62 Shadowings 



And he tended him with the utmost affection 

 both by day and by night. But he did not know 

 either the cause or the serious nature of the sick 

 ness until nearly a week later, when Totaro, 

 thinking himself about to die,'uttered these words 

 of farewell : 



"I suppose that I have had the pleasure of 

 caring for you thus long, because of some relation 

 that grew up between us in a former state of 

 existence. But now I am very sick indeed, and 

 every day my sickness becomes worse ; and my 

 life is like the morning dew which passes away 

 before the setting of the sun. For your sake, 

 therefore, I am troubled in mind. Your existence 

 has depended upon my care; and I fear that 

 there will be no one to care for you and to feed 

 you when I am dead. . . . My poor friend ! . . . 

 Alas ! our hopes and our wishes are always dis 

 appointed in this unhappy world ! " 



No sooner had Totaro spoken these words 

 than the Samebito uttered a strange wild cry of 

 pain, and began to weep bitterly. And as he 

 wept, great tears of blood streamed from his 

 green eyes and rolled down his black cheeks and 

 dripped upon the floor. And, falling, they were 

 blood ; but, having fallen, they became hard and 



