From the edge of the pond the little Princess led the way through a shrubbery, along a winding path, towards the edifice I had seen in my flight before the hatamotos. We soon came in sight of the lanterns strung along the deep verandas of the building. But Azai turned off to the right, and tripped away down a side path that skirted around her palace.
A short walk brought us into a broad avenue that ran up to a high bridge across one of the inner moats of the citadel. Setsu hastened on towards the gateway of the bridge. Azai paused for me to overtake her. In the garden path there had been no one to meet or pass; now, however, there rose the question of facing the guard at the gate. When I came up close beside the Princess I perceived the outline of her little hands before her bosom, clasped palm to palm in prayer.
“We stop here, my lord,” she whispered. “Setsu goes ahead to see who is on guard.”
“Azai,” I replied, “for you to appear with me is too great a sacrifice of your dignity. Press your lips to mine, and say farewell. I will go on alone.”
She caught at my sleeve. “Wait, my lord! I will go with you. There is only this little time left us. When my father learns, I fear he will forbid me even to dream of you. They have told me that I shall be required to wed Keiki if Midzuano’s counsel prevails.”
“You would not wed the man who set the ronins upon you!”
“A good daughter should obey with docility when her father chooses her husband. Yet I have never before heard of a lady meeting a lord and loving before marriage, as I love my lord!”
“Little maiden!” I exclaimed, “you again confess that you love me! How can you speak of wedding another?”
“My lord wonders? Yet he knows that the supreme duty of a woman is willing obedience,—first to her father, then to her husband, and last of all to her eldest son. I know that my august father holds me in higher regard than is deserved by so worthless and contemptible a creature as a young girl, and because of his gracious condescension I owe him the utmost of gratitude and obedience.”
“You will wed Keiki if your father commands?” I asked.