Oh--the stars, the lonely, lonely stars! I tried to touch them--they seemed so near.--I found the path--the glade--our footprints--strange people--I am here. Let me back! Let me back! THE GAKI And what of Riki? AOYAGI He does not care. THE GAKI And what of Obaa-San? AOYAGI What can I give to Obaa-San now--but misery? Am I never to be free? THE GAKI What would you do if you were free--climb to the mountain top to see the lonely stars? AOYAGI Hai!--Riki!--Obaa-San! [_Obaa-San enters. The Gaki disappears._ OBAA-SAN Was my name spoken in the dawn? AOYAGI Mother! [_With a cry of joy, Obaa-San enfolds Aoyagi in her arms._ OBAA-SAN Nadeshiko! My little girl! AOYAGI Where is Riki? OBAA-SAN He has gone to search for you. AOYAGI Was he alone? OBAA-SAN Alone? AOYAGI Yes. Was there no woman with him--a lady from Ishiyama? OBAA-SAN A lady from-- AOYAGI Yes--tall--fair--singing-- OBAA-SAN He was alone. A lady from Ishiyama--(_Aoyagi shudders with dread_) brought me a message in the early night-- AOYAGI It was she--young? OBAA-SAN No--old. AOYAGI Had she seen Riki? OBAA-SAN Yes. On the mountain-side-- AOYAGI The stranger said she was young and fair. OBAA-SAN Perhaps the stranger did not see with honest eyes. AOYAGI He would not lie. OBAA-SAN Sometimes the eyes and the ears lie. AOYAGI Ah! OBAA-SAN And if she had been young and fair? AOYAGI Riki met her in a glade. OBAA-SAN Did you see them meet? AOYAGI No--she was singing. OBAA-SAN A happy song, perhaps. AOYAGI She sang the song he made to me. OBAA-SAN How do you know? AOYAGI Riki said she knew his song to me. OBAA-SAN Ah, that is beautiful, that she should love his song to you. AOYAGI He-- OBAA-SAN My little darling, I do not know what really happened; but this I know, you did not speak fairly to Riki or Riki did not speak fairly to you. Almost every unhappiness comes because we speak too much of our pride and speak too little of our hearts. AOYAGI I asked him if he saw her. OBAA-SAN Why? AOYAGI A stranger told me-- OBAA-SAN Was it the stranger you believed before Riki could defend himself? AOYAGI But, mother, I gave my all in all to Riki. He does not care. OBAA-SAN Do you know? AOYAGI I asked Riki if they met? OBAA-SAN Did he tell you? AOYAGI He seemed to be proud to tell. OBAA-SAN Then he was unashamed to tell-- AOYAGI I asked him questions. OBAA-SAN But did you ask him the great question in your heart? AOYAGI Oh-- OBAA-SAN Did you say, "Riki, my love, you are in all my heart. Am I in all yours?" AOYAGI He told me that. OBAA-SAN And did you believe? AOYAGI Above all the world! OBAA-SAN Then why doubt him later? AOYAGI The lady from Ishiyama passed by. OBAA-SAN My child, a lady bound for Ishiyama passed by! Had she been singing all the love-songs of all the worlds; had she been fairer than the lotus-flower, why should you have doubted Riki? AOYAGI A stranger-- OBAA-SAN