Looking up, I recognize from afar my little house, perched on high.  It is wide open and lighted; I even hear the sound of a guitar.  Then I perceive the gilt head of my Buddha between the little bright flames of its two hanging night-lamps.  Now Chrysantheme appears on the veranda, looking out as if she expected us; and with her wonderful bows of hair and long, falling sleeves, her silhouette is thoroughly Nipponese.

As I enter, she comes forward to kiss me, in a graceful, though rather hesitating manner, while Oyouki, more demonstrative, throws her arms around me.

Not without a certain pleasure do I see once more this Japanese home, which I wonder to find still mine when I had almost forgotten its existence.  Chrysantheme has put fresh flowers in our vases, spread out her hair, donned her best clothes, and lighted our lamps to honor my return.  From the balcony she had watched the ‘Triomphante’ leave the dock, and, in the expectation of our prompt return, she had made her preparations; then, to wile away the time, she was studying a duet on the guitar with Oyouki.  Not a question did she ask, nor a reproach did she make.  Quite the contrary.

“We understood,” she said, “how impossible it was, in such dreadful weather, to undertake so lengthy a crossing in a sampan.”

She smiled like a pleased child, and I should be fastidious indeed if I did not admit that to-night she is charming.

I announce my intention of taking a long stroll through Nagasaki; we will take Oyouki-San and two little cousins who happen to be here, as well as some other neighbors, if they wish it; we will buy the most amusing toys, eat all sorts of cakes, and entertain ourselves to our hearts’ content.

“How lucky we are to be here, just at the right moment,” they exclaim, jumping with joy.  “How fortunate we are!  This very evening there is to be a pilgrimage to the great temple of the jumping Tortoise!  The whole town will be there; all our married friends have already started, the whole set, X——­, Y——­, Z——­, Touki-San, Campanule, and Jonquille, with ’the friend of amazing height.’  And these two, poor Chrysantheme and poor Oyouki, would have been obliged to stay at home with heavy hearts, had we not arrived, because Madame Prune had been seized with faintness and hysterics after her dinner.”

Quickly the mousmes must deck themselves out.  Chrysantheme is ready; Oyouki hurries, changes her dress, and, putting on a mouse-colored gray robe, begs me to arrange the bows of her fine sash-black satin lined with yellow-sticking at the same time in her hair a silver topknot.  We light our lanterns, swinging at the end of little sticks; M. Sucre, overwhelming us with thanks for his daughter, accompanies us on all fours to the door, and we go off gayly through the clear and balmy night.

Below, we find the town in all the animation of a great holiday.  The streets are thronged; the crowd passes by—­a laughing, capricious, slow, unequal tide, flowing onward, however, steadily in the same direction, toward the same goal.  From it rises a penetrating but light murmur, in which dominate the sounds of laughter, and the low-toned interchange of polite speeches.  Then follow lanterns upon lanterns.  Never in my life have I seen so many, so variegated, so complicated, and so extraordinary.