The outer shoji stood well apart, letting in the chill, wet sweetness of the night. The storm had now quite died away. The air of the room was so still that the candle-flames stood like balanced flakes of topaz, and the white smoke of the burning incense hung like a silver cord from the gloom above. The moment that Yuki entered, Hagané, with his trained vision, saw that some great spiritual change had taken place. The look of miserable defiance he feared was not there. Iriya had waited for her. The two women advanced to the great visitor, and bowed before him three times, then went back modestly to the far end of the room. Suzumé brought fresh tea, and two new balls of charcoal for the hibachi. As the servant left, Iriya asked of her husband, "Shall I also withdraw?" "It is according to our lord's will," answered Tetsujo, his eyes turning to the prince. "What would you prefer, Yuki-ko?" Hagané's voice was kind. "I should prefer my mother to remain," answered Yuki, without hesitation. "Madame Onda, I beg you to honor us with your presence," said Hagané, with a slight bow. Onda Tetsujo frowned. If his loyal nature allowed him to make one criticism of his daimyo, it was of a certain lax, foreign politeness toward women. The fault seemed to increase with years. Whether Prince Hagané suspected this disapprobation or not, on this occasion at least he made no attempt to modify it. "I have come in person, little Yuki-ko, to hear your thought. No, do not speak yet!" he interpolated, with a slight lifting of the right hand. "Wait until I give you questions to answer! At the beginning there must be quiet discussion between us four, with no haste or opposition on the part of--any." He looked, with these last words, directly at his old retainer. "My Lord, my Lord!" fumed Tetsujo, "shall I be able to contain myself while you condescend to bandy words with a mere girl?" "If I command it, I think you will contain yourself," said the prince, easily. Tetsujo rocked on the matting, gripped his arms tightly, and was silent. "The gods seem to have decreed no happiness for me in marriage," said Hagané, impersonally, to all. "Perhaps they have only new mockery in store, if now, in my old age, I dare take to myself this fair flower. Yet am I tempted; by the good for her, as it seems to me; by my friendship for you, Onda Tetsujo; and by the need for an official mistress of my house. I can give her unusual opportunity to serve Nippon, as in my letter I wrote." Iriya, in her corner, put her face to the floor. "My Lord, even that you have thought it, makes richer the traditions of our house--through ten succeeding generations." "I would not have the child consent because of family honors, my good dame," said Hagané, a little sadly. "Shall I speak now, Lord?" asked Yuki, in her sweet, steady voice. Tetsujo ground his teeth, but managed to keep silent. "Would you speak of the young Frenchman, whose mother is a Russian?"