I passed no one--except--a tall woman who was climbing slowly and singing a wonderful song--which I had heard once near the ferry at Ishiyama. AOYAGI But Riki just left me here. You must have passed him on the way. THE GAKI The by-paths are many and the trysting places are secret--like this. AOYAGI Riki would take no by-path. My august lord needs no trysting place save this. THE GAKI I do not know. I saw no Riki. AOYAGI My lord needs no trysting place. I am here. He knows I am here--waiting. [_The Gaki looks at her._ THE GAKI Riki? AOYAGI He knows I am waiting-- THE GAKI Riki?--Oh, yes the name--I heard it--once--at the ferry at Ishiyama. He has been there. AOYAGI Yes. THE GAKI A poet? AOYAGI Yes. THE GAKI He writes wonderful love-songs--they say. AOYAGI They? THE GAKI Yes,--the people at Ishiyama. I heard one.--It goes--let me see: "Butterfly, butterfly, alight upon the willow tree--" AOYAGI He did not speak that at Ishiyama. He made that for me. THE GAKI I heard it, strange to say, at Ishiyama. Perhaps they brought it from--where did you say? AOYAGI He made that for me only yesterday. THE GAKI And I heard it--yesterday--at Ishiyama. There the wonderful woman was singing. (_She looks at him_) The one I passed just now. AOYAGI That is a mistake.--You are wrong.--I know my--Ah! what is it here--that hurts me, tears me, seems to choke me! Riki!--I am all in all to him--he told me that.--He can not make poems for another. THE GAKI I should not have told anything.--Forgive me.--I did not know.--To speak truth is deep in my heart.--I have no gracious subtleties.--I am sorry-- AOYAGI In the valley there is a mist. I can no longer see the silver stream at Kyushu.--Who are you?--I am afraid!--Riki--Riki-- [_There is no answer._ THE GAKI He does not seem to hear.--I shall go to meet him. He went this way, you say? AOYAGI Yes.--There is a mist in the valley and I can not see the silver stream at Kyushu-- [_She does not see The Gaki who goes in the direction opposite to the one Aoyagi has indicated._ Oh, the little day--the little day--of love beyond love.--Riki--my mother, Obaa-San.--Yesterday the mountain-top gleamed like the topmost heaven in the spring sunlight. Today--the valley dies in mist and the mountain-top is lost in the sky. RIKI (_coming in singing_) Hai! Hai! Hai! RIKI Aoyagi! AOYAGI I must go back to Obaa-San, my mother. RIKI What has happened, Aoyagi? AOYAGI We came up the mountain path side by side, Riki. Without question I gave myself to you. RIKI Aoyagi! AOYAGI I gave my love--my love beyond love. I believed. RIKI Why not believe? AOYAGI Your first words were--"You are she!" I did not question. And now-- RIKI Oh, my little love, was I gone too long? AOYAGI My love knows no time, Riki.--You were gone--how can I say?--ages. RIKI It was ages, too, to me, Aoyagi. AOYAGI (_softening_) I watched the silver stream at Kyushu--and I waited. RIKI