41. Mirage / The Wizard(幻)
Passage
He took one from the bundle, and without stopping to read it, he wrote in the margin: 'Go, useless leaves, well steeped in brine, to join the smoke that through the pathways of the sky trailed from her smouldering pyre'; and forthwith he had the whole lot burnt.
People who become monks must come to terms with their memories of this world. It's the same as preparing for death.
Summary
The New Year has came, but Genji is in mourning. He reflects on his days with Murasaki and talks about memories. Genji decides that become a monk in next year.While sorting through his belongings, he finds Murasaki's letter. With sorrow, he burns it.
Comment
The story of Genji and Murasaki reaches its finale here. Without any grandeur, it is a quiet ending, deepening in loneliness and solitude.