“It was, perhaps, a useless custom, my son. But in my younger days maidens were not permitted to see their own faces. The mirror was for the married woman only. Thus, a maiden was saved from being vain of her beauty.”
Koma frowned impatiently.
“A useless and foolish custom, truly. And now, here in these enlightened times, you put it into practice with Hyacinth. Why, you are prolonging the customs of the ancients here in this house, which should be an example of the new and enlightened age.”
Meekly Aoi bowed her head.
“You are honorably right, my son; yet there was another reason why the mirror was kept from the sight of the little one.”
“Yes?”
“How could I blast the little one’s life by letting her know of—of her peculiar physical misfortunes?”
“Physical misfortunes! What do you mean?”
“Why, the hair, eyes, skin—how strange, how unnatural!”
Koma threw back his head and laughed with an angry note.