Ancient Tales and Folk-Lore of Japan | Page 8

her hands and threw

water on her face, but without effect. O Shines beautiful complexion
became paler and paler, while her red lips assumed the purplish hue
that is a sign of approaching death. The girls were heartbroken. Tears
coursed down their faces. They did not know what to do, for they could
not carry her. What a terrible state of affairs!
Just at that moment they heard a man's voice close behind them:
'Do not be so sad! I can restore the young lady to consciousness if you
will allow me.'
They turned, and saw a remarkably handsome youth standing on the
grass not ten feet away. He appeared as an angel from Heaven.
Without saying more, the young man approached the prostrate figure of
O Shingé, and, taking her hand in his, felt her pulse. None of the
servants liked to interfere in this breach of etiquette. He had not asked
permission; but his manner was so gentle and sympathetic that they
could say nothing.
The stranger examined O Shingé carefully, keeping silence. Having
finished, he took out of his pocket a little case of medicine, and, putting
some white powder from this into a paper, said:
'I am a doctor from a neighbouring village, and I have just been to see a
patient at the end of the valley. By good fortune I returned this way,
and am able to help you and save your mistress's life. Give her this
medicine, while I hunt for and kill the snake.'
O Matsu San forced the medicine, along with a little water, into her
mistress's mouth, and in a few minutes she began to recover.
Shortly after this the doctor returned, carrying the dead snake on a
stick.
'Is this the snake you saw lying by your young mistress?' he asked.
'Yes, yes,' they cried: 'that is the horrible thing.'

'Then,' said the doctor, 'it is lucky I came, for it is very poisonous, and I
fear your mistress would soon have died had I not arrived and been able
to give her the medicine. Ah! I see that it is already doing the beautiful
young lady good.'
On hearing the young man's voice O Shingé San sat up.
'Pray, sir, may I ask to whom I am indebted for bringing me thus back
to life?' she asked.
The doctor did not answer, but in a proud and manly way contented
himself by smiling, and bowing low and respectfully after the Japanese
fashion; and departed as quietly and unassumingly as he had arrived,
disappearing in the sleepy mist which always appears in the afternoons
of spring time in the Shimizu Valley.
The four girls helped their mistress home; but indeed she wanted little
assistance, for the medicine had done her much good, and she felt quite
recovered. O Shingé's father and mother were very grateful for their
daughter's recovery; but the name of the handsome young doctor
remained a secret to all except the servant girl Matsu.
For four days O Shingé remained quite well; but on the fifth day, for
some cause or another, she took to her bed, saying she was sick. She
did not sleep, and did not wish to talk, but only to think, and think, and
think. Neither father nor mother could make out what her illness was.
There was no fever.
Doctors were sent for, one after another; but none of them could say
what was the matter. All they saw was that she daily became weaker.
Asano Zembei, Shingé's father, was heartbroken, and so was his wife.
They had tried everything and failed to do the slightest good to poor O
Shingé.
One day O Matsu San craved an interview with Asano Zembei--who,
by the by, was the head of all his family, a Daimio and great grandee.
Zembei was not accustomed to listen to servants' opinions; but,
knowing that O Matsu was faithful to his daughter and loved her very

nearly as much as he did himself, he consented to hear her, and O
Matsu was .ushered into his presence.
'Oh, master,' said the servant, 'if you will let me find a doctor for my
young mistress, I can promise to find one who will cure her.'
'Where on earth will you find such a doctor? Have we not had all the
best doctors in the province and some even from the capital? Where do
you propose to look for one?'
O Matsu answered:
'Ah, master, my mistress is not suffering from an illness which can be
cured by medicines--not even if they be given by the quart. Nor are
doctors of much use. There is, however, one that I know of who could
cure her. My mistress's illness is of the heart. The doctor I know of can
cure her. It is for