Therefore it is only I that am left forlorn,
-- only I that am left to wander along.]



On the evening of the day after this poem had been sent, Tomotada was
summoned to appear before the Lord Hosokawa. The youth at once suspected
that his confidence had been betrayed; and he could not hope, if his letter
had been seen by the daimyo, to escape the severest penalty. "Now he will
order my death," thought Tomotada;-- "but I do not care to live unless
Aoyagi be restored to me. Besides, if the death-sentence be passed, I can
at least try to kill Hosokawa." He slipped his swords into his girdle, and
hastened to the palace.


On entering the presence-room he saw the Lord Hosokawa seated upon the
dais, surrounded by samurai of high rank, in caps and robes of ceremony.
All were silent as statues; and while Tomotada advanced to make obeisance,
the hush seemed to his sinister and heavy, like the stillness before a
storm. But Hosokawa suddenly descended from the dais, and, while taking the
youth by the arm, began to repeat the words of the poem:-- "Koshi o-son
gojin wo ou."... And Tomotada, looking up, saw kindly tears in the prince's
eyes.


Then said Hosokawa:--


"Because you love each other so much, I have taken it upon myself to