"With little to relieve the monotony, Ukifune sat gazing into the heavily wooded hills. Only the fireflies along the garden brook served to remind her of the Uji days. From far beyond the eaves that looked out over the valley came voices of outrunners cautiously clearing the way, and soon torches, large numbers of them, were tossing among the trees. What might this commotion mean? the other nuns were asking as they came to the veranda. 'Whoever it is, he certainly does have himself a big escort.'"
Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji (10th Century).
Translated by Edward G. Seidensticker.
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