etted his display of temper. It
was in the necessities of other trades that he found the material of his
own, and flourished.

In plain terms Kazaguruma Cho[u]bei was a pimp for the Yoshiwara and
kindred quarters. His other occupations were mere channels accessory to
this main business. Hence his seasons of increase and decline. Just now
he was in a period of decline. His eagerness in this Tamiya affair was
sharpened. Pushing his way through the Kuramae of Asakusa suddenly a
hopeful light came into his eye. Abruptly he made his way to the side of
the roadway. Here boarding covered the ditch, removing the occupant of a
booth erected thereon, and would-be clients, from the passing stream of
humanity. There was a table in the booth, and on it were several books,
a vessel containing water, brushes (_fude_), scrolls for writing, and a
box containing divining sticks. It was the stand of a strolling
fortune-teller. At the time the occupant was engaged in gathering
together his professional apparatus, with the evident purpose to decamp.
Cho[u]bei did not delay in accosting him. "Ah! The Sensei;[16] Kazuma
Uji finds the day too hot to pry into the future. Does the Sensei leave
his clients to their fate, or have the clients abandoned the Sensei?
Deign to come along with Cho[u]bei. Perhaps he, too, can tell fortunes.
At all events the wife has been forewarned; the bath is ready. It will
put life into both of us." The young man laughed and hastened his
operations, nodding assent--"Thanks are felt, Cho[u]bei San. Indeed this
Kazuma has but to continue the art of prophecy if he would foretell his
own fate. No one will buy the future when money is so needed for the
present. Besides this is a pleasure ground. Men have no hankering to
learn of possible worse luck than being here. All the fools have
died--except their prophet." He shouldered his scanty apparatus, and
with rapid stride the two men pushed their way up the crowded street
toward the great gate of the temple. In his haste Cho[u]bei yet had time
to eye, from time to time, his companion, always gaining encouragement
from the palpable seediness made more plain by a handsome person. The
two were neighbours in a house-row (_nagaya_) of the Hanagawado[u], that
poverty-stricken district along the river close to the great amusement
ground, and furnishing those who perform its baser tasks. On arrival
Cho[u]bei called out--"O'Taki! O'Taki! The bath, is it ready? The
Sensei, Kazuma San,