But Asako only knew a few set phrases of her native tongue. This baffled the ladies, one of whom after a whispered consultation and some giggling behind sleeves, went off to find a friend who would solve the mystery. "_Nésan, Nésan_ (elder sister)" she called across the garden. Strange little dishes were produced on trays of red lacquer, fish and vegetables of different kinds artistically arranged, but most unpalatable. A third _nésan_ appeared. She could speak some English. "Is _Okusama_ (lady) Japanese?" she began, after she had placed the tiny square table before Geoffrey, and had performed a prostration. Geoffrey assented. Renewed prostration before _okusama_, and murmured greetings in Japanese. "But I can't speak Japanese," said Asako laughing. This perplexed the girl, but her curiosity prompted her. "_Danna San_ (master) Ingiris'?" she asked, looking at Geoffrey. "Yes," said Asako. "Do many Englishmen have Japanese wives?" "Yes, very many," was the unexpected answer. "O Fuji San," she continued, indicating one of the other maids, "have Ingiris' _danna San_ very many years ago; very kind _danna san_; give O Fuji plenty nice kimono; he say, O Fuji very good girl, go to Ingiris' wit him; O Fuji say, No, cannot go, mother very sick; so _danna san_ go away. Give O Fuji San very nice finger ring." She lapsed into vernacular. The other girl showed with feigned embarrassment a little ring set with glassy sapphires. "Oh!" said Asako, dimly comprehending. "All Ingiris' _danna san_ come Nagasaki," the talkative maid went on, "want Japanese girl. Ingiris' _danna san_ kind man, but too plenty drink. Japanese _danna san_ not kind, not good. Ingiris' _danna san_ plenty money, plenty. Nagasaki girl very many foreign _danna san. Rashamen wa Nagasaki meibutsu_ (foreigners' mistresses famous product of Nagasaki). Ingiris' _danna san_ go away all the time. One year, two year--then go away to Ingiris' country." "Then what does the Japanese girl do?" asked Asako. "Other _danna san_ come," was the laconic reply. "Ingiris' _danna san_ live in Japan, Japanese girl very nice. Ingiris' _danna san_ go away, no want Japanese girl. Japanese girl no want go away Japan. Japanese girl go to other country, she feel very sick; heart very lonely, very sad!" A weird, unpleasant feeling had stolen into the little room, the presence of unfamiliar thoughts and of foreign moralities, birds of unhealth.