12

The Second Princess was looking unusually fresh and radiant when she arose the next morning. She would have been by no means out of place in a contest with her sister, and yet despite a certain family resemblance they did not really look alike. For clean beauty and elegance, no one, he was sure, could quite match the princess he had seen so briefly at Rokujo~; but perhaps he had so idealized her over the years that his eyes had played him false, and perhaps the moment had been right.

“It is very warm,” he said to the Second Princess. “Suppose you put on something lighter. Something you don't ordinarily wear. It can make things more interesting, you know.” And to one of the women: “Go have Daini do up something in gossamer.”

Her women were pleased. She was at her best, and gossamer would surely become her.

It was his usual practice to retire late in the morning for prayers. When he appeared again at noon, the gossamer robe was hanging over a curtain rack.

“Do try it on. You will feel half undressed, I know, with all these ladies around, but don't let them worry you.”

He held the new robe for her to slip into. Her trousers were scarlet, as her sister's had been, and, like her sister's, her hair fell in long, thick cascades. But not one of us is like any other. The effect was very different. Still not ready to admit defeat, he sent for ice. Some men find comfort in pictures, and his princess should have afforded far more comfort than any picture. He permitted himself a sigh. How he would have liked to join that party yesterday, and gaze on and on, quite openly, at the First Princess.

“Are you in correspondence with your sister?”

“I wrote occasionally when I was in the palace. His Majesty said I should. But I haven't now in a very long time.”

“Do you suppose she has stopped writing because you married a commoner? That would make me unhappy. I shall tell Her Majesty you resent it very much.”

“Resent it? What is there to resent? No, please don't.”

“I shall tell her that your sister is arrogant. I shall say that she treats you like an underling.”