Daughters of Nijo

Part 1

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DAUGHTERS OF NIJO

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DAUGHTERS OF NIJO

A ROMANCE OF JAPAN

ONOTO WATANNA

AUTHOR OF “A JAPANESE NIGHTINGALE,” “THE WOOING OF WISTARIA,” “THE HEART OF HYACINTH,” ETC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND DECORATIONS BY KIYOKICHI SANO

New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY LONDON: MACMILLAN & Co., LTD. 1904

All rights reserved

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COPYRIGHT, 1904, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.

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Set up, electrotyped, and published April, 1904. Reprinted April, 1904.

Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co.—Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood. Mass., U.S.A.

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Contents

CHAPTER PAGE Before the Story’s Action 13 I. The Child of the Sun 25 II. An Emperor’s Promise 41 III. Masago 53 IV. A Betrothal 67 V. Gossip of the Court 77 VI. The Princess Sado-ko 87 VII. The Picture by the Artist-man 101 VIII. A Sentimental Princess 113 IX. Moon Tryst 127 X. Cousin Komatzu 147 XI. A Mirror and a Photograph 163 XII. Mists of Kamakura 175 XIII. Daughters of Nijo 189 XIV. Solution of the Gods 199 XV. The Change 211 XVI. A Family Council 229 XVII. The New Masago 243 XVIII. A Mother Blind 255 XIX. Within the Palace Nijo 267 XX. An Evil Omen 281 XXI. “You are not Sado-ko!” 295 XXII. The Coming Home of Junzo 309 XXIII. The Convalescent 321 XXIV. A Royal Proclamation 335 XXV. The Eve of a Wedding 347 XXVI. Masago’s Return 359 XXVII. A Gracious Princess at Last 377 XXVIII “THE GODS KNEW BEST!” 389

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Illustrations

“She did not speak to the attendant Frontispiece while she dined, but continued to stare before her through the open shoji”

“A score of ripe cherries descended upon 35 her head”

“‘Look,’ cried Sado-ko, clutching his 143 sleeve”

Mists of Kamakura 183

“Then up and down the room in the long, 217 trailing robe of Princess Sado-ko, walked, peacock-like, the maiden Masago”

“Then soft alighted on a cherry tree, 223 and filled the air with its sweet song”

“She met his eyes, then flushed and 331 trembled”

“Between the parted shoji, she stood 365 like one uncertain”

Part 2

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DAUGHTERS OF NIJO

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Daughters of Nijo

BEFORE THE STORY’S ACTION

IN the early part of the year of the Restoration there lived within the Province of Echizen a young farmer named Yamada Kwacho. Although he belonged only to the agricultural class, he was known and honored throughout the entire province, for at one time he had saved the life of the Daimio of the province, the powerful Lord of Echizen, premier to the shogunate.

In spite of the favor of the Daimio of the province, Yamada Kwacho made no effort to rise above the class to which he had been born. Satisfied with his estate, he was proud of his simple and honest calling. So the Lord of Echizen, having no opportunity of repaying the young farmer for his service, contented himself perforce with a promise that if at any time Yamada Kwacho should require his aid, he would not fail him.

Kwacho, therefore, lived happily in the knowledge of his prince’s favor; and since he possessed an excellent little farm which yielded him a comfortable living, he had few cares.

He had reached the age of twenty-five years before he began to cast about him for a wife. Because of his renown in the province, Kwacho might have chosen a maiden of much higher rank than his own; but, being of a sensible mind and nature, he sought a bride within his own class. He found her in the person of little Ohano, the daughter of a neighboring farmer. She was as plump, rosy, and pretty as is possible for a Japanese maiden. Moreover, she was docile and gentle by temperament, and had all the admirable domestic virtues attractive to the eye of a youth of the character of Yamada Kwacho.

Though their courtship was brief, their wedding was splendid, for the Prince of Echizen himself bestowed upon them gifts with all good wishes and congratulations. Life seemed to bear a more joyous aspect to Kwacho. He went about his work whistling and singing. All his field-hands and coolies knew him for the kindest of masters.

The young couple had not been married a month, when a great prince, a member of the reigning house, visited the Lord of Echizen in his province. Report had it that this royal prince was in reality an emissary from the Emperor, for at this time the country was torn with the dissensions of Imperialist and Bakufu. It was well known that the Daimio of Echizen owed his office of shogunate premier to the Mikado himself, and that he was secretly in sympathy with the Imperialists. Consequently there were great banquets and entertainments given in the Province of Echizen when a prince of the royal family condescended to visit the Mikado’s vassal, the Daimio of Echizen. The whole province wore a gala aspect, and the streets of the principal cities were constantly enlivened by the passing parades and cortèges of the retainers of the visiting prince.

Owing to the presence of his august guest, the Lord of Echizen was obliged to send a courier to Yedo with proper apologies for not presenting himself before the Shogun at this time. He showed his confidence in Kwacho by bestowing upon him the honor of this important mission.

The young farmer, while naturally loath to leave his young bride of a month, yet, mindful of the great honor, started at once for the Shogun’s capital. Thus Ohano was left at home alone.

Being but fifteen years old, she was fond of gayety, of music and dancing, and it was her dearest wish to visit the capital city of the province, that she might see the gorgeous parade of the nobles. With her husband gone, however, she was forced to deny herself this pleasure, and had to remain at home in seclusion under the charge of an elderly but foolish maid. Ohano became lonely and restless. She wearied of sitting in the house, thinking of Kwacho; and it was tiresome, too, to wander about the farm fields and watch the coolies and laborers. Ohano pined for a little of that excitement so precious to her butterfly heart. Much thought of the capital gayeties, and much conversation with the foolish maid, finally wrought a result.

Ohano would put on her prettiest and gayest of gowns to visit the capital alone, just as though she were a maiden and not a matron who should have had the company of her husband.

As the city was not a great distance away, they could use a comfortable kurumma which would hold them both. Four of the field coolies could be spared as kurumma carriers. In delight the foolish maid dressed her mistress, by this time all rosy with pleasurable excitement and anticipation. The adventure pleased them both, though the foolish mistress assured the foolish maid repeatedly that they would go but to the edge of the city. Thus they could see the great parade of the royal prince pass out of the city gates, for this was the day on which the prince was to leave Echizen and return to Kyoto. All his splendid retinue would accompany him. It was only once in a lifetime one was afforded the opportunity of such a sight, Ohano declared.

They started from the farm gleefully. All the way mistress and maid chatted and laughed in enjoyment. Before they had reached the edge of the city a countryman told them the royal cortège was even then passing through the city gates, and that they must leave the road in haste, for the parade would reach their portion of the highway in a few minutes.

The foolish maid suggested that they alight from the kurumma, that they might have a still better view of the parade. So after the maid the rosy-cheeked little bride, with her eyes dancing and shining, her red lips apart, her childish face all gleaming with pleased curiosity, swung lightly to the ground also.

They were just in time, for the royal parade had taken the road, and the outriders were already in view, so that the kurumma carriers were forced to drag their vehicle aside and fall upon their faces in the dust. The foolish maid, following their example, hid her face on the ground so that she lost sight of that she had come far to see. Ohano, however, less agitated than her servants, instead of prostrating herself at the side of the road, retired to a little bluff near the roadside. She thought she was far enough from the highway to be unseen; but as she happened to be standing on a sloping elevation, and her gay dress made a bright spot of color against the landscape, she was perfectly visible to such of the cortège as chanced to look in her direction.

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