Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration (a map of Tetsujo's house and garden). See 42365-h.htm or 42365-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42365/42365-h/42365-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42365/42365-h.zip) Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). [=o] represents a letter "o" with a macron (example: d[=o]dan). [=u] represents a letter "u" with a macron (example: Shi--j[=u]). Small capitals were replaced with ALL CAPITALS. THE BREATH OF THE GODS by SIDNEY McCALL Author of "Truth Dexter" Boston Little, Brown, and Company 1905 Copyright, 1905, By Little, Brown, and Company. All rights reserved Published May, 1905 The University Press, Cambridge, U. S. A. BECAUSE OF FAITH AND REVERENCE, AND IN SPITE OF ERRORS WHICH I KNOW TO BE INEVITABLE, I DARE INSCRIBE THIS BOOK TO YAMATO DAMASHII PREFATORY NOTE No character in this book, belonging either to public or private life, is taken as a whole or in part from any person. The characters are wholly imaginary, and no incident is based on any real incident known to the writer. Even in the descriptions of official buildings, memory is laxly used. In the genre studies alone is realism attempted. Most, if not all, of the questions, remarks, and speculations put into the mouths of peasants and servants have been overheard by the writer. THE BREATH OF THE GODS CHAPTER ONE The stone dwelling of Senator Cyrus C. Todd, usually as indistinguishable from its neighbors as is one piano key from another, presented at nine o'clock on this night of November third, nineteen hundred and three, a claim to individuality in the excess of light pouring from every window, from the perpendicular wink of every opening door (opened but to close again as quickly); oozing, it would seem, from the very pores of the pale façade, thereby giving to the great flat rectangle of the house a phosphorescent value that set it six feet out into the night. The upper windows shone more brilliantly than those below. A roller shade had been carelessly left high. Through the film of chamber curtains heads could be seen passing. Once, there was the outflung gesture of a slim, bare arm. Everything bespoke approaching festivity. At this brightest window a silhouette suddenly appeared, sharp, dark, complete. It was that of a Japanese girl with wonderfully looped and curved coiffure, shoulders that sloped tenderly, and a small, straight throat.