The girl was smiling at Mrs. Davis. She too recognized her. Mrs. Davis turned to Numè:
"I don't understand, Numè, how—how a geisha girl can be a friend of yours," she said.
Numè looked very grave.
"Japanese lady always have frien' who is also maid. Koto is my maid; also my frien'."
"I understand," the American lady said thoughtfully.
Japanese ladies usually treat their maids more as sisters than as maids. In fact, one of the duties of a maid is to act as companion to her mistress. Hence, it is necessary that the maid be quite accomplished and entertaining. Often a geisha girl will prefer to leave the tea-house where she is employed, to take a position as companion and maid to some kind and rich lady of the Kazoku and Samourai class, and in this way she learns to be very gentle and polite in her manners by copying her little mistress; besides, she will have a good home. It is a peculiar fact that Japanese holding positions such as maid, or, for a man, perhaps as retainer or valet, or even servant, become extremely devoted to their masters and mistresses, remaining with them until they are married, and sometimes preferring to remain with them after they have married, rather than marry themselves. It is no uncommon thing for them to make sacrifices, sometimes almost heroic ones, for their masters or mistresses.
CHAPTER XXX. FEMININE DIPLOMACY.
The next day Numè and Koto visited the American lady. Orito had gone up to Yokohama, Numè told her, and would not be back for several days.