“Please do not think my question rude,” continued the attendant.  “An old woman like myself may ask questions without improper curiosity.  When you came to the house, I thought that I knew your face; and I asked your name only to clear away all doubt, before speaking of other matters.  I have some thing of moment to tell you.  You often pass through this village, and our young Him[’e]gimi-Sama[73] happened one morning to see you going by; and ever since that moment she has been thinking about you, day and night.  Indeed, she thought so much that she became ill; and we have been very uneasy about her.  For that reason I took means to find out your name and residence; and I was on the point of sending you a letter when—­so unexpectedly!—­you came to our gate with the little attendant.  Now, to say how happy I am to see you is not possible; it seems almost too fortunate a happening to be true!  Really I think that this meeting must have been brought about by the favor of Enmusubi-no-Kami,—­that great God of Izumo who ties the knots of fortunate union.  And now that so lucky a destiny has led you hither, perhaps you will not refuse—­if there be no obstacle in the way of such a union—­to make happy the heart of our Him[’e]gimi-Sama?”

[Footnote 73:  A scarcely translatable honorific title compounded of the word him[’e] (princess) and kimi (sovereign, master or mistress, lord or lady, etc.).]

For the moment It[=o] did not know how to reply.  If the old woman had spoken the truth, an extraordinary chance was being offered to him.  Only a great passion could impel the daughter of a noble house to seek, of her own will, the affection of an obscure and masterless samurai, possessing neither wealth nor any sort of prospects.  On the other hand, it was not in the honorable nature of the man to further his own interests by taking advantage of a feminine weakness.  Moreover, the circumstances were disquietingly mysterious.  Yet how to decline the proposal, so unexpectedly made, troubled him not a little.  After a short silence, he replied:—­

“There would be no obstacle, as I have no wife, and no betrothed, and no relation with any woman.  Until now I have lived with my parents; and the matter of my marriage was never discussed by them.  You must know that I am a poor samurai, without any patron among persons of rank; and I did not wish to marry until I could find some chance to improve my condition.  As to the proposal which you have done me the very great honor to make, I can only say that I know myself yet unworthy of the notice of any noble maiden.”

The old woman smiled as if pleased by these words, and responded:—­

“Until you have seen our Him[’e]gimi-Sama, it were better that you make no decision.  Perhaps you will feel no hesitation after you have seen her.  Deign now to come with me, that I may present you to her.”