u not very much
out of tone?"

_Yoshi_--"At night it came. Moreover it appeared twice."

_Friend_--"Did it appear?"

_Yoshi_--"At first it was seated on the stair. The second time it was
inside the necessary."

_Friend_--"Hei! That is marvellous. Probably it is the work of fox or
badger (_tanuki_)."

This talk abruptly terminated. Tsutayoshi was a bold fine fellow.
Unmoved, he retired to his own home in the Yoshiwara. After that nothing
was seen for several days. Just as he was forcing a way into the
theatre--

_Man_--"Yoshi San! At the Bairin (Plum Tree) over the way is the master
of Otowaya. He is urgent to see you; so he says. It will be well to go
at once."

_Yoshi_--"Was he told I was here?"

_Man_--"Ah!"

_Yoshi_--"How annoying! The Otawaya San has lent me money. _Do[u]mo!_ A
meeting, 'tis bad news."

_Man_--"As nothing was said about it--go. Surely the return of the loan
is not involved."

_Yoshi_--"It's not to be avoided. I'll go and see."

Opposite to the theatre was the tea house called the "Bairin." He went
in.

_Yoshi_--"Good-day."

_Maid_--"Oya! Yoshi San. As the master of Otowaya is waiting upstairs
for you, just condescend to go up."

_Yoshi_--"Ah! Is that so? Condescend to pardon."

Don, don, he climbed the stairs. At the end of a six-mat room was a man
fanning himself. He was alone. It was Kikugoro[u], the third of the
name. He had been noted as a handsome man. However, at this time he was
an old man. The white summer garb of that very fine quality of
cloth-grass known as _jo[u]fu_ was girded in by a _chakenjo[u] obi_.[46]
Of his profession there was not a hint.

_Kikugoro[u]_--"Sa! Yoshi San, come here, please."

_Yoshi_--"The patron: _do[u]mo_! truly it has been rude not to come and
see you. I have not crossed the threshold."

_Kikugoro[u]_--"Iya! Why speak so? You now live in the Yoshiwara."

_Yoshi_--"That is so; for a long time I lived in Fukiyacho[u]. The
neighbourhood was a bad one. I had borrowed money. It was like running
away in the night. A one-time brothel now the rent is ridiculously
cheap. _Mikoshi_ (carriages) are kept in it now."

_Kikugoro[u]_--"The Yoshiwara is a gay place. For people who would amuse
themselves there is none superior. It is an excellent locality."

_Yoshi_--"One can find whatever is desired."

_Kikugoro[u]_--"So Yoshi San, now you live alone."

_Yoshi_--"Hai! I'm alone."

_Kikugoro[u]_--"I've just heard the talk of people. A ghost app