Part 8
“ The day of the King's visit was approaching, and the Lord's mansion was improved and adorned.”
中務の宮<具平親王>わたりの御ことを御心に入れて、そなたの心寄せある人とおぼして、語らはせたまふも、まことに心のうちは思ひゐたること多かり。
行幸近くなりぬとて、殿の内をいよいよ繕ひ磨かせたまふ。世におもしろき菊の根を尋ねつつ掘りてまゐる。色々移ろひたるも、黄なるが見どころあるも、さまざまに植ゑたてたるも、朝霧の絶え間に見わたしたるは、げに老もしぞきぬべき心地するに、なぞや、まして思ふことのすこしもなのめなる身ならましかば、すきずきしくももてなし若やぎて、常なき世をも過ぐしてまし、めでたきことおもしろきことを見聞くにつけても、ただ思ひかけたりし心のひくかたのみつよくてもの憂く、思はずに嘆かしきことのまさるぞ、いと苦しき。いかで今はなほもの忘れしなむ、思ふかひもなし、罪も深かんなりなど、明けたてばうちながめて、水鳥どもの思ふことなげに遊びあへるを見る。
水鳥を水の上とやよそに見む われも浮きたる世を過ぐしつつ
かれもさこそ心をやりて遊ぶと見ゆれど、身はいと苦しかんなりと、思ひよそへらる。
小少将の君の文おこせたまへる返り事書くに、時雨れのさとかきくらせば、使ひも急ぐ。
「また空の気色も心地さわぎてなむ。」
とて、腰折れたることや書きまぜたりけむ。暗うなりにたるに、たちかへり、いたう霞みたる濃染紙に、
雲間なくながむる空もかきくらし いかにしのぶる時雨れなるらむ
書きつらむこともおぼえず、
ことわりの時雨れの空は雲間あれど ながむる袖ぞ乾く間もなき
その日、新しく造られたる舟どもさし寄せて御覧ず。龍頭鷁首の生けるかたち思ひやられて、あざやかにうるはし。行幸は辰の時と、まだ暁より人びとけさうじ心づかひす。上達部の御座は西の対なれば、こなたは例のやうに騒がしうもあらず。内侍の督の殿の御方に、なかなか人びとの装束なども、いみじうととのへたまふと聞こゆ。
暁に少将の君参りたまへり。もろともに頭けづりなどす。例の、さいふとも日たけなむと、たゆき心どもはたゆたひて、扇のいとなほなほしきを、また人にいひたる、持て来なむと待ちゐたるに、鼓の音を聞きつけて急ぎ参る、さま悪しき。
御輿迎へたてまつる船楽いとおもしろし。寄するを見れば、駕輿丁のさる身のほどながら、階より昇りて、いと苦しげにうつぶし伏せる、なにのことごとなる、高きまじらひも、身のほどかぎりあるに、いと安げなしかしと見る。
御帳の西面に御座をしつらひて、南の廂の東の間に御椅子を立てたる、それより一間隔てて、東に当たれる際に北南のつまに御簾を掛け隔てて、女房のゐたる、南の柱もとより、簾をすこしひき上げて、内侍二人出づ。
その日の髪上げ麗しき姿、唐絵ををかしげに描きたるやうなり。左衛門の内侍、御佩刀執る。青色の無紋の唐衣、裾濃の裳、領巾、裙帯は浮線綾を櫨[糸+炎]に染めたり。上着は菊の五重、掻練は紅、姿つきもてなし、いささかはづれて見ゆるかたはらめ、はなやかにきよげなり。
弁の内侍は璽の御筥。紅に葡萄染めの織物の袿、裳、唐衣は、先の同じこと。いとささやかにをかしげなる人の、つつましげにすこしつつみたるぞ、心苦しう見えける。扇よりはじめて、好みましたりと見ゆ。領巾は楝[糸+炎]。夢のやうにもごよひのだつほど、よそほひ、むかし天降りけむ少女子の姿もかくやありけむとまでおぼゆ。
近衛司、いとつきづきしき姿して、御輿のことどもおこなふ、いときらきらし。藤中将、御佩刀などとりて、内侍に伝ふ。
御簾の中を見わたせば、色聴されたる人びとは、例の青色、赤色の唐衣に地摺の裳、上着は、おしわたして蘇芳の織物なり。ただ馬の中将ぞ葡萄染めを着てはべりし。打物どもは、濃き薄き紅葉をこきまぜたるやうにて、中なる衣ども、例のくちなしの濃き薄き、紫苑色、うら青き菊を、もしは三重など、心々なり。
綾聴されぬは、例のおとなおとなしきは、無紋の青色、もしは蘇芳など、みな五重にて、襲ねどもはみな綾なり。大海の摺裳の、水の色はなやかに、あざあざとして、腰どもは固紋をぞ多くはしたる。袿は菊の三重五重にて、織物はせず。若き人は、菊の五重の唐衣を心々にしたり。上は白く、青きが上をば蘇芳、単衣は青きもあり。上薄蘇芳、つぎつぎ濃き蘇芳、中に白きまぜたるも、すべてしざまをかしきのみぞ、かどかどしく見ゆる。言ひ知らずめづらしく、おどろおどろしき扇ども見ゆ。
うちとけたる折こそ、まほならぬかたちもうちまじりて見え分かれけれ、心を尽くしてつくろひけさうじ、劣らじとしたてたる、女絵のをかしきにいとよう似て、年のほどのおとなび、いと若きけぢめ、髪のすこし衰へたるけしき、まだ盛りのこちたきがわきまへばかり見わたさる。さては、扇より上の額つきぞ、あやしく人のかたちを、しなじなしくも下りてももてなすところなむめる。かかる中にすぐれたりと見ゆるこそ限りなきならめ。
かねてより、主上の女房、宮にかけてさぶらふ五人は、参り集ひてさぶらふ。内侍二人、命婦二人、御まかなひの人一人。御膳まゐるとて、筑前、左京、一もとの髪上げて、内侍の出で入る隅の柱もとより出づ。これはよろしき天女なり。左京は青色に柳の無紋の唐衣、筑前は菊の五重の唐衣、裳は例の摺裳なり。御まかなひ橘三位。青色の唐衣、唐綾の黄なる菊の袿ぞ、上着なむめる。一もと上げたり。柱隠れにて、まほにも見えず。
殿、若宮抱きたてまつりたまひて、御前にゐてたてまつりたまふ。主上、抱き移したてまつらせたまふほど、いささか泣かせたまふ御声、いと若し。弁宰相の君、御佩刀執りて参りたまへり。母屋の中戸より西に殿の上おはする方にぞ、若宮はおはしまさせたまふ。主上、外に出でさせたまひてぞ、宰相の君はこなたに帰りて、
「いと顕証に、はしたなき心地しつる。」
と、げに面うち赤みてゐたまへる顔、こまかにをかしげなり。衣の色も、人よりけに着はやしたまへり。
He especially favoured Prince Murakami, and as he thinks I am related to that Prince he talked to me very familiarly. I know many things which may be expected to happen!
The day of the King's visit was approaching, and the Lord's mansion was improved and adorned. Beautiful chrysanthemums were sought for everywhere, to plant in the garden. Some were already fading, others in yellow were especially lovely. When they were planted and I saw them through the shifting morning mists, they seemed indeed to drive away old age.
I wish I could be more adaptable and live more gaily in the present world—had I not an extraordinary sorrow—but whenever I hear delightful or interesting things my yearning for a religious life grows stronger. I become melancholy and lament. I try to forget, for sorrow is vain. Am I too sinful? So I was musing one morning when I saw waterfowl playing heedlessly in the pond.
Waterfowl floating on the water— They seem so gay, But in truth It is not gay to live anxiously seeking means of existence.
I sympathized with them who outwardly have no other thought but amusement, yet in reality are seeking a livelihood in great anxiety.
Lady Koshosho sent me a letter, and when I was writing the answer a brisk shower came pattering down. The sky looked threatening and the messenger was in a hurry, so I think I wrote but a broken-legged poem. After dark the messenger returned with a strongly perfumed and deeply colored paper on which was written:
The dark sky dulls my dreamy mind, The down-dripping rain lingers— O my tears down falling, longing after thee!
I have forgotten what I wrote to her except the poem:
There are pauses between the showers of the outer world, But there is no time when my sleeves, wet with tears, are dry.
That day the Queen saw the new boats which were presented for her inspection. The dragon's head and the phoenix at the prow made me think of animated living figures.
The visit of His Majesty was to be made at eight or nine o'clock in the morning. From early dawn ladies adorned themselves with great care. As the seats of the courtiers were placed in the west side building the Queen's apartment was not so much disturbed. I have heard that the ladies serving at the Imperial shrine dressed very elaborately in the rooms of the first maid-of-honour.
In the early morning Lady Koshosho came back from her father's. We dressed our hair together. In spite of the fixed hour His Majesty's coming will be delayed, we thought, and our relaxed minds were still indolent. Some ladies had ordered unornamented silk fans and were on tiptoe with expectancy when the drums were heard [announcing Royalty] and they were in an awkward predicament. We welcomed the Royal equipage. The boatmen's music was very good. When the Royal palanquin drew near, the bearers, though they were rather honourable persons, bent their heads in absolute humility as they ascended the steps. Even in the highest society there are grades of courtesy, but these men were too humble. The Royal dais was prepared at the west side of the Queen's. His honourable chair was placed in the eastern part of the south veranda. A little apart from it on the east side were hung misu, and two of the court ladies in attendance on the King came out from behind that misu. Lady Saémon held the King's sword. She wore a blue-green patternless karaginu and shaded train with floating bands and belt of "floating thread" brocade dyed in dull red. Her outer robe was trimmed with five folds and was chrysanthemum-coloured. The glossy silk was of crimson; her figure and movement, when we caught a glimpse of it, was flower-like and dignified. Lady Ben-no-Naishi held the box of the King's seals. Her uchigi was grape-colored, her brocaded train and karaginu were the same as the former lady. She is a very small and smile-giving person and seemed a little shy and I was sorry for her. Her face and clothes were in better taste than those of the other ladies. Her hairbands were blue-green. Her appearance suggested one of the ancient dream-maidens descended from heaven.
The officers of the King's Bodyguard managed things connected with the state carriage [perhaps drawn by a bullock] in fine style. They were elegantly dressed. The First Lieutenant-General took His Majesty's sword and gave it to Lady Saémon. Looking over those who were inside the misu I saw that persons who were permitted to wear honourable colours were in karaginu of blue or red, painted trains, and uchigi which were as a rule brocade of old red and old rose. Only the Right Bodyguard wore clothes of shrimp pink. The beaten stuffs were like the mingling of dark and light maple leaves in autumn. The under garments were in deep and pale jasmine yellow or in green and white. Some wore scarlet and green, and others dresses trimmed with three folds. Among those who were not permitted to wear figured silk the elderly persons wore blue, or dull red and old rose five-fold-bordered uchigi. The color of the sea painted on their trains was tasteful and quiet. On their belts was a repeated design. The younger ladies wore five-fold-trimmed karaginu of chrysanthemum colours according to their taste. The first garment was white and those who wore a blue dress covered it with a red one. Those who wore old rose on the outside took more richly colored garments underneath. Among those whose dress was in combination with white, only those who made skilful combinations seemed well dressed. I saw some fans exquisitely strange and original. We can compare their tastes more easily in their everyday dress, but on such an occasion as this, when they give their whole minds to the costumes, vying with each other, they all seem like so many works of art. They look rather alike, and it is difficult to distinguish ages, or to know whether hair is thick or thin. Their faces and heads were hidden by fans, yet some ladies seemed more dignified and others inferior. Ladies who seem distinguished at such a time must be beautiful indeed. Five ladies who had formerly served both the King and our Queen were assembled here. They were, two ladies-in-waiting, two maids-of-honour, and one cook. To serve the dinner Ladies-in-Waiting Chikuzen and Sakyo, their hair tied with bands, came out near the square pillar where the court ladies sat. They were like beautiful angels [Japanese word, tennin]. Sakyo wore karaginu of white, and blue under white. Lady Chikuzen wore five-fold-trimmed karaginu of chrysanthemum colours. The ornament of their trains was dyed by rubbing. Lady Tachibana of the Third Rank prepared the dinner. She is an old lady and wore blue karaginu, and yellow chrysanthemum uchigi woven in a "floating thread" pattern. A sudaré was rolled up, but a post obscured the view. The Lord Prime Minister, taking the August young Prince in his arms went before the King. His Majesty took the child himself. The Honourable Infant cried a little in a very young voice. Lady Ben-no-Saisho stood holding the Prince's sword. The Prince was taken to the Lord Prime Minister's wife, who sat on the west side of the inner door. After His Majesty had gone, Ben-no-Saisho came out and said to me: "I was exposed to brightness [i.e. the radiance of the King's presence]. I felt discomposed." Her blushing face was beautiful in every feature, and set off her dress delightfully.