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In Ghostly Japan by Lafcadio Hearn
page 44 of 151 (29%)
kind reception. Of course I could not go by myself."

Shijo gravely responded,--"I am very sorry to tell you that the
young lady is dead!"

"Dead!" repeated Shinzaburo, turning white,--"did you say that
she is dead?"

The doctor remained silent for a moment, as if collecting
himself: then he resumed, in the quick light tone of a man
resolved not to take trouble seriously:--

"My great mistake was in having introduced you to her; for it
seems that she fell in love with you at once. I am afraid that
you must have said something to encourage this affection--when
you were in that little room together. At all events, I saw how
she felt towards you; and then I became uneasy,--fearing that her
father might come to hear of the matter, and lay the whole blame
upon me. So--to be quite frank with you,--I decided that it would
be better not to call upon you; and I purposely stayed away for a
long time. But, only a few days ago, happening to visit Iijima's
house, I heard, to my great surprise, that his daughter had died,
and that her servant O-Yone had also died. Then, remembering all
that had taken place, I knew that the young lady must have died
of love for you.... [Laughing] Ah, you are really a sinful
fellow! Yes, you are! [Laughing] Isn't it a sin to have been born
so handsome that the girls die for love of you? (1) [Seriously]
Well, we must leave the dead to the dead. It is no use to talk
further about the matter;--all that you now can do for her is to
repeat the Nembutsu (2).... Good-bye."
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