"That would be a great pity. Do wipe it off, it might stain," she replied.
Genji partly wiped it off, saying, "Need I wipe it off any more? Suppose I go with this to the Palace?"
On this Violet approached and carefully wiped it for him. "Don't put any more color," cried Genji, "and play upon me as Heijiû."[70]
The mild sun of spring descended in the west, and darkness slowly gathered over the forest tops, obscuring all but the lovely white plum blossoms which were still visible amidst the gloom. At the front of the porch, also, a red plum blossom, which usually opens very early, was deeply tinged with glowing hues. Genji murmured:—
"The 'red-tinged flower' is far from fair,
Nor do my eyes delight to see,
But yon red plum which blossoms there,
Is full of loveliness to me."
What will become of all these personages!
FOOTNOTES:
[65] Young nobles spent a night in the palace in turns, to attend to any unexpected official business.
[66] When a new emperor succeeded, two virgins, chosen from the royal princesses, were sent—one to the Shintô temple at Ise, the other to the same temple at Kamo—to become vestals, and superintend the services.