Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/289

Rh presented a picturesque appearance. Asojirō went up on deck and there, deep in reverie, stood looking up at the moon's bright face.

In the neighbouring vessel all were asleep save Miyuki alone. She had not yet retired and, her little heart full of thoughts of her lover, she was singing his "morning-glory" song to the strains of a koto or zither. As the song came to his ears Asojirō inclined his head and looked wonderingly down into the other ship. At that very moment Miyuki cast her eyes upon the deck of Asojirō's vessel.

"Surely it is Miyuki that I see?"

"Oh! can it possibly be you, Asojirō?"

Before this question had passed her lips, Miyuki had sprung into the other ship and the pair of faithful lovers were rejoicing at their meeting, thus miraculously brought about. To explain her presence there Miyuki recounted to Asojirō the circumstances that had led to her voyage home, then added with emotion:

"This meeting of ours in a manner so unforeseen shows that ours is a union that brooks no separation, that some mysterious bond links us one to the other. It is my hope that, for the