University of Virginia Library

Scene 4.

The sleeping-room in Wataru's house. Adzuma and Wataru together. Adzuma has been playing and singing: she lays aside the samisen, and approaches Wataru, who is finishing his evening repast.
Wataru.

Why that's my sun-bright wife, again!
Methought to-night there hung a cloud upon the fair
brow, but the pretty song hath chased it away.

Adzuma.
Have you supped well?
Myself I dressed those aji that you like;
Let me fill up your cup.

Wat.
The wine tastes good
With such a hand to pour it. Th'Okkasan—
The honourable Mother—what was ill
This forenoon with her?

Adz.
Nought—save what will mend
Before to-morrow. Taste these saffron-balls
With some wild honey.

Wat.
No! enough—enough!

Adz.
Ah, just one bean-cake more, or I shall think
My cooking's out of favour.

Wat.
Why, you witch!
I should eat out of such deft palms as yours
Fresh come from dinner with the Emperor.

Adz.
How kind you are! In the good days gone by
Have I been what a Nippon wife should be
Wed to so dear a Lord?

Wat.
My Adzuma!
Hast seen the fisher-folk, in Ise, hunt
The green sea for its wealth? A hundred plunge,
And fetch up wrinkled shells, sea-ears, sea-fans,
Awabi, akagai. And this man gets
Out of his fish a little pearl; and this
Another little pearl; and that one nought
Save slime and mud; and that one—why, a pearl
But black and ill-shaped. Till the one with the luck,—
Not best of the band, may be—finds, in his shell,
A pearl like the full moon, faultlessly white,
Round, lucent, lovely—oh! the pride of the Sea!
Fit treasure to be button to the neck
Of our Mikado's self; and all the crew
Envy their fellow, but no other gem
Comes like it from the secrets of the wave.
I am that fisher, sweetheart! you that pearl.

Adz.
Oh, how I thank you! For such pretty words
A cup of saké, Sir!—What happy days
Our days have been, since at the wedding-feast
We drunk nine cups together.

Wat.
Have been, sweet?
Why say you “have been”? Please the gracious gods
That's but beginning! What's to hinder us
From growing grey together, every day
Better than yesterday—till, when 'tis willed
There's to be no to-morrow, side by side,
As 'twere a-bed again, we sleep content
Under the fir-trees, in the Temple's peace?

Adz.
Dear Lord! if that had been—if that might be!
But some day comes the day which doth not have
Any to-morrow, and—sometimes it comes
So soon, so sudden. Did folks understand
Why Genjiro gave his life upon the wall?

Wat.
Oh, very well.

Adz.
They would not deem he died
So fond of honour that he could forget
How some must weep for him?

Wat.
No! I am sure
'Twas well perceived.

Adz.
You think the living do
The dead ones justice? Ah! it seems so hard
To hold in mind what wrongs the grave endures
When lips which had so much to say are closed,
And full hearts finish beating!

Wat.
Nay, my girl!
Surely a great death's like the calm that broods
At sea, after the storm. Rude waves, ashamed,
Leave raging; peaks and cliffs in the true shape
Rise clear out of their shadows; hidden reefs
Reveal their treachery, envy's chill mist
Rolls from the prospect, and the mariner
Sees where he steered amiss. But oh! we talk
Like bitterns croaking. Fill my cup again,
And fetch my robe: I have a mind to sleep.

Adz.
Yes, sleep, dear Lord!

[She brings in, and puts on, the night-robe of Wataru; and then prepares his pillow, and bed-covering; while herself sitting by him, and taking writing materials.]
Wat.
Will you not sleep yet, wife?

Adz.
I'll write a little.

Wat.
Then no makura!
I'll make your lap my pillow, till you come.

[He lies down on the sleeping-rugs, with his head on Adzuma's knees, and presently falls to slumber, while Adzuma writes.]
Adz.
He is asleep. Kind Lord! Sweet Lord! I'll talk
Soft to thy spirit through the unhearing ears.
Wataru! I am dying for thee, dear!
To-night, this night. Thou didst not, couldst not, know
The ache of my heart, which almost cracked its strings,
At such kind words. I dared not answer right,
For, if I answered right, I must have said
‘Wataru! 'tis thy dead Adzuma speaks!’—
Husband, oh, husband! I am loath to leave
These strong true arms, this tender breast,—but, dear!
I must die! There's no other way! Thereby
I clear all, and I quit thee well-assured
I was thy pure wife; body and soul thy wife,
Clean to the core in my fidelity.
How thou wilt grieve! yet not so much, so much
As if I lived, and there fell now and then—
When people talked our story o'er again—
That one drop in Love's cup which poisons Love.
Now it can never come. When tears half dry
Thou'lt see through them that I did this thing well,
And thou wilt know there was no other way
A Nippon wife could take; and thou wilt live
To die, I think, and have me all again,
Beyond this world. Oh, what a little while
Is left to look upon his sleeping face!
If I dared kiss it!

[Kissing him, a tear from Adzuma's eyes falls upon Wataru's cheek, and awakens him.]
Wataru
(starting up).
What, my golden girl! my flower!
Weeping? I dreamed you sate in Heaven, and sent
Rain down upon us.

Adz.
Ah, forgive me, Sir:
I have wet your beard with foolish tears. Indeed,
You should be angry, but my heart was sad
With one day's separation, and I mused
How full of change life is, and how more hard
To part for many a day.

Wat.
We will not part!
Comfort thee, wife! and come to bed.

Adz.
Aye, Lord!
I'll finish these, and come. Do thou, meanwhile
Lie easier.
[She arranges his pillow.]
Sleep! But dear Wataru! Lord!
If I should die, and thou should'st please to take
Another happy lady in my place—
It would be rightful—it would be thy due!—
Alas! how then the soul of Adzuma
Would wander restless, watching whilst thou gave
Adzuma's kisses not to Adzuma.
If I did dare to ask—

Wat.
See now; ask not!
'Tis idle torment, sweet! this peeping-work
Into what is to be. But I have sworn—
And I do swear again—none never shall
Lie in thy place.

Adz.
Now gentle Heaven thank
That gracious word! Be't the last word to-night
Dear, dearest Lord! That kind speech on thy mouth
I seal with mine. Good-night! good-bye! good-night!
[Wataru once more falls asleep.]
Now 'tis time!
He slumbers sound: my scrolls are ended: now
'Tis time! my murderer comes, whose sword shall save
My name, Wataru's peace, my Mother's life,
And make them see Adzuma did not sin.
Haste, thou foiled fool, whose love was bloody lust,
And learn how Adzuma rights Adzuma.
First I must shear my hair away, and tie
The short ends back—Samurai-way.
[She cuts her hair close, and fastens the ends with a string.]
So there!
My head is like Wataru's. Next's to wet
Nape, crown, and brow.
[She puts water upon her head and hair.]
He cannot miss to feel
This soaked hair! Next, to leave by my Lord's head
The letter on his pillow.
[She places the letter.]
So! that's done!
And here's for Mother; she will find it there.
[Places another letter.]
Now all is wrought! I'll to the Eastern room
And set the signal-lamp, and lie down still
In dear Wataru's place, and fold my hands,
And wait the wicked steel of Morito.
[Exit Adzuma.