fumbling with her cypress-ribbed fan, she said,
“The gossip has spread rather quickly, hasn’t it? Only the empress dowager, his majesty, and the regent were present at the scene, so I can’t claim to have witnessed it myself. The countenance of one of the young ladies-in-waiting serving the empress dowager changed suddenly. She was no doubt possessed by an evil spirit, but the claim that it was the empress’
living ghost is just the babbling of vulgar types who are fond of spreading stories. His majesty has said nothing about it.” Ukon no Naishi, in the usual manner of those experienced in service at court, tried to put the matter in a harmless and inof-fensive light. When further prevailed upon by Chûshò, she could no longer conceal it and ended up telling what had happened Chapter Three c 67
on the previous day, couching her account in vague terms.
Actually, Ukon, too, had plainly seen through a bamboo blind the dreadful mien of Ayame possessed by the spirit of the empress, appearing noble and at the same time alluring.
“That’s impossible! I know her highness’ thoughts very well.
She is not the kind of person who could ever do so shameless a thing as curse or despise someone. If she were really so strong-minded, she would have done everything in her power to prevent his majesty from appointing the minister of the left to be regent, and things would not have turned out this way. The palace minister and the middle counselor are chagrined that she didn’t try harder. But as you well know, the empress has slept with his majesty ever since he was just a boy and has taken care of him as if he were a younger brother. Because of that, his majesty has been all the more attached to the empress. Their love is a beautiful thing that has nothing to do with matters of government. To say that she turned into a living ghost and placed a curse on the empress dowager. . . . It’s just too awful. . . .” Nurse Chûshò, overcome by emotion, broke off in the middle of her sentence and sobbed, pressing her face into her sleeve.
Ukon no Naishi herself was well acquainted with the empress’
usual cool temperament and, even having seen the spectacle of the medium the previous day, did not want to believe it was true. But the sight of Ayame possessed by an evil spirit had simply been too vivid, and Ukon could not rule out the possibility that even in so refined a person as the empress there lay hidden, like a coiled serpent, vindictive feelings as can only be found in a woman’s heart.
Within a day or two the rumor had spread like fire through the women’s quarters surrounding the emperor’s palace, each messenger speaking in hushed tones with knitted brows and nervously batting eyes.
Korechika was surprised to hear the news from the senior assistant minister and hurried to the palace, but when he saw the calmly smiling face of the empress, who was unaware of the matter, he was unable to say anything about it and, after making some conversation on social matters, left her presence. He could not imagine that she, of all people, could harbor such 68 c A Tale of False Fortunes malicious resentment. On the other hand, he accepted the reality of spirit possession and could not dismiss as groundless the possibility that the rancor and chagrin they felt at the adverse political situation should possess the empress also, or even that such subliminal enmity should eventually be directed against the life of the empress dowager. Takashina no Naritada, the grandfather of Korechika and the empress, was, in fact, continually performing secret prayers prohibited outside the court in order to place a curse on the empress dowager and Michinaga.
Now that the empress’ pregnancy had been confirmed, there was a strong possibility that the regency could return to her clan should anything happen to the empress dowager and Michinaga.
It never occurred to Korechika that the emperor’s heart might move away from the empress because of
“The gossip has spread rather quickly, hasn’t it? Only the empress dowager, his majesty, and the regent were present at the scene, so I can’t claim to have witnessed it myself. The countenance of one of the young ladies-in-waiting serving the empress dowager changed suddenly. She was no doubt possessed by an evil spirit, but the claim that it was the empress’
living ghost is just the babbling of vulgar types who are fond of spreading stories. His majesty has said nothing about it.” Ukon no Naishi, in the usual manner of those experienced in service at court, tried to put the matter in a harmless and inof-fensive light. When further prevailed upon by Chûshò, she could no longer conceal it and ended up telling what had happened Chapter Three c 67
on the previous day, couching her account in vague terms.
Actually, Ukon, too, had plainly seen through a bamboo blind the dreadful mien of Ayame possessed by the spirit of the empress, appearing noble and at the same time alluring.
“That’s impossible! I know her highness’ thoughts very well.
She is not the kind of person who could ever do so shameless a thing as curse or despise someone. If she were really so strong-minded, she would have done everything in her power to prevent his majesty from appointing the minister of the left to be regent, and things would not have turned out this way. The palace minister and the middle counselor are chagrined that she didn’t try harder. But as you well know, the empress has slept with his majesty ever since he was just a boy and has taken care of him as if he were a younger brother. Because of that, his majesty has been all the more attached to the empress. Their love is a beautiful thing that has nothing to do with matters of government. To say that she turned into a living ghost and placed a curse on the empress dowager. . . . It’s just too awful. . . .” Nurse Chûshò, overcome by emotion, broke off in the middle of her sentence and sobbed, pressing her face into her sleeve.
Ukon no Naishi herself was well acquainted with the empress’
usual cool temperament and, even having seen the spectacle of the medium the previous day, did not want to believe it was true. But the sight of Ayame possessed by an evil spirit had simply been too vivid, and Ukon could not rule out the possibility that even in so refined a person as the empress there lay hidden, like a coiled serpent, vindictive feelings as can only be found in a woman’s heart.
Within a day or two the rumor had spread like fire through the women’s quarters surrounding the emperor’s palace, each messenger speaking in hushed tones with knitted brows and nervously batting eyes.
Korechika was surprised to hear the news from the senior assistant minister and hurried to the palace, but when he saw the calmly smiling face of the empress, who was unaware of the matter, he was unable to say anything about it and, after making some conversation on social matters, left her presence. He could not imagine that she, of all people, could harbor such 68 c A Tale of False Fortunes malicious resentment. On the other hand, he accepted the reality of spirit possession and could not dismiss as groundless the possibility that the rancor and chagrin they felt at the adverse political situation should possess the empress also, or even that such subliminal enmity should eventually be directed against the life of the empress dowager. Takashina no Naritada, the grandfather of Korechika and the empress, was, in fact, continually performing secret prayers prohibited outside the court in order to place a curse on the empress dowager and Michinaga.
Now that the empress’ pregnancy had been confirmed, there was a strong possibility that the regency could return to her clan should anything happen to the empress dowager and Michinaga.
It never occurred to Korechika that the emperor’s heart might move away from the empress because of
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