was if anything livelier than the evening concert had been.Today there was to be a reading of the Prajnapāramitā Sutra commissioned by Empress Akikonomu. Many of the guests had been given rooms in which to change to formal dress. Though some had previous engagements and excused themselves Genji s prestige had removed any doubt that it would be a grand and solemn occasion. He led the assembly to Akikonomu s quarter at noon.Murasaki had prepared the floral offerings. She chose eight of her prettiest little girls to deliver them dressing four as birds and four as butterflies,Vans Suede N Canvas Old Skool Blue. The birds brought cherry blossoms in silver vases the butterflies yamabuki in gold vases. In wonderfully rich and full bloom they completed a perfect picture. As the party rowed out from the hillock to Akikonomu s end of the lake a breeze came up to scatter a few cherry petals. The skies were clear and happy and the little girls were charming in the delicate spring haze. Akikonomu had declined Murasaki s offer of awnings and had instead put out seats for the orchestra in one of the galleries adjoining her main hall. The little girls came to the stairs with their flowers. Incense bearers received them and set them out before the holy images.Yūgiri delivered this poem from Murasaki: Low in your grasses the cricket awaits the autumnAnd views with scorn these silly butterflies. Akikonomu smiled recognizing an answer to her poem about the autumn leaves. No Your Majesty nothing surpasses that garden said one of the women still drunk with the joys of the day before.The music for the dance of the Kalavinka bird rang forth to the singing of warblers to which the waterfowl on the lake added their clucks and chirps and it was with very great regret that the audience saw the dance come to an end. The butterflies seemed to fly higher than the birds as they disappeared behind a low fence over which poured a cascade of yamabuki. Akikonomu s assistant chamberlain asked that courtiers of appropriate rank distribute gifts: to the birds white robes lined with red and to the butterflies robes of pale russet lined with yellow,Vans Suede N Canvas Fleece Lining Sk8 Hi Black. It would seem that Akikonomu had made careful preparations. Then came gifts for the musicians white singlets and bolts of cloth. Yūgiri received a lady s ensemble most conspicuously a lavender robe lined with blue,Womens Vans X Hello Kitty.This was Akikonomu s reply: I weep in my longing to follow your butterflies.You put up fences of yamabuki between us. Are the grand ones of the realm consistently good at poetry? One is sometimes disappointed.I had forgotten: Murasaki had had lavish gifts for her guests too. But I fear that the details would be tiresome. In any event there were tasteful diversions morning and night to keep the least of the serving women happy and there were these poetic exchanges.Murasaki and Tamakazura sometimes wrote to each other now that they had been introduced. It was too early perhaps to know whether Tamakazura was a comrade to turn to for help but she did seem to be quietly good-natured and not the sort to cause trouble. People were on the w Related articles: http://www.knit8.com/home/space.php?uid=125782&do=blog&id=1200401 http://www.bridge-tunnel.com/bbs/showtopic-3387884.aspx http://www.polovneknjige.net/