<W Murasaki Shikibu>{Translated by Edward G.Seidensticker}
<T The Tale of Genji>
<K 1>{Japanese Volume}
<C 1>{The Paulownia Court}
<N 1>{Japanese Sub-chapter}
<P 3>
In a certain reign there was a lady not of the first rank whom the emperor
loved more than any of the others. The grand ladies with high ambitions
thought her a presumptuous upstart, and lesser ladies were still more
resentful. Everything she did offended someone. Probably aware of what
was happening, she fell seriously ill and came to spend more time at home
than at court. The emperor's pity and affection quite passed bounds. No
longer caring what his ladies and courtiers might say, he behaved as if
intent upon stirring gossip.
His court looked with very great misgiving upon what seemed a
reckless infatuation. In China just such an unreasoning passion had been
the undoing of an emperor and had spread turmoil through the land. As
the resentment grew, the example of Yang Kuei-fei was the one most
freque . . .
