28 Shadowings 



that, probably she herself will tell you what 

 to do." 



With these words the old man went away. 

 His advice aroused Tokkei from despair. At 

 once he seated himself before the picture, and 

 called it by the name of a girl (what name the 

 Japanese narrator has forgotten to tell us) over 

 and over again, very tenderly. That day it 

 made no answer, nor the next day, nor the next. 

 But Tokkei did not lose faith or patience; and 

 after many days it suddenly one evening an- 

 swered to its name, 



"Hail" (Yes.) 



Then quickly, quickly, some of the wine from 

 a hundred different wine-shops was poured out, 

 and reverentially presented in a little cup. And 

 the girl stepped from the screen, and walked 

 upon the matting of the room, and knelt to 

 take the cup from Tokkei's hand, asking, with 

 a delicious smile : 



" How could you love me so much ? " 



Says the Japanese narrator : " She was much 

 more beautiful than the picture, beautiful to 

 the tips of her finger-nails, beautiful also in 

 heart and temper, lovelier than anybody else 

 in the world." What answer Tokkei made to 



