o his chief. O'Iwa was completely taken
in. This friendly neutrality aroused her every grateful feeling. Said
Cho[u]zaemon--"Iemon is a coward. A _samurai_ beats neither woman nor
dog. If either are unfaithful to him, he kills the offender. Iemon's
conduct has been thoroughly bad. Before the reproaches of O'Iwa San,
beaten in argument he has retaliated by beating her to a jelly. Her face
bears the marks of his violence. As to her body, my wife answers for it
that it is a mass of bruises."--"Is that so?" said Kwaiba in deep
sympathy. O'Iwa burst into tears. Kwaiba fumed with rage--"Truly Iemon
is not a human being. He has the horns of a demon."

Then the priest Myo[u]zen, of the family temple, the Myo[u]gyo[u]ji of
Samegabashi,[25] appeared at the Samoncho[u] house. To him O'Iwa looked
for ghostly consolation against the ills of this world. Instead he
merely chanted the old refrain, harped on the scandal brought on
Samoncho[u] by the continued bickering of the married pair. Husband and
wife had mutual duty toward each other; but also there was a duty toward
their neighbours. Iemon was irreclaimable.... This stranger! O'Iwa San
should deign to take the active part herself; not afford this ill
spectacle and example to the ward. Like most parsons he was convinced by
the noise of his own voice, and spoke with the intense conviction of
long rehearsal. O'Iwa heard him out with a curious chill at heart. The
graves of her beloved _hotoke_ (departed ones) were in the cemetery of
Myo[u]gyo[u]ji. The temple had been one of the few generous features,
almost extravagances, of Matazaemon. It had profited greatly by his
donations. It was the honour of the House against the argument of the
priest and the convenience of the neighbours; and all because a bad man
had been brought into it. "What the revered _osho[u]_ (prebend) has said
reaches to the heart of this Iwa. Submission is to be an inspiration
from the revered _hotoke_. Iwa will seek their counsel." Baffled, the
priest left the house; veiled censure was on his lips; open disobedience
and contempt on the part of O'Iwa.

Said Kwaiba--"Cho[u]zaemon has failed. At least this Kwaiba has saved
his ten _ryo[u]_--and gained one object. Kondo[u] Dono, thanks for your
kind hospitality to O'Hana San. Do you propose to adopt her?" Kondo[u]
made an emphatic gesture of protest and dissent. He said--"At least
Kondo[u] has the security of goods and money for his generous
expenditures."--"Both of