The Prince touched his lips and signed to the rear. A shadow passed across my face. I had not heard even a rustle of silken folds, yet Gengo the court chamberlain was already beside me. He kowtowed, and murmured in a tone of ingratiating obsequiousness: “The august princes are implored to accept the humble services of their servant. The condescension of the great fills with joy the breast of the lowly!”
“The duties of a court chamberlain restrict his services to his lord,” replied my companion.
I had taken a dislike to the man, despite my remembrance of his braveness and swordsmanship, but I thought the Prince spoke with undue harshness. Heedless of the reproof, Gengo looked up, with a fawning smile, and answered significantly: “Great men have accepted aid from foxes.”
“A wise man trusts in the gods, and scorns the goblin power of badgers and foxes,” rejoined the Prince.
“Gold opens gates that steel cannot force, my lord.”
“The gates that are already open may crush those who attempt to close them.”
Gengo cringed and looked up with a bland smile.
“The favor of the exalted Prince of Owari will be remembered by his servant,” he murmured, and he kowtowed, laughing softly and sucking his breath.
The Prince signed me to rise. Gengo rose after us and ushered us out by the way we had come, with utmost obsequiousness. In the waiting room our caps and winged jackets were removed by our chamberlains, who slipped on our lacquered clogs at the threshold.
Gengo conducted our party out across the inner moat and through the palace gardens to the gate in the citadel rampart. There at last he turned back, while we swung out across the great moat and homeward along Kojimachi Street, to bear the good news to Yoritomo.