“Not hateful! but blissful—blissful beyond words. That is the shame. I do what is very, very wrong, yet am glad. I am a most wicked and depraved girl! Shame overcomes me!”
“Forgive me, Azai! Through my selfish fault I have brought grief upon the maiden whom I love more than life. I will go now, and never trouble you again.”
I freed her hand and rose, but in the same instant she was erect before me, her little hands clutching the bosom of my robes.
“Thou! thou!” she whispered. “Do not go in anger, else I shall die!”
I crushed her to me and rained kisses upon her upturned face, in a passion of adoration. For a few brief moments of ecstasy I held her, and she made no attempt to free herself, but lay upon my breast like a captive dove, quivering and bewildered. Then, all too soon for my blissful intoxication, her cheeks paled from scarlet to ivory white and her fluttering little heart beat against mine with sudden steadiness.
“My lord,” she said, “there is no time to be lost. Setsu comes with a lantern. We must act at once. Here below the centre of the bridge the pond is deeper. We will leap in together and grasp the lotus roots at the bottom.”
“Leap off?—grasp the lotus roots?” I repeated.
“My lord lover is of noble blood! A thousand pardons! But Setsu comes quickly. Make haste to strike me through the neck with your dirk. You will still have time to commit hara-kiri.”
The word was a flash of clear light through the fog of my bewilderment.
“No!” I cried. “We will live, to be united in this life!”