Sanuki no Suke’s Diary: Memories of the Imperial Palace (8)

 

     At the palace of Princess Reishi, the young Emperor's adoptive mother, everything is prepared with even greater care than usual. In the Hosoden pavilion, the spaces between the pillars are partitioned with triple-layered woven curtains beautifully adorned with artificial chrysanthemums. The ladies-in-waiting, too, display their sleeves in stunning layers of autumn colors—chrysanthemums and maple leaves. Watching them, I am suddenly flooded with memories of the past.

     During the late Emperor's reign, we did not usually compete in such extravagance. Yet, the year before last, while observing the ladies' attire from the Upper Chamber, he thought it looked magnificent and decided to have some fun.

     "Let us have the ladies display their sleeves, regardless of their rank," he said. "But do not make it look intentional. Arrange it so it appears they just happened to be sitting there, blending into the background of the decorations."

     He then personally had the ladies seated, directing me, "You there, display yours in the first room."

     While all the other ladies had their sleeves adorned with gentian motifs, my karaginu was a distinct red. Feeling it would look terribly out of place for me alone to blend into the group, I protested, "This looks particularly unsightly!"

     To this, the late Emperor replied with a smile, "What can anyone really see from afar? It doesn't matter. No one has been officially assigned to this role, nor has anyone written any rules about it. Surely you won't stand out." He was determined to go through with his little plot, cleverly spinning an excuse so that I would not be at fault.

     As we all sat in a row with our sleeves protruding from beside the Kurodo pantry, the Emperor watched the display through a small gap in the half-shutters, thoroughly enjoying himself as he gave directions: "Push that sleeve out a little more! Pull that one back in!"

     Recalling how much he delighted in this, I cannot help but think, "How could I ever forget that sight?" and my eyes naturally drift toward the room in a daze. Just as I am thinking to myself, "Perhaps I shall stay at the palace again tonight," the Regent arrives with a message.

     "The Retired Emperor Shirakawa has instructed that two ladies-in-waiting must attend the sacred dance at the Seishodo Hall," he says. "One will be Lady Etsuko, the young Emperor's wet nurse. Could you please attend as the other?"

     Seizing upon this new duty, I think to myself that I can use the preparations for it as the perfect excuse to escape. I immediately send a message to my family: "Please send someone to fetch me at once."

     As soon as darkness falls, their carriage arrives, and I happily slip away.