and ushered into a big
empty room, absolutely empty! The paper walls are mounted on sliding
panels, which fitting into each other, can be made to disappear
entirely,--and all one side of the apartment opens like a verandah on
to the green country and the gray sky beyond. By way of a chair, I am
given a square piece of black velvet, and behold me seated low, in the
middle of this large empty room, which by its very vastness is almost
chilly. The two little women (who are the servants of the house and my
very humble servants too), await my orders, in attitudes expressive of
the profoundest humility.

* * * * *

It seemed extraordinary that the quaint words, the curious phrases I
had learnt during our exile at the Pescadores Islands--by sheer dint
of dictionary and grammar book, without attaching the least sense to
them--should mean anything. But so it seemed, however, for I was at
once understood.

* * * * *

I wish in the first place to speak to one M. Kangourou, who is
interpreter, washerman, and matrimonial agent. Nothing could be
better: they know him and will go at once in search of him; and the
elder of the waiting-maids gets ready for the purpose her wooden clogs
and her paper umbrella.

Next I demand a well-served repast, composed of the greatest
delicacies of Japan. Better and better, they rush to the kitchen to
order it.

Finally, I beg they will give tea and rice to my djin, who is waiting
for me below;--I wish, in short, I wish many things, my dear little
dollies, which I will mention by degrees and with due deliberation,
when I shall have had time to assemble the necessary words. But, the
more I look at you the more uneasy I feel as to what my _fiancee_ of
to-morrow may be like. Almost pretty, I grant you, you are,--in virtue
of quaintness, delicate hands, miniature feet, but ugly after all, and
absurdly small. You look like ouistitis, like little china ornaments,
like I don't know what. I begin to understand that I have arrived at
this house at an ill-chosen moment. Something is going on which does
not concern me, and I feel that I am in the way.

From the beginning I might have guessed as much, notwithstanding the
excessive politeness of my welcome; for I remember now, that while
they were taking off my boots downstairs, I heard a murmuring chatter
overhead, then a noise of panels moved quickly along their grooves,
evidently to hide fro