Chapter 37 Summary

One year later, on the anniversary of the death of Kashiwagi, Genji mourns the loss of such a respectable man. After thinking about Kashiwagi and the woman who bore his son, he goes to visit the Third Princess with Kaoru. Instead of offering words of consolation, Genji is taken by her beauty and tells her that he regrets allowing her to become a nun however Genji realizes that he cannot be anything to her as he watches the young Kaoru wobble around on two legs that are still learning how to walk. The very youth of Kaoru makes Genji understand that he is getting old and, as a result, he wonders how much longer he will be on this earth.

Later in the year, Yugiri visits the Second Princess again and, while he is there, her mother, Lady Ichijo, gives him a flute...