Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/409

Rh So saying, they clasped the young warrior by the hand and led him into a tea-house close by. There they spread the table for lunch, and produced some saké which they had brought, and entertained him with liquor and music. He was soon in a jovial mood and drank so heavily that he dropped asleep. Soon afterwards, Utena and the other girls went away, and the buffoons seizing the opportunity, softly approached the soundly sleeping warrior, stole his arrows, and escaped unnoticed.

Some minutes later, Yoshiminé awoke and looked about him; but alas! his arrows were missing. He was sure that they had been stolen by spies of the enemy. What excuse could he find to escape the blame of such negligence? He was so overwhelmed with sorrow and despair, that he drew his dirk from its sheath, and was about to stab himself in the abdomen, when Utena, who had just returned, seized his wrist, and bursting into tears, said: "Don't be so rash! I can quite understand your sorrow, but if you kill yourself, who would search for the arrows? Someone must let Lord Yoshi-oki know of this misfortune, or the arrows will never be restored. This trouble