e a cause of trouble and grief for others. With this frail body, I
could not be a good wife; and therefore even to wish to live, for your
sake, would be a very selfish wish. I am quite resigned to die; and I
want you to promise that you will not grieve... Besides, I want to tell
you that I think we shall meet again."...

"Indeed we shall meet again," Nagao answered earnestly. "And in that
Pure Land (2) there will be no pain of separation."

"Nay, nay!" she responded softly, "I meant not the Pure Land. I believe
that we are destined to meet again in this world,--although I shall be
buried to-morrow."

Nagao looked at her wonderingly, and saw her smile at his wonder. She
continued, in her gentle, dreamy voice,--

"Yes, I mean in this world,--in your own present life, Nagao-Sama...
Providing, indeed, that you wish it. Only, for this thing to happen, I
must again be born a girl, and grow up to womanhood. So you would have
to wait. Fifteen--sixteen years: that is a long time... But, my
promised husband, you are now only nineteen years old."...

Eager to soothe her dying moments, he answered tenderly:--

"To wait for you, my betrothed, were no less a joy than a duty. We are
pledged to each other for the time of seven existences."

"But you doubt?" she questioned, watching his face.

"My dear one," he answered, "I doubt whether I should be able to know
you in another body, under another name,--unless you can tell me of a
sign or token."

"That I cannot do," she said. "Only the Gods and the Buddhas know how
and where we shall meet. But I am sure--very, very sure--that, if you
be not unwilling to receive me, I shall be able to come back to you...
Remember these words of mine."...

She ceased to speak; and her eyes closed. She was dead.

* * *

Nagao had been sincerely attached to O-Tei; and his grief was deep. He
had a mortuary tablet made, inscribed with her zokumyo; [1] and he
placed the tablet in his butsudan, [2] and every day set offerings
before it. He thought a great deal about the strange things that O-Tei
had said to him just before her death; and, in the hope of pleasing her
spirit, he wrote a solemn promise to wed her if she could ever return
to him in another body. This written promise he sealed with his seal,
and placed in the butsudan beside the mortuary tablet of O-Tei.

Nevertheless, as Nagao was an only son, it was necessary that he should
marry. He soon found himself obliged to yield to