ohano did not leave her room all of the following day. a maid brought word to lady saito that her daughter-in-law wished to meditate and pray alone. permission was somewhat ungraciously granted. her “moods,” as lady saito termed them, had become a source of irritation. however, the proposition to “meditate and pray” was good. ohano, perchance, would profit by her thoughts and emerge a reasonable being.
at noon the soft-hearted little omi begged to be permitted to take tea and refreshments to ohano. she was gone some time, to the aggravation of her mistress, for the little taro was loudly demanding his favorite’s return. when at last, however, the girl returned, she brought such a message to her mistress that the latter forgot everything else in the glow of satisfaction. ohano asked for the lord saito taro.
little omi hurried out with the child in her arms. she paused upon the threshold for a moment and threw a curious glance back at her mistress. lady saito’s face was wreathed in smiles, even while the tears dropped like rain down her withered cheeks. the girl hid her excited face against the child’s little body, then, almost running, she sped from the room.
it was very lonely for lady saito the rest of that day. she did not wish to disturb ohano, but how hungrily her heart longed for the return of her baby! how she missed it, even during the short period it had been gone.
in the middle of the afternoon, when she had fallen into a drowsy reverie upon her mat, she was disturbed by the sudden shoving aside of a screen behind her. she turned her head and saw in the aperture the agitated face of kiyo, the gateman. he had fallen to his knees, and now crawled on them toward her. something in his abject attitude awoke within the breast of his mistress a sickening fear of a calamity he had come to report. she felt as if paralyzed, unable either to stir or to utter a word.
undoubtedly the gateman brought bad tidings, for his place was not in the house, and it was an unheard-of thing for one in his position to force his way into the august presence of the mistress. she said to herself:
“he has come to report the death of my dear son or of my husband!”
vainly she put back her hand for the support of ohano, but the girl was still secluded in her chamber.
“speak!” she gasped, at last. “i command you not to hesitate!”
despite the peremptory words, she was shaking like one in an illness. her knees gave way. she sank down upon them in a collapsed heap. she looked entreatingly at the retainer, who seemed unable or unwilling to answer her.
“you bring exalted and joyous news from tenshi-sama!” she cried, brokenly. “i pray you speak the words!”
“nay, mistress!” his tremulous old voice shook, and he could not control the shaking of his aged limbs. he had been in the service of the lady saito since her babyhood. “it is of the youngest lord saito i speak!”
“my son! gonji!”
“thy honorable grandson, mistress,” he corrected.
she stared at him, aghast.
“baby-san!” she was upon her feet now, with the strength and savagery of a mother at bay. “he is here in the shiro!”
the gateman looked at her mutely.
“he has been stolen—by the maiden omi. it is said she was in the service of the first lady saito gonji.”
for a moment lady saito stared at the man with unbelieving eyes. suddenly she clapped her hands loudly, but no smiling-faced, sharp-tongued omi came running fleetly to her service. only the swollen-eyed wife of the cook crept into the room.
“thou knowest where—” she could not continue. her words choked her.
“nay, i do not know,” burst out ochika. “she was an imp of the lowest hades. maledictions upon her! may futen tear her flesh!”
“hush!” cried lady saito, with a sudden violence; and almost aloud she shouted the words:
“it is the rod of the gods! from the decree of heaven there is no escape!”
she became conscious that ohano was beside her. she looked at the girl strangely, and as she did so something in ohano’s eyes revealed the truth to her. she shrank from her daughter-in-law with a motion almost of loathing.
“why, ohano!” she cried. “it was thou who sent for—it is—”
ohano turned from her abruptly and moved briskly toward the gateman.
“it was thy duty,” she haughtily censured, “to pursue and seize the woman.”
“her feet had wings, august young mistress. with the honorable young lord upon her back she fairly flew by the gates, as if possessed of infernal power.”
“and thou art very old!” said the lady saito, gently. “thy ancient limbs are unable to compete with the fleet wings of a mother’s love!”
