At  length  we  got  as  far  as  inspecting  models.
The  heirlooms  of  the  household,  ancient  books  of
poetry,  each  tied  up  in  a  separate  pocket  handker-
chief, were  brought,  and  at  length  we  got  down  to
details.  A  delicate  silky  rice  paper  was  pro-
nounced quite  the  thing  for  a  work  of  such  poetical
importance  to  be  printed  on.  It  was  decided  that
the  book  should  have  its  leaves  bound  with  the
142


JAPANESE   BOOKS

edges  inwards,  like  a  Japanese  book.  Then  it  was
thought  that  the  pages  should  be  decorated  with
a  conventional  design.  "  What  conventional
design?"  I  asked.  That  depended  on  the  subject
of  the  poem.  I  gave  the  foreman  an  outline  of
the  story,  of  the  wrongs  of  the  United  Empire
loyahsts  at  the  hands  of  successful  revolters  from
the  United  States,  and  of  their  sufferings  in  the
first  winter,  when  they  went  to  found  new  com-
munities in  Canada.  1  do  not  know  what  form  it
took  in  the  translation,  but  the  head  decided  that
the  proper  emblematic  device  for  decorating  the
pages  was  water.  I  inquired  what  form  water
took,  and  found  that  it  was  a  sort  of  Cambridge
blue  worm,  wriggling.  I  decided  that  accuracy
would  have  to  be  sacrificed  to  the  effect  upon  the
undiscerning  European  mind,  and  various  other
suggestions  were  made,  until  my  eye  fell  upon  the
dish  of  maple  leaves  which  had  been  brought  in
for  us  to  eat.  Why  not  have  these  ?  T  asked.  The
maple  is  the  badge  of  Canada.  I  forget  why  they
were  not  right,  but  I  determined  to  have  them.
