TOTMAI _and_ HARU. To venerated Princess?
YUKI. Just like this. (_Bows again, others copy._) Like a policeman when he has roped his prisoner and said, “After you.” Then the exalted lady gave him with gracious courtesy a great white chrysanthemum. What do honorable minds _think he did with it_?
YUKI (_shakes head, laughing_). O Mimosa, how can they ever guess?
MIMOSA. He took excellent blossom like this, pulled at his strange black coat (_imitates_); in it there _must_ have been a hole, for after he had bowed again----
ALL (_imitating_). The bow of a barbarian Englishman----
MIMOSA. _He put it in his coat!_ (_Laughs._)
TOTMAI. In his coat? Was it large honorable flower?
YUKI. Excellently large, just like this. (_Touches flower._)
TOTMAI (_eagerly_). Oh, tell us more, tell us more!
MIMOSA. We sat on foreign chairs. All honorable guests showed exalted courtesy. The Englishman looked O so big, and once or twice I know he wished he was eating their dreadful raw beef!
TOTMAI. Oh, that I had been there! O Yuki, did the geisha dance new dance?
MIMOSA. The flower dance was pretty; she had no fan, just a spray of cherry blossoms. Show them, O Yuki, clever dancer.
YUKI. It is late. O Totmai and O Haru, know not august wish of beloved, venerated Princess to sleep in the summer-house?
TOTMAI _and_ HARU. Sleep in the summer-house?
MIMOSA. She dreads fearful dreams. O Yuki and I sleep at her feet. O Yuki will of honorable kindness show beautiful dance, then O Totmai of little quick feet will with excellent kindness run quickly to fetch bed-coverings with Haru. The Princess would not have foolish, eager talk at the Palace.
TOTMAI. O Haru and I fly like the birds! I should fear night-devils sleeping in the summer-house.
[_YUKI dances C., MIMOSA and HARU withdrawing R. and TOTMAI L. during dance. After dance YUKI bows, others applaud, saying: “Honorable thanks.”_
MIMOSA. Will you run swiftly, O little Totmai?
TOTMAI (_taking HARU’s hand_). We fly! [EXEUNT R.
MIMOSA. O Yuki, have you ever sought honorable sleep in a garden before? See, we will bind this rope of rice straw round the summer-house. (_Goes up steps._) Then the all-powerful, gracious Shinto will keep away night-devils.
MIMOSA (_descending steps_). Honorable moon will condescend to shine. We shall dream excellent dreams.