It is an evening in the month of growing plants.[1] They are sweeping the grounds in the mansion of Momonoi Wakasanosuke Yasuchika. The Councillor, Kakogawa Honzo Yukikuni, who, in the mature manhood of fifty years, guards the mansion as the aged pine overlooks the garden, comes along outside the reception-room in formal dress. The servants on the ground, unaware of his presence, talk on. FIRST SERVANT. Why, Bekunai, our lord has for the last few days been making great preparations. The guest from the Capital visited the Shrine of Hachiman at Tsurugaoka yesterday. That meant tremendous expenses. Ah, I wish I had that lot of money; for if I [Illustration: Honzo overseeing two manual laborers] had it, I would change my name Bekusuke[2] and enjoy myself. SECOND SERVANT. What, change your name and enjoy yourself? that is strange! And what would you change it to? FIRST SERVANT. Why, I would change it to Kakusuke and have a fling. SECOND SERVANT. Oh, you fool! Don’t you know? Our Lord Wakasanosuke, I hear, came to grief yesterday at Tsurugaoka. I don’t know the particulars; but it was talked about in the servants’ room that Lord Moronao put him to great shame. I suppose he said something unreasonable and humiliated our lord. HONZO. Hi, what are you chattering so noisily about? You are talking of our lord, and that, too, when my lady is ill. If there is anything likely to bring shame upon the house, I shall not let it pass unheeded. Calamities arise from below; and servants should be discreet of tongue. When you have done sweeping, go away all of you. RECITATIVE. He speaks to them gently. A maid-servant brings him tobacco, which he inhales and sends up rings and clouds of smoke. In the passage he hears the rustling of a dress and scents its perfume; and softly comes out Honzo’s darling only daughter, Mistress Konami, with her mother Tonase. HONZO. What, you two here? It is most unmannerly of you to be amusing yourselves, instead of waiting upon my lady. KONAMI. Nay, father. My lady is in especially good spirits to-day and is just now fast asleep. Is it not so, mother? TONASE. Ah, Honzo, my lady was saying something a little while ago. There appears to be a rumour that, at the time Konami went yesterday to Tsurugaoka in my lady’s place, high words passed between our lord and Lord Moronao. Somehow or other, it came to my lady’s ears and made her very uneasy. She asked if my husband Honzo, who must know all the particulars, meant to conceal it from her; and so I asked Konami, but she knew no more about it than I. If it is likely to aggravate her illness and bring shame upon the house......