"  It  is  the  governor  who  made  shameful  proposals
to  me.    I  did  nothing."

"Silence,  girl!"  interrupted  Tokuy6mon.    "I


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KATSUGORO'S  REVENGE  301

am  aware  of  everything.  The  best  thing  for  you
to  do,  is  to  apologize  to  his  honour  at  once.  Sir
Mizoguchi,  it  is  a  great  disgrace  to  a  samurai  to
be  thrown  down  by  a  beggar  woman.  I  think  it
is  advisable  for  you  to  forgive  this  woman,  and
take  your  immediate  departure."

"Well,"  said  the  governor,  softened  by  Toku-
y6mon's  advice,  "as  her  rudeness  was  caused  by
her  passion  for  me,  I  am  almost  inclined  to  pity
her.  Tokuy6mon,  I  leave  this  matter  to  you.
Advise  this  beggar  never  to  repeat  such  rudeness
again.  When  one  possesses  such  a  handsome
countenance  as  I  do,  it  is  sometimes  apt  to  prove
rather  a  curse.  Yai,  you  virago !  You  should  not
f aU  in  love  with  every  attractive  man  who  passes
here."

With  these  words  the  governor  strutted  away.
The  old  man  ai)proached  Hatsuhana  to  console
her.
"I  at  once  recognized  the  true  state  of  affairs,"
he  said,  "but  it  wotild  be  useless  for  you  to  dispute
with  a  daihvan,  so  I  purposely  decided  in  his
favour,-  and  managed  to  persuade  him  to  leave  you.
My  intentions  were  entirely  for  your  benefit.
Do  not  misunderstand  me."


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302  OLD  JAPANESE  DRAMAS

Hatsuhana's  feelings  were  pacified,  and  she
thanked  the  old  man  for  his  kindness.  A  few
minutes  afterwards  KatsugorO  crawled  out  of  the
hovel,  and  thanked  him  heartily.  Tokuy6mon
was  a  kind-hearted  man,  and  had  always  entirely
sympathized  with  KatsugorO  and  his  wife,  and
aided  them  to  the  best  of  his  ability.
