Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/426

346 I wonder what relation his companion is to him! I hope she is not his wife! If she is, I don't know what I shall do!"

As she was sitting thus, wrapped in thought Yoshiminé came down and said: "Will you kindly give me a cup of tea?"

"With pleasure, sir," said the maiden, her heart beating fast. "May I make so bold as to ask you whether your companion is your sister or your lady, sir?"

Yoshiminé was surprised at this unexpected question, but the next instant he guessed what was passing in her mind.

"She is my sister," he answered. "She has been ill for a long time, so I am taking her to the Temple of Kwannon at Asakusa, to pray for her recovery."

"How glad I am to hear that!" said the girl, sighing with relief. "My lord, you may stay at my house as long as you choose, even ten or twenty days, nay ten or a hundred years." With these words she dropped her face, and clinging to his sleeve, would not let him go.

"You are very kind," said Yoshiminé "You