three months,
as it is for the maternal side; and on the last day of December her
dress was changed. As she, however, had been always brought up under
the care of her grandmother, her indebtedness to the latter was not to
be held lightly; consequently any bright colors were not advisable for
her, so she wore plain scarlet, mauve, and light yellow, without
trimmings or ornament on them.

The dawn ushered in the New Year's day. Genji was about to leave his
mansion to attend the New Year's _levee_. Just before starting, he
came into Violet's room to see her.

"How are you? Are you becoming less childish now?" said he, with a
smile to the girl who was playing with her Hina (toys).

"I am trying to mend this. Inuki damaged it when he was playing what
he called 'driving out devils,'"[72] replied the girl.

"What carelessness! I will soon get it mended for you. Don't cry this
day, please," said Genji, and he went off, the maidens who attended on
Violet accompanying him to the door. This example was also followed by
Violet herself.

She went back again to her toys, and presented a toy prince, whom she
called Genji, at the Court of her toy house. Shionagon was beside her.
She said:--

"You might really be a little more womanly, as the Prince told you.
How very childish! a girl older than ten always playing with toys!"

Violet said nothing; but she seemed, for the first time, to have
become aware that she was expected to be a woman in the course of
time.

From the Court, Genji went to the mansion of Sadaijin. Lady Aoi was as
cool to him as ever. His persuasive eloquence availed him but little.
She was older than Genji by four years, and was as cold and stately in
her mien as ever. Her father, however, received him joyfully whenever
he called, although he was not always satisfied with the
capriciousness of his son-in-law.

The next morning Genji rose early, and was arranging his toilet, with
a view of making his New Year's visits, when Sadaijin entered the
room, and officiously assisted him in putting on his dress, except,
perhaps, his boots. He, moreover, had brought him a belt mounted with
rare jewels, and requested him to wear it.

Genji observed: "Such a belt is more suited for some special
occasion--such as a Royal banquet, or the like." But Sadaijin insisted
on his putting it on, telling him that for that sort of occasion he
possessed a much more valuable one.

These New Year's visits were only paid to the Em