SECLUSION.
Mrs. Davis had not seen Numè for some days. She had heard that the girl
was living in strict seclusion, as it was customary for Japanese girls
to do previous to their marriage. With a woman's quick wit and
comprehension, however, Mrs. Davis understood that she had taken
umbrage, and, perhaps, resented the lecture she had given her the night
of the party. She was afraid, too, that in her earnest desire to serve
both Cleo and Orito she had given Numè a false impression of Americans.
Mrs. Davis was a good woman, and a wise one. She was determined that
nothing on earth should prevent her friend's marriage with Sinclair. She
knew Cleo Ballard well enough to know the wonderful goodness and
generosity in her better nature. She knew also that she loved Sinclair
with a love that should have been her salvation. In spite of all this,
Mrs. Davis was genuinely fond of Numè, though not, of course, in the
same way as she was of Cleo. It pained her, therefore, to think that
Numè was probably suffering.
The day after Cleo left, she crossed the valley and went down to the
house of Watanabe Omi. With her usual sang-froid, she asked to see Numè.
Omi made some very polite apologies, saying his honorably unworthy
daughter was entertaining a friend, and would the august American lady
call the next day?
"No;" Mrs. Davis would like to see Numè's friend also; for Numè had told
her she wanted her to meet all of them.
She passed into the girl's room with the familiarity of old
acquaintance, for she and Numè had been great friends, and Omi thought
so much of her that the American lady had got into the habit of coming
and going into and out of his house just as she pleased, which was a
great concession and compliment for any Japanese to make to a foreigner.
She found Numè sitting with another Japanese girl, playing Karutta. They
laughed and talked as they played, and Numè seemed quite light-hearted
and happy.
[Illustration: PLAYING KARUTTA PAGE 118.]
Mrs. Davis sat down on the mat beside her, and after having kissed her
very affectionately, asked why she had not been over for so long.
"I come visite you to-morrow," the girl answered, looking a trifle
ashamed, as Mrs. Davis regarded her reproachfully. Then, as she started
to make further apologies, the American lady said, very sweetly: "Never
mind, dear; I understand;--you did not like what I told you the other
night."
Numè did not answer. The other Japanese girl watched Mrs. Davis
curiously. Mrs. Davis turned smilingly to her and started to say
something, but stopped short, a look of puzzled recognition on her face.
"I am sure I have seen your friend somewhere before, but I can't tell
where," she said to Numè.
"Perhaps you seeing her at the tea garden, because Koto was, one time,
geisha girl."
"Why, of course! I remember now. She was the pretty little Japanese girl
who waited on us that day and made Rose Cranston so angry by flirting
with Tom."
The girl was smiling at Mrs. Davis. She too recognized her. Mrs. Davis
turned to Numè:
"I don't understand, Numè, how--how a geisha girl can be a friend of
yours," she said.
Numè looked very grave.
"Japanese lady _always_ have frien' who is also maid. Koto is my maid;
also my frien'."
"I understand," the American lady said thoughtfully.
Japanese ladies usually treat their maids more as sisters than as maids.
In fact, one of the duties of a maid is to act as companion to her
mistress. Hence, it is necessary that the maid be quite accomplished and
entertaining. Often a geisha girl will prefer to leave the tea-house
where she is employed, to take a position as companion and maid to some
kind and rich lady of the Kazoku and Samourai class, and in this way she
learns to be very gentle and polite in her manners by copying her little
mistress; besides, she will have a good home. It is a peculiar fact that
Japanese holding positions such as maid, or, for a man, perhaps as
retainer or valet, or even servant, become extremely devoted to their
masters and mistresses, remaining with them until they are married, and
sometimes preferring to remain with them after they have married, rather
than marry themselves. It is no uncommon thing for them to make
sacrifices, sometimes almost heroic ones, for their masters or
mistresses.