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had the strange experience of being called upon to tie the girdle of his daughter’s dress without having yet exchanged a single word with her. ‘I have not yet publicly announced that you are her father,’ whispered Genji, ‘so please behave as though you were standing Sponsor to her as my friend.’ ‘You need not worry about that,’ whispered Tō no Chūjō in reply; ‘it will be difficult enough under the best of circumstances suddenly to begin addressing her as my daughter, and at the present minute . . .’ While the tankard was going round he added: ‘I am so overwhelmed by the splendour of to-day’s proceedings and the trouble which you have evidently taken to make them a success, that I feel it would be ungrateful of me to ask why I was not taken into your confidence before. But you will admit, I am sure, that it would be strange if I were not somewhat puzzled. . . .’ Genji made no reply.

Most of the Royal Princes were waiting in the ante-room, among them several of Tamakatsura’s suitors, who were curious to know why the two Ministers were so long in reappearing from behind the screen. Of Tō no Chūjō’s sons, only the two eldest, Kashiwagi and Kōbai, had been let into the secret. Their feelings about the matter were necessarily somewhat mixed; for with the disappointment of finding that Tamakatsura was their sister was mingled a feeling of intense relief that their courtship had hitherto remained secret. ‘I may tell you,’ whispered Kōbai, leaning across to Kashiwagi, ‘that I have had a very lucky escape. I was on the point of giving myself away over this. But as it is, I don’t think any one knows about it.’ ‘ There’s something very odd about Genji,’ whispered Kashiwagi in reply. ‘This is really the second time that he has adopted a girl apparently because he had himself taken a fancy to her, and has then pressed her into the arms of any one who cared to take her. . . .’