The fires had by this time considerably abated, and out of the glowing embers there burned a warmth as steady and as sure as the reactional beating back upon a passionate ordainedly evolves within life's exultant strand. Ieyasu sulked, and Yodogima took heart; his brow darkened, and her intention waxed the brighter; had his will been permitted, her lot need not have been resolved, for he would have her shorn of every influence but his; he believed her pure, and out of his blamelessness and its correlative demands had come reflection: making it possible for Yodogima to decide upon revealing the exact light in which she responded--the only meed of a living affinity. "I hope I find you comfortable, and--" "In a good humor," responded he, to her half spoken address; barely turning to recognize her, as she approached, considerately; bowing as became her and the niceties of the situation prompted. "Yes," replied she, unabashed; "I am, and why should Ieyasu not be in as fair mood?" "Perhaps I ought to be, but I cannot quite bring myself to believe that I am as deserving. You make sport with me, I do so myself, and the world is no different than we." "It is more alluring, however, I take it, in the case of some than of others. Look underneath the smiles, Ieyasu; it is not all gold that glitters; perchance my heart may have bled, is bleeding this very minute; do not consider me happy, till--" "I am out of the way," interceded he, not one whit thawed or observant. "Look at me," commanded she, her very frame racking with a passion that he, in his coldness, had not the power to comprehend. "You do love me, then," stammered Ieyasu, ravenously reading the words so lengthily written for his dull eyes to feast faun-like upon. "Love you? I presume you know what it is to love? I do." "Yodogima! Forgive me," plead he, the clouds vanishing as they had gathered: uncontrolled and misapprehended. "Yes; but not with the assurance you possess," replied Yodogima, more anxious to divulge than he were ready to exact, now, any secret incapable of ingraining or outliving a nature as commonplace as his. The princess had seated herself, at leisure, a little in front of the rapidly recovering lover, whose ardor would again have bordered the extreme had not her last admonition once more set him thinking. But Ieyasu's mind moved like a tortoise, and Yodogima flushed a little, no doubt at the prospect of having to reach a bit deeper into that unthinkable comprehension of his--with which she had wrestled mostly since their meeting underneath the really suggestive azalea. Ieyasu observed, however, the one indiscretion, and would have bowed to the mat, at her feet--no closer contact being permitted, either in heart or at will, by the bushido and of choice--but for Yodogima's further cautioning: "Pray do not prostrate yourself; the victor may not prove to have been worthy."