Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/89

Rh rightly know the reason, but your happy story has made me feel dizzy and heavy-hearted. Will you excuse me if I retire, my lady?"

With these words U-noha went into the next room. Truth to tdl, the maiden had long cherished a secret passion for Arihira, and had written him many a letter, but he had sent her no answer. That was not surprising; for Arihira had been too absorbed in his love for Komachi to pay any attention to the courtship of a comparatively unknown girl. If Komachi continued to be his sweetheart, U-noha might long for him for ever in vain. She realized that the situation was helpless, and she wept bitterly with despair. After a while she thought of a plan. She thought that if Lord Arihira was still hiding in the carriage, she would meet him, and confide her feelings to him. She would also complain, as much as she wished, of his cold-heartedness, and afterwards would try to abandon her hopeless love. Having made up her mind thus, she was about to leave the room, but as she reached the door, she trembled and turned faint, being overcome with maidenly timidity.

Looking around her, she saw on the family altar a bottle of saké, which had been put there as an