tide
That rolls about the sea-beat sand,
Say, can the tender weed untried,
Be trusted to its boisterous hand?"

Meanwhile the girl, who was with her companions in her apartment, and
who was told that a gentleman in Court dress had arrived, and that
perhaps it was the Prince, her father, came running in, saying,
"Shionagon, where is the gentleman in Court dress; has the Prince, my
father, arrived?"

"Not the Prince, your father," uttered Genji, "but I am here, and I
too am your friend. Come here!"

The girl, glancing with shy timidity at Genji, for whom she already
had some liking, and thinking that perhaps there was impropriety in
what she had spoken, went over to her nurse, and said, "Oh! I am very
sleepy, and wish to lie down!"

"See how childish she still is," remarked Shionagon.

"Why are you so timid, little one, come here and sleep on my knees,"
said Genji.

"Go, my child, as you are asked," observed Shionagon, and she pushed
her towards Genji.

Half-unconsciously she took her place by his side. He pushed aside a
small shawl which covered her hair, and played with her long tresses,
and then he took her small hand in his. "Ah, my hand!" cried she, and
drawing it back, she ran into a neighboring room. Genji followed her,
and tried to coax her out of her shyness, telling her that he was one
of her best friends, and that she was not to be so timid.

By this time darkness had succeeded to the beautiful evening, and hail
began to fall.

"Close the casement, it is too fearful, I will watch over you this
evening," said Genji, as he led the girl away, to the great surprise
of Shionagon and others who wondered at his ease in doing this.

By and by she became sleepy, and Genji, as skilfully as any nurse
could, removed all her outer clothing, and placed her on the couch to
sleep, telling her as he sat beside her, "some day you must come with
me to some beautiful palace, and there you shall have as many pictures
and playthings as you like." Many other similar remarks he added to
arrest her attention and to please her.

Her fears gradually subsided, and as she kept looking on the handsome
face of Genji, and taking notice of his kindness, she did not fall
asleep for some time.

When the night was advanced, and the hailstorm had passed away, Genji
at last took his departure. The temperature now suddenly changed, and
the hail was lying white upon the grass. "Can it be," thought he,
"that I am leav