in good time. Now, Mars in the summer term is very lucky, and being governed by the Serpent she will appear from the same hole she went into. You are sure to find her this summer at the spot where she disappeared.” The secretary, though he did not put too much stock in the words of the diviner, who after all was but an ordinary mortal, was still sufficiently impressed by what he had heard, and from this time, instead of going about in a daze as before, stationed himself by the Left Gate.
It was on the thirteenth day of the fifth month, at the opening of the lectures on the Suvarna-prabhāsa Sutra, that he suddenly came upon the lady, this time in company with five others. He was so overjoyed that he scarcely knew whether to believe his eyes. In order to avoid arousing her suspicions, he mingled with the throng and saw her sitting among those in the west gallery of the Chamberlain’s pavilion, listening to the sermon. Fearful lest he lose sight of her in the scramble at the end of the lecture, he asked Lord Tsunetoshi, who happened to be at the entrance to the Imperial loge, to report his discovery to the Emperor. “His Majesty is with the Empress listening to the sermon. It is out of the question,” replied Tsunetoshi. He looked about for a herald who might deliver the message, but saw no one. Finally he approached a lady-in-waiting. “Forgive the interruption,” he said apologetically, “but it is His Majesty’s wish,” and asked her to convey his message quickly to the Emperor. She had prior knowledge of the affair and promptly obeyed. The Emperor replied, through the lady-in-waiting, “Admirable. This time find out for certain where she goes, and tell me.”
By the time the sermon was over it was dusk. The lady and her party seemed about to set off in a single coach. The secretary, fearing that she might be suspicious of him a second time, sent a certain resourceful woman to observe her in his stead. The lady’s destination proved to be the house of a certain Junior Captain in Sanjō Shirakawa. No sooner had the Emperor been informed of this than he sent the following letter. “Was it an empty dream or did I really see the young bamboo, that morning and night I yearn for with a love that is torment? Tonight without fail.”
This was all. The secretary went to her house with the letter.
