GIHEI. If you love your child, make excuses to Ryochiku and get him to keep you till the spring, and then we will hit upon some plan. If you cannot do that, then this will be our last meeting. RECITATIVE. He shuts the door and goes within. OSONO. Oh, if that were possible, I should not be suffering now. Unfeeling are you, my husband. You not only divorce me, who am innocent, but refuse to let me see my child; it is too cruel, too inhuman. I will not move a step until I have seen my child; I will not. RECITATIVE. She knocks at the door. OSONO. For pity’s sake, for charity, open the door and let me see but his sleeping face. See, I clasp my hands in supplication. Oh, how cruel! RECITATIVE. She throws herself on the ground, and bursts into tears unconscious of all around. OSONO. No, I will not complain, I will not grieve. If I saw him for a moment and he recognised me and clung to me, he would not let me go nor could I leave him. If I go home to-night, to-night I must marry; not even till to-morrow is respite given me. Then, farewell, farewell. RECITATIVE. But still she stands with her ear close to the door, expecting to hear her child’s voice and to see his face. Yet, not a sound is to be heard. OSONO. Ah, there is no help. This is the end. RECITATIVE. As she gives up hope and runs out, a big man muffled with only his eyes exposed, stops her on the way and seizes her, and before she can cry out, he draws his sword and, alas, cuts off her hair at the [Illustration: Masked man cutting off Osono’s hair] root; and he puts his hand into her bosom and takes out its contents, and runs away no one knows whither. OSONO. How hateful, how provoking! Who was it that cut off my hair so cruelly and ran off even with the letter? If he is a robber of combs and hair-bars, let him rather kill me. RECITATIVE. Hearing her cry, Gihei is startled and has almost, before he is aware, run to her; but he stops himself and, with clenched teeth, feels that it is here that his manly spirit should be kept under control. And as he hesitates, he hears a voice from within. A VOICE. My host, my host. Master Gihei. RECITATIVE. And Yuranosuke comes out. YURANOSUKE. For your most kind entertainment I will express my thanks to you from Kamakura. As for the remaining articles, I beg you will send them on by express messenger. We must take our leave before the day dawns. GIHEI. Yes, the night is now so advanced that I cannot press you to stay. I wish you a safe journey. I shall look forward to the good news. YURANOSUKE. I will let you know by letter as soon as we arrive. For the great trouble you have taken on our account I cannot sufficiently express my thanks in words. Here, Yazama and Owashi, the parting present for our host. RECITATIVE. Bungo and Jutaro bring forward each a package on a fan which they use for a white stand. YURANOSUKE. This is for yourself and this for your good wife, Mistress Osono, slight as they are.