The Way of the Gods

profound sorrow, that he cared little enough for even that. It is quite true that lighted paper lanterns gleaming in the night, and morning glories with first sun on them, and his small samisen, ple

availed much. Of that I shall stop and tell: the picture-the flying of the carp-how all the life of the little boy wa

rong and virile as the open-mouthed carp in a swift wind, or as flaccid as they when there is no wind. The gods were kind and sent a propitious day. The carp stood out, straining upon their poles so that some of them broke loose and whir

s remained to smoke and gossip. For one was from Kobé and the other wa

of the hibachi as they were emptied of their ashes to be filled again. This is still mu

s dreaming; and hearing whisperings in the room beyond he crept from

there, and greater yet as he observed that they gesticulated in the

and that, somehow, he was included in the mystery. It had hung there at the tokonoma since he could

s alone. Dying upon one of the cannon, with a shout upon his lips and ecstasy upon every feature, was a soldier in the uniform of the ancient Imperial Guards. The panel above showed one of the heavens far toward nirvana. There this same soldier appeared glorified and on the way to his reward in Shaka's bosom. Of course! He had died for the emperor! The artist had

ho had fought against the emperor were being tossed like dogs into a trench. Their heads were off. And the little boy had been taught

was that part of the hells reserved for the souls of traitors; and there the enemies of the empero

OOD