[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
fear of the recent high tides.
Genji now took up his quarters with the priest in this seaside
mansion. The first thing he did when he felt a little settled was to write to
the capital, and tell his friends of his change of residence. The priest was
about sixty years old, and was very sincere in his religious service. The
only subject of anxiety which he felt was, as we have already mentioned,
the welfare of his daughter. When Genji became thoroughly settled he
often joined the priest, and spent hours in conversing with him. The latter,
from his age and experience, was full of information and anecdotes, many
of which were quite new to Genji, but the narration of them seemed always
to turn upon his daughter.
April had now come. The trees began to be clothed with a thick shade
of leaves, which had a peculiar novelty of appearance, differing from that
of the flowers of spring, or the bright dyes of autumn. The Kuina (a
particular bird of summer) commenced their fluttering. The furniture and
dresses were changed for those more suitable to the time of year. The
comfort of the house was most agreeable. It was on one of these evenings
that the surface of the broad ocean spread before the eye was unshadowed
by the clouds, and the Isle of Awaji floated like foam on its face, just as it
185
Tale of Genji
appeared to do at Suma. Genji took out his favorite Kin, on which he had
not practised for some time, and was playing an air called Kôriô, when
the priest joined him, having left for awhile his devotions, and said that his
music recalled to his mind the old days and the capital which he had
quitted so long. He sent for a biwa (mandolin)119 and a Soh-koto from the
hillside mansion, and, after the fashion of a blind singer of ballads to the
biwa, played two or three airs.
He then handed the Soh-koto to Genji, who also played a few tunes,
saying, as he did so, in a casual manner, This sounds best when played
upon by some fair hand. The priest smiled, and rejoined: What better
hand than yours need we wish to hear playing; for my part, my poor skill
has been transmitted to me, through three generations, from the royal hand
of the Emperor Yenghi, though I now belong to the past; but, occasionally,
when my loneliness oppresses me, I indulge in my old amusement, and
there is one who, listening to my strains, has learnt to imitate them so well
that they resemble those of the Emperor Yenghi himself. I shall be very
happy, if you desire, to find an opportunity for you to hear them. bold! I
did not know I was among proficients, and continued, From olden time
the Soh-koto was peculiarly adopted by female musicians. The fifth
daughter of the Emperor Saga, from whom she had received the secret, was
a celebrated performer, but no one of equal skill succeeded her. Of course
there are several players, but these merely strike or strum on the
instrument; but in this retreat there is a skilful hand. How delightful it will
be.
If you desire to hear, there is no difficulty. I will introduce her to
you. She also plays the biwa very well. The biwa has been considered from
olden time very difficult to master, and I am proud of her doing so.
In this manner the priest led the conversation to his own daughter,
while fruit and saké were brought in for refreshment. He then went on
talking of his life since he first came to the coast of Akashi, and of his
devotion to religion, for the sake of future happiness, and also out of
solicitude for his daughter. He continued: Although I feel rather awkward
in saying it, I am almost inclined to think your coming to this remote
vicinity has something providential in it, as an answer, as it were, to our
earnest prayers, and it may give you some consolation and pleasure. The
119
The biwa more than any other instrument, is played by blind performers, who
accompany it with ballads.
186
Exile at Akashi
reason why I think so is this it is nearly eighteen years since we began to
pray for the blessing of the God Sumiyoshi on our daughter, and we have
sent her twice a year, in spring and autumn, to his temple. At the six-time
service,120 also, the prayers for my own repose on the lotus flower,121 are
only secondary to those which I put up for the happiness of my daughter.
My father, as you may know, held a good office in the capital, but I am
now a plain countryman, and if I leave matters in their present state, the
status of my family will soon become lower and lower. Fortunately this girl
was promising from her childhood, and my desire was to present her to
some distinguished personage in the capital, not without disappointment
to many suitors, and I have often told her that if my desire is not fulfilled
she had better throw herself into the sea.
Such was the tedious discourse which the priest held on the subject of
his family affairs; yet it is not surprising that it awakened an interest in the
susceptible mind of Genji for the fair maiden thus described as so
promising. The priest at last, in spite of the shyness and reserve of the
daughter, and the unwillingness of the mother, conducted Genji to the hill-
side mansion, and introduced him to the maiden. In the course of time they
gradually became more than mere acquaintances to each other. For some
time Genji often found himself at the hill-side mansion, and her society
appeared to afford him greater pleasure than anything else, but this did not
quite meet with the approval of his conscience, and the girl in the mansion
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]