"No, it is not so in my country." I found myself suddenly imitating her own slow speech. "That's the first thing the man in my country does. Sometimes he tells it, even when he can't ask the girl to marry him, and sometimes they even tell it over there when they don't mean it." "So desuka!" "They call that 'flirting.'" "Yes, I know 'flirting,'" said the Little Maid. "It is not a very nice word," I said. "There is no flirting in Japan?" "There is no chance. Parents and friends make marriage in Japan." "They don't marry for love?" "It is as in France--not for love. And in America?" "Well, we don't think it nice for people to marry unless they are in love." "So desuka," she said, which still means "Indeed." And then she went on: "Japanese girls obey their parents." And then she added, rather sadly, I thought, "and sometimes they are very unhappy." "And what then?" "Oh, deevorces--are very common among the lower classes, but among the middle and upper classes it is verry difficult." "So desuka!" I said, for I was surprised. "So desu," said the Little Maid, which is the proper answer. * * * * * The Maid of Miyanoshita loves flowers, and at sunset this afternoon I saw her coming down from her garden, where she had been at work. She had a great round straw hat on her black hair. I got her to draw it about her face with both hands, and with a camera she was caught as she laughed. We went down the steps and stopped above the cascade which shook the water where the goldfishes were playing.