6

He delivered Niou's poem to his father.

“Not very friendly, I must say. But it is amusing to see what a prim and proper face he is putting on for us. I suppose he is aware that Yu~giri and all the rest of us think him a little too much of a ladies' man. The primness does not accord very well with his talents in that direction.”

If he was annoyed he quickly recovered, and today again got off a friendly note:

“Ever fragrant, the royal sleeves touch the blossoms

And bring them into higher and higher repute.

“I must ask to be forgiven if I seem frivolous.”

Perhaps, thought Niou, it was worth taking seriously. He answered:

“Were I to follow the fragrance of the blossoms,

Might I not be accused of wantonness?”

Ko~bai thought it a bit stiff, when things had been going so well.