sufferings], forgetting the shame of it. On their heads rice[1] was scattered white as snow. Their rumpled clothes must have been unseemly, but we could only think of those things afterward. A part of the Queen’s head was shaved.[2] I was greatly astonished and very sorry to see this, but she was delivered peacefully. The afterbirth was delayed, and all priests crowded to the south balcony, under the eaves of the magnificent main building, while those on the bridge recited Sutras more passionately, often kneeling.
Among the ladies-in-waiting on the east side were seen some of the courtiers.[3] Lady Kochūjō’s eye met that of the Lieutenant General. People afterwards laughed over her astonished expression. She is a very fascinating and elegant person, and is always very careful to adorn her face. This morning she had done so, but her eyes were red, and her rouge was spoiled by tears. She was disfigured, and hardly seemed the same person. The imperfectly made-up face of Lady Saishō was a rare sight, but what about my own? It is lucky for me that people cannot notice such things at such a time. …
For seven nights every ceremony was performed cloudlessly. Before the Queen in white the styles and colors of other people’s dresses appeared in sharp contrast. I felt much dazzled and abashed, and did not present myself in the daytime, so I passed my days in tranquillity and watched persons going up from the eastern side building across the bridge. Those who were permitted to wear the honorable colors[4] put on brocaded karaginu, and also brocaded uchigi.[5] This was the conventionally beautiful dress, not showing individual taste. The elderly ladies who could not wear the honorable colors avoided anything dazzling, but took only exquisite uchigi trimmed with three or five folds, and for karaginu brocade either of one color or of
- ↑ For good luck.
- ↑ So that she might be ordained as a priestess and insured a good reception in the next world, only done when the sick person is in great danger.
- ↑ This was contrary to etiquette and shows the extreme excitement of the moment. Ladies and gentlemen of the court remained in separate rooms on social occasions.
- ↑ Purple and scarlet.
- ↑ A long unconfined flowing robe put on over the dress.
