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After them the files of the Fujinami streamed in and took up their appointed positions along the sides of the room. They were followed by the geisha, each girl carrying a little white china bottle shaped like a vegetable marrow, and a tiny cup like the bath which hygienic old maids provide for their canary birds. "Japanese saké" said Sadako to her cousin, "you do not like?"
He repeated his joke in Japanese. The girl wriggled with embarrassment, and finally scuttled away across the room, while the others laughed. All the geisha now hid their faces among much tittering. Geoffrey was becoming harassed by this badinage; but he hated to appear a prude, and said: "I have got a wife, you know, Mr. Fujinami; she is keeping an eye on me."
For the inside of a week the Fujinami dwelt in one of a row of stalls, like loose-boxes, within the temple precincts. The festival might have some affinity with the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, when the devout left their city dwellings to live in booths outside the walls.
"His honour rooted in dishonour stood, And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true." Asako was glad on the whole that she had no visitors. The Fujinami were busy with their New Year preparations. Christmas Day passed by, unheeded by the Japanese, though the personality and appearance of Santa Claus are not unknown to them.
"You do not know how the Fujinami have made so much money?" "No," said Asako. "It used to come for me from Mr. Ito. He had shares or something." "Yes. But a share that means a share of a business. Do you not know what is our business?" "No," said Asako again. "You have seen the Yoshiwara, where girls are sold to men. That is our business. Do you understand now?" "No."
The young Viscount, however, on ascertaining the origin of the family wealth, eliminated poor Sadako from the competition for his hand. It was a great disappointment to the Fujinami, and most of all to the ambitious Sadako.
Ito, after a series of prostrations, withdrew. As soon as he was out of sight, Mr. Fujinami Gentaro selected from the pile in front of him a number of letters and newspapers. With these in his hand, he left the study, and followed a path of broad, flat stepping-stones across the garden towards the cherry-orchard. Here the way sloped rapidly downward under a drift of fallen petals.
Fujinami yawns once more, after which he condescends. He sucks down the thin, green tea with a whistling noise. Then he places in his mouth the damson balanced on the point of the toothpick. He turns it over and over with his tongue as though he was chewing a cud. Finally he decides to eat it, and to remove the stone. Then he rises from his couch. He is a very small wizened man.
A sucking sound ran round the room as the first cup was drained. Then a complete silence fell, broken only by the shuffle of the girls' feet on the matting as they went to fetch more bottles. Mr. Fujinami Gentaro spoke to the guests assembled, bidding them commence their meal, and not to stand upon ceremony. "It is like the one two three go! at a race," thought Geoffrey.
He was rude to his father, and he was cruel to his wife. He thought only of geisha and bad women. No doubt, he became sick from touching a woman who was sick. Besides, it is the bad ingé of the Fujinami family. Did not the old woman of Akabo say so? It is the curse of the Yoshiwara women. It will be our turn next, yours and mine."
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