Everyone was urging Tamakazura to become wardress of the ladies’ apartments, but she did not feel safe even from Genji, who had put himself in charge of her affairs. She feared that she would be helpless if untoward incidents were to arise at court and that she would be an embarrassment to the sister already there. She still did not know either of the two gentlemen, Genji or Tō no Chūjō, well enough to feel that she could count on him. The world did not hold her in such high esteem that it would refrain from laughing if irregularities were to be detected in her affairs. Everywhere she looked she saw difficulties. Old enough to be aware of all the implications, she felt completely alone.
It was true that Genji was treating her well enough, but the difficulties in her relations with him were enormous. She only hoped that she might emerge unscathed from arrangements that must seem very odd to everyone.
Out of deference to Genji, Tō no Chūjō did not seem prepared to assume paternal responsibilities. There were difficulties on both sides, and so it seemed that romantic tangles and gossip must be her lot. The fact that her real father now knew of her circumstances seemed to have released her foster father from his inhibitions and so made matters worse.
She had no mother to whom she might have revealed at least a part of her troubles. Genji and Tō no Chūjō were so grand and remote that they had little time for her. She was very beautiful indeed as she sat out near the veranda looking up into a sad evening sky, lost in thought about her remarkably complex problems. She was in light-gray mourning, her beauty the more striking for the want of color. Her women smiled with Pleasure.
Yūgiri came calling, very handsome in informal court robes of a somewhat deeper gray. The ribbons of his cap were tied up in sign of mourning. She had been friendly enough in the days when he had thought her his sister, and it did not seem right to be suddenly cool and distant. She received him at her curtains as before and dispensed with the services of an intermediary. He had been sent by Genji with a message from the emperor.
She was friendly but cautious, ladylike though mindful of her own interests. He had not forgotten the glimpse he had had of her the morning after the typhoon. At the time he had not thought it proper to be interested in her, but now the situation seemed to demand action. He could not understand why Genji wanted her to go to court. Perhaps her beauty was causing difficulties here at Rokujō.
He managed to hide his excitement. “I was informed that the matter must be considered highly confidential,” he said, looking pointedly at the women, who looked away as they withdrew behind curtains.
In great detail and very plausibly, he gave instructions from Genji which in fact he had made up. The emperor, he said, had intentions against which she must be on her guard. He thought her sighs charming, indeed irresistible, as she sought in vain for an answer.
“We were to come out of mourning this month, but it seems that examination of the almanacs did not yield an auspicious day. Father has said that he means to go to the river on the thirteenth and end his own mourning. I am to go along.”
“I think it would perhaps attract attention if I were to go with you. Perhaps I should arrange my own services, as quietly as possible.” She was being very careful indeed, not yet wanting to make public avowal of her reasons for having gone into mourning.
“You are too cautious. But I hate the thought myself of changing these dark clothes. They are reminders of a lady who was very dear to me. I must confess that I do not know why you are still living here. If you were not in mourning I might not know even now whose daughter you are.”
“I am not very quick at these things and I am sure that I am more puzzled than you are. Dark clothes do bring on sad thoughts.” She seemed more subdued than usual. She delighted him.
Perhaps thinking that there would not be another occasion to let her know of his interest, he had come provided with a fine bouquet of “purple trousers.”
“We may find in these flowers a symbol of the bond between us.” He pushed them under her curtains and caught at her sleeve as she reached for them.
“Dew-drenched purple trousers: I grieve as you do.
And long for the smallest hint that you understand.”
Was this his own hint that he hoped for a union at “journey’s end?” Not wanting to show her displeasure openly, she pretended that she did not understand and withdrew a little deeper into the room.
“It grew, if you ask, in the dews of a distant moor.
That purple is false which tells of anything nearer.
“I think perhaps this conversation will mark our nearest approach.”
He smiled, “You are a lady of discrimination. The fact is that I have held myself back because I feared full knowledge of the truth would make you more difficult. The truth is that not even the august summons to court has been enough to quell my ardor. Perhaps I should follow the suggestion of the channel buoys.
“Did you know that Kashiwagi was interested in you? And can you have thought that his interest did not interest me? Now that our positions are reversed I feel quite powerless, and rather envious of him, free to see you for a friendly talk whenever he wishes. Do at least pity me.”
He said a great deal more, but of such a questionable nature that I shall not try to describe it.
She withdrew yet further into the room.
“This is very unfriendly of you. You must know that I am not a man to do anything rash.” Though he had not finished, she said that she was not feeling well and withdrew. With many a deep sigh he left.
He was beginning to fear that he had overreached himself. What a pleasure, he thought wistfully as he went to Genji’s rooms, if even through curtains he might hear the voice of the lady more beautiful even than Tamakazura.
“I rather think,” said Genji, “that Prince Hotaru was making progress. He is a very experienced man and he seems to have pleaded his case very eloquently. In any event, she had not been enthusiastic about going to court. And so he is to be disappointed? A pity; but that glimpse of His Majesty seems to have changed her mind completely. A glimpse is enough be so when I made these arrangements for her.”
“Which of the two solutions would best fit her temperament? I wonder. Her Majesty has no real competition for His Majesty’s affections, and the other lady is in a very strong position because of her father. I really doubt very much that Tamakazura can make enough of an impression on His Majesty to join in the competition. Prince Hotaru does seem to be very much drawn to her, and people are saying what a pity it would be if anything were to come between two brothers as close as you and he. They expect him to be very disappointed indeed even if she does not become one of the ladies of the bedchamber.” These were very mature remarks from so young a gentleman.
“It is very difficult. Higekuro seems to be annoyed with me too, quite as if her arrangements were mine to make. Her life is very complicated and I thought I should do what I could for her. And the result is that I am unjustly reproached by both of them. I should have been more careful. I could not forget her mother’s last request, and one day I heard that she was off in the far provinces. When she said that her father refused to listen to her troubles, I had to feel sorry for her and offer to help her. I think her father is finally beginning to treat her like a human being because of the interest I have taken in her.” It was a consistent enough account of what had happened.
“I think she might make my brother a good wife,” he continued. “She is a lively, modern sort of girl, much too clever to make any serious mistakes. They would get on very well together, I am sure. And on the other hand she seems beautifully qualified for service at court. She is pretty and efficient and even-tempered and well informed in matters of ceremony and precedent — exactly what His Majesty is looking for.”
Yūgiri wished to probe further. “People seem a little curious about your reasons for being so good to her. Even her father hinted to a messenger from General Higekuro at what he thought might be your deeper reasons.”
Genji smiled. “People imagine too much. I shall defer entirely to her father’s wishes. I shall be quite happy if he sends her to court, and if he finds a husband for her that will be splendiettoo. A woman must obey three men in her life, and it would not do for her to get the order wrong.”
“Someone I know was saying the other day that Tō no Chūjō is filled with secret admiration at the way you have arranged things. You have several ladies whose place in your life cannot be challenged, he seems to be thinking, and it would not do to add to their number at this late date; and so you mean to get her an appointment at court and still keep her for yourself.” He could not have been accused of indirection. he So matters would doubtless seem to Tō no Chūjō. Genji was sorry tha............