Читать книгу Romances of Old Japan - Anonymous - Страница 3

What was his breathless amazement to see that the picture he so much admired had actually taken life ... and was gliding lightly towards him

Mortally wounded, both men fell to the ground, and so fatal had been Jurobei's thrusts that in a few minutes they breathed their last

The unhappy mother sadly followed with her eyes the pathetic little figure disappearing on her unknown path

Gunbei had watched the execution of his cruel order from the veranda

Yendo draws his sword, when between him and the victim of his vengeance there darts the lovely Kesa

Wataru little dreams that it is the last cup his wife will ever drink with him

To his unspeakable horror and amazement the moonlight reveals the head of Kesa—his love!

His grandfather had been a retainer of Ota Dokan ... and had committed suicide when his lord fell in battle

He glared fiercely at the apparition, and then, half unconsciously, turned for the samurai's only safeguard, his sword

Tama's father was delighted when Hayashi proved to be an expert at go, and often asked him to come and spend the evening

He was suddenly startled to see a girlish form coming towards him in the wavering shadows

Hayashi visits the temple where his lost love was buried and dedicates his whole life to praying for the repose of her soul

"When I was eighteen years of age, bandits ... made a raid on our village and ... carried me away"

When the bride was led into the room and seated opposite Toshika, what was his bewildering delight to see that she was ... the lady-love of his picture

Urasato's escape from the Yamana-Ya

As she spoke, Urasato leaned far out over the balcony, the picture of youth, grace and beauty

O Tatsu ... took her stand behind Urasato, and with deft fingers put the disordered coiffure to rights

Sawaichi, turning his sightless face towards the altar, repeated the Buddhist invocation: "Namu Amida Butsu!"

There in the grey light of the breaking dawn, she could see the lifeless form of her husband stretched upon the ground

"Listen, Sawaichi!" said the Heavenly Voice, "Through the faith of your wife and the merits of her accumulated prayers, your lives shall be prolonged"

"This is the head of Kanshusai, the son of the Lord Sugawara!"

The box, which served her as a shield, was speedily cut in two, and there appeared, unfolding and fluttering in the breeze, a little winding-sheet and a sacred banner for the dead

"No, no," said Matsuo ... "this is not the body of my boy. We are going to bury our young lord!"

From earliest times Kinu and Kunizo were accustomed to play together

Her ghastly face and blood-stained garments struck terror to the souls of the petrified spectators

Kunizo, almost beside himself with happiness, did his utmost to minister to his beloved lady

Suddenly a young girl appeared from the gloom as if by magic!

His beautiful hostess, seating herself beside the koto, began to sing a wild and beautiful air

An old priest suddenly appeared ... staff in hand and clad in ancient and dilapidated garments

What was the young man's astonishment to see a pretty young girl standing just within the gate

Suddenly he saw that the three performers had become headless!... Like children playing a game of ball, they tossed their heads from one to the other

In one of the dark corners of the temple-chamber, they came upon the dead body of an old, old badger