Blue trousers: Being the fourth part of 'The tale of Genji'

Akashi, Lady of Brought back by Genji from his place of exile.

Akashi, Princess Daughter of the above.

Akikonomu Daughter of Rokujō. Consort of the Emperor Ryōzen.

Aoi Genji's first wife. Her death is recorded at the end of Vol. I.

Asagao, Princess Courted by Genji.

Chūjō, Lady Daughter of Tō no Chūjō. Concubine of the Emperor Ryōzen.

Chūjō no Omoto Maid in service of Higekuro.

Crown Prince, The Son of Suzaku. Afterward ascends the Throne. 'The New Emperor'.

Emperor, The New See Crown Prince.

Falling Flowers A mild and patient lady, entrusted with Lady from the Village of. Yūgiri's upbringing.

Fujitsubo Genji's stepmother. Secretly loved by him.

Genji The hero.

Higekuro Husband to Makibashira, who goes mad. Subsequently marries Tamakatsura.

Hyōbukyō, Prince Murasaki's father.

Jōkyōden, Princess Consort of Suzaku.

Kaoru Son of Nyosan and Kashiwagi. Supposed by the world to be Genji's son.

Kashiwagi Son of Tō no Chūjō. In love with Nyosan.

Kōbai Kashiwagi's brother.

Kojijū Maid to Nyosan.

Koremitsu Genji's favourite retainer.

Koremitsu's Daughter 'The Gosechi dancer.' Yūgiri takes a fancy to her at the time when he cannot get access to Kumoi.

Kumoi Tō no Chūjō's daughter. Yūgiri's wife;

Makibashira Higekuro's mad wife.

Moku no Kimi Maid in service of Higekuro.

Murasaki Genji's wife. The low rank of her mother prevented her ever being installed as kita no kata or 'legitimate spouse.'

Niou Son of the New Emperor and the Akashi Princess. Genji's grandson.

Nishi no Miya Murasaki's eldest sister.

Nyosan Favourite daughter of the ex-Emperor Suzaku. Accepted by Genji as his kita no kata, in deference to Suzaku's wishes. Loved by Kashiwagi.

Oborozuki Consort of Suzaku. Formerly loved by Genji.

Ochiba Daughter of Suzaku. Married to Kashiwagi; after his death, loved by Yūgiri.

Omi, Lady from Illegitimate daughter of Tō no Chūjō.

Omiya, Princess Tō no Chūjō's mother. Yūgiri's maternal grandmother.

Rokujō, Lady Loved by Genji in his early days. Violently jealous of his other attendants.

Ryōzen, Emperor Thought by the world to be the son of the Old Emperor (Genji's father); but in reality son of Genji and the Old Emperor's consort, Lady Fujitsubo.

Saishō Maid to Tamakatsura.

Sochi, Prince Genji's half-brother.

Suzaku, Ex-Emperor Genji's half-brother. Father of Nyosan and Ochiba.

Tamakatsura Daughter of Tō no Chūjō and Yūgao. Adopted by Genji.

Tō no Chūjō Genji's great friend. Brother of Genji's first wife, Aoi.

Yamato, Governor of Nephew of Ochiba's mother.

Yūgao Loved by Genji in his youth. Withered by Rokujō's jealousy. Dies in the deserted mansion (see vol. i, chap. iv

).

Yūgiri Genji's son by Aoi.

Genji has decided to find a husband for his ward Tamakatsura, though he longs to keep her for himself. Yūgiri (Genji's son) is still in love with Kumoi (Tō no Chūjō's daughter); but Tō no Chūjō is more ambitious on her behalf, and would like to establish her in the Emperor's Palace. Genji is hurt by this slight on Yūgiri, and there is an estrangement between Genji and Tō no Chūjō.

BLUE TROUSERS

CHAPTER I

Genji's mind was still occupied with the question of Tamakatsura's future. He was, as he put it to himself, exploring various possibilities—honestly endeavouring to discover a plan that would ensure her happiness. But meanwhile the girl's reputation had, true to Murasaki's prediction, already begun to suffer. The fact that rumours connecting Genji's name with hers were now generally current made his situation with regard to her true father more than ever embarrassing. Where other people's conduct was concerned Tō no Chūjō's standards were singularly exacting. The moment he heard that the subject of all this gossip was his own daughter, Chūjō's moral indignation would know no bounds, and he would certainly not consider it any part of his duty to save Genji's face or lighten the consequences of his equivocal behaviour.

Was it, Genji now began to ask himself, of any advantage either to the girl or her father that their relationship should be disclosed? Far better, surely, to find her a suitable husband as soon as possible, or best of all, induce the Emperor to admit her into the Palace.

[2] The Procession left the Suzaku gate at the hour of the Hare,[3] turning to the right when it reached the Great Highway of the Fifth Ward. All through the town, and beyond it as far as the Katsura river, the road was thickly lined by coaches. The procession was, strictly speaking, an Imperial Progress; but on this occasion the Palanquin was followed by most of the younger princes and noblemen, on horses sumptuously saddled and equipped. Their retainers, also on horseback, were all men of fine stature and appearance, clad in magnificent costumes, so that the general effect was one of extraordinary splendour. All the great Ministers of State were there, from the Ministers of the Right and Left, the Palace Minister and Chancellors downwards. Even the lower officers, including those of the Sixth Rank, were as a special privilege allowed to wear the dove-grey cloak and wine-red tunic.

There had been a slight fall of snow, but during the time of the procession the weather was perfect. Such of the courtiers as had been taking part in the recent hunting expeditions were still in their strange falconers' costumes. They were attended by the hawk-trainers drawn from the falconries of the Six Bodyguards. These men, in their rather wild-looking, patterned dresses, quite unfamiliar to most residents of the Capital, attracted a great deal of attention. Though there was much in the proceedings that lay outside the scope of what young ladies are supposed to understand, the mere interest and beauty of the sight brought them to the scene in their thousands, and it was touching to observe how many crazy, tottering conveyances just managed to creak and lumber to the spot in time to see the procession pass. The most fashionable view-point was just before the Bridge of Boats.

Here the really smart equipages were seen in greatest abundance; among them, that of Lady Tamakatsura. It was of course towards the open window of the Emperor's Palanquin that she at once turned a fascinated gaze. Clad in a bright scarlet cloak, he sat motionless, not for an instant turning his young face to right or left. Never in her life had she seen so many handsome faces and fine clothes; but the Emperor could hold his own. She could not help casting a secret glance towards her father as he rode by with the other Ministers. He was a finely built man, and wore an air of vigour and enterprise that marked him out from among all the other commoners in the train. But it was not for long that she diverted her gaze from the scarlet-robed figure in the Palanquin.

As for such or such a young prince whose conversation or appearance she had heard praised, this or that chamberlain or courtier who had plied her with love letters—though her friends kept pointing them out, she did not pay the slightest attention, but continued to gaze at the figure in the red cloak, who was not only her Sovereign, but also the handsomest young man in all the throng. In cast of countenance he was, she thought, extraordinarily like Prince Genji, though the august position which he held had given to these same features a sternness, an imperturbable dignity very different from the habitual expression of her guardian's face.

By the lesser figures in the procession she was, she must needs confess, very much disappointed. Used to Genji and Yūgiri, she had fallen into the habit of supposing that beauty was the common property of all well-born gentlemen; and it was with some consternation that she to-day encountered such chins and noses as she could scarcely believe to be varieties of the organs with which she was familiar. She recognized Prince Hyōbukyō[4]; and also her own suitor Prince Higekuro, who, though not usually very particular about his appearance, was to-day quite smart in his guardsman's dress, with a stylish Persian quiver across his shoulders. He was dark-skinned and very hairy. This disgusted her, though she knew that men cannot be expected to have faces as smooth and complexions as delicately graded as those of a lady fresh from her toilet-table. No doubt she was unreasonable; but she could not help it.

Argue with herself as she might, the appearance of such people as Prince Higekuro distressed her. Her thoughts went back to the Emperor. Genji had spoken lately about the possibility of her being summoned to the Palace. She did not want to become the Emperor's concubine. That kind of thing did not appeal to her; moreover she did not think herself sufficiently presentable, and could not imagine that she would ever stand a chance of being chosen for such a purpose. But to be attached to the Palace in some general capacity, and if not actually to enjoy the Emperor's friendship, at any rate often to see him in a far less fleeting manner than she had done to-day—such a notion pleased her, and henceforward her mind frequently dwelt on it.

At last the procession arrived at Ōharano, the Palanquin halted, and a great banquet was served in the Imperial Tent. While such of the guests as had arrived in Court dress were changing into their cloaks and hunting-jackets, a great hamper of wine and fruit arrived as a present from the New Palace. The Emperor had expressed a wish that Genji should be present at to-day's proceedings; but he had excused himself, saying the day fixed for the ceremony clashed with a religious observance[5] which it was impossible for him to neglect. His majesty, on the receipt of Genji's hamper, sent a lieutenant of the Guard back to the New Palace with a return present of game—a dozen or so partridges strung to the bough of a tree. With it was a prose message of the usual kind, which I will not here reproduce, for the pronouncements of Royalty on such occasions are not necessarily of great interest.

The Imperial Poem was as follows: 'The tracks these woodland birds imprinted on the snowy hill would guide you safely on the path that Precedent decrees.' By this he meant that the Grand Minister had never before been absent on the occasion of the Royal Visit.

Genji entertained the messenger with suitable respect, and finally sent him back with the poem: 'So thick this morning's snow that, where I seek my way, no ancient track remains on the wind-drifts of the desolate hill.'[6] I have, as a matter of fact, heard a good deal more of what took place on this occasion; but there are still several gaps that I have not been able to fill in, and I shall therefore at present say nothing further about it.

Next day Genji wrote a note to Tamakatsura in which he said: 'How did you get on yesterday? Were you able to see the procession properly? I am sure that, if you were, you now take a very different view about my recent proposal....' She was at first amused by the notion that a fleeting glimpse through the window of a palanquin could have altered her decision about serving at the Palace. But after a moment's reflection she realized that this was precisely what had happened. How clever he always was at guessing what went on in other people's heads!

'But I am not sure that I could get her accepted. You see, it was from my house that Lady Akikonomu entered the Imperial service, and it might be thought that I was asking too much in trying to establish a second ward of mine in a high position at the Palace. The Emperor is extremely attractive. 'But on the other hand the Emperor is far handsomer than you suppose, as you will admit when you have seen him.'