finding the matter hard to broach.
"For quite a while now he has been in touch with your lady. They had
arranged for him to marry her daughter. They had even picked a lucky day.
He is an impatient man. But then someone, I don't know just exactly who,
seems to have told him that the girl is your wife's daughter but not yours.
It wouldn't look good, you know, for him to marry a governor's step-
daughter. Everyone would say it didn't seem to matter to him what he got.
When fine gentlemen marry governors' daughters, it's to have the backing
of their fathers-in-law, to be treated like their own prized sons. When
there seems like a good chance of it, then that sort of marriage can some-
times be arranged. But what would be the point otherwise? What would
be the point if the man found that his father-in-law, the governor, hardly
recognized him, treated him like the last and smallest of them all? People
have been saying things, and he is upset. He tells me he hit on you
immediately, sir, because His Majesty himself had spoken of the brilliance
and solidity of your house, and so he asked me to approach you. He had
not known, he tells me, that one of the young ladies was not your daugh-
ter. And now, seeing that you have so many daughters--yes, we know
they are very young--but seeing you have so many, he would like to go
back to his very first hope, and would be pleased if he might have your
cooperation. He asked me to sound you out."
"I hadn't heard in any detail what he had in mind. The girl is treated
exactly like any daughter of my own. But it's true that I have several other
silly girls, and I'm not very good at these things, and it's more than I can
do to look after them all. So her mother has the notion that I treat the girl
<P 941>
like an outsider, and she's always complaining, and I have no say in the
girl,s affairs. I heard that something was going on--but that the young
gentleman should be looking to me for support--well, I am delighted. I
have a daughter I'm fond of. More than fond of--I'd give my life for her.
She's had proposals, but I haven't been able to make up my mind. The
reports I get about the younger generation aren't good, and I've been
thinking my best might not be enough to make her happy. Day and night
I ask myself how I'm to go about finding a good, safe man for her. I know
the lieutenant. When I was young I worked for his father, the general, now
deceased. I could see from close up what a fine, talented boy he was. I
hoped I might work for him too someday. But then I was away in the
provinces all those years, and since I've been back I've been shy about
making friends again. I'm very glad to hear how he feels about me. Why,
I could let him have my girl tomorrow. The only trouble is I wouldn't want
her mother to think I'm trying to snatch a husband away from the other
girl."
<N 8>
The intermediary was delighted. Things were going nicely.
"Why hold back? If you agree, everything is as good as settled. What
he really wants is a bride with a father who loves her, it doesn't matter how
young she is. He knows he made a mistake when he let himself get
involved with the other one. He's a fine young fellow, and everyone
expects great things from him. And he's a good deal quieter and steadier
than you'd expect such an important young fellow to be. He knows his
way around, and he has land scattered all over the country. Of course he
doesn't have much money yet, but to the manner born, as they say. You'd
do a good deal better to have him than some flashy upstart, I don't care
how rich he might be. Next year he'll make the Fourth Rank, not a doubt
about it. His Majesty himself has promised to make him a privy secretary,
so you see there's absolutely not a doubt about it. His Majesty goes on to
say it's a crying shame that such a fine young fellow, why you couldn't
find a flaw in him, should still be single. Go get yourself a wife, His
Majesty keeps saying, and useful in-laws. One of these days he'll be right
in there with the best of them--His Majesty says he'll be there himself to
promise it. His Majesty doesn't have a more devoted servant, and knows
it. Two people couldn't be closer. Talented, serious, dedicated--all this and
more. Why not make up your mind right here on the spot? A man might
almost say if you asked him that this is more than you bargained for.
Hundreds of people would jump at the chance to have him for a son-in-
law. If you hesitate you're lost. What I say I say because I have your
interests at heart."
It had been a long and persuasive speech. The countrified governor
had listened smiling.
<N 9>
"I don't care whether he has money or not. I can smother him in
<P 942>
money. Do you think I'd leave him short? It's true I might die on him, but
I've decided to leave everything, land and warehouses and everything, to
my Himegimi. No one can say anything about her right to them. I have
all sorts of children, but she's far and away my favorite. Just let him be
good to her, and I'll see him all the way, I'll make a minister of him. He
won't have to ask for a thing, even if I have to borrow money while I'm
getting things done. Why, anyone that close to His Majesty doesn't have
to worry about whether he can depend on _me_ or not. What a match for the
both of them, him and my girl, maybe, if you know what I mean."
He spoke as if arrangements were complete. Overjoyed, the inter-
mediary did not bother to tell his sister what had happened, or to call on
the governor's wife. He went directly to the lieutenant. Everything was in
order, he said, describing the interview. The lieutenant was not at all
unhappy, though he thought it somewhat provincial to talk of buying a
ministry.
"And have you spoken to his wife? She's been dead set on marrying
me to the other girl. People will say I have bad manners. They may even
say I'm not honest." He was having brief doubts.
"Come, now. This Himegimi is her _real_ favorite. It's only that she
thought the oldest daughter should marry first, and so she aimed her in
your direction. You were a good solution to her problem."
It seemed a little odd to the lieutenant that the younger daughter
should suddenly have replaced Ukifune as the favorite. But it was better
to take the long view, even at a risk of having to endure the displeasure
of the mother and the reproaches of the world for a time. He was a practical
young man, and he quickly made up his mind. On the evening of the very
day that had been selected for his marriage to Ukifune he went to the
second daughter.
In ignorance of all this, the governor's wife was pushing ahead with
the arrangements. Her women were all decked out in nuptial finery and
their rooms were properly appointed, and she had seen to the needs of the
bride herself, washed her hair, helped her to dress. She was too good for
the lieutenant. Her father was dead, of course, but if he had recognized her
and she had grown up with her sisters, then it would not have been wholly
out of the question, though perhaps just a little presumptuous, to think of
marrying her to Kaoru. But the sad truth was that she would always be
looked down upon as an adopted daughter and a girl whose father had not
recognized her.
Enough of these thoughts. She was passing her prime, and here was
this man, from a not inconsiderable family, of not despicable rank, with
his solemn proposals. Keeping her own counsel, the mother had made her
decision. The intermediary was a skillful persuader, able to get around
even the governor; and it was not at all surprising that he should have
succeeded with a woman.
<P 943>
The hour was approaching. Mother and daughter were very busy.
In came the governor with a headlong account of what had happened.
"In that sneaky way of yours, you tried to take away my girl's hus-
band. What you need is a good long look at your place in the world. Don't
go thinking fine young gentlemen might be interested in that girl of yours.
My own may be ugly little things, but for some reason, I don't just know
what it is, men seem to like them better. You had your plans, and pretty
good ones too. He had different ones. If it was all the same, he said, he'd
like to have one of my girls, and I said yes."
It was a graceless description of the case and it took no account of his
wife's feelings.
She was stunned. She sat for a time on the verge of tears, recalling one
after another the cold, hard ways of the world. Abruptly, she got up and
left.
She went to Ukifune's room. The girl was charming, beautiful--a
superior girl, without question, despite what had happened. In tears, the
governor's wife told the nurse her story.
"Men are utterly cruel. I have always said to myself that I must have
no favorites among my sons-in-law, but I have known that I would give
up everything for the husband of this one. And look at him, throwing her
over because she has no father, taking a mere child in her place. He's
impossible. I do not want to be where I have to see him or hear his voice.
Just listen to them if you will--as if it were the greatest honor in the world.
They're a match for each other, that man and my good husband. I want
no part of it. I only wish that I could get out of this house."
The nurse was incensed. It was good of him to look down upon her
lady. "But there's nothing to carry on about. I say she's lucky this has
happened. If that's the sort of person he is, well, let's just say that he has
no taste. We'll wait for someone with good taste to come along. I had just
the quickest glimpse of the gentleman at Uji the other day, and it added
years to my life. If he says he's interested, well, all we have to do is let
things run their course."
"You're mad. Everyone says it takes the most extraordinary kind of
woman to interest him. Lord Yu~giri and Lord Ko~bai and Prince Hotaru all
went down on their knees, they say, and he sent them away and finally
got one of His Majesty's own daughters. I imagine he just thinks of putting
the child in his mother's service and seeing her now and then. It would be
a fine house to be in, of course, but I would worry even so. Everyone says
how lucky her sister is, and certainly she has her worries. The only man
you can trust is the man who is willing to make do with one wife. I know
that well enough from my own experience. The prince at Uji was a fine,
sensitive gentleman, but he treated me as if I were less than human. I can't
tell you how much I suffered. The governor is a complete boor and not at
all good-looking, but the years have gone quietly by because he has been
faithful to me. The sort of thing he did tonight isn't easy to live with, but
<P 944>
he has never given me reason to be jealous. When we have had our quarrels
they have been out in the open. All those grand houses, ministers and
princes and that sort of people--they may be so stylish they make you
dizzy. But a woman has to remember her place in the world. That's what
makes all the difference, and that's why I'm so sad for the poor child. I only
wish I could make her a match that people wouldn't laugh at."
The governor, busy with his own preparations, looked in upon them
once more. "You have all these pretty young things. Send them over to be
with my Himegimi. And I understand you have new bed curtains. We
haven't had much time, so we'll just make do with them."
Jumping up and sitting down and jumping up again, he directed the
operations. The rooms had been appointed in quiet good taste, but he had
screens brought in until they made solid walls, and vanities and cupboards
until they seemed to be fighting for space. He was very pleased with
himself. His wife had better taste, but she kept her peace, resolved not to
interfere. Ukifune had withdrawn to an inner room.
"I know you," he said. "Well, my girl is your girl too, and maybe you
could help just a little. But it doesn't matter. Plenty of girls get by without
mothers."
Himegimi's nurse had been at work since noonday, and the results
were not at all displeasing. Himegimi was fifteen or sixteen, small and
plump, with hair that trailed to the hems of her skirts and was thick and
luxuriant to the farthest edges. The governor was very proud of it.
"Maybe I should feel guilty about taking a man my wife had other
ideas about. But he's too good to let get away. The whole town's after him,
and someone might get him, and I wouldn't want that to happen." The
go-between had been very successful.
As for the lieutenant, his future seemed bright. The governor was
known to be very rich. Not even bothering to change the date, he made
his nuptial visit.
The mother and the nurse were outraged. Poor Ukifune was as good
as homeless.
And so the mother wrote to Nakanokimi, Prince Niou's wife: "I have
thought that It would be impertinent of me to approach you without good
reason, and so I have not written. Certain developments now make life
rather difficult for my daughter, and it seems advisable that she be away
from here for a time. If there were a place in your house where she could
hide, attracting the attention of no one, I should be very happy indeed. It
is not possible for an insignificant person like myself to see adequately to
her needs, and sad events do have a way in this world of piling one upon
another. I have no one to turn to except you."
She was in tears as she wrote. Nakanokimi was deeply moved, but in
a quandary. Would it be right for her, the guardian of his memory, to take
