl, but her polite entreaties only had the result of driving them to greater length in rudeness. At this Asojirō cotdd no longer contain himself. He made his way to the boat and spoke to the ruffians at first in a tone of mild remonstrance. But far from lending an ear to his exhortations, they began to revile him bitterly and finally raised their hands in act to strike. With the quickness of thought, Asojirō pinioned their arms and threw them prostrate with a kick. This display of great physical strength was too much for their courage. They