After a few viewings.. I give this ep a "10" ... reasons why later.
Later Edit:
in one epsiode we get what is basically Lawrence proclaiming his love for her, a wonderful series of vignettes of them chatting, holding hands, her concern so obvious that it hurts.. .and then his desperate lash out that *really* tore the heartstrings.
I finally *get* what that last merchant was on about --- he had turned into a snooty "better than thou" Church-goer and basically turned Lawrence down because he had the temerity to obviously be in the company of a woman that was not his wife. O the horror....
but not unusual attitude for people of that time.
Poor Horo had no idea that such a thing was a problem (recalling her "so what, then say we're lovers" remark earlier).
A simply amazing amount of material for one episode though once again I'm quite certain 2 or 3 episodes of dialog were "lost in adaptation".
Any episode that has me giddy in the first part and my heart hurts in the second part probably executed its task well.
I admit to being completely baffled as to how either Horo or him can pull out of this nosedive.