urns to ice. No
more! No more! Away!" But the Sho[u]nin held firm. Surrounded by the
jibing menacing mass of spirits, steadily and without fear he hung on to
his scroll, read the _sutra_, intoned the _nembutsu_. One by one his
company stole away; as did the spectres with approaching dawn.

He did not reproach his flock. Said the prior to the shamed assembly--by
daylight: "Surely this is a very difficult undertaking. This curse of
the dead is no ordinary one. It is a soul without light, of some highly
debauched sinner, of some woman vowed to eternal hate. Deep the
malignancy; but deeper yet the efficacy of Mida's vow. Seven nights will
do it. Let all make every effort." He looked around, with trace of
gentle rebuke--"We are men who have left the world (_shukke_). Why then
fear the dead; when ye are part and parcel of them? Perhaps greater
company is needed." He sought it from his fellow priors. From Shiba to
Asakusa they swarmed. With fifty, with seventy, with a hundred and
seventy priests, all reciting the _Sutra_, intoning the _nembutsu_, the
noise and confusion rose high above the sound of storm and spectre.
Sleep was banished far and wide thereabouts. But this could not last.
"One, two, three, four...." with the counting of the plates the chilling
heart rending shriek, the wail of the unhappy girl, the stoutest
volunteers quailed and with their hands shut out the spectral vision.
These volunteers disappeared with the second week of recitation entered
on by the Sho[u]nin. Even his own band began to fail him. They sent
substitutes, in the shape of the temple servants, the lowest grade, the
Shoke Sama. When a third week was announced, as sure to accomplish the
exorcism, there was open rebellion. It was with sadness and admiration
that the Sho[u]nin saw his band thus reduced to a few faithful men, the
oldest of his flock, almost as old as himself--and these deaf, blind,
and almost dumb. "Ah! It is a tremendous affair. Deep the malignancy of
this curse. This foolish priest has overrated his reputation with the
Buddha. Great the discredit to the sect and temple at the wide heralded
failure." He felt as ill and out of sorts away from the presence of the
vision, as did his disciples in its presence. He was old and foolish and
over-confident.

The prior slept on his cushion, his robes still wet with the storm and
rain of the previous night. Then came a woman, dressed in sombre garb.
Approaching the sleeping priest she wrote