Sanuki no Suke’s Diary (21)

 

     In the meantime, the sun began to shine brightly.  As the day grew higher, the Emperor’s skin became paler than usual, his puffy face became more beautiful, and his hair looked as if it had just been styled.  It was as if he had simply gone to sleep.

     Priest Zoyo bowed to him for the last time, then quietly rose from his seat, gently pulled open the sliding screen beside him, and left.  Then Fujiwara Ieko cried, "Oh, how sad!  What a terrible thing he has done!  Please help me!"  Hearing this, the people present all cried together, crying out loud.  The Emperor's foster brothers, including Minamoto Masatoshi, Minamoto Kunizane, Minamoto Akimichi (1081-1122), and Lieutenant General, a total of about ten people, as well as all of the ladies-in-waiting present, were crying in unison in such grief that the sliding doors shook violently as if there had been an earthquake.  It was so horrible that those who were too timid to listen could not bear it.

     "We want to see the Emperor’s face one more time," said the nobles and courtiers who had served him closely, and they rushed to the palace, but those who were not close relatives were not even invited in.

     Ieko turned to the slept body and said to him, "Your Majesty, why have you abandoned me?  Ever since your birth, I have never left your side, never leaving you for a moment.  I raised you in your swaddling clothes, and accompanied you wherever you went, sometimes following you and sometimes leading you.  Even when I was ill and forced to stay at home for 10 days, I missed you and yearned for you so much.  But now I am not able to see you for even a moment, how can I continue to live?  Please take me with you.  Please wake up once more and let me see your face.  Oh, how sad!  I long for you so much.  I could not live. Please, please, please, take me with you."  Hearing this, the 12 high priests who had been praying so loudly also fell silent.  When Priest Ningen, who was the 40th head priest of Mount Hiei, and who was the uncle of the Chancellor, finally arrived and pulled open the sliding door through which Zoyo had left, Ieko, bursting into tears, said, "What use is the head priest of Mount Hiei at this point?"