Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/463

Rh But Komutsu did not understand her language which afterwards proved to be Chinese. Kokusenya, who had learned that language from his father, listened attentively to the maiden, and was astonished to hear that she was Princess Sendan, the younger sister of the Chinese Emperor, and that she had drifted over from China. He was filled with grief and indignation when she told him, with fast falling tears, of all the terrible things that had happened in her country. So he made up his mind to do his best to restore the Ming dynasty. His wife had no knowledge of what was passing in his mind, and was filled with intense jealousy when she saw Kokusenya talking familiarly with the beautiful girl. At last her feelings got the better of her, and she burst into tears. "You hussy!" she cried, "you have come from China to steal the affections of my husband from me! See with what kindness and gentleness you treat him! Thus I will reward your wantonness!"

So saying, she seized a hoe, and was about to strike the maiden with it, when Kokusenya caught her uplifted arm, saying: "Do not be so rash, wife! This lady is Her Highness Princess Sendan, the