Part 5
“ For seven nights every ceremony was performed cloudlessly.”
よろづの物のくもりなく白き御前に、人の様態、色合ひなどさへ、掲焉に現れたるを見わたすに、よき墨絵に髮どもを生ほしたるやうに見ゆ。いとどものはしたなくて、輝かしき心地すれば、昼はをさをささし出でず。のどやかにて、東の対の局より参う上る人びとを見れば、色聴されたるは、織物の唐衣、同じ袿どもなれば、なかなか麗しくて、心々も見えず。聴されぬ人も、少し大人びたるは、かたはらいたかるべきことはとて、ただえならぬ三重五重の袿に、表着は織物、無紋の唐衣すくよかにして、襲ねには綾、薄物をしたる人もあり。
扇など、みめにはおどろおどろしく輝やかさで、由なからぬさまにしたり。心ばへある本文うち書きなどして、言ひ合はせたるやうなるも、心々と思ひしかども、齢のほど同じまちのは、をかしと見かはしたり。人の心の、思ひおくれぬけしきぞ、あらはに見えける。
裳、唐衣の縫物をばさることにて、袖口に置き口をし、裳の縫ひ目に白銀の糸を伏せ組みのやうにし、箔を飾りて、綾の紋にすゑ、扇どものさまなどは、ただ、雪深き山を、月の明かきに見わたしたる心地しつつ、きらきらとそこはかと見わたされず、鏡をかけたるやうなり。
三日にならせたまふ夜は、宮司、大夫よりはじめて御産養仕うまつる。右衛門督<大夫斉信>は御前の事、沈の懸盤、白銀の御皿など、詳しくは見ず。
源中納言<権大夫俊賢>、藤宰相<権亮実成>は御衣、御襁褓、衣筥の折立、入帷子、包、覆、下机など、同じことの、同じ白さなれど、しざま、人の心々見えつつし尽くしたり。近江守は、おほかたのことどもや仕うまつるらむ。
東の対の西の廂は、上達部の座、北を上にて二行に、南の廂に、殿上人の座は西を上なり。白き綾の御屏風、母屋の御簾に添へて、外ざまに立てわたしたり。
For seven nights every ceremony was performed cloudlessly. Before the Queen in white the styles and colours of other people's dresses appeared in sharp contrast. I felt much dazzled and abashed, and did not present myself in the daytime, so I passed my days in tranquillity and watched persons going up from the eastern side building across the bridge. Those who were permitted to wear the honourable colours put on brocaded karaginu, and also brocaded uchigi. This was the conventionally beautiful dress, not showing individual taste. The elderly ladies who could not wear the honourable colours avoided anything dazzling, but took only exquisite uchigi trimmed with three or five folds, and for karaginu brocade either of one colour or of a simple design. For their inner kimonos they used figured stuffs or gauzes. Their fans, though not at first glance brilliant or attractive, had some written phrases or sentiments in good taste, but almost exactly alike, as if they had compared notes beforehand. In point of fact the resemblance came from their similarity of age, and they were individual efforts. Even in those fans were revealed their minds which are in jealous rivalry. The younger ladies wore much-embroidered clothes; even their sleeve openings were embroidered. The pleats of their trains were ornamented with thick silver thread and they put gold foil on the brocaded figures of the silk. Their fans were like a snow-covered mountain in bright moonlight; they sparkled and could not be looked at steadily. They were like hanging mirrors [in those days made of polished metal].
On the third night Her Majesty's major-domo gave an entertainment. He served the Queen himself. The dining-table of aloe wood, the silver dishes, and other things I saw hurriedly. Minamoto Chunagon and Saisho presented the Queen with some baby clothes and diapers, a stand for a clothes chest, and cloth for wrapping up clothes and furniture. They were white in colour, and all of the same shape, yet they were carefully chosen, showing the artist mind. The Governor of Omi Province was busy with the general management of the banquet. On the western balcony of the East building there sat court nobles in two rows, the north being the more honourable place. On the southern balcony were court officials, the west being the most honourable seat. Outside the doors of the principal building [where the Queen was] white figured-silk screens were put.