ng"--he
halted speech for a moment, then coldly--"give her lizard to eat. A
diviner, doubtless Iemon San knows Kondo[u] Rokuro[u]bei by this time.
He will never prejudice the man who holds in his hands the purse of the
Tamiya. Iemon San and O'Iwa San are left alone. Good luck to you,
honoured Sir, in the encounter. In this Cho[u]bei a counsellor and
friend always is to be found; and one by no means lacking experience of
the world. As for the woman, she is your wife; one to take charge of the
house and affairs of Iemon Dono is to hand. No other _rusu_[18] could be
found so earnest in duty and so cheap, as O'Iwa San. Take a concubine.
This Cho[u]bei will purchase one for you; such a one as will be the
object of envy and desire to the whole of young Edo. His opportunities
in that line are exceptional. Come! To turn on the lights. On our part
at least there is nothing to conceal." Iemon did not pay attention to
the hint. The one thought harassing him must out--"lop-sided and--a
leper!" He spoke with despair and conviction, eyes fastened on
Cho[u]bei, and such a frightened look that even Cho[u]bei had pity. One
foot in the room he turned back. "That is not so--absolutely." Iemon
could not disbelieve the earnest testimony. Said Cho[u]bei--"The wounds
of smallpox were no trivial ones. In healing the scars were such in
places as form over burns. Hence the shining surface. Positively there
is no leprous taint in Tamiya." He was gratified by the sigh which came
from Iemon, sign of the immense weight lifted off the young man's mind.
"Bah! leave things to the future, and--enjoy the present. O'Iwa cannot
grow ugly with age. So much is gained. What difference will her looks
make to Iemon thirty years hence? She is a woman. Make a child on her.
Then you are free to turn elsewhere."

At once he began to place lights everywhere, as a sign to Kondo[u] that
all was well. This worthy came forward with other guests, to
congratulate the Tamiya House on being once more in young and vigorous
hands. It was Iemon himself who gave the signal to retire. How matters
went alone with his bride has reference to one of those occasions over
which the world draws the veil of decency. In the morning O'Iwa arose
early to attend to the matutinal needs of her spouse. The ablutions
performed, Iemon sat down to tea, as exquisite and exquisitely served as
in any dream in literature of how such ceremony of the opening day
should be performed. Then the morning me