Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/316

244 laid her hand upon the hilt of her sword-cane. Wanuké, too, unsheathed his sword, and for some time the pair cut and thrust at each other. Then the procurer stumbled over a stone and fell head-foremost to the ground and, following up this advantage, Asaka dealt him a heavy blow that killed him on the spot. But she also fell senseless to the ground with a groan of mortal agony.

Groping blindly about Miyuki made her way to her nurse, lifted her to her knees, and cried with all the power of her voice. "Asaka! Oh, Asaka!" At this the woman's wandering senses came back to her, and she opened her eyes. "You are very kind, my dear," she said, "but my wound is but a slight one. Don't be anxious on my account. But if the worst comes to the worst, don't fail to go and see my father, Furubé Saburobei. I am sure that he will do for you all that lies in his power. Be sure to call on him, my dear. And now let us go to my inn, and there spend all the night in talk." With that, Asaka rose to her feet and leaning on her sword, staggered away through the moonlight, with Miyuki by her side.