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A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

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S8<br />

<strong>Japanese</strong> Miscellany<br />

dred! . . . Umetsu knew that he had been<br />

deluded, — that he had not been speaking with<br />

any mortal woman, — that the child was not<br />

human. But he had made a promise; and a<br />

samurai was bound by his promise. So he kept<br />

the infant in his arms ; and it continued to grow<br />

heavier and heavier . . . two hundred and fifty<br />

— three hundred — ! four hundred pounds ! . . .<br />

What was going to happen he could not imag-<br />

ine ; but he resolved not to be afraid, and not<br />

to let the child go while his strength lasted. . . .<br />

Five hundred! — five hundred and fifty! — six<br />

hundred pounds! All his muscles began to<br />

quiver with the strain ; — and still the weight<br />

increased. ..." Namu Amida Butsu ! " he<br />

groaned — " Namu Amida Butsu ! — Namu<br />

Amida Butsu ! " Even as he uttered the holy<br />

invocation for the third time, the weight passed<br />

away from him with a shock; and he stood<br />

stupefied, with empty hands,— for the child had<br />

unaccountably disappeared. But almost in the<br />

same instant he saw the mysterious woman re-<br />

turning as quickly as she had gone. Still pant-<br />

ing she came to him; and he then first saw<br />

that she was very fair ; —<br />

but her brow dripped<br />

with sweat; and her sleeves were bound back<br />

!

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