Leaving the master for a time, I turn now to the lady folk who are snickering away in the living room. In contrast to the master's cool indifference, the lady folk are emotionally engaged, reveling to no end in their amusement. They're receiving this whole account of the love letter, which has set poor Buemon's head on fire, with no less joy than men of yore who first received glad tidings of the Buddha's enlightenment. Their glee defies explanation, but they're gleeful nonetheless. If one insists on digging deeper, one can only conclude it's Buemon's misery fueling their amusement. Try asking a woman if others' misery spurs her to gleeful laughter. Said woman will turn on her inquirer quite sharply. She'll dismiss him as a dullard, or she may even attack him for assailing her honor. While it may be true that she feels her honor assaulted, it's equally true that she has, indeed, reveled in the misery of another. She might as well give prior notice. "My behavior may be unbecoming of a lady, but I'll have you hold your tongue." It's no different than a man committing theft yet forbidding any mention of impropriety. Any mention of impropriety, after all, would sully his reputation. It would weigh on his good name. This he cannot abide. Women are clever things, anchoring their notions with sound logic. Any man born into the human race should expect at times to be stomped on, kicked in the face, and berated, with no help at all from his fellow men. When one is spit on and smeared with feces, one must further don a brave face as shrieks of feminine laughter arise from all sides. There's no other way to coexist with these clever creatures called women. Young master Buemon, having landed in hot water through an impulsive action of youth and now showing due contrition, might well be indignant at the merciless mirth unfolding on the other side of the fusuma. The perpetrators of this affront, however, would readily counter that any indignation on his part stems from naivete and lack of fortitude. All of this stems, at the end of the day, from his own actions. Were he not prepared to bear the repercussions, then he needn't have acted.