When Ohano had been selected as a wife for the youth, the father of Gonji had offered no objection. In fact, there was little that he could have found to object to in this particular matter. The girl was of a family equally honorable; her health was excellent; she had shown no traits of character objectionable in a woman. Indeed, she appeared to be an honorable and desirable vehicle to hand down the race of Saito of imperishable fame. And that, of course, was the main idea of marriage. It was a matter of duty to the ancestors, and not of desire of the individuals. So the peace-loving elder Lord Saito believed, at the time of the betrothal4, that he had safely disposed of a most vexing5 problem.
He was dumbfounded, panic-stricken, at the turn events had taken. On all sides, harangued6 by that insistent7 lady, his wife, and also by her many relatives, he found it, nevertheless, impossible to turn a deaf ear to the impassioned pleading of the young man himself. Day and night Gonji desperately8 beset9 his father, ignoring utterly10 all other members of the family.
His vigil of many days before the gates of the House of Slender Pines had but strengthened the young man’s resolve. At any cost—yes, at the sacrifice of the ancestors’ honor even—he was determined11 to possess the Spider. Since he was assured that his passion was returned—and the assurance came through the lips of the little Omi, who had screeched12 the words impishly in his ear, as if in derision, that those about them might not suspect—Gonji determined to marry the geisha not alone in the thousand vague lives yet to come, but in the present one, too. He must have her now. It was impossible to wait, he told his father. If the cruel laws forbade their union, then they would go to the gods, and the less harsh heart of the river would receive them in a bridal night that would never pass away.
It is not an easy matter for a youth in Japan to marry without the full consent of his parents. Every possible obstacle had been thrown into the path of the despairing Gonji. Even his revenue was cut off completely, so that, even had he been able to move the stony13 heart of the geisha-keeper from the position he had taken at the behest of the powerful family, Gonji had not the means to purchase the girl’s freedom from her bonds. There was nothing, therefore, left for the unfortunate Gonji save to focus all his energies upon his father; and day and night he besieged14 the unhappy Ichigo.
The latter had listened, without comment, to the law as laid down by Takedo Isami, the uncle of Ohano. He had listened to the urgings of the many other relatives of his wife that he remain firm throughout the ordeal15 they realized he was passing through. He had given an equally attentive16 ear to the besieging17 relatives and to the stern Lady Saito, who was confident of the powerful influence of the tongue upon her lord. Then he had hearkened in silence, with drawn19, averted20 face, to the desperate pleading of his only son, the one creature in the world that he truly loved.
While the father miserably21 debated the matter within himself, Gonji suddenly ceased to importune22 his parent. Retiring to his own chamber23, he closed and fastened the doors against all possible intruders.
The relatives regarded this latest act of their fractious young kinsman24 as an evidence that at last his impetuous young will was breaking. They congratulated themselves upon their firmness at this time, and advised Lord Saito Ichigo to retain an unbending attitude in the matter.
The abrupt25 retirement26 of his son, however, had a strange effect upon Ichigo. He could think of nothing save the youth’s last words. He dared not confide18 his fears even to his wife, who was already sufficiently27 distracted by her task of caring for Ohano and her anxiety about her son.
Against the advice of the relatives that Gonji be left alone to fight out the battle by himself, his father forced his way into the boy’s presence. Gonji responded neither to his knocking nor to his father’s imperative28 call. So Lord Ichigo forced the screens apart.
In one glance the father of Gonji saw what it was the desperate young man now contemplated29, for he had robed himself from head to foot in the white garments of the dead. His face was, moreover, as fixed30 and white as though already he had started upon the journey.
“Gonji—my dear son!”
The elder Lord Saito scarce knew his own voice, so hoarse31 and full of anguished32 emotion was it. He stood close by the kneeling Gonji and rested his hands heavily upon the boy’s slender shoulders. Gonji looked up slowly and met his father’s gaze. A mist came before his eyes, but he spoke33 steadily34, gently:
“It is better this way. I pray you to pardon me. I am unable to serve the ancestors.”
“It is not of the ancestors I think,” said Lord Saito, gruffly, “but of you—you only, my son!”
Gonji looked at him strangely now, as though he sought to fathom35 the mind of his father; but he turned away, perplexed36 and distressed37.
“You must believe that,” went on his father, brokenly. “What is best for your happiness, that is my wish, above all things. If happiness is only possible for you by giving you what is your heart’s desire, then”—a smile broke over the grave, pain-racked features of his father, as though a weight were suddenly lifted from his heart at the sudden resolve that had come to him—“then,” he continued, “it shall be!”
With a cry, Gonji gripped at his parent’s hands, his eyes turned imploringly38 upon Lord Saito’s face.
“You mean—ah, you promise, then—” He could not speak the words that rushed in a flood to his lips.
“Hé! (Yes!)” said Lord Ichigo, solemnly. “It is a promise.”
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1
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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2
dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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3
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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4
betrothal
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| n. 婚约, 订婚 | |
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5
vexing
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| adj.使人烦恼的，使人恼火的v.使烦恼( vex的现在分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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6
harangued
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| v.高谈阔论( harangue的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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8
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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9
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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10
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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11
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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12
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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13
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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14
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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16
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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17
besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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18
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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19
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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20
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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21
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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22
importune
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| v.强求；不断请求 | |
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23
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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24
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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25
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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26
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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27
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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28
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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29
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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30
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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31
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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32
anguished
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| adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式) | |
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33
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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34
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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35
fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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36
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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37
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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38
imploringly
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| adv. 恳求地, 哀求地 | |
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