The Shadow and the Star Read Free Page A

frightened fawns just inside the door. They all stared at the toes of their Western-style shoes, keeping their hands flat against their skirts. The partings in their jet-black hair stood out in straight lines, as white as their porcelain faces. Madame Elise bade them a formal welcome in her best French accent, and asked if they would please to follow her.
    She backed away. After three steps, it was clear that none of the Japanese ladies were going to follow. They stood there silently, staring at the floor.
    Madame Elise glanced at the footman, and mouthed,
Lady Inouye
? with her eyebrows raised. The footman shrugged almost imperceptibly. Madame was put to the extreme expedient of saying aloud, in plain unaccented English, "Lady Inouye—may I presume to have the very great honor, Your Excellency?"
    No one spoke. One of the two Japanese ladies standing half-hidden behind the others made a faint motion with her hand toward the figure just in front of her. Madame Elise moved a step toward the lady. "Your Excellency?"
    The Japanese girl put her fingers to her lips. She smiled behind her hand, and then broke into a shy giggle. In a pretty, girlish voice, barely above a whisper, she said something incomprehensible, sounding rather as if she were trying to sing around a mouthful of water. She bowed slightly, pointed back out the door, and bowed again.
    "Oh, dear," Madame Elise said, "I thought Her Excellency was to speak English."
    The girl repeated her hand motion out the door. Then she put her fingers to her throat, bent over, and gave a theatrical cough. She motioned out the door again.
    Everyone stood dubiously silent.
    "Madame Elise?" Leda ventured. "Is it possible that Lady Inouye hasn't come?"
    "Not come?" Madame Elise's voice had a tinge of panic.
    Leda stepped forward. "Her… Ex—cellency," she said, slowly and clearly, and then put her hand to her throat, coughed as the other girl had, and motioned out the door.
    All four of the Japanese ladies bowed, their salutes varying in degree from a deep bending at the waist to just a slight bob of the head.
    "Oh, dear," Madame Elise said.
    Another moment of silence passed.
    "Mademoiselle Etoile," Madame Elise said suddenly to Leda, "you may see to these clients." She took Leda by one elbow and pulled her forward, presenting her like an offering, and then curtsied her way backward, out of range.
    Leda took a breath. She had no idea which ones were the princess and imperial consort, but her best guess was that they were the two who stood in front, who had just barely nodded instead of bowing. With an opening sweep of her arm, she tried to motion them all toward the seats prepared around the largest counter.
    Like an obedient little flock of geese, they walked with tiny steps toward the chairs. Two seated themselves, and the other two sank gracefully to their knees on the floor, eyes downcast.
    Well, surely the two in the chairs must be the royalty, and the other some sort of attendants. Leda took a fashion book from the counter. Not certain which lady, between a princess and a consort, took precedence, she offered it to the one who appeared the oldest of the two.
    The lady drew back with a negative motion, passing her palm like a fan in front of her face. Leda apologized and curtsied deeply to the other, offering the book there.
    That one, too, declined to take the plate-book. As Leda stood with it held between her hands, she looked in desperation at the two on the floor. Surely not… would the lower position be superior in their country? She saw no choice: she offered the book to the nearest of the kneeling ladies.
    It was the one who had pantomimed Lady Inouye's indisposition earlier. Now, she held up her hand, refusing the book. She turned and spoke softly to the younger of the two ladies in the chair, who whispered in return. Leda stood helplessly while they mumbled back and forth. The kneeling girl turned back, bowed her forehead to the floor, and said, "San-weesh."
    Leda bit