Publisher's Synopsis
From the beginning of the first chapter: THE name is on a paper-lantern at the entrance of a house in the Street of the Geisha. Seen at night the street is one of the queerest in the world. It is narrow as a gangway; and the dark shining woodwork of the house-fronts, all tightly closed, - each having a tiny sliding door with paper-panes that look just like frosted glass, - makes you think of first-class passenger-cabins. Really the buildings are several stories high; but you do not observe this at once-especially if there be no moon --- because only the lower stories are illuminated up to their awnings, above which all is darlmess. The illumination is made by lamps behind the narrow paper-paned doors, and by the paper-lanterns hanging outside - one at every door. You look down the street between two lines of these lanterns - lines converging farofi into one motionless bar of yellow light. Some of the lanterns are eggshaped, some cylindrical; others foursided or six-sided; and Japanese characters are beautifully Written upon them. The street is very quiet - silent as a display of cabinet-work in some great exhibition after closing-time. This is because the inmates are mostly away - attending banquets and other festivities. Their life is of the night
