e maid.

It was this she was hungry to hear.

"How do you know? Did he tell you?"

"No. But he wears stockings, not tabi. All soldiers do."

"Well, you suspicious little beast, what has that got to do with his
wife?"

"I wash them."

"Well?"

"There are no darns."

"Oh! What then?"

"Holes."

"Isonna," said her mistress, solemnly, "I believe that you are as wise
as you say you are! But, then, how do you suppose he learns it?"

"From you!"

"Am I so dreadful?"

"I have observed you giving those touches."

"He will hate me."

"Hate is not in the direction he is going," said the wise maid.

Hoshiko could have endured more of this ecstasy. But it was very late,
and Arisuga had the soldier's habit of early rising. Moreover, the first
thing he was wont to do when he rose was to clap his hands, in that way,
and call for his earth-angel. So she said to Isonna:--

"You have been a naughty, impertinent, gossiping little beast. Put me to
bed."

Yet, when this had been done the mistress embraced the maid and would
hardly let her go.

"What a shame it is that one must sleep when one might talk of him! But,
then, if one does not, one is hideous in the morning! And he calls the
moment he wakes. Put out the lights and go to bed! I will listen to you
no longer!"

Isonna had not spoken. But she did as she was commanded.

"Isonna!" the mistress called after the maid--who instantly returned--"I
have had such a thought! Suppose he should never know! Suppose I should
go to some place with him where there is no one who had ever known me?
Marry him?"

"I should be there."

"You! Not unless I should first cut out your gossiping tongue!"

"It would be wrong. The gods must punish you!"

"How would the gods know? I should lie to them also."

"It would be very wrong," the maid repeated. "The only woman who
deceives a man--"

"Is his _wife_, you naughty little beast! Go straight to bed! I hate
you!"

ONLY TO TAKE HER

XIII

ONLY TO TAKE HER

It happened precisely as the wise maid had said. He did not go, but, on
the contrary, protracted his recovery in a scandalous fashion.

For here it was that Arisuga began to suspect, for the second time, that
the happiest moment of his life had come. If he had known that he was in
love, as he did not, or that there was such a thing as this love he was
experiencing, which he did not, he would have been more certain of that
happiest moment. But a Japanes