cuted by request of the Buddhist priests of Nanto,
against whom he had formerly waged war by order of Kiyomori.]

She rose, and sliding back the screens parting the guest-room from
the adjoining chamber, ushered them to their sleeping apartment. Then,
with many words of joy and congratulation, she withdrew; and It[=o]
was left alone with his bride.

As they reposed together, It[=o] said:--

"Tell me, my loved one, when was it that you first wished to have me
for your husband."

(For everything appeared so real that he had almost ceased to think of
the illusion woven around him.)

She answered, in a voice like a dove's voice:--

"My august lord and husband, it was at the temple of Ishiyama, where
I went with my foster-mother, that I saw you for the first time. And
because of seeing you, the world became changed to me from that hour
and moment. But you do not remember, because our meeting was not in
this, your present life: it was very, very long ago. Since that time
you have passed through many deaths and births, and have had many
comely bodies. But I have remained always that which you see me now:
I could not obtain another body, nor enter into another state of
existence, because of my great wish for you. My dear lord and husband,
I have waited for you through many ages of men."

And the bridegroom felt nowise afraid at hearing these strange words,
but desired nothing more in life, or in all his lives to come, than to
feel her arms about him, and to hear the caress of her voice.

* * * * *

But the pealing of a temple-bell proclaimed the coming of dawn. Birds
began to twitter; a morning breeze set all the trees a-whispering.
Suddenly the old nurse pushed apart the sliding screens of the
bridal-chamber, and exclaimed:--

"My children, it is time to separate! By daylight you must not be
together, even for an instant: that were fatal! You must bid each
other good-by."

Without a word, It[=o] made ready to depart. He vaguely understood
the warning uttered, and resigned himself wholly to destiny. His will
belonged to him no more; he desired only to please his shadowy bride.

She placed in his hands a little _suzuri_, or ink-stone, curiously
carved, and said:--

"My young lord and husband is a scholar; therefore this small gift
will probably not be despised by him. It is of strange fashion because
it is old, having been augustly bestowed upon my father by the favor
of the Empero