Book III, Chapters 13-18 Summary

Through Mrs. Niu and Mrs. Itani, another prospect for Yukiko has been found. He is a doctor named Mr. Hashidera whose wife has died and who has a school-age daughter. A dinner is hastily arranged for Yukiko to meet him along with Teinosuke. The dinner is pleasant and Hashidera is in good spirits. Teinosuke is not sure he is actually interested in getting married, however.

A few days later, Hashidera comes to the Ashiya house and meets Sachiko and Etsuko. Sachiko likes him. Teinosuke goes to Hashidera's office a few days later and has lunch with him. The reports are good on Hashidera, and Teinosuke writes him a long letter explaining why Yukiko has not yet married. It is the fault of the family, he explains, not because of any fault in Yukiko. Teinosuke follows up his...