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The Diary of Murasaki Shikibu Part 3 · Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan

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Section six of Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan. This is a LibriVox
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recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
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to volunteer, please visit librivos to talk. Diaries of Court Ladies of Old
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Japan by Sarashina Murasaki Chikibu etal. Translated by Annie Sepiomori and KOCHIDOI The Diary
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of Mourasaki Chikipu, Part three. On the twentieth of the finishing month,
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I went again to court. It was the anniversary of the day on which
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I had first come. I remembered my former career as a wanderer on dream
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pass, and I lothe myself for having become so familiar with court life.
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The night was far advanced, and thus the Queen was fasting. We did
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not present ourselves before her. I felt lonely, and, whilst lying down
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the maids of honor around me, said, the hours here are very different
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from those at home. There all would be sleeping by this time, but
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here our dreams are broken by the sound of shoes along the corridor. Hearing
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them girlishly talking, I murmured to myself my life and the year are closing
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together at the sound of the wind. Drear is my heart on that moon,
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hid and night. The driving off of evil spirits was soon finished.
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We died our teeth, and after finishing decorating our faces, we sat at
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ease. Then no, naye, she came, and after talking she went
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to sleep. The Queen Semstress sat in the doorway, watching the maid at
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the keys sewing. Just then we heard an unusual noise from the direction of
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her match's apartment. I tried to wake up Pennonaishi, as she was heavy
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with sleep. Some one was hurt, crying wildly. I was frightened and
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could not think what to do. Was it fire? But no, it
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was not that. I bushed the seamstress forward, saying, go there over
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there, oh dear. Then her Majesty's in her own room. We must
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by all means get to her. I shook penn Onaischi roughly to awaken her,
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and we three rank trembling, flying rather than walking. We saw two
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naked persons. They were Lady Yugey and Lady ko Hubert. It seemed that
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they had been robbed of their clothes, and they felt more distressed than before.
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The kitchen servants had all gone out. Even the Queen's guards had retired.
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After devil driving. We clapped ours, but no one came. Some
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went to call the women attendance, while I, forgetting my shyness, said
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call Hiobunajoo the secretary. He was sought for, but had left the palace.
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I felt irritated, indeed, but at last an assistant to the Master
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of Ceremonies came, who poured oil into several lamps. We found many who
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had fainted at the news. A messenger arrived from the King, but we
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were too frightened to receive him properly. He took out the dresses from the
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royal wardrobe to give them the new dresses for New Year's. They were not
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stolen, so these ladies took their misfortune lively, but unforgettably. Dreadful is
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anewed form. I can never call it lovable. It was too dreadful to
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speak of, but we could not help talking. The New Year's eight ten
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o eight was inauspicious. The matchy ceremony was deferred. However, on the
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third day, the ghast Crown Prince went up to the King and the Monshey
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Festival was given for him. His attendant was Lady Dina Gone. The dress
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of the ladies on the first day was karanino of purple and the old rose
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color red kimono and shaded train. On the second day, red and purple
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brocade, deep violet, glossy silk, clean karaghino train dyed by rubbing flowers.
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On the third day we wore white and rose colored brocaded garments trimmed with
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many folds. The karaghino was of tall red and bald rose brocade. When
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we were deep violet colored shining silk dinner robes of crimson. When we wear
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crimson outside dinner dress is usually of deep violet, the pale and deep color
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of stream leaf pods, tall red, gold and yellow, and light and
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dark crimsons. Dresses of these ordinary colors were worn trimmed with six folds in
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very beautiful combinations. Lady Sayisio held the Augos Prince's honorable sword. The Lord
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Prime Minister took the Augast Prince in his arms, and they presented themselves before
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the king. Lady Satiaus dress was a garment trimmed with three and five folds
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and figured of the same color, trimmed with seven folds. The chigi was
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adorned with a pattern of oak leaves beautifully embroidered. She wore a kalaghin on
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train trimmed with three folds. Her unlined diner chemono was woven in a pattern.
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Her costume was in the Chinese style. Her hair was ornamented more elaborately
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than usual. Her style of dress and manner showed great knowledge of the world.
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She is rather tall and has a well rounded figure. Her face is
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very small and exquisitely tinted. Lady Dinahgon is very small and refined, white,
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beautiful and round, though in demeanor very lofty. Her hair is three
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inches longer than her eye. She uses exquisitely carved hairpins. Her face is
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lovely, her manners delicate and charming. Lady Sannge's also little person and haughty.
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Her hair is fine and glossy and one foot longer than the ordinary.
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She puts us to shame. Her carriage is so noble. When she walks
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before us, we feel so much in the shade that we are uncomfortable.
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Her mind and speech make us feel that a really noble person ought to be
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like her. If I can't describing Lady manners, I shall be called an
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old gossip, so I must refrain from talking about those around me. I
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will be silent about the questionable and imperfect Lady Koshosho, all noble and charming.
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She is like a weeping will not here at badding time. Her style
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is very elegant, and we all envy heard her manners. She is so
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shy and retiring that she seems to hide her heart even from herself. She
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is of childlike purity, even to a painful degree. Should there be a
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no minded person who would treat her ill or slender her, her spirit would
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be overwhelmed and she would die. Such delicacy and helplessness make us anxious about
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her. Lady mia Unaishi also beauty of good height. Her appearance, as
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she sees is very dignified. She is fashionable or no single feature is especially
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beautiful. She has altogether an air of youth and beauty. Her face is
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high in the middle, and she excels others in the fairness of her skin.
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Her hair, ornaments, her forehead all beautiful, produce an effect of
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refinement and elegance. She is very frank and unaffected in manner, and never
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the least be awkward about anything. She is naturalness itself. Her character may
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be an example for us. She never tries consciously to attract and she has
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no vanity. Lady shikiboys her younger sister. She is too plump and her
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complexion is a fragrant white. She has a bright, small face and beautiful
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hair, although it is not long. She presents herself before the Queen with
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false hair. Her plump appearance, who smile giving. Her eyes and forehead
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are lovely. Indeed, her smile is full of sweetness. Among the younger
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ladies, I think good Dayo and Gen Shikibu are beautiful. The former is
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a little person, quite modern in type. Her pretty hair is abundant at
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the roots, but gets too thin at the end, which is one foot
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longer than she is. Her face is full of weight. People will think
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her very pretty, and indeed there is no future one would wish to improve.
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The latter is tall and rather superior. Her features are fine. She
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is smile giving and lovable. She is very refined and seems to be a
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favorite daughter of some person of dignity. Lady kohuena Jo is also refined.
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These ladies cannot be looked down upon by court nobles. With every one,
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some faulties to be found, but only those who are ever mindful to sealhed,
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even when alone, can completely succeed. Lady Attendant Miyaki is a very
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pretty person. Her hair is scarcely longer than her Ruchigi y ants are beautifully
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cat Her face was agreeable also when I last saw it. There is also
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Lady Cosette in no Been. She is the adopted daughter of middle Adviser Hay.
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Her face is like a picture. She has a broad forehead and eyelids
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drooping at the corners. Her features are not remarkable at any point, but
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her complexion is white. Her hands and arms are pretty. When I saw
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her in the spring for the first time, her hair, which was profusely
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abandoned, was one foot longer than herself, but it suddenly became thinner at
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the ends, and now it is only a little longer than she is.
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A Lady Comma had very long hair and agreeable lady in those days. Now
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she has become like the bridge of Alude, which has been immovably fastened with
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grew. She has gone home so much for their appearance and now for their
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dispositions. Here few can be selected, though, which has some good points
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and few are entirely bad. It is very difficult to possess such qualities as
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prudence, with charm, right mindedness all at once, as too many ladies.
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The question is whether they eselmost in charms of mind or person. It
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is hard to decide wicked, indeed, to write so much of others.
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There is lady Jujo, who waits upon the princess dedicated to the service of
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the camel shrine. I had heard of her, and secretly managed to see
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her letters addressed to other persons. They were very beautifully written, but with
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such an exalted opinion of herself in the whole world. She is the person
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of profoundest knowledge. None to compare with her, it seems his thinking on
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reading them my heart but faster, I was furiously indignant for every one here.
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Although it may be it is wrong to feel so, be it in
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composition or poetry. Who can judge save our Princess Sabbez, who will have
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right futures? But the ladies attending our princess it may be reasonable. Yet
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I have never seen, compared to ours, any good poems by the lady
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attendants of that Princess Abbez. They seem to be living an idle, poetic
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life. But if they were to compete with us, it is not necessarily
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certain they would be superior, though no one knows them well. On a
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beautiful moonlight night or morning, at the time of flowers or of cuckoo,
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courtiers might visit their residence rather wildly and sacred deities, and made to the
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taste of their princess. There they remain undisturbed, admiring her. On the
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other hand, with us, many things occur. The Queen has to go
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up to his Majesty's apartment, the Lord Prime Minister comes, and we have
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to keep watch at night. But there is nothing of all these in that
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world, all their own, where they may indulge in elegance and avoid plunders.
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If I could live there, like an old piece of buried wood thrown
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in among them, I might succeed in freeing myself from the reproach of charlowness.
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Would that I might indulge in elegance there, relaxing myself forward. Young
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ladies there can devote themselves to dress, making themselves inferior to none, and
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pleasing to curve. On the other hand, in our Queen's court, we
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rather neglect to adorn ourselves, for our Queen has no rivals. Now Moreover,
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she thinks unfavorably of ribelous women, so those who wish to serve her
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and remain in favor keep from association with men. Of course, everywhere there
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are light hearted, unashamed, thoughtless women, and men who visit our court
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to find them say we are awkward and embursed in social usage. Our ladies
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of the higher ranks are indeed much too reserved and haughty. It is not
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in this way that they can bring honor to our Queen. It is painful
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to see them. The attendants of the Princess Abbess seem to have been alluding
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to these ladies. But both defects and merits are found in everyone, so
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we may not be inferior to them. After all, even our our young
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ladies nowadays have heard of self respect. It would be embarrassing if they were
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too frivolous, but one would not wish them to be hard less. High
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there, our Queen, of perfect mind and variably lovely, is reserved and
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never obtrusive, for she believes that few who are forward can avoid blunders.
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In fact, in perfect wit is worse than reserve. Our Queen, when
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she was very young, was much annoyed to hear persons of Charlocke culture saying
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vulgar, narrow things with conceit. So she favored ladies who made no mistakes,
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and childlike persons pleased her very well. This is why our ladies have
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become so retiring. As her Majesty grows older, she begins to see the
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world as it is, the bad and good qualities of the human heart reserved
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for both. She knows neither is good. The court nobles rather look down
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on us. Nothing interesting here, they seem to say. The Queen knows
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this, But she knows we cannot please everybody. If we stumble, hideous
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things may happen. Yet we must not be fainthearted and bashful either, so
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her Majesty says. But our old habits are not so easily shaken off,
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and all the young nobles of the present day are on their side. Only
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indulgent pleasure seekers. The ladies around the Abbess, who indulge in aesthetic pursuits,
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gazing at the moon and ad marion flowers may talk only of these things
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to the nobles. Both fully and intentionally, And the nobles might say that
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it is difficult to find ladies with whom they can chatter lightheartedly morning or evening,
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or discuss interesting topics occasionally, although as I have not heard them say
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it, I know really what they think. In general conversation. It is
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awkward to say profound things. It is far better to speak with simplicity,
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and the nobles seem to think so. The difficulty is to understand the occasion
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and adapt one's self to it. When the first official of her Majesty comes
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to report to her, the delicate, shy ladies in waiting cannot miss him
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on common ground or converse fluently. Not because they are deficient in words or
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thoughts, but because of their extreme timidity. They fear their faults may be
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noticed, so they cannot decide what to say. Others may not be so.
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Even women of high birth must follow the general accustom when they become ladies
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in waiting at the court, but men behave as if they were still daughters
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at home. The Great Advisor is displeased to be received by ladies of law
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rank, so when he comes to the Queen's court to make some report and
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suitable ladies to receive him are not available. He goes away without seeing her.
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Majesty. Other court nobles who often come to make reports, have each
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a favorite lady, and when that one is away, they are displeased and
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go away saying to other people that the Queen's ladies are quite unsatisfactory. There
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may be some reason in it, yet it is quite unreasonable for the Abbass's
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ladies to say that we are unworthy to be seen or heard. It is
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easy to criticize and difficult to realize our wrong ideals. These ladies, however,
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do not know that, and being full of conceit, they treat others
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with disdain, thus revealing the wrong limitations. Oh how I wanted to show
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the letters to the Queen, but they had been stolen by the lady,
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who secretly showed them to me, and they were soon taken back. I
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coveted those letters. Lady Tsumishikibu corresponds charmingly, but her behavior is improper.
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Indeed, she writes with grace and bees, and with a flushing wit.
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There is fragrance even in her smallest words. Her poems are attractive, but
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they are only improvisations which drop from her mouth. Spontaneously. Every one of
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them has some interesting point, and she is acquainted with ancient literature also.
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But she is not like a true artist who is filled with the germuine spirit
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of poetry. Yet I think even she cannot presume to pass judgment on the
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poems of others. The wife of the Governor of Tamba Province is called by
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the Queen and Prime Minister Masahi Raimond. Though she is not of noble birth,
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her poems are very satisfying. She does not compose and sc utter them
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about on every occasion, But so far as we know them, even her
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miscellaneous poems shame us. Those who compose poems whose loins are all but broken,
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yet who are infinitely self exalted and vain, deserve our contempt and pity.
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Lady Sashonagonne a very proud person. She values herself highly and scatters search
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and his writings all about. Yet should we study her closely, we should
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find that she is still imperfect. She tries to be exceptional, but naturally
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persons of that sort give offense. She is piling up trouble for her future.
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One who is too richly gifted, who indulges too much in emotion even
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when she ought to be reserved, and cannot turn aside from anything she is
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interested in in spite of herself with loose self control? How can such a
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vain and reckless person and her days happily? Having no excellence within myself,
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I have passed my days without making any special impression on any one. Especially
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the fact that I have no man who will look out for my future makes
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me comfortless. I do not wish to bury myself in dreariness. Is it
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because of my worldly mind that I feel lonely? Ho mong Late nights in
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autumn, when I am hopelessly sad, I often go out on the balcony
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and gaze streamily at the moon. It makes me think of days gone by.
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People say that it is dangerous to look at the moon in solitude,
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but something impels me, and, sitting a little withdrawn my muse there in
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the wind cold evening, I play on the koto. Though others may not
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care to hear it. I fear that my play betrays the sorrow, which
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becomes more intense, and I become disgusted with myself. So foolish and miserable
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am I? My room is ugly blackened by smoke. I play on a
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thirteen or six stringed cotto, but I neglect to take away the bridges,
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even in rainy weather, and I lean it up against the wall between the
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cabinet and the door. Jump on either side of the courtle stands salute a
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pair of big bookcases, having them all the books they can hold in one
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of them are placed to all poems and romances. They are the homes of
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worms which come frightening us when we turn the pages. So Nan never wished
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to read them. As to the other cabinet, since the person who greased
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his own books there no hand has touched it. When I am bored to
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death, I take out one or two of them. Then my mates gather
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around on me and say, your life will not be favored with old age
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if you do such a thing. Why do you read? Chinese formerly eving
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the reading of Sutras was not encouraged for women, They rebuke me. In
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the shade. I have heard of it, and have wished to say it
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is far from certain that he who does no forbidden thing enjoys a long life.
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But it would be a lack of deserve to say it. Our deeds
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very with our age and deeds, very with individual Some are proud, others
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look over old castaway writings because they are bored with having nothing to do.
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It would not be becoming for such a one to chatter away about religious thoughts,
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noisily shaking and rosary. I feel this, and before my women keep
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myself from doing what otherwise I could do easily. But after all, when
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I was among the ladies of the court, I did not say what I
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wanted to say either, For it is useless to talk with those who do
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not understand one, and troublesome to talk with those who criticize from a feeling
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of superiority, Especially one sided persons are troublesome. Few are accomplished in many
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arts, and most cling narrowly to their own opinion, pretating coy, shrinking
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from sight, unsociable, proud, fond of romance, vain and poetic,
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looking down upon others with a generous eye. Such is the opinion of those
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who do not know me. But after seeing me, they say, you
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are wonderfully gentle to meet with. I cannot identify you with that imagined one.
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I see that I have been slighted, hated, and looked down upon
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as an old gossip, and I must bury it, for it is my
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destiny to be solitary. The queen said, once you were ever mindful not
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to show your soul. But I have become more intimate with you than others.
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I hope that I may not be looked at publiquely, even by those
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who are ill natured, affected, and unsociable. As a rule, one
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is easy at the back who is modest, gentle, and of tranquil disposition.
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Even a coquettish and frivolous person is not rebuked if she is good natured
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and of a disposition not embarrassing to others. A person who is self exalted
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in eccentric, with scornful mouth and demeanor can be unmistakably perceived, and one
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can be on one's guard. By observing closely, one may discover faults of
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speech and behavior. Those whose words and deeds are not in harmony, or
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who are always trying to abdo one another attract notice. Once seldom wishes to
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criticize those who have defects but are good natured, one cannot but sympathize with
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them. Those who habitually do evil with intention deserve to be freely talked about
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and laved heart, even though sometimes they do it without intention. We ought
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to love even those who hate us, but it is very difficult to do
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it. Even the Buddha of prown mercy does not say that the sins against
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Buddha, the laws of religion and priests are slight. Moreover, in this
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mad world, it is best to let alone the persons who hate us.
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If we compare one who tries to excel in hatred, saying extraordinary words and
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watching the effect till humoredly face to face with one who coldly hides her heart
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with a tranquil manner, we can't see which is superior. There is a
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lady Simon No Naishi who unreasonably cherished hatred of me. I was not at
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first aware of it, but later heard of much criticism of me in my
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absence. Once the King was listening to a reading of my kenjimonogatari and said,
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she is gifted. She must have read the Chronicle of Japan. This
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lady heard of it, and then reflectingly spread abroad among the courtiers the idea
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that I am very proud of my learning, giving me the name of the
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Japanese chronicle. Lady, it is aafable. Indeed, I am reserved even
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before the maids of my own house. How then should I show my learning
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in court. When my elder brother, Shikibun no Jo, was a boy,
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he was taught to read Chinese historical records. I listened sitting beside him,
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and learned wonderfully fast, though he was sometimes slow and forgot. Father,
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who was devoted to study, regretted that I had not been a song.
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But I heard people saying that it is not beautiful even for a month
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to be proud of his learning. And after that I did not write so
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much as the figure won in Chinese. I grew clumsy with my brush for
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a long time. I did not care for the books I had already read.
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Thus I was ashamed to think how others would hate me on hearing what
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Lady Simond said, and I assumed an air of not being able to read
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the characters written on the royal screen. But the Queen made me read to
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her the poetical works of Lee Taypo, and as she wished to learn them,
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I had been teaching her since the summer of two years ago. The
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seventh and third volumes of that collection very secretly when none were present. Her
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Majesty and I tried to concede it, but his Majesty, the King and
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the Lord Prime Minister, finding it out, the latter presented to the Queen
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any poetical books which he had had copied. I think that bitter Simon does
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not know yet if she date, how she would criticize me. Everything in
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this world is burden song. Now I shall not be afraid whatever happens,
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whatever others may say of me, I will recite Sutras kneeling before Ahmitaba Buddha,
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when my mind has become completely free from the burden of the world.
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Nothing well weakened my determination to become a saint. Though I said myself devotedly
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against wilder passions, it seems that there extends before me a limb of dull
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wanderings. Before I can mount the cloud, I must be there now.
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I am now of a fute age for the religious life. It is common
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to suppose that men read sutras when they are old, Yet really they are
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not read, for mines grow more and more real acts with age. I
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may be interpreted as one who imitates persons of profound thought, but I will
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devote myself to the religious life. The person of deep rooted sin cannot succeed
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even in such a hope. There happens many a circumstance which makes me think
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of the wickedness of my prenatal life, and everything makes me sad. I
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wish I could make known everything to you, good and bad thinks of the
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world, and those relating to my life. All that I could not write
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in my letters. You could not expect such writing as these from your friend.
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You feel weary of life, Please look into my heart also weary.
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Please write to me even a little, whatever comes into your mind. It
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would be very unfortunate if my writings were scattered about and made known to others.
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I have written many things of this sort, but recently I have torn
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up all my old writings, bearing some and making those houses of the rest.
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Since that time I have received no letters, and I am determined to
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write no more on fresh paper. So thrifty have I become. I think
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I am not in the wrong. After reading, please return quickly, as
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I could not revise all. There may be some defects read overlooking them.
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My mind has been wholly occupied with the things and persons of our world,
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and As I close this writing, I reflect on how deeply rooted was my
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interest in them. But it was on the accident that closed my descriptions of
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others. On the eleventh of the first month ten or nine, in the
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early morning, they went to the temple. The Lord Prime Minister's wife accompanied
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the queen. Others went by boat. I was belated and went. At
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night there was preaching. People made confession according to the custom of the mountain
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temple. Many pictures of pagodas were painted, and they amused themselves. Most
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of the nobles had retired and there were few persons left when the midnight preaching
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began. The preachers and interpreters of the Sutras, who were twenty in number.
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They all preached in different ways about the merit of the Queen's presence.
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There were many things laughed at. After the preaching, the courtiers went boating.
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They all road and enjoyed themselves. At the eastern corner of the temple,
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a bridge had been built opposite the door opening towards the north. There
32:57
the high official of the Crown Prince was leaning again on the railing. The
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Lord Prime Minister came for a little while and talked with ladies a issue,
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but as we were in the Queen's presence, we could not be at our
33:09
ease. It was pretty both within and without the temple. The pale moon
33:15
appeared, and young nobles sang songs of the new fashion. A song related
33:22
that those who had gone into the boat were young and pretty. The old
33:27
Secretary of the Treasury was among them. He was ashamed with reason to sing
33:31
with the others, and stood the rather embarrassed. The back view of him
33:37
was comical, and those within the missu secretly laughed. Some one said he
33:43
in the boat his regretting old age. The high official on the bridge heard
33:47
it and sang the ancient seekers for eternal life. The tradition is full of
33:53
lies. It sounded very latest fashion. Indeed, some sang the dark Wheat
34:00
accompanied by the flute. Even the morning wind gave us unusual impressions because of
34:07
the place in the Queen's presence was placed. Genji Monogatari. Once the Lord
34:14
Prime Minister saw it, and, after many playful words, wrote to me
34:17
on a pump paper attached to a plum branch. Being notorious for sourness,
34:24
I think none passed by without breaking a branch. No one in passing has
34:30
ever broken the plum tree? Who then can know if it be hour regrettable
34:37
to be spoken of in such a way. One night had slept in a
34:42
room near the corridor, some one came knocking at the door. I was
34:45
afraid and passed the night without making a sound. The next morning the following
34:52
poem was sent to me from the Prime Minister. All the night, through
34:55
knocking louder than a water rail, I stood in vain at the door of
35:00
Hinoki wood we real lamenting, I wrote back a course of deep regret.
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Indeed, had the door opened at the knocking of the water rail. Third
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day of first month ten ten, the ghost princes had presented themselves before the
35:21
King for three days to receive gifts of mochi. Ladies of I rank accompanied
35:27
them. Simon Nokami held the prince, and the mochi was brought to his
35:31
majesty by the Lord Prime Minister. The King, facing towards the east door,
35:37
gave it to the goods Princess. It was a beautiful sight to see
35:42
the young princess coming and returning through the corridor. The Queen Dowager did not
35:46
present herself on the first day Lady Saisha served the table. Her color combination
35:53
was cunningly executed. Ladies Takumi and Hiogo officiated as the Queen's secretaries. The
36:01
ladies who tied their hair were particularly attractive. The lady who was entrusted with
36:07
the preparation of Tossul was very vain of her skill and behaved as if she
36:13
were a doctor of medicine. Wantment was distributed as usual. The Prime Minister
36:21
took the younger Prince in his arms, and the King embraced him lovingly,
36:25
saying long life and health. As usual. The Lord prime Minister replied,
36:31
I will uphold the younger Prince in my arms. But at that his accustness,
36:37
the Crown Prince became jealous and begged to be taken up too, saying
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ah ha. The Prime Minister was much pleased, and the General of the
36:47
Right Bodyguard and others were amused by it. The Lord Prime Minister had an
36:53
audience with the King, and they came out together to find amusement. The
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minister was much intoxicated, troubles my thought and hid myself away, but I
37:07
was found. You are summoned by the father of the Queen, Yet you
37:12
retire so early suspicious person said he now, instead of the queen's father,
37:19
it is you who must compose a poem. It is quite an ordinary occasion,
37:23
so don't hesitate, he urged. But it seemed to me very awkward
37:29
to make one only to have it laughed at. As he was very much
37:32
in liquor. His face was flushed and flamed out in the torchlight. He
37:37
said, the queen had lived for years alone and solitary. I had seen
37:44
it with anxiety. It is cheering to behold troublesome children on either side of
37:49
her. And he went to look at the princess, who had been put
37:52
to bed, taking off the bed clothes. He was singing, if there
37:58
be no little pines in the field, how shall I find the symbol of
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one thousand ages? People thought it more suitable that he should sing this old
38:07
song than make a new one. The next evening, the sky was hazy,
38:13
as the different parts of the palace are built compactly in close rows.
38:16
I could only catch a slight glimpse of it from the verandah I admired his
38:22
recitation of last evening with a nurse, Madame Nakadaka. These lady is of
38:28
deep thought and learning. I went home for a while for the fifty day
38:36
ceremony of the Second Prince, which was the fifteenth day of the Sociable Months.
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I returned in the early morning to the palace. Lady Kushosho returned in
38:46
embarrassing broad daylight. We two lived together. Our rooms adjoin, and we
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throw them together, each occupying the hall when the other is absent. When
38:58
we are there together, we put kichaw between them. The Lord Prime Minister
39:02
says, we must be gossiping about other people. Some may be uneasy to
39:07
hear that, but as there are no unfriendly strangers here, we are not
39:13
anxious about it. I went to the Queen's audience. My friend wore brocaded
39:21
to Chigy of old rose and white, a red karaghino and figured train.
39:25
My dress was of red and purple and light green. Like Karaghino was green
39:31
and white. The rubbed design on the train was in the very latest fashion,
39:37
and it would perhaps have been better if a young lady had worn it.
39:42
There were seventeen ladies of His Majesty the King's court who presented themselves before
39:47
the Queen. Lady Tachiban of the third rank served the royal table ladies Kodayu
39:54
and Shikibu on the balcony. The serving of the younger goss princess dinner was
40:00
entrusted to Lady Koshosho. Their majesties sat within the days. The morning sun
40:07
shone in, and I felt too much brilliance in their presence. The King
40:14
wore a rope with arrow sleeves. The Queen was dressed in red as usual.
40:19
Her inner kimonos were purple and red, with pale and dark green and
40:24
two shades of yellow. His majesty's outer dress was grape colored brigade, and
40:30
his inner garment white and green, all rare and modern, both in design
40:37
and color. It seemed to be too dazzling in the presence, so I
40:43
softly slid away into an inner room. The nurse, Madame Nakadaka, holding
40:49
the young prince in her arms, came out towards the south between the canopy
40:54
King and Queen. She short in stature, but of dignified the minner.
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She was perfectly tranquil and grave, and a good example for the young prince.
41:07
She wore grape color to Chigi and pat unless Karaghino of white and old
41:12
rose that they all did their utmost to adorn themselves. One had a little
41:19
fault in the color combination at the wrist opening when she went before the royal
41:24
presence to fetch something. The nobles and high officials noticed it. Afterwards,
41:31
Lady Saisu regretted it deeply. It was not so bad, only one color
41:37
was a little too pale. Lady Kotaillo wore a crimson line to dress and
41:44
over it, and a cheeky of deep and pale plum collar bordered with folds.
41:50
Her karaghino was white and old rose. Lady Jianshikipu appears to have been
41:55
wearing a red and purple figured silk. SMS said it was unsuitable because it
42:01
was not brocade. That judgment is too conventional. There may be criticism where
42:08
want of taste is too apparent, but it were better to criticize manners.
42:15
Dress is rather unimportant in comparison. The ceremony of giving mochi to the Prince
42:23
is ended and the table is taken away. The misu of the anteroom was
42:29
rolled up, and we saw ladies sitting crowded. At the west side of
42:34
the days. There were Lady Tachiban of the third rank, and Naishinosuke,
42:40
the younger attendant of Tugov's princess, sitting in the doorway. In the east
42:46
hand room, near the Shiyoji, there were ladies of high rank. I
42:52
went to seek Lady Dainagon and Lady Koshocho, who were sitting east of the
42:58
days. His accoust Majesty sat on the days with his dining table before him.
43:05
The ornaments of it were exquisitely beautiful. On the south balcony there sat
43:10
the Minister of the Right and Left and the Chamberlain, the first officials of
43:15
the Crown Prince and of the Queen, and the Great Advisor Shidjo, facing
43:21
towards the north, the west being the more honorable seat. There were no
43:25
officials of law rank. Afterwards they began to amuse themselves. Courtiers sat on
43:32
the southeast corridor. On the side building. The four lawyer officials took their
43:37
usual places to perform some music. They were Kagimasa, Kore, Katse,
43:44
Yuki, Yoshi, ton Masa. From the upper seat, the Great Advisor
43:49
Shijo conducted the music. Tono beIN played the lute, Tunetaka played ta Koto.
43:57
The Lieutenant General of the left bodyguard and State councilor played the flute.
44:02
Some outsiders joined in the music. One made a mistake in the notes and
44:07
was hissed. The Minister of the Rite praised the six stringed cotto. He
44:14
became too merry and made a great mistake, which sent a shield even to
44:19
the onlookers. The Prime Minister's gift was flutes put into two boxes. End
44:30
of section six read by Claudigaldi.