Tadayuki  felt  quite  convinced  she  was  a  lunatic,
and  felt  extremely  loth  to  let  her  in  ;  but,  arguing
that  she  woul  i  probably  not  go  away  without
seeing  him,  lie  reluctantly  opened  the  door  and
admitted  her,  saying  :

[304]


3!fic  I'unatii;.
"My  pain:  is  Wanibuchi,  what  do  you  want
with  me?"

T n.- toad  of  replying  the  old  woman  came  close
up  to  him,  fixe  1  her  deepset,  piercing  eyes  upon
him,  u-ul  then  covering  her  fac^  with  both  her
luvids,  began  to  cry  like  a  child.  Dumbfounded
at  this  behaviour  Ta  layuki  knew  not  what  to  say.
K..T  a  while  he  watched  her,  noticing  how  she  seem-
ed to  shrink  and  wither,  1'ke  some  ol  1  tree,  ben-
eath her  sobs  ;  then  he  spoke:  "What  is  the  matter
wit'i  you?  What  is  it  you  have  to  say  to  me."

At  the  sound  or  his  voice  the  sobs  ceased.
The  old  woman  drew  herself  up  and,  in  a  threaten-
ing voice,  e:xclaimed  :

"  You  know,  you   rascal  !  "

"  What ! "

''  You  great  scoundrel !  You  it  is,  who  should,
have  gone  to  prison  instead  of  our  Masayuki —
such  a  dut'ful  son!  Who  was  our  a-icjstor?
A  dweller  in  the  Province  of  Kai  Shingen  Ta'-ceda,
a  monk  as  well  as  a  knight?  Daizen  no  Dayj
by  cffice!  Who  \\illmarryaman,  whose  family
is  sure  to  be  ruined  because  he  has  been  deceived
by  a  scoundrel?  If  Su-c'ia\  of  the  Kaslmvais
would  marry  him,  ho\v  happy  I  should  be  !  How
happy  Masayuki  would  b-!  Invents  may  leaVJ
i  -05  ]


demon.
