OHANO did not leave her room all of the following day. A maid brought
word to Lady Saito that her daughter-in-law wished to meditate and pray
alone. Permission was somewhat ungraciously granted. Her “moods,” as
Lady Saito termed them, had become a source of irritation. However, the
proposition to “meditate and pray” was good. Ohano, perchance, would
profit by her thoughts and emerge a reasonable being.
At noon the soft-hearted little Omi begged to be permitted to take tea
and refreshments to Ohano. She was gone some time, to the aggravation of
her mistress, for the little Taro was loudly demanding his favorite’s
return. When at last, however, the girl returned, she brought such a
message to her mistress that the latter forgot everything else in the
glow of satisfaction. Ohano asked for the Lord Saito Taro.
Little Omi hurried out with the child in her arms. She paused upon the
threshold for a moment and threw a curious glance back at her mistress.
Lady Saito’s face was wreathed in smiles, even while the tears dropped
like rain down her withered cheeks. The girl hid her excited face
against the child’s little body, then, almost running, she sped from the
room.
It was very lonely for Lady Saito the rest of that day. She did not wish
to disturb Ohano, but how hungrily her heart longed for the return of
her baby! How she missed it, even during the short period it had been
gone.
In the middle of the afternoon, when she had fallen into a drowsy
reverie upon her mat, she was disturbed by the sudden shoving aside of a
screen behind her. She turned her head and saw in the aperture the
agitated face of Kiyo, the gateman. He had fallen to his knees, and now
crawled on them toward her. Something in his abject attitude awoke
within the breast of his mistress a sickening fear of a calamity he had
come to report. She felt as if paralyzed, unable either to stir or to
utter a word.
Undoubtedly the gateman brought bad tidings, for his place was not in
the house, and it was an unheard-of thing for one in his position to
force his way into the august presence of the mistress. She said to
herself:
“He has come to report the death of my dear son or of my husband!”
Vainly she put back her hand for the support of Ohano, but the girl was
still secluded in her chamber.
“Speak!” she gasped, at last. “I command you not to hesitate!”
Despite the peremptory words, she was shaking like one in an illness.
Her knees gave way. She sank down upon them in a collapsed heap. She
looked entreatingly at the retainer, who seemed unable or unwilling to
answer her.
“You bring exalted and joyous news from Tenshi-sama!” she cried,
brokenly. “I pray you speak the words!”
“Nay, mistress!” His tremulous old voice shook, and he could not control
the shaking of his aged limbs. He had been in the service of the Lady
Saito since her babyhood. “It is of the youngest Lord Saito I speak!”
“My son! Gonji!”
“Thy honorable grandson, mistress,” he corrected.
She stared at him, aghast.
“Baby-san!” She was upon her feet now, with the strength and savagery of
a mother at bay. “He is here in the shiro!”
The gateman looked at her mutely.
“He has been stolen—by the maiden Omi. It is said she was in the service
of the first Lady Saito Gonji.”
For a moment Lady Saito stared at the man with unbelieving eyes.
Suddenly she clapped her hands loudly, but no smiling-faced,
sharp-tongued Omi came running fleetly to her service. Only the
swollen-eyed wife of the cook crept into the room.
“_Thou_ knowest where—” She could not continue. Her words choked her.
“Nay, I do not know,” burst out Ochika. “She was an imp of the lowest
Hades. Maledictions upon her! May Futen tear her flesh!”
“Hush!” cried Lady Saito, with a sudden violence; and almost aloud she
shouted the words:
“It is the rod of the gods! From the decree of Heaven there is no
escape!”
She became conscious that Ohano was beside her. She looked at the girl
strangely, and as she did so something in Ohano’s eyes revealed the
truth to her. She shrank from her daughter-in-law with a motion almost
of loathing.
“Why, Ohano!” she cried. “It was _thou_ who sent for—it is—”
Ohano turned from her abruptly and moved briskly toward the gateman.
“It was thy duty,” she haughtily censured, “to pursue and seize the
woman.”
“Her feet had wings, august young mistress. With the honorable young
lord upon her back she fairly flew by the gates, as if possessed of
infernal power.”
“And thou art very old!” said the Lady Saito, gently. “Thy ancient limbs
are unable to compete with the fleet wings of a mother’s love!”
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