TAMAKI

Their lattice shutters had been up, but when Kii disapprovingly lowered them, Genji stole to where lamplight streamed through a crack over the sliding panel, to see what he could see. There was no gap to give him a view, but he went on listening and realized that they must be gathered nearby in the chamber, because he could hear them whispering to each other, apparently about him.

“He is still so young. It is a shame he is so serious and already so well settled.”

“Still, I hear he often calls secretly on suitably promising ladies.”

Genji, whose every thought was of her, was appalled to imagine them next discussing that in the same way, but he heard nothing more of interest and gave up his eavesdropping.

(The Tale of Genji, chap. 2, pp. 37-38)