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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section eleven of Genji Monogutari by Murasaki Shikibu. This LibriVox
recording is in the public domain. Section eleven Sakaki Divine Tree.
The departure of the Saigu, the daughter of the Lady
of Rogjiyov for her destination in the Temple of Isse,
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which was postponed from time to time owing to different circumstances,
was at length arranged should take place in September. This
definite arrangement delighted the Saigu, to whom the uncertainty of
the event had been somewhat tyson. Her mother also made
up her mind to accompany her to the temple. Although
there was no precedent for the mother of the saigu
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accompanying her daughter, this lady made up her mind to
do so because she would not allow her young daughter
to go alone. In a suburban field. The field palace
was built. It was of wood and as usual, surrounded
by a fence of newly cut branches of trees. In
front stood a huge tortaie of logs, and within the
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compound were the quarters of the cans Cassa. Here the
sagu took up her residence, where her mother also accompanied her.
When the sixteenth of September, which was fixed for the departure, arrived,
the ceremony of her last consecration was duly performed on
the banks of the river Katstra. Whence the Sacred Virgin
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went to the Imperial Palace to have the farewell audience
with the Emperor. She was accompanied by her mother. The
father of the latter had been a great personage of state,
and she had been married to a royal prince at sixteen,
when there had been every possibility of her coming to
the court in a position far superior to what she
now enjoyed. She was, however, bereaved of him at the
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age of twenty, and now at thirty, she comes to
take leave at her departure for Afar Off Province with
her only daughter. The Saigu was about fourteen years of age,
was extremely delicate and fair to look upon, and when
presented to the Emperor, he was struck by the charms
of her youthful appearance. Numerous carriages were ranged at the
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front of eight state departments to see her off in state,
besides many others along the road full of spectators. Late
in the afternoon, her party left the palace and turned
away from Nijio round to the highway of Toying, and
passed by the mansion of Genji, who witnessed their passing
and sent the following to the lady mother with a
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twig of Sakaki divine tree. Bravely you quit this scene,
tis true, But though you dauntless fly so far, your
sleeve may yet be wet with dew before you cross Suzuka.
The answer to this were sent to him from beyond
the barrier of Osaka meeting path in the following form,
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whether my sleeve be wet or not in the waters
of the Suzuka, who too soon forgot, will ilso be
that lies so far? And thus the Lady of Roggio
and her daughter disappear for some time from our scenes
in the capital. It was about this time that the
ex emperor was indisposed for some time, and in October
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his state became precarious. The anxiety of the public was general,
and the Emperor went to visit him, notwithstanding his weakness.
The former gave him every injunction, first about the heir apparent,
then about Genji, and said, regard him as your adviser,
both in large and small matters without reserve, and not
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otherwise than if I were still alive. He is not
incapable of sharing in the administration of public affairs. Notwithstanding
his youth. He has a physiognomy which argues great qualities.
And for this reason I made him remain in an
ordinary position, without creating him a royal prince, with the
object that he should be able to take part in
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public affairs. Do not misconstrue these ideas. There were some
more injunctions given of like nature relating to public matters,
and the emperors sorrowfully and repeatedly assured him that he
would not neglect them. Such, however, are not subjects which
we women are supposed to understand, And even thus much
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that I have mentioned is given not without some apprehension.
A few days after the visit of the Emperor, the
heir Apparent was brought before his dying father. There had
been some idea that he should be brought on the
day when the Emperor paid his visit, but it was
postponed to avoid any possible confusion. The boy prince was
apparently more pleased at seeing his father than concerned at
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his illness. To him, the ex emperor told many things,
but he was too young to heed them. Genji was
also present, and the ex emperor explained to him in
what way he should serve the government and how he
should look after this young prince. When their interview concluded,
it was already merging towards the evening, and the young
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prince returned to the palace. The royal mother of the
reigning emperor, formerly Cookhaidan Niogo, would also have visited the
ex emperor, but for her repugnance to encounter the Princess Hysteria,
who never left his side. In the course of a
few days, the strength of the emperor began to decline,
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and at last he quietly and peacefully passed away. And
now the court went into general mourning, and Genji, being
one of the principal mourners, put on a dress of
wisteria cloth. So frequently did misfortune fall on him in
the course of a few years, and his cares became
really great. The funeral and the weekly requiems were performed
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with all due pomp and ceremony, and when the forty
ninth day had passed, or the private household of his
late Majesty dispersed in the midst of the dreary weather
of the latter part of December to their own homes,
the Princess Wistaria retiring to her own residence in Sanjiyo,
accompanied by her brother, Prince hiob Kiyo. Sure it is
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that his late Majesty had been for some time off
the throne, but his authority had by no means diminished
on that account. But his death now altered the state
of things, and the ascendancy of the family of udai
Jin became assured. The people in general entertained great fear
that infelicitous changes would take place in public affairs, and
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among these Genji and the Princess Wistaria were the most
disturbed by such anxieties. The new year came in, but
nothing joyful or exciting accompanied its presence. The world was still.
Genji kept himself to his mansion. In those days when
his father was still in power, his court yard was
filled with the carriages of visitors, especially when the days
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of the appointments were approaching. But now this was changed,
and his hold secretaries had but little to occupy them.
In January, the Princess Momozono peach gardens was chosen for
the Sayim of the Temple of Karmo, her predecessor having
retired from office on account of the mourning for her father,
the late ex Emperor. There were not many precedents for
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princesses of the second generation being appointed to this position,
but this princess was so chosen, owing it seems to
the circumstance that there was no immediate issue of the
imperial blood suitable for this office. In February, the youngest
daughter of the udai Jin became the Naishi no Kami
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in the place of the former one, who had left
office and become a nun after the death of the
ex Emperor. She took up her residence in the Kokhaiden,
which was still lately occupied by her sister, the Empress mother,
who at this period spent most of her time at
her father's and who, when she came to the court
made the umid Tsubo the plum Chamber her apartment. Meanwhile,
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the Empress's mother, who was by nature sagacious and revengeful,
and who during the late Emperor's life had been fain
to disguise her spiteful feelings, now conceived designs of vengeance
against those who had been adverse to her, and this
spirit was directed especially against Genji and his father in
law sadai Jin, against the latter because he had married
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his only daughter to Genji against the wishes of the
emperor when heir apparent, and because during the life of
the late emperor his influence eclipsed