146 STALKS ABROAD 



the reunion, which was brutal, to say the least of 

 it. His wife merely sniffed, then turned her head. 

 His son gazed in childish and unfeigned wonder at 

 the extraordinary transformation which had taken 

 place in the appearance of his usually proud and un- 

 bending parent, and then bolted. 



I was not allowed to buy the horns. It would have 

 derogated from the dignity of the temple. But I 

 gave an offering to the shrine, and the high priest 

 very kindly presented them to me as a souvenir ! 



And then it was all over and we had to go. 

 Past the grey and ghostly lanterns, the scarlet and 

 grey torii, the friendly shade of immemorial crypto- 

 merias, and the laughing, chattering throng of people, 

 to Kyoto, and so in due time to the lovely harbour 

 of Nagasaki and the ship which lay there. 



" Very sadly did we leave it, but our hearts we gave in pledge, 

 To the pine above the city, to the blossom in the hedge." 



Some day I am going back to find mine ; until then 

 " Sayonara" 



