SCENE. _At R. is a dressing table, upon it a steel mirror, toilet articles, and two lighted candles with ornate shades. R. U. a section of shoji leads to another room, this section is now closed. At R. C. a large section of shoji is open, giving a view of the garden. To the R. of this entrance is a small shrine and Buddha. At L. of the room is a sleeping mat and head rest. By the head rest a lantern, now unlighted. Down L. is an open section of shoji leading to the_ PRINCE'S _apartments. Just above it stands a screen. As the curtain rises the_ PRINCE _is standing R. C. looking out into the garden._ RUITEN _is down R. and_ BUZEN _slightly above him._ BUZEN _crosses L._ PRINCE. [_Comes down between_ RUITEN _and_ BUZEN.] Settle for me tonight My sicknesses and my fears-- [_To_ BUZEN.] Settle them for me, Sir Buzen, councillor crafty. [_To_ RUITEN.] Settle them for me, Priest Ruiten, the prayerful. RUITEN. So are we trying in all ways Thy pain to relieve Yet nought seems availing. PRINCE. Wracked is my body With tortures unending Born of the dreams That are surging forever Backward and forward Thru my brain, weary. BUZEN. [_Indicating door L._] Around thy bed each night Have I placed thy samurai In number one hundred To guard thy sleep-- RUITEN. Zealously have I prayed In the temple called "Miyo In," And during the night hours Have knelt at thy house shrine Praying to Buddha, the lord of the world. PRINCE. Yet have I not slept Entirely untortured. Slow are thy prayers In fruit bearing. RUITEN. Slow because contending with evil-- [_Approaches Prince._] With evil in form strange and subtle. Over this house hangs a spirit Ne'er resting and ready always for dire deeds. PRINCE. Such a spirit there must be--but what? RUITEN. Evil takes many forms but the form of a cat Is favored by many devils. PRINCE. [_Startled, the others watch him closely._] A cat--aye, truly And if a cat stalked here That evil thing must we kill. RUITEN. Yet such is their power malignant That they take other forms than the forms of cats-- Even human forms. PRINCE. Ha!--And the spirit that visits me? Mayhap that-- Only twice hath it failed of its visit. BUZEN. And those lost visits, when? PRINCE. The last two nights. BUZEN. [_Swelling with pride._] Then, oh Prince, the cure may be found. Better than prayers is the cure [_Eyeing_ RUITEN.] For prayers have not ears--have not eyes-- Have not weapons--better than prayers is it. PRINCE. Tell me this cure. It is grudged, Sir Priest? RUITEN. [_Bowing._] A cure for my lord could not be grudged. PRINCE. Well spoken. Say on, Sir Buzen. BUZEN. First I must beg clemency For thy hundred samurai For faithful they are to the bone, yet-- PRINCE. Yet? Why clemency? For what? BUZEN. On guard, they slept. PRINCE. Slept? BUZEN. Aye. Soundly as though deep in saki.