- She is rejected by the lieutenant when he finds out she is a step-daughter.
- She is moved to Naka no Kimi's place. But is exposed there to two men: Kaoru and Niou.
- She is moved again by her mother from Naka no Kimi's to a sad house at Sanjō, because Niou has found her while the mother has intentions instead for Kaoru.
- Kaoru takes her to Uji.
Autumn, 8th month: A lieutenant of the Left Palace Guards (Sa Kon Shōshō) breaks his engagement with Ukifune (note how he rejects her when he hears she is adopted p977) and the boorish step-father, the Governor of Hitachi (Hitachi no Suke) has him marry one of his own daughters instead.
Ukifune's mother, relying on the Second Princess Niou's wife and Ukifune's half-sister, Naka no Kimi, moves Ukifune to Niou's Nijō estate, giving her essentially to Naka no Kimi to look after or find a husband for.
Niou finds out about Ukifune after all and approaches her. Ukifune's mother moves Ukifune to a small house on Sanjō. (Kaoru has a house on Sanjō.)
Autumn, 9th month: Kaoru meets Ukifune and moves her to Uji.
In the previous chapter Ukifune was passed around; her location was changed several times. Now she settles into an address, at Uji, with time on her hands but the relationship with the two men gets very complicated and she can only think that death is the best answer. Kaoru is preparing another house for her, but it is not yet ready. Ukifune likes Niou's passion and respects Kaoru's morality, and feels she is doing something wrong …
The intensity of men's jealousy shows here; in the previous chapter Ukifune is practically tossed about while here the near loss of emotional control is that of the two men's feelings towards each other. Other's are angry too (Niou is unhappy that his wife Naka no Kimi and Kaoru conspired to hide Ukifune, for example.)
The scene of Niou whisking Ukifune off to the Island of Orange Blossoms very famous. Field calls these the most erotic pages of Genji. What do you think? In the least, he physically carries her ("he therefore walked on with her in his arms," p1026); don't read this too often. And specific mentions of disrobing.
Does Ukifune prefer Niou? ("'He would never do this much for you, you know,' he said, 'that man who means so much to you.' No, she thought, he probably would not, and she nodded in enchanting agreement." p1028) … "Not being especially given to weighty pondering, …" p1028. Same description of Izumi in Izumi's diary.
River sound. (The only time it specifically roars is p1050 "whose loud roar was now dreary and hateful"— but elsewhere does say it is quieter here than there …)
Spring, 1st month: Niou learns (by intercepting a letter) that Ukifune is in Uji being kept by Kaoru. He goes to Uji and sleeps with Ukifune pretending to be Kaoru and, awkwardly for everyone, secretly stays the day. Ukifune finds him more handsome than Kaoru; Niou finds her not as beautiful as either of his wives, but goo for the moment.
2nd month: Kaoru is preparing to bring (a secretly confused) Ukifune to the capital. Ukifune is attracted to him at this point, feeling it was foolish to like Niou.
Spring, 2nd month: After a Chinese-poetry party, Niou goes to Uji and spends two days with Ukifune on the Island of Orange Blossoms. Ukifune gradually becomes more and more attracted to Niou.
Ukifune considers drowning herself.
The messengers of the two men bump into each other and Kaoru learns that Niou is seeing Ukifune. He has her house guarded and reprimands her.
3rd month: Ukifune, at the end of her rope, decides to die by drowning