Part 6
“ On the fifth night the Lord Prime Minister celebrated the birth.”
五日の夜は、殿の御産養。十五日の月曇りなくおもしろきに、池の汀近う、篝火どもを木の下に灯しつつ、屯食ども立てわたす。あやしき賤の男のさへづりありくけしきどもまで、色ふしに立ち顔なり。
主殿が立ちわたれるけはひおこたらず、昼のやうなるに、ここかしこの岩の隠れ、木のもとに、うち群れつつをる上達部の随身などやうの者どもさへ、おのがじし語らふべかめることは、かかる世の中の光出でおはしましたることを、陰にいつしかと思ひしも、および顔にぞ、すずろにうち笑み、心地よげなるや。まいて殿のうちの人は、何ばかりの数にしもあらぬ五位どもなども、そこはかとなく腰うちかがめて行きちがひ、いそがしげなるさまして、時にあひ顔なり。
御膳まゐるとて、女房八人、一つ色にさうぞきて、髪上げ、白き元結して、白き御盤とりつづきまゐる。今宵の御まかなひは宮の内侍、いとものものしく、あざやかなるやうだい、元結ばえしたる髪の下がりば、つねよりもあらまほしきさまして、扇にはづれたるかたはらめなど、いときよげにはべりしかな。
髪上げたる女房は、源式部<加賀守重文が女>、小左衛門<故備中守道時が女>、小兵衛<左京大夫明理が女とぞいひける>、大輔<伊勢斎主輔親が女>、大馬<左衛門大輔頼信が女>、小馬<左衛門佐道順が女>、小兵部<蔵人なる庶政が女>、小木工<木工允平文義といひはべるなる人の女なり>、かたちなどをかしき若人のかぎりにて、さし向かひつつゐわたりたりしは、いと見るかひこそはべりしか。
例は、御膳まゐるとて、髪上ぐることをぞするを、かかる折とて、さりぬべき人びとを選らみたまへりしを、心憂し、いみじと、うれへ泣きなど、ゆゆしきまでぞ見はべりし。
御帳の東面二間ばかりに、三十余人ゐなみたりし人びとのけはひこそ見ものなりしか。威儀の御膳は、采女どもまゐる。戸口のかたに、御湯殿の隔ての御屏風にかさねて、また南向きに立てて、白き御厨子一よろひにまゐりすゑたり。
夜更くるままに、月のくまなきに、采女、水司、御髪上げども、殿司、掃司の女官、顔も見知らぬをり。[門+韋]司などやうの者にやあらむ、おろそかにさうぞきけさうじつつ、おどろの髪ざし、おほやけおほやけしきさまして、寝殿の東の廊、渡殿の戸口まで、ひまもなくおしこみてゐたれば、人もえ通りかよはず。
御膳まゐりはてて、女房、御簾のもとに出でゐたり。火影にきらきらと見えわたる中にも、大式部のおもとの裳、唐衣、小塩山の小松原を縫ひたるさま、いとをかし。大式部は陸奥守の妻、殿の宣旨よ。大輔の命婦は、唐衣は手も触れず、裳を白銀の泥して、いとあざやかに大海に摺りたるこそ、掲焉ならぬものから、めやすけれ。弁の内侍の、裳に白銀の洲浜、鶴を立てたるしざま、めづらし。裳の縫物も、松が枝の齢をあらそはせたる心ばへ、かどかどし。少将のおもとの、これらには劣りなる白銀のはくさいを、人びとつきしろふ。少将のおもとといふは、信濃守佐光がいもうと、殿のふる人なり。
その夜の御前のありさま、いと人に見せまほしければ、夜居の僧のさぶらふ御屏風を押し開けて、
「この世には、かういとめでたきこと、まだ見たまはじ。」
と、言ひはべりしかば、
「あなかしこ、あなかしこ。」
と本尊をばおきて、手を押しすりてぞ喜びはべりし。
上達部、座を立ちて、御橋の上にまゐりたまふ。殿をはじめたてまつりて、攤うちたまふ。上の争ひ、いとまさなし。歌どもあり。
「女房、盃。」
などある折、いかがはいふべきなど、口ぐち思ひ心みる。
めづらしき光さしそふさかづきは もちながらこそ千代もめぐらめ
「四条大納言にさし出でむほど、歌をばさるものにて、声づかひ、用意いるべし。」
など、ささめきあらそふほどに、こと多くて、夜いたう更けぬればにや、とりわきても指さでまかでたまふ。禄ども、上達部には、女の装束に御衣、御襁褓や添ひたらむ。殿上の四位は、袷一襲ね、袴、五位は袿一襲ね、六位は袴一具ぞ見えし。
On the fifth night the Lord Prime Minister celebrated the birth. The full moon on the fifteenth day was clear and beautiful. Torches were lighted under the trees and tables were put there with rice-balls on them. Even the uncouth humble servants who were walking about chattering seemed to enhance the joyful scene. All minor officials were there burning torches, making it as bright as day. Even the attendants of the nobles, who gathered behind the rocks and under the trees, talked of nothing but the new light which had come into the world, and were smiling and seemed happy as if their own private wishes had been fulfilled. Happier still seemed those in the Audience Chamber, from the highest nobles even to men of the fifth rank, who, scarcely to be counted among the nobility, met the joyful time going about idly, and bending their bodies busily.
To serve at the Queen's dinner eight ladies tied their hair with white cords, and in that dress brought in Her Majesty's dining-table. The chief lady-in-waiting for that night was Miya-no-Naishi. She was brilliantly dressed with great formality, and her hair was made more charming by the white cords which enhanced her beauty. I got a side glance of her when her face was not screened by her fan. She wore a look of extreme purity.
The following are the maids-of-honour who tied their hair; Minamoto Shikibu, daughter of the Governor of Kaga Province; Kozaémon, daughter of the late Michitoki, Governor of Bitchu; Kohyoé, daughter of Akimasa, Governor of the Left Capital; Osuké, daughter of Sukechika, the head priest of the Isé shrine; O Uma, daughter of Yorinobu, an officer of the Right Bodyguard; Ko Uma, daughter of Michinobu, an officer of the Left Bodyguard; Kohyoé, daughter of Naritaka, Recorder of the Capital; Komoku [or Dakumi], daughter of Nobuyoshi. These were all young and pretty. It was a sight worth seeing. This time, as they chose only the best-looking young ladies, the rest who used to tie their hair on ordinary occasions to serve the Queen's dinner wept bitterly; it was shocking to see them.
More than thirty ladies were sitting in the two rooms east of the Queen's canopy, a magnificent sight. The august dinner trays were carried by unemé. Near the entrance of the great chamber folding screens surrounded a pair of tables on which these dining-trays had been placed. As the night advanced the moon shone brightly. There were unemé, mohitori, migusiagé, tonomori, kanmori-no-nyokwan, some with whose faces I was not familiar. There were also doorkeepers, carelessly dressed and with hairpins falling out, crowded together towards the eastern corridor of the principal building as if it were a public holiday. There were so many people there was no getting through them. After dinner the maids-of-honour came outside the misu and could be plainly seen by the light of the torches. The train and karaginu of Lady Oshikibu was embroidered to represent the dwarf pine-wood at Mount Oshio. As she is the wife of Michinoku, Governor of the eastern extremity of the island, she serves now in the Prime Minister's household. Dayu-no-Miyobu neglected the ornamentation of her karaginu, but she adorned her train with silver dust representing sea-waves. It was pleasing to the eye, though not dazzling. Ben-no-Naishi showed on her train a beach with cranes on it painted in silver. It was something new. She had also embroidered pine branches; she is clever, for all these things are emblematic of a long life. The device of Lady Shosho was inferior to these—many laughed at her silver foil. She was sister to Sukemitsu, the Governor of Shinano, and has lived at the court a long time. People wanted to see this entertainment. A priest was there who used to attend the court to beguile the night with religious and other stories. I said to him, "You cannot see such a lovely thing every day." "Indeed! indeed!" said he, neglecting his Buddha and clapping his hands for joy. The court nobles rose from their seats and went to the steps descending from the balcony. His Lordship the Prime Minister and others cast da. It was shocking to see them quarrelling about paper. Some composed poems. A lady said, "What response shall we make if some one offers to drink saké with us?" We tried to think of something.
Shijo-no-Dainagon is a man of varied accomplishments. No ladies can rival him in repartee, much less compete with him in poetry, so they were all afraid of him, but [this evening] he did not give a cup to any particular lady to make her compose poems. Perhaps that was because he had many things to do and it was getting late. At this ceremony the ladies of high rank are given robes, together with babies' dresses presented by the Queen. The ladies of the fourth rank were each given a lined kimono, and those of the sixth rank were given hakama. So much I saw.