"But what—"
"Nothing. I did nothing, you did nothing."
"It must have been very dull for you," sighed the defeated soldier.
"Jizo—" she was praying to the goddess at her small shrine that night—"I am going to conceal and lie! I pray you to intercede with the Lord Shaka for my pardon. He loves me—and he must not know. It is for happiness, Jizo. His happiness, do you understand, dear Jizo?"
She cried out savagely in her further confidences to Jizo that night, when she was ready for bed.
"I was very busy—yes, very busy—falling in love with him! And you must intercede with Shaka for my forgiveness. It was a lie. But could I tell him that I was busy falling in love with him?"
The maid had come in to put her to bed.
"Strange prayers!" she said.
The mistress turned, intending to rebuke her. But she laughed.
"Come here and stop that laughing. He will hear!"