26

“Usually when he's at games with those fine gentlemen they play on into the night. And so he caught us off guard. There we were, sprawled all over the house. But the question is what to do now.”

“That nurse of hers is quite a woman. Nothing could make her budge an inch. I almost thought she was going to separate them by main force.”

Just then a messenger arrived from court with the news that the empress had suffered a relapse. She had been in great pain since earlier in the evening.

“How very inconsiderate of her, when he was having such a good time.” Ukon started in with the message.

“What's done is done,” said Sho~sho~. “Don't go scolding him and making yourself look silly.”

“But I doubt if it _is_ quite done.”

They were whispering busily to each other. And what would all the rest be thinking? sighed Nakanokimi. People with an ordinary sense of propriety would be reproving her as well as Niou.

Ukon relayed the message, embroidering upon it somewhat.

“And who was the august messenger?” he asked, showing no disposi-tion to move. “I'm sure he overdid it.”

“A chamberlain to Her Majesty who announced himself as Taira no Shigetsune.”

He was in no hurry to go, whatever all the others might be thinking. Ukon went for the messenger, who came to the west veranda. With him was the man who had earlier brought in his message.

“Prince Nakatsukasa is already at court, and I saw Her Majesty's chamberlain leaving his house.”

She did from time to time have these seizures. He started out, leaving behind many complaints and promises. It would not do to be thought unfilial.