"Usugumo," Wisps of Cloud, is named after a poem spoken by Genji in mourning for Fujitsubo. "The thin wisps of cloud trailing over the mountains caught in sunset light, seem to wish to match their hue to the sleeves of the bereaved."
The story takes place during the period from the winter when Genji was 31 years old (following directly on the previous chapter) to the autumn when he was 32.
[Harvard Art Museum]
Winter comes, and Genji tells the Lady Akashi about his wish to bring up their daughter in the capital. Lady Akashi makes the difficult decision (with the help of some persuasion by her mother, the Akashi Nun) to separate from her daughter and entrust the young lady Akashi to Genji.
Genji comes over to the hermitage in Oi to fetch the young lady on a snowy day, and she sees them off in tears. The child expects her mother to join her in the carriage, but she has to leave alone and become the foster daughter of Murasaki.
At the Nijo mansion, grand ceremonies are held to celebrate the young lady's coming-of-age. Murasaki is quite captivated by the sweet young lady, and forgets her bitterness toward Lady Akashi.
The next year, there are two deaths of close family members of Genji. The Grand minister of State, the father of To no Chujo and Lady Aoi, passes away, a big loss also for Emperor Reizei who is only 13 or 14 years old and used to rely on him in all matters of government.
And then Fujitsubo, Genji's stepmother but also his lover and the mother of his child, who had been sick in bed, passes away in March at the age of only 37. She probably suffered from the spiritual affliction caused by their trespasses. Genji is so grieved at her death that he shuts himself up in a chapel, and lives in sorrow.
Then a third shocking thing happens: when the memorial services for Fujitsubo have reached a certain point, an old Buddhist Prelate, who has been serving since Fujitsubo's heyday, secretly tells Emperor Reizei about the circumstances of his birth. Shocked, the Emperor decides he can not tolerate keeping his biological father Genji as his subordinate, a mere courtier, and proposes to abdicate the throne in favor of Genji. However, Genji strongly rejects the offer. At the same time, he guesses that Reizei now knows the secret of his birth.
That autumn, Genji shares memories of the late Rokujo with her daughter, Junior Consort Umetsubo, who is on leave from court service and staying at the Nijo mansion. Their discussion leads to a debate about the relative beauties of spring and autumn. Umetsubo expresses her partiality to autumn, the season in which her mother passed away - she will later be known as Empress Akikonomu, "the empress who loved autumn."
Genji-e: Scenes chosen for illustration include the little girl clinging to Genji's trousers; Genji playing the koto; and Genji talking to Akikonomu who sits behind blinds, on a rainy autumn night (above).