There was an air of activity throughout the entire estate; the maids bustled4 about swiftly, the chore-boy whistled at his toil5, and the aged6 gateman looked up from the great Western book into which he seemed to bury his nose at all times.
The little Taro lay upon his grandmother’s lap, and she rubbed his shining little body with warm towels, tendered by the admiring maids.
There was a curious change in the face of Lady Saito. Almost it seemed as if an iron had been pressed across her features, smoothing away the harsh and bitter lines. The eyes had lost their angry luster7, and seemed almost mild and peaceful in expression as she raised them for a moment to give an order to the nursemaid. She chuckled8 contentedly9 when the baby grasped at her thumb and put it into his diminutive10 mouth, sucking upon it with fervor11 and relish12.
Every slight movement of its face or body delighted and moved her to an emotion new and fascinating. Indeed, she was experiencing in the little Taro all the maternal13 emotions she had sternly denied herself with her own son.
From the moment when she had taken the warm tiny body into her arms everything within her seemed to have capitulated; this in spite of the fact that she did not wish to love, had not intended to love, this child of the Spider!
Now the Spider, and all the bitter animosity and shame she had brought into the proud family of the Saitos, were forgotten. This was the child of her son, the Lord Saito Gonji! Its eyes were the eyes of her son—its mouth, its chin, even its gentle expression; she traced hungrily every seeming likeness14, and proclaimed the fact that her son had indeed been reborn to her in the little Taro.
The youngest of the nursemaids was a bright-eyed, somewhat forward girl who had obtained employment recently by cajoling the honorable cook, now factotum15 of the household. In the eyes of Ochika, wife of the cook, the girl was an impudent16 minx, who should have been sent flying from a respectable household. Ochika even penetrated17 from her domain18 of the kitchen, to the presence of the Lady Saito Ichigo, in order to whisper into the lady’s somewhat absent ear a tale of unseemly dances and songs indulged in by the nursemaid for the delectation of the other servants.
Omi (the nurse-girl’s name) seemed, however, so innocent and childish in appearance that the Lady Saito was loath19 to believe her guilty of anything more than a naughty desire to tease Ochika, whose jealousy20 of her good-looking husband was so notorious among the servants that it was a never-failing source of both merriment and strife21. What, however, in Omi recommended her chiefly to the fond grandmother was the fact that the honorable Lord Taro appeared to love her, and was never so happy as when upon his nurse’s back.
Now, as Omi danced her hand playfully across his round and shining little stomach, Taro roared with delight, and tossed up his tiny pink heels in approbation22. So noisy, so continued, so absolutely joyous23 was his crowing laughter that the face of his grandmother melted into a smile.
The smile, however, wavered uneasily and was soon suppressed as Ohano silently entered the room. The girl’s face was ashen24 in color, her eyes more like mere25 slits26 than ever. She stood leaning against the shoji, her expression sullen27 and lowering, her attitude similar to that of a spoiled and angry child.
“Ohayo gozarimazu!” murmured the mother-in-law, politely; and she was angrily aware of the conciliating tone in her voice, she who was accustomed to command.
“Ohayo!” The girl flung back the morning greeting, almost as if it were a challenge.
“Well,” said her mother, sharply. “Be good enough to take the place of Omi. It will do your heart good to rub the honorable body of your”—she paused and met the scowling28 glance of Ohano—“your lord’s child,” she finished.
Omi was tendering the towels; but Ohano ignored the pert little maid. She crossed the room deliberately29 and slowly sank upon her knees opposite Lady Saito and the baby. Omi was watching the scene with absorbed interest, and she jumped at the sharp voice of Lady Saito.
“To your other duties, maiden30!” admonished31 her mistress, conscious of the fact that the girl was watching Ohano intently.
Alone with the child and Ohano, she began in a complaining voice:
“Now it is most uncivilized to permit one’s emotions to show upon the honorable face, which should be a mask as regards all inner feelings. I advise stern control of all angry impulses. Cultivate graciousness of heart, and do not forget each day properly to thank the gods for putting into your arms the honorable child of your lord.”
Said Ohano in a breathless whisper, while her bosom32 heaved up and down tempestuously33:
“He is the child of the—Spider! Take care lest he sting thy breast too, mother-in-law!”
The older woman drew the warm towels about the baby, almost as if for protection.
“He is my son’s child,” she said, hoarsely34. “Envy and malice35 are traits we women are warned repeatedly against in the ‘Greater Learning for Women.’”
“He is the Spider’s child!” almost chanted Ohano, and she put her lame36 hand to her throat as though it pained her. “His eyes are identical with hers!”
“Nay,” said her mother-in-law, gently; “then you have not looked into the eyes of the little one. I pray you do so, Ohano. It will soften37 your heart, for, see, they are duplicates of the eyes of your lord!”
She turned the child’s head about so that its smiling, friendly glance met Ohano’s.
For a moment the latter stared at him, her lips working, her eyes widened. The baby had paused in his laughter and was studying the working features of his stepmother with infantile gravity. Almost unconsciously, as if fascinated, she bent38 lower above him, and as she did so he reached up a little hand and grasped at her face. A smile broke over his rosy features, displaying the two little teeth within and showing every adorable dimple encrusted in its fair features.
The breath came from Ohano in gasps39. All of a sudden she threw up her arm blindly, almost a motion of defense40. Then with a wordless sob41 she put her face upon the floor. She wept stormily, as one whose whole forces are bent upon finding an outlet42. For a time there was no sound in the chamber43 save that of the moaning Ohano.
The child had fallen asleep, and Lady Saito kept her eyes fixed44 upon his round, charming little face. She would let Ohano’s passion spend itself. These daily outbursts since the coming of the child were becoming intolerable, she thought. She had been too lenient45 with Ohano. It would be necessary soon to teach the girl her exact position in the household.
As she looked at the beautiful, sleeping child the sudden thought of parting with it seized horribly upon her. Her face twitched46 like some hideous47 piece of parchment suddenly animated48 with life. Nothing, she told herself fiercely—neither the clamoring voice of the wild mother, nor the sulky jealousy of Ohano—should cause her now to relinquish49 her hold upon the descendant of the illustrious ancestors. Let the Spider do her worst! Let the vindictive50 jealousy of Ohano betray to the world the truth! She, the Lady Saito Ichigo, would defy them all. The gates of Saito should be sealed and guarded as rigorously as if these were feudal51 days. As for Ohano! She looked at the girl with a new expression. Between her and the little one resting upon her bosom there could be but one choice.
“My girl,” she said to Ohano, finally, “dry your face, if you please. It is unseemly for one of gentle birth to abandon one’s self to passion. Come, come, there is a limit to my patience!”
Ohano sat up sullenly52, drying her eyes with the ends of her sleeve. The Lady Saito was choosing her words carefully, and her stern glance never wavered as she bent it upon Ohano’s quivering face.
“Without my lord’s child, Ohano, you are but a cipher53 in the house of the ancestors. It would become necessary to serve you as once we served an innocent one before you!”
Ohano’s hand clutched at her bosom. She appeared to be suffocating54, and could hardly speak the words:
“You do not mean—you dare not mean—that you would divorce me!”
“The law is clear in your case, as in that of your predecessor,” said her mother, coldly.
“I will speak to my uncle Takedo Isami. I will address all of my honorable relatives. I will tell them with what you have threatened me, the daughter of samourai! You have compared me with a geisha—a Spider! It is intolerable—not to be borne!”
“Nay,” vigorously defended her mother-in-law. “You speak not now of a geisha, Ohano, but—of—the mother of the last descendant of the illustrious ancestors.”
A silence fell between them, broken only by the breathing of Ohano—short, gasping55, indrawn sobs56 which she seemed no longer able to control.
Presently, when she was quieter, her mother-in-law put a question roughly to the girl.
“What is it to be, Ohano? Will you accept the child of the Lord Saito Gonji, proclaiming it to be your own, defying the very world to take it from you, or—?”
Ohano’s face was turned away. Her head was swimming, and she felt strangely weak. After a moment she said in a very faint voice, as if the last trace of resistance within her had been victoriously57 beaten out by her mother-in-law:
“I serve the ancestors of the Saito—and my Lord Saito Gonji!”
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1
taro
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| n.芋，芋头 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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bustled
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| 闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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luster
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| n.光辉；光泽，光亮；荣誉 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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fervor
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| n.热诚；热心；炽热 | |
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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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factotum
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| n.杂役；听差 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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ashen
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| adj.灰的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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slits
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| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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31
admonished
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| v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责 | |
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32
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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tempestuously
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| adv.剧烈地，暴风雨似地 | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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38
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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40
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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41
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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42
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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43
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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44
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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lenient
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| adj.宽大的，仁慈的 | |
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46
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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47
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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48
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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49
relinquish
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| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
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50
vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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51
feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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52
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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53
cipher
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| n.零；无影响力的人；密码 | |
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54
suffocating
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| a.使人窒息的 | |
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55
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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56
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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57
victoriously
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| adv.获胜地，胜利地 | |
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