“Princess!”
“I weary of that title, cousin.”
“Who is this Masago?”
“A simple, happy maid, Komatzu. She is the daughter of a late countryman of Echizen, and now a famous merchant of Tokyo.”
“What is his name?”
“Yamada Kwacho. Ah, I see you start, Komatzu. You, too, it seems, have heard the story?”
“And you?”
“And I. But not until he came to Komatzu.”
“He?—this artist-fellow told you of your father?”
“No. His coming simply widened the lips of the ever open mouths of my sweet maids of honor. By a female chance of listening, a weakness common to our race and sex, Komatzu, I heard the tale retold.”