Madame Izàn; a tourist story - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ... As for the others, Herminia included, they were thoroughly enjoying Kioto, and it seemed to Julia Eugarde that her brother's too evident dissatisfaction with himself and some of his companions was the only discordant note in the general harmony. " How can you be so ill-tempered? " she said. " Nobody ought to be ill-tempered in Japan. It's an incongruity. Do you imagine that this sweet and smiling nation could, even in domestic privacy, permit itself the luxury of a good old row? Why, the open house-fronts and the rice-paper walls protest against the bare notion! " " Are you quoting from your ' Jottings,' Ju? " inquired Windeatt sulkily. "And if I am!" she returned unabashed. " Why shouldn't my nicely turned reflections have an airing before they go into print? " They were on the platform of the Kiomidzu temple--that one built over the brow of the hill, whence jealous Japanese husbands used to hurl their faithless wives--and a certain vague association of ideas may have suggested the fierce and irrelevant remark Windeatt now made. " I wish to Heaven that there was somebody to keep that courier fellow in his place! " " Do you mean Yamasaki?" asked Julia with malicious innocence: " I should not like Yamasaki to be suppressed; he is so extremely amusing." "No; you know I don't mean Yamasaki; it's the other one who annoys me. I shall be obliged myself to put him in his place some day." " Well, I presume that he is in his place," said Julia. " He is paid two dollars a day for instilling Japanese knowledge into Madame Izan, and I'm bound to say that he is faithful to his obligations, for he doesn't lose an opportunity for private instruction." " He is always hanging round," grumbled Windeatt. " One can never get in a word. I shan't stand it any...