Summary

Hatsumomo is midway through a story when Chiyo enters. At first she pretends that she doesn’t want to continue for fear of embarrassing the ‘novice’ who had entered. The men encourage her, and she agrees providing, she tells them, they don’t think of this particular novice when she does. Sayuri manages to turn a phrase on Hatsumomo, and while everyone at the table appreciates it and laughs, Hatsumomo is not amused. Soon after, Mameha and Sayuri leave, with Hatsumomo and Pumpkin hot on their trail, suggesting to Mameha that the evening has been so much fun that they should do it more often. Sayuri is back at the okiya early and is surprised when Hatsumomo shows up, livid. She slaps Sayuri across the face. Later, when Sayuri tells Mameha about it, she tells Sayuri that she can’t possibly have expected...