{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_67650/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_67650","id":"gutenberg_67650","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67650","summary":null,"tags":["Bushido -- Fiction","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Short Stories","Japan -- Fiction","Japanese fiction -- Translations into English","Samurai -- Fiction","Short stories, Japanese -- Translations into English"],"text":"[Illustration: \u201cA warrior burns incense into his helmet when he is\ndetermined to die on the field\u201d\n\nSee page 194]\n\n\n\n\n                         TALES OF THE SAMURAI\n\n\n          Stories illustrating Bushido, the Moral Principles\n                      of the Japanese Knighthood\n\n                                  BY\n\n                           ASATARO MIYAMORI\n\n\n               Professor of English in Toyo University,\n                             Tokyo, Japan\n\n\n              Author of \u201cRepresentative Tales of Japan,\u201d\n                \u201cTales from Old Japanese Dramas,\u201d &C.\n\n\n                    With 8 Coloured Illustrations\n                         By A Japanese Artist\n\n\n                           THE KY\u014c-BUN-KWAN\n\n                         Ginza, Tokyo, Japan\n\n                                 1920\n\n\n\n\n                               PREFACE\n\nThe following tales of the samurai, the knights of old Japan, are based\nlargely on real facts. They have been adapted from among traditional\nstories related by _k\u014ddanshi_, story-tellers, who nightly delight\nlarge audiences with romances and historical stories, especially the\nnoble deeds of the samurai. There are also numerous Japanese books and\nmagazines devoted to stories of this description, which are read with\nkeen interest by all classes of our countrymen, in particular by young\npeople.\n\nIt is true the samurai class has gone forever along with feudalism;\nbut fortunately or unfortunately the Japanese at large are samurai\nin a sense. During the last half century European civilization has\nrevolutionized Japanese society, both for better and for worse. In\ninstitutions political and social, in manners and customs, in arts\nand literature, the Japanese have lost many of their characteristics;\nyet it may safely be said that the sentiments, motives and moral\nprinciples of the samurai in some measure remain in the bedrock of\ntheir character in their subconsciousness, so to speak. The Japanese of\nto-day are intellectually almost cosmopolitans, but emotionally they\nare still samurai to no small degree.\n\nHonest Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, the hero of the story of the same title, was not a\nsamurai, but his principles were those of a samurai. Let that justify\nthe inclusion of the story in this volume.\n\nThe author\u2019s hearty thanks are due to Mr. Joyen Momokawa, a celebrated\n_k\u014ddanshi_, who kindly helped him in the choice of these tales, and\nalso to the editor of the _K\u014ddan Kurabu_ for permission to translate\n_Katsuno\u2019s Revenge_, one of his stories.\n\n                                                           A. Miyamori.\n  Tokio, December, 1920.\n\n\n\n\n                               CONTENTS\n\n\n                                                                  PAGE\n\n  Ungo-Zenji                                                         1\n\n  The Loyalty of a Boy Samurai                                      23\n\n  Katsuno\u2019s Revenge                                                 35\n\n  A Wedding Present                                                 83\n\n  The Heroism of Torii Katsutaka                                   115\n\n  The Wrestling of a Daimio                                        141\n\n  The Story of Kimura Shigenari                                    165\n\n  Honest Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9                                                   203\n\n\n\n\n                        LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n\n                                                                  PAGE\n\n  \u201cA warrior burns incense into his helmet when he\n   is determined to die on the field\u201d                   _Frontispiece_\n\n  \u201cMay I ask you to explain the place of honour\n   given to a garden _geta_?\u201d                                       18\n\n  \u201cI caught these sparrows quite of my own accord\u201d                  32\n\n  She filled Hachiya\u2019s cup to the brim                              52\n\n  Terumasa took hold of the man\u2019s collar and twisted\n  his face upwards                                                 108\n\n  He raised his voice so that every word rang clear\n  and distinct                                                     138\n\n  Gonshir\u014d threw him by a supreme effort down on to\n  the mats                                                         153\n\n  \u201cWhose hat is that?\u201d                                             217\n\n\n\n\n                              UNGO-ZENJI\n\n\nIt was snowing fast.\n\nAlready as far as eye could see the world was covered with a vast\nsilvery sheet. Hill and dale, tree and field, all alike clothed in\nvirgin white.\n\nCaring nothing for the bitter cold, but loving the beautiful, Dat\u00e9\nMasamun\u00e9 determined to go out to enjoy the scene. Accordingly,\naccompanied by a few attendants, he wended his way to a pavilion set on\na low hill in the castle grounds whence an extensive view, embracing\nthe whole of his little fief of Osaki, could be obtained.\n\nIn later life Masamun\u00e9 distinguished himself by signal service rendered\nto the state, eventually becoming one of the greatest daimios in Japan,\nunder Iyeyasu, the first Shogun, but at this time Osaki was his sole\nestate, and his income did not exceed 100,000 _koku_ of rice a year.\n\n\u201cWhat an enchanting picture! What can compare with a snow landscape?\u201d\nhe exclaimed, as he stood enraptured, gazing with delight from the\nbalcony of the pavilion at the pure loveliness of the scene before\nhim. \u201cIt is said that snow foretells a fruitful year. When the harvest\nis abundant great is the rejoicing of the people, and peace and\nprosperity reign over the land!\u201d\n\nWhile his lordship thus soliloquized, Heishiro, the\nsandal-bearer\u2014Makab\u00e9 Heishiro as he was called from his birthplace,\nMakab\u00e9 in Hitachi, a surname being a luxury unknown to the third\nestate\u2014waited without. Having adjusted his master\u2019s footgear there\nwas nothing more to do till he should come out again. But presently\nHeishiro observed that the snowflakes fell and lay somewhat thick on\nhis valuable charge. He hastened to brush them off with his sleeve, but\nmore flakes fell, and again the _geta_ (clogs) were covered with icy\nparticles.\n\n\u201cThis will never do,\u201d he said to himself. \u201cHis lordship disdains to\nwear _tabi_ (socks) even in the coldest weather, deeming it a mark of\neffeminacy; should he place his bare feet on these damp _geta_ he will\nassuredly catch cold. I must keep them warm and dry for him.\u201d\n\nSo the good fellow in the kindness of his simple heart took up the\nheavy wooden clogs, and putting them in the bosom of his garment next\nto his skin, continued his patient waiting.\n\n\u201cHis lordship comes!\u201d\n\nHeishiro had just time to put the _geta_ straight on the large stone\nstep at the entrance before the double doors slid open right and left\nand Masamun\u00e9 appeared, young, imperious.\n\nHe slipped his feet on to the _geta_. How was this? They felt warm to\nhis touch! How could that be in such freezing weather? There could be\nbut one explanation. That lazy lout of a sandal-bearer had been using\nthem as a seat\u2014sitting on the honourable footgear of his august master!\nThe insufferable insolence, of the fellow!\n\nIn a passion at the supposed insult he caught the offender by the nape\nof his neck, and shook him violently, exclaiming between his set teeth,\n\u201cYou scoundrel! How dared you defile my _geta_ by sitting on them! You\nhave grossly insulted me behind my back! Villain, take that....\u201d\n\nCatching up one of the clogs which he had kicked off, he struck the\npoor servitor a heavy blow between the eyes, which caused him to\nreel stunned and bleeding to the ground. Then hurling the companion\n_geta_ at his prostrate victim, he strode proudly back to the castle,\nbarefooted, for he was in too great a rage to wait until another\npair of _geta_ could be brought.\n\nNo one stayed to look after Heishiro. None cared what became of him.\nFor some time he lay as he had fallen, but presently the cold brought\nhim back to consciousness, and he rose slowly and with difficulty to\nhis feet.\n\nHe picked up the _geta_ with which he had been struck, and with tears\nmingling with the blood on his face gazed at it mournfully for a few\nmoments. Then, as the thought of his master\u2019s injustice came over him,\nhe gnashed his teeth in impotent rage.\n\n\u201cHaughty brute, that you are, Masamun\u00e9,\u201d he muttered, \u201cyou shall pay\nfor this! The bond between us as lord and vassal has snapped for ever.\nI have been one of the most devoted of your humble servants, but now\nI will never rest till I have had my revenge on you for this cruel\ntreatment!\u201d\n\nThen Heishiro again put the _geta_ into his bosom, though with how\ndifferent an intention from before, and descending the hill on the side\nfurthest from the castle, limped painfully away.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nFrom that time forth the man had but one idea\u2014to wreak condign\nvengeance on the arrogant noble who had so abused his kindness.\n\nBut Masamun\u00e9 was a daimio, though a poor one, while Heishiro was only\na serf. Assassination was impossible, Masamun\u00e9 being always well\nguarded even while he slept, besides possessing considerable bodily\nstrength himself. He must have recourse to other and subtler means. He\nthought long and deeply. There were only two persons of higher rank\nthan the daimio who could affect his position at will\u2014the Emperor and\nthe Shogun. But how could a man of Heishiro\u2019s standing gain the ear of\neither of these two illustrious personages so as to slander Masamun\u00e9\nand influence them against him? The very idea was absurd! True, it was\na warlike age and promotion speedily followed the achievement of a\ndeed of valor; with a spear in his hand and a good horse under him one\nmight rise to almost any height. But Heishiro was no soldier and his\nphysical strength was small. With a sigh he admitted to himself that\nthe accomplishment of his purpose did not lie that way.\n\nAnd then a happy thought struck him. He remembered that any one, high\nor low, great or small, could become a priest and that the prospects\nheld out in that profession were boundless. There was no distinction\nto which a man of the lowliest parentage and the weakest body might\nnot aspire. A learned priest with a reputation for sanctity might get\naccess to Court\u2014gain the notice of the Emperor himself!\n\nThat was it!\n\nHeishiro resolved to turn priest, and with this in view made all haste\nto Kyoto, where he entered the Temple of Ungoji in Higashiyama as an\nacolyte.\n\nBut the career of an acolyte is none of the easiest. Before he can\nbe received into the priesthood he must go through all forms of\nasceticism, self-denial, and penance. Furthermore, he has to serve his\nsuperiors as a drudge, doing the most menial tasks at their command.\nHeishiro had a very hard time of it. A man of ordinary perseverance\nmight have succumbed and given up. Not so Heishiro. Not for a moment\ndid he dream of abandoning his self-imposed task. He was determined as\nlong as there was life in him to endure every hardship and humiliation,\nso that eventually he might attain his end. Still he was but human, and\nthere were times when his weary body almost gave way and his spirit\nflagged. His racked nerves seemed as if they could bear no more. At\nsuch times he would look in a mirror at the reflection of the deep\nscar on his brow, and draw from its place of concealment the odd garden\n_geta_, saying to himself, \u201cCourage! Remember Masamun\u00e9! Your work is\nnot done yet.\u201d\n\nThen strength and calmness would return and he once more felt equal to\nlabour and endure.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nLittle by little Heishiro rose in the favour of his superiors, and his\nlearning showed marked progress. At length, he thought he might get on\nfaster if he went to another monastery, and the Temple of Enryakuji on\nMt. Hiei being the largest and most renowned of all places of sacred\nteaching in Japan, he applied there for admission and was readily\nadmitted.\n\nTwenty years later, J\u014dben, for that was the name Heishiro took on\nentering the priesthood, was known far and near for his erudition and\nstrict application to all observances of a life of the most austere\npiety. But he was not satisfied. He was still very far from being in\na position to attract the notice of the Emperor. Yet higher must he\nclimb. To be world-famous was his aim.\n\nSo he made up his mind to go over to China, justly regarded as the\nfountain-head of all knowledge and wisdom. All she could impart of the\nBuddhistic faith he would acquire. As soon as an opportunity offered\nJ\u014dben sailed from his native shores and found himself among a strange\npeople. Here he remained ten years. During that time he visited many\nfamous temples and gathered wisdom from many sources. At last the\nfame of the traveller reached the ear of the Chinese Emperor, who was\npleased to grant him an audience, and graciously bestowed on him a new\nsacerdotal name, that of Issan-Kasho-Daizenji. Thus it came about that\nJ\u014dben left his country acknowledged, indeed to be a wise and holy man,\nbut he came back to be regarded as the foremost divine in Japan.\n\nAfter his return Issan-Kasho-Daizenji stayed at Ungo-ji, the temple\nin Kyoto where he had entered on his noviciate. He had heard nothing\nof Masamun\u00e9 for some years and was anxious to learn what had become\nof him. He was unpleasantly surprised to hear that the object of his\nhatred had also risen in the world, and that now as lord of the Castle\nof Sendai he was considered one of the most important men of the\nday. Not only did he hold a high office at Court, but as the head of\nthe North-Eastern daimios, even the Shogun had to treat him with\nrespect. All this was annoying if nothing worse. The Zenji saw that he\nwould have to bide his time, and act warily. A false move now might\nrender futile all his long years of travail.\n\nBut after all he did not have to wait very long.\n\nThe Emperor was taken ill and his malady was of so serious a nature\nthat the skill of the wisest physicians proved of no avail. The highest\nofficials of the Imperial Household met in solemn conclave to discuss\nthe matter and it was decided that earthly means being vain the only\nhope lay in an appeal to Heaven.\n\nWho was the priest of character so stainless, of wisdom so profound\nthat he might be entrusted with this high mission?\n\nOne name rose to all lips\u2014\u201cIssan-Kasho-Daizenji!\u201d\n\nWith all speed, therefore, the holy man was summoned to the Palace and\nordered to pray his hardest to the Heavenly Powers for the restoration\nto health of the Imperial patient.\n\nFor seven days and seven nights the Zenji isolated himself from all\nmankind in the Hall of the Blue Dragon. For seven days and seven nights\nhe fasted, and prayed that the precious life might be spared. And his\nprayers were heard. At the end of that time the Emperor took a turn for\nthe better, and so rapid was his recovery that in a very short time all\ncause of anxiety about him was over.\n\nHis Majesty\u2019s gratitude knew no bounds. The Zenji was honoured with\nmany marks of the Imperial regard, and as a consequence, all the\nministers and courtiers vied with each other in obsequiousness to the\nfavourite of the Emperor. He was appointed Head of the Ungoji Temple,\nand received yet another name, Ungo-Daizenji.\n\n\u201cThe attainment of my desire is now within reach!\u201d thought the priest\nexultantly. \u201cIt only remains to find a plausible pretext for accusing\nMasamun\u00e9 of high treason.\u201d\n\nBut more than thirty years had elapsed since Makab\u00e9 Heishiro, the lowly\nsandal-bearer, had vowed vengeance on the daimio Dat\u00e9 Masamun\u00e9, and\nnot without effect had been his delving into holy scriptures, his long\nvigils, his life of asceticism and meditation. Heishiro had become\nUngo-Daizenji, a great priest. His character had undergone a radical\nchange, though he had not suspected it. His mind had been purified\nand was now incapable of harbouring so mean and paltry a feeling as a\ndesire for revenge. Now that the power was in his grasp he no longer\ncared to exercise it.\n\n\u201cTo hate, or to try to injure a fellow-creature is below one who has\nentered the priesthood,\u201d he said to himself. \u201cThe winds of passion\ndisturb only those who move about the maze of the secular world. When a\nman\u2019s spiritual eyes are opened, neither east nor west, neither north\nnor south exists\u2014such things are but illusions. I have nursed a grudge\nagainst Lord Dat\u00e9 for over thirty years, and with the sole object of\nrevenge before my eyes have raised myself to my present position.\nBut if Lord Dat\u00e9 had not ill-treated me on a certain occasion, what\nwould my life have been? I should, probably, have remained Heishiro,\nthe sandal-bearer, all my days. But my lord had the unkindness to\nstrike me with a garden _geta_ without troubling himself to find out\nwhether I deserved such chastisement. I was roused to anger and vowed\nto be revenged. Because of my resolve to punish him I turned priest,\nstudied hard, endured privations, and so, at length, have become\none of the most influential priests in the Empire, before whom even\nprinces and nobles bow with reverence. If I look at the matter in its\ntrue light it is to Lord Dat\u00e9 that I owe everything. In olden times\nSakya Muni, turning his back upon earthly glory, climbed Mt. Dantoku\nand there served his noviciate with St. Arara. Prince though he\nwas, he performed all menial offices for his master, who if ever the\ndisciple seemed negligent, would beat him with a cane. \u2018How mortifying\nit is,\u2019 thought the Royal neophyte, \u2018that I, born to a throne, should\nbe treated thus by one so far beneath me in rank,\u2019 But Sakya Muni was\na man of indomitable spirit. The more humiliations he had to suffer\nthe more earnestly did he apply himself to his religious studies, so\nthat, at the early age of thirty he had learnt all his teacher could\nimpart, and himself began to teach, introducing to the world one of\nthe greatest religions it has ever known. It may truthfully be said\nthat Sakya\u2019s success was largely, if not wholly, due to that stern\nand relentless master who allowed no shirking of his work. Far be it\nfrom me to institute any comparison between my humble self and the\nholy Founder of Buddhism, but, nevertheless, I cannot deny the fact\nthat the pavilion in the grounds of Osaki Castle was my Mt. Dantoku,\nand this old garden _geta_ my St. Arara\u2019s cane. Therefore it should be\ngratitude, not revenge, that I have in my heart for Masamun\u00e9, for it\nwas his unconsidered act that laid the foundation of my prosperity.\u201d\n\nThus the good priest relinquished his long cherished idea of\nvengeance, and a better feeling took its place. He now looked upon\nthe blood-stained _geta_ with reverence, offering flowers and burning\nincense before it, while day and night he prayed fervently for the long\nlife and happiness of his old master, Lord Dat\u00e9 Masamun\u00e9.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nAnd Masamun\u00e9 himself?\n\nAs stated above he attained great honours and became a leading man in\nthe councils of his country. But at the age of sixty-three he tired of\npublic life and retired to pass the evening of his days at his Castle\nof Sendai. Here, to employ his leisure, he set about the restoration of\nthe well-known temple of Zuiganji, at Matsushima, in the vicinity of\nthe castle, which during a long period of civil strife had fallen into\ndecay, being in fact a complete ruin. Masamun\u00e9 took it upon himself to\nrestore the building to its former rich splendor, and then when all was\ndone looked about for a priest of deep learning and acknowledged virtue\nwho should be worthy to be placed in charge of it.\n\nAt a gathering of his chief retainers he addressed them as follows:\u2014\n\n\u201cAs you know I have rebuilt and decorated the Zuiganji Temple in this\nvicinity, but it still remains without a Superior. I desire to entrust\nit to a holy and learned man who will carry on its ancient traditions\nas a seat of piety. Tell me, who is the greatest priest of the day?\u201d\n\n\u201cUngo-Zenji, High Priest of the Ungoji Temple in Kyoto is undoubtedly\nthe greatest priest of the day,\u201d came the unanimous reply.\n\nSo Masamun\u00e9 decided to offer the vacant post to the holy Ungo-Daizenji,\nbut as the priest in question was a favourite at Court, and enjoyed the\nconfidence of the Emperor, it was necessary that His Majesty should\nfirst be approached before anything was said to the Zenji. Masamun\u00e9\ntendered his petition in due form and as a personal favour to himself.\nThe Emperor who retained a warm affection for the retired statesman,\nreadily assented, and thus it came about that Ungo-Zenji was appointed\nHead of the Zuiganji Temple in the beautiful district of Matsushima.\n\nOn the seventh day after his installation, Masamun\u00e9 paid a formal call\nat the Zuiganji to welcome the new arrival. He was ushered into the\nprivate guest-room of the Zenji which was at the moment unoccupied.\nOn turning to the alcove his attention was at once arrested by the\nsight of an old garden _geta_ placed on a valuable stand of elaborate\nand costly workmanship.\n\n\u201cWhat celebrated personage has used that _geta_?\u201d said the astonished\nMasamun\u00e9 to himself. \u201cBut surely it is a breach of etiquette to\ndecorate a room with such a lowly article when about to receive a\ndaimio of my standing! However, the priest has doubtless some purpose\nin allowing so strange an infringement of good manners.\u201d\n\nAt that moment the sliding doors opened noiselessly, and a venerable\nman in full canonicals and bearing a holy brush of long white hair in\nhis hand, came in. His immobile face was that of an ascetic but marred\nby a disfiguring scar on his forehead between the eyes.\n\nUngo-Zenji, for he it was, seated himself opposite his guest and\nputting both hands, palm downwards, on the mats bowed several times in\nrespectful greeting, Masamun\u00e9 returning the courtesy with due ceremony.\n\nWhen the salutations were over, Masamun\u00e9 could no longer restrain his\ncuriosity.\n\n\u201cYour Reverence,\u201d he began, \u201cin compliance with my earnest request you\nhave condescended to come down to this insignificant place to take\ncharge of our temple. I am profoundly impressed by your goodness\nand know not how to thank you. I am a plain man and unskilled in words.\nBut, your Reverence, there are two things which puzzle me, and though\nat this our first interview you may deem it a want of good breeding to\nbe so inquisitive, may I ask you to explain the place of honour given\nto a garden _geta_, and the scar on your brow that accords so ill with\nyour reputation for saintliness?\u201d\n\n[Illustration: \u201cMay I ask you to explain the place of honour given to a\ngarden _geta_?\u201d]\n\nAt these words, poured out with the impetuosity he remembered in\nMasamun\u00e9 as a young man, the priest smiled a little. Then he withdrew\nto the lower end of the apartment and with tears glistening in his\nsunken eyes, said:\u2014\n\n\u201cHow rejoiced I am to see your face again. To gaze upon your unchanged\nfeatures reminds me of the days of my long past youth.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat, your words are strange! How can I remind you of your youth,\nwhen, to my knowledge, we never met till this day?\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, have patience, and I will explain all,\u201d replied the Zenji.\n\u201cIn those days I was but a servant\u2014a sandal-bearer known as Makab\u00e9\nHeishiro\u2014it is not likely so humble an individual would retain a\nplace in your memory. It was when you were residing at the Castle of\nOsaki....\u201d\n\nHe paused, but Masamun\u00e9, too amazed to utter a word, only looked\nintently at his former servant as if trying to recall having ever seen\nhim before.\n\nSo Ungo-Zenji went on with his story, and in detail told all that had\nbefallen him since that snowy day more than thirty years before. He did\nnot spare himself, but told how through all those years he had been\nactuated by a feeling of revenge and revenge only, and how the thought\nof some day seeing his enemy in the dust had been the spur to goad him\non to conquer all difficulties, to surmount every obstacle.\n\n\u201cAt length,\u201d concluded the priest, \u201cI came under the notice of the\nEmperor who so magnified a trifling service that he loaded me with\nrewards and marks of favour. \u2018Now is my time!\u2019 I thought. But to my own\nastonishment I found that so vile a passion no longer existed in my\nnature\u2014the desire for revenge had fled. I began to view the affair in\na different light, and to look upon you as my benefactor. But for you\nI should still be a sandal-bearer\u2014but for you the stores of knowledge\nat my command would never have come within my reach\u2014but for you the\nintercourse I have had with the illustrious and sage men of two\ncountries would have been an impossibility. Therefore, my hatred is\nturned to gratitude, my wish for vengeance to a heartfelt desire for\nyour long life and prosperity. I pray daily that some day I may be\nenabled in some small measure to requite the inestimable benefits I owe\nto you. Your lordship now understands why I so treasure an old _geta_,\nand how it is I bear this ugly scar on my brow.\u201d\n\nMasamun\u00e9 listened to the narrative with growing wonder and the deepest\nattention. At its conclusion he rose and taking the Zenji by both hands\ngently, but forcibly, drew him to the upper end of the apartment. When\nboth were again seated he spoke.\n\n\u201cYour Reverence,\u201d he said in a voice full of emotion. \u201cWhat you have\njust told me quite puts me out of countenance. I can just recall the\nincident of which you speak and I remember how angry I felt at what in\nmy arrogance I deemed a gross insult. I do not wonder at your desire\nfor revenge, but, that you should renounce the triumph that was yours\nfor the asking\u2014that, indeed, amazes me! Such magnanimity is almost\nincredible! You prove to me that religion is not the empty abstraction\nsome call it, and I humbly beg your pardon for my past offence, and\nrequest you to enrol me as one of your disciples.\u201d\n\nIn this way, Masamun\u00e9 who was of a frank and noble disposition repented\nof the fault committed in his youth, and the sandal-bearer achieved a\ngreater victory than he could have boasted of had he caused his enemy\nto die a shameful death.\n\nA hearty friendship sprang up between the two generous minded men, and\ntill death parted them many years later they saw much of each other\nand their affection grew. The priest was always a welcome guest at the\nCastle, while with earnest piety, Masamun\u00e9 prosecuted his studies in\nsacred lore under the guidance of Ungo-Zenji.\n\n\n\n\n                     THE LOYALTY OF A BOY SAMURAI\n\n\nMatsudaira Nobutsuna was one of the ministers of the Shogun Iyemitsu,\nnext to Iyeyasu, the ablest of all the Tokugawa Shoguns. A man of great\nsagacity, he contributed not a little to Iyemitsu\u2019s wise administration.\n\nWhen Iyemitsu was a young boy named Takechiyo, Nobutsuna who was called\nat that time Ch\u014dshir\u014d served him as one of his attendants and playmates.\n\nOne morning when the young nobleman was passing along a corridor\naccompanied by Ch\u014dshir\u014d and two other boys, on the way to the private\napartments of his father, the Shogun Hidetada, his attention was caught\nby some fledgling sparrows that were hopping about and chirping gaily\non the tiles of the roof. Takechiyo, then but ten years of age, was\nseized with a fancy to have them; and turning to Ch\u014dshir\u014d, three years\nolder than himself, he commanded:\u2014\n\n\u201cCatch those little sparrows for me, Ch\u014dshir\u014d.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith pleasure, your lordship; but should I be found catching sparrows\nI should be reprimanded by his Highness and the officials. Fortunately\nI shall be on duty to-night; so to-night I will climb out on to the\nroof when there is no one to see me, and give you the little birds in\nthe morning. Will you please to wait till then, my master?\u201d\n\n\u201cI suppose I must.\u201d And the small company passed on.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nThat night when all was quiet, Ch\u014dshir\u014d managed somehow or other to\nget out on to the roof, and crawling carefully on all fours to the\nspot where the parent birds had built their nest, reached out one hand\nand seized one of the little sparrows. Poor little things! Surprised\nin their sleep they were not able to escape. Transferring his captive\nto the left hand Ch\u014dshir\u014d again stretched out his right and caught\nanother. Whether the attainment of his purpose caused him to relax his\ncare or for some other reason, certain it is that at this moment his\nfoot slipped and with a heavy thud he fell down into the court-yard\nbelow. As he fell he involuntarily clutched the birds more firmly so\nthat they were instantly squeezed to death. With the dead birds\nin his hands, he fainted. But the roof was comparatively low, and he\nalso had the good fortune to fall on to some bushes so that he was not\nkilled as might have been the case.\n\nThe sound of the fall awoke the Shogun. He started up and followed by\nhis consort and some attendants went out on to the verandah and opening\na sliding shutter looked down. By the light of a lantern held by one\nof the servants he perceived the boy lying on the ground just beneath.\nCh\u014dshir\u014d had now recovered consciousness and was trying to rise though\nthe pain he felt all over his body rendered the operation one of\nconsiderable difficulty. His consternation was great when the light of\nthe lantern revealed his person to those on the verandah.\n\n\u201cCh\u014dshir\u014d, is that you?\u201d called his lord, recognizing the boy at once.\n\u201cIt is strange that you should be on my roof at this time of night!\nCome up instantly and explain your conduct. This must be inquired into.\u201d\n\nThe boy, still holding the dead sparrows, obeyed. Prostrating himself\nbefore the Shogun he waited for him to speak.\n\n\u201cWhat have you in your hands, Ch\u014dshir\u014d?\u201d\n\n\u201cSparrows, my lord.\u201d\n\n\u201cSparrows? Do you then climb roofs at midnight to catch sparrows? A\nstrange fancy!\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, my lord. I will tell you the truth. When Takechiyo Sama and\nI were passing along the corridor this morning his attention was\nattracted by some little sparrows on the roof and we stopped to watch\nthem. Takechiyo Sama said \u2018What dear little things they are!\u2019 and the\ndesire then arose in my mind to get them for him that he might play\nwith them. So to-night when everyone was asleep I climbed out on to the\nroof of your apartments in disregard to the respect I should have shown\nto your august person, and caught two of the young sparrows. But how\nquickly the punishment of Heaven followed my crime! I fell down as you\nsee and my wickedness was discovered. I am ready for any chastisement\nyour lordship sees fit to inflict.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord,\u201d here broke in Lady Eyo, the Shogun\u2019s consort. \u201cExcuse my\ninterference, but I think Takechiyo must have ordered Ch\u014dshir\u014d to catch\nthese sparrows. There is no doubt about it.\u201d\n\nIt should be explained that Lady Eyo had two sons\u2014Takechiyo and\nKunimatsu. Takechiyo, the elder, was sharp-witted and active though\nrather rough in his manners; his brother, on the contrary, was\nquiet and effeminate. For this and probably some other unknown reason\nthe younger son was his mother\u2019s favourite, and it was her desire that\nhe should be appointed heir to the Shogunate in place of his elder\nbrother. She therefore lost no opportunity to disparage Takechiyo in\nthe estimation of his father, hoping thereby to attain her object in\ndue time.\n\n\u201cWhat a thoughtless boy Takechiyo is!\u201d agreed the Shogun. \u201cThis was\nundoubtedly done at his instigation. How cruel to command Ch\u014dshir\u014d to\nendanger his life by catching birds on a roof at night! Though he is\nbut a child there is no excuse for him. The proverb says \u2018A snake bites\neven when it is only an inch long.\u2019 One who is so inconsiderate to his\nattendants when young cannot be expected to govern wisely and well\nwhen more power is invested in his hands. Now, Ch\u014dshir\u014d,\u201d turning to\nthe boy who still knelt at his feet, \u201cTakechiyo ordered you to get the\nsparrows; is it not so?\u201d\n\nCh\u014dshir\u014d had heard with surprise the unkind words of the Shogun and\nhis lady about his adored master. What did they mean by the words \u201cA\nsnake bites even when it is only an inch long?\u201d If their feelings\ntowards the boy were already so antagonistic what would they think and\ndo should the real facts of the case be disclosed? Ch\u014dshir\u014d firmly\nresolved to take all the blame even at the risk of his life.\n\n\u201cOh, no, my lord,\u201d said he earnestly. \u201cTakechiyo Sama never gave me\nsuch a command, never! I caught these sparrows quite of my own accord.\nI meant one for Takechiyo Sama, and one for myself.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: \u201cI caught these sparrows quite of my own accord\u201d]\n\n\u201cNonsense! Whatever you say I know Takechiyo is at the bottom of it.\nYou are a bold fellow to dare to tell me an untruth!... Let me see,\nwhat shall I do to you?... Here, bring me one of those bags.\u201d\n\nThe Shogun pointed to some large, strong leather bags, resembling\na money-pouch in shape, in which in the event of a fire or of an\nearthquake his valuables would be incased before putting them into the\n_doz\u014d_ or fire-proof godown.\n\nWhen the bag was brought the Shogun said:\u2014\n\n\u201cNow, Ch\u014dshir\u014d, if you don\u2019t confess the truth, I will have you put\ninto this bag and never allow you to go home again, nor give you any\nfood. Do you still persist in your falsehood?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is no falsehood, my lord. It is the truth that I caught the\nsparrows of my own wish. No one but myself is responsible for my\nmisdeed. My fall from the roof was the punishment of Heaven. It is\nright that you should chastise me also. I beg you to do so.\u201d\n\nWith these words, Ch\u014dshir\u014d, betraying no signs of fear, put himself\ninto the bag.\n\n\u201cWhat a stubborn boy!\u201d exclaimed the Shogun in anger.\n\nThen with the help of his consort he tightly fastened up the bag with\nthe boy in it, and had it hung from a peg on the wall of the corridor.\nLeaving the poor child in this state all retired once more to their\nbroken rest.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nLate the next morning, having had breakfast and finished her toilet,\nLady Eyo, attended by two maids of honour, came out to the corridor\nwhere the bag still hung and ordered it to be taken down. On opening it\nthe boy was found still holding the dead sparrows.\n\n\u201cGood morning, your ladyship,\u201d said Ch\u014dshir\u014d, rubbing his eyes with his\nclosed fists.\n\n\u201cYou were ordered by Takechiyo to take the sparrows, is it not so?\u201d\nsaid Lady Eyo kindly, hoping to make the boy confess the truth.\n\n\u201cNo, my lady. It was my own idea. Takechiyo Sama had nothing whatever\nto do with the matter.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome, boy, if you are so obstinate you will have to remain a prisoner\nalways, and never have anything to eat. But if you confess what I am\nconvinced is the truth, you shall be released and have food at once.\nNow tell the truth.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lady, as you command me to do so I will tell the truth; but I am\nso hungry that I find it difficult to speak at all. May I ask for some\nfood first? If you will allow me to have even some _musubi_,[1] I will\nsay all you wish.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood boy, you shall have some _musubi_ at once.\u201d\n\nThe lady gave the order and soon the boy was eagerly devouring the\nrice-cakes. Three or four large ones made a good meal.\n\n\u201cThank you, my lady; I am now able to speak.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen confess the truth, good boy, confess quickly; I am tired of\nwaiting.\u201d\n\n\u201cForgive me, my lady; I caught the sparrows of my own accord. I\nreceived no order direct or indirect from Takechiyo Sama. That is the\ntruth.\u201d\n\nThe lady for once forgot herself and flew into a passion. Stamping\nher foot on the floor, she rushed into the Shogun\u2019s room and gave him\nan exaggerated account of what had happened. He was very angry.\n\n\u201cThe young rascal,\u201d cried he, rising, and taking his Yoshimitsu sword\nin his hand, \u201cI will kill him myself. Tango Hasegawa, bring Ch\u014dshir\u014d\nhere.\u201d\n\nTango found the culprit sitting in the bag his hands on his lap.\n\n\u201cCh\u014dshir\u014d,\u201d he said, \u201cHis lordship is terribly angry with you\u2014your\nstubbornness and insolence are past endurance. He intends to kill you\nwith his own hands. Prepare yourself for instant death!\u201d\n\n\u201cI am quite prepared, sir.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour father is my old friend,\u201d went on the man pitifully. \u201cIf you have\nany farewell message for him I will undertake to deliver it.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you, sir; but I have no words to send to my father. It is the\nduty of a samurai to sacrifice his life for the sake of loyalty. After\nmy death my motive for refusing to confess what my lord the Shogun\ndesires will become clear. Tell my father only that I met my doom\nfearlessly by my lord\u2019s own sword. My one sorrow is that my mother\nis now ill and this news may lead to her death also. That is my only\nregret.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat a truly heroic resolve!\u201d cried Tango, unable to restrain his\ntears. \u201cYour father may well be proud of you, boy, when I tell him how\nyou met death.\u201d\n\nTaking Ch\u014dshir\u014d by the hand Tango conducted him into the presence of\nthe Shogun and his lady. The stern noble stood up on their entrance\nand laying his hand on the hilt of his sword motioned to them to\napproach nearer. The brave boy kneeling down pushed the stray locks\nfrom his neck, and with clasped hands and closed eyes calmly awaited\ndecapitation. The Shogun\u2019s manly compassion was not proof against\nthis pathetic sight. Throwing his sword away, \u201cCh\u014dshir\u014d, you are\nforgiven!\u201d he cried. \u201cI recognize your supreme fidelity to your young\nmaster\u2014faithful unto death! Tango, I foretell that when Takechiyo\nsucceeds me as Shogun, no one will be able to assist him in the task of\nruling this people so well as this courageous young samurai. Ch\u014dshir\u014d,\nyou are pardoned!\u201d\n\n[1] Boiled rice pressed into balls sometimes taken for a simple lunch.\n\n\n\n\n                          KATSUNO\u2019S REVENGE\n\n\n                                  I.\n\nA man and a woman were whispering to each other by a shaded lamp in\na quiet detached room which was partly hedged by _unohana_ whose\nsnow-white flowers gleamed in the moonlight. Only the frogs croaking in\nthe neighbouring paddy-field broke the stillness of the night.\n\nThe man was Sakuma Shichiroyemon, a councillor of Oda Nobuyuki,\nthe lord of the castle of Iwakura, in the province, of Owari. About\nfifty-two years old, he was a fierce-looking man with powerful muscles\nand bristling gray whiskers. Haughty, quick-tempered and very jealous\nhe tyrannized over his subordinates and was accordingly an object of\nhatred throughout the clan. The person with whom he was now talking\nwas a woman close upon his own age\u2014the supervisor of Lord Oda\u2019s\nmaids-of-honour, by name O-Tora-no-Kata. Being a cross, cunning,\nand avaricious hag, she was regarded by the maids with terror and\ndetestation. \u201cBirds of a feather flock together.\u201d She had wormed\nher way into the good graces of Shichiroyemon in order to make her\nposition secure; whilst the latter, on his part, had set her to spy on\nthe actions of his lord, as well as of his colleagues and inferiors.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s that, Madame Tora?\u201d asked Shichiroyemon, his face reddening\nwith anger. \u201cDo you mean to tell me that our lord is going to set that\ngreen boy of a Hachiya over me as Prime Councillor?\u201d\n\n\u201cI repeat what I hear;\u2014all the maids say so....\u201d\n\n\u201cPshaw! How I do hate that Hachiya\u2014that peasant\u2019s son born in\nobscurity. Who knows where he comes from? A pale, smooth-faced womanish\nsprig! How glibly he flatters our lord! He has never been in battle;\nwhat use is such a bookworm in these warlike days? And yet this\ninexperienced stripling is going to be appointed Prime Councillor!\nHumph, what infatuation! Ha, ha, ha!\u201d\n\n\u201cIt will not boil yet. The fire is not strong enough.\u201d\n\n\u201cEh! The fire?\u201d\n\n\u201cHa, ha!\u201d said O-Tora with a disagreeable smile. \u201cHere I have good fuel\nto make you burn!\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t try to annoy me like that,\u201d said he impatiently. \u201cTell me\nquickly.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is the secret of secrets. I can\u2019t readily ... w-e-l-l ... sell\nit.\u201d She spoke slowly, with an emphasis on the word \u2018sell.\u2019\n\n\u201cHow grasping you are! Well, then, I will buy your secret with this.\u201d\nSo saying, Shichiroyemon took a packet of money out of his bosom and\nthrew it down on the mat. The crone picked it up in silence, a cunning\nsmile playing about her lips.\n\n\u201cMr. Sakuma, you must not be off your guard.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, K...; you must give her up.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat! Give up Katsuno?\u201d he exclaimed, startled. \u201cWhy? Tell me quick!\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t be surprised, sir. It is our lord\u2019s pleasure to give her to\nHachiya in marriage.\u201d\n\nKatsuno was a maid-of-honour of Oda Nobuyuki with whom she was a great\nfavourite. A young damsel of nineteen springs, she was the incarnation\nof beauty, grace and sweetness of disposition, combined with refinement\nand dignity. In spite of his years Shichiroyemon was madly in love with\nthe fair maiden; but though he had courted her in every way through\nO-Tora, she had shown no inclination to respond to his advances.\n\n\u201cHas Hachiya formed a liaison with Katsuno?\u201d asked Shichiroyemon\nanxiously.\n\n\u201cNot that; you know they are both such honest blockheads; they are\ntoo stupid for that. Even if they had the inclination, it would be\nimpossible for them to elude my vigilant eye\u2014not even a devil could do\nit!\u201d\n\n\u201cIs it then our lord\u2019s order?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is it. To-day our lady said to me, \u2018It is not good for Hachiya to\nbe alone any longer; Katsuno is a beautiful and excellent-minded maid,\nI will give her in marriage to Hachiya before long in reward for her\nfaithful service!\u2019 Yes, surely, our lady told me so.\u201d\n\n\u201cIs that indeed so?\u201d said Shichiroyemon, his brow darkening, and his\neyes glaring with the intensity of his jealousy. \u201cThat green peasant\u2019s\nson of a Hachiya! It would be infamous to put him over a man of my\nability and experience, it would be an additional wrong to give Katsuno\nto him in marriage. What an insult! What mortification to one of my\nyears! I cannot stand it! I shall never rest till I have taken some\nsteps against this Hachiya\u2014my mortal enemy! I will have my revenge! He\ndoes not provoke me with impunity!\u201d He spoke so fiercely and the look\non his face was so diabolical that the old woman was frightened.\n\n\u201cYour anger is quite natural, sir; but you know \u2018Anger leads to loss.\u2019\nYou must think more calmly about this matter.\u201d\n\n\u201cHave you anything to propose?\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, ... of course, in the first place Hachiya must be assassinated,\nand then we must manage to get Katsuno out of the hands of our lord on\nsome pretext or other;\u2014I will undertake _that_.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd I will settle the other business! But, be careful, Madame Tora!\u201d\n\nHere a puff of cool wind swept through the room and blowing out the\nlight of the lamp put an end to their conference for that time.\n\n\n                                 II.\n\nIt was a fine afternoon in autumn; in the gardens of the castle of\nIwakura, the glowing maple leaves and vari-coloured chrysanthemums were\nin the height of their beauty.\n\nTo-day being the anniversary of the death of Nobuyuki\u2019s father, all\nthe inmates of the castle had been busy since the early morning with\nreligious services, and a visit to the deceased\u2019s grave; to-night a\nbanquet was to be given to all the samurai.\n\nIt was now about four o\u2019clock, and several maids-of-honour who had\nretired to a private chamber to enjoy an interval of rest were talking\nvolubly.\n\n\u201cWhat chatterboxes you are, maids! You prattle like sparrows.\u201d This\nfrom O-Tora who entering at this moment made the sneering remark\nthat effectually put a stop to the gay talk. As she seated herself,\none of the girls, a saucy young thing, ventured to say with a demure\nsmile. \u201cBut, Madame, women are chatterboxes by nature, aren\u2019t they?\n\u2018Nightingales visit plum-blossoms\u2019 and \u2018Sparrows and tigers visit\nbamboo groves\u2019; so we chattered like sparrows hoping Madame Tora\n(tiger) might be induced to come to us.\u201d\n\nAt this repartee the rest of the maids burst into peals of laughter\nand even the cross-grained duenna could not refrain from a sour smile.\n\n\u201cYour mention of sparrows reminds me of Takan\u00e9 (the name of a\nwhite-eye)\u201d said she. \u201cIt seems the bird has not uttered a note all\nday. Has it been fed?\u201d\n\nThe girls started guiltily, for so busy had they been all day they\nhad quite forgotten to attend to the bird, a great pet with their lord\nwho had received it, together with other gifts, from the Shogun in\nrecognition of his military services. Nobuyuki dearly loved the\nbird for the sake of its song, in addition to which he prized it on\naccount of its donor.\n\nO-Tora, observing the consternation of the maids, revenged herself on\nthem by saying spitefully:\u2014\n\n\u201cYou had better have kept your idle chattering till you had fulfilled\nall your duties, you good-for-nothing girls.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is a shame to have forgotten all about the poor little bird!\u201d said\nKatsuno, who was with her companions.\n\n\u201cPoor thing, how hungry it must be! I will go at once and give it some\nfood.\u201d\n\nStepping down into the garden, she went to an old plum-tree, and\nstretching up her arms took the beautifully ornamented cage of the bird\noff the branch on which it hung. As she did so the hook came off and\nthe cage fell to the ground, with the result that the door came open\nand the little prisoner with a glad twitter escaped. With a cry of\ndismay the girl ran after it, but too late; the bird had already made\nits way through the trees and was now flying far away across the blue\nsky rejoicing in its freedom.\n\n\u201cWhat have you done, Katsuno?\u201d cried O-Tora, from the verandah.\nInwardly glad of this golden opportunity to carry out her dark\nscheme of getting Katsuno into disfavour, she yet cunningly concealed\nher delight under cover of fear and consternation. \u201cAlas! You have let\nTakan\u00e9 fly away. Dear, dear, what carelessness! How could you do it!\u201d\n\nKatsuno, gazing up at the fast disappearing bird, seemed half\nstupefied. At O-Tora\u2019s words she came to herself, and then overwhelmed\nwith thought of the consequences staggered a little and fell wailing\nto the ground. Her young companions standing on the verandah uttered\nexclamations of amazement, but none of them came to her aid, or\nattempted to console her. \u201cWhat will you do, Katsuno?\u201d continued the\nold vixen, who had by this time come down to where the unhappy girl\nlay, and seized her by the neck of her garment. \u201cYou know Takan\u00e9 is not\na common bird, but a treasured present from His Highness the Shogun.\nDo you realize what you have done in letting it escape? Can you atone\nfor your fault simply by a few tears? What can you do to repair the\ninjury you have done to me, for it is I who shall be blamed,\u2014I shall be\nconsidered responsible for this misfortune! Come, get up, girl, what\nhave you to say?\u201d\n\n\u201cKatsuno, prepare for death!\u201d A loud and angry voice caused them\nall to start. Informed of what had occurred the hot-tempered Nobuyuki\nhad rushed to the scene, and now with a drawn sword stood over the\nprostrate girl in a passion of ungovernable rage.\n\nAt this critical moment another voice was heard.\n\n\u201cMy lord, my lord, wait!\u201d It was the new Prime Councillor, Tsuda\nHachiya, who thus ventured to interpose. \u201cCalm yourself, my lord, I\nbeg you. Do you forget the day? Is it not the holy anniversary of the\ndemise of your revered father? Can you sully this solemn occasion with\na bloody deed committed in the heat of anger? Restrain yourself and\nleave this matter to my discretion.\u201d\n\nNobuyuki\u2019s rage subsided as quickly as it had risen, and his better\nreason prevailed. At the remonstrance of his favourite he sheathed his\nsword and retired to the verandah.\n\nBy this time most of the retainers had arrived at the castle for the\nevening\u2019s banquet, and hearing of the incident hastened to the scene.\nShichiroyemon was among them and under cover of the confusion whispered\nsomething to his accomplice,\u2014then coming forward \u201cHow about Katsuno\u2019s\nchastisement, my lord?\u201d he said. \u201cYou act wisely in not inflicting\ndeath with your own honourable hands, but as an apology to His\nHighness the Shogun, and as an example to the clan it is necessary\u2014it\nis imperative that she should receive condign punishment.\u201d\n\n\u201cW-e-l-l\u2014\u201d Nobuyuki hesitated; then turning to Hachiya, \u201cWhat is your\nopinion, Hachiya? Shall I do as Shichiroyemon says?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, my lord. History tells that long, long ago, in the reign of the\nEmperor Takakura, one cold frosty morning, some thoughtless gardeners\ncut off a few branches of a beautiful maple-tree of which the young\nEmperor was very fond, and burned them to warm their _sak\u00e9_. Fujiwara\nNobunari, an official in charge of the tree, greatly shocked at this,\nbound the offenders hand and foot and reported the matter to the\nEmperor. The benevolent monarch, however, was not enraged at all, but\nsaid calmly, \u201cA Chinese poet sings:\u2014\n\n  \u2018In woods we gathered maple-leaves[2]\n  \u2018And burned them to warm _sak\u00e9._\u2019\n\nI wonder how these humble gardeners have learned to have such a refined\ntaste? What a poetic idea!\u201d Thus the Emperor acquitted the careless\ngardeners. This is one reason why the Emperor Takakura is revered\nas a great sovereign even now after the lapse of so many centuries. So\nI hope and pray that my lord who is as large-hearted as the Emperor,\nwill be lenient with a young girl who through no fault of her own has\nbeen so unfortunate as to cause this accident.\u201d\n\n\u201cEnough, Mr. Tsuda!\u201d broke in Shichiroyemon. \u201cYou are doubtless a great\nscholar, and eloquent, but the slack measure you suggest would be a\nbad precedent. You are always tender and sympathetic with women, but\nin dealing with a matter such as this we must make no distinction of\nsex. As well might you pardon the offender who sets fire to the castle\nand reduces it to ashes, just because she is a woman and it was \u2018by\nmistake\u2019! Is that justice?\u201d\n\n\u201cYour argument is absurd,\u201d replied the younger man contemptuously.\n\u201cYou speak as if severity were a good principle in government. If so,\nwhy did Kings Chow and Chieh of ancient China, and the Tairas and\nthe Ashikagas in our own country come to such speedy ruin? Recollect\nthat to-day is the sacred anniversary of the demise of the father of\nour lord, and therefore it might well have been our lord\u2019s purpose to\nhave set the white-eye free, himself, for the peace of the revered\nspirit.[3] The fault unintentionally committed by Katsuno has thus led\nto the humane act of setting a poor caged bird at liberty. I have\nsomewhere read these lines:\u2014\n\n  \u2018Though one loves the sweet songs of a caged bird,\n  \u2018Who knows the sadness of its inner heart?\u2019\n\nIn my opinion Katsuno has committed no fault in the true sense of the\nword, but on the contrary, done a good action.\u201d\n\nWith the exception of Shichiroyemon and O-Tora, all present listened\nwith admiration to the eloquent pleading of Hachiya on behalf of\nKatsuno. The black-hearted pair persisted in urging the girl\u2019s\nexpulsion from the castle, but Nobuyuki turned a deaf ear to their\narguments, and decided to let the matter rest. Katsuno, all this time\non her knees in the garden, now almost worshipped her deliverer in the\ndepth of her gratitude.\n\n\n                                 III.\n\nTsuda Hachiya was now thirty-one. He was born the son of a farmer,\nbut being a handsome, well educated lad, in his sixteenth year he had\nbeen appointed to the post of page in the household of Nobuyuki who\nsoon began to treat him with great fondness. The young samurai devoted\nhis leisure hours to a further study of literature, and to the practice\nof fencing; and as he speedily evinced marked administrative ability,\nsuch as was rarely found among the intellectually ill-trained samurai\nof those days, he rapidly rose in the service, until now, while still\na young man, he was both Prime Councillor and Steward, and exercised\ngreat authority. But notwithstanding the rank and power that might well\nhave turned the head of one so young, he behaved modestly in public\nand private, and served his lord with all faithfulness and diligence,\ngaining thereby the admiration of the whole clan for his character and\nvirtues.\n\nOne evening Hachiya presented himself before his lord at the latter\u2019s\nurgent summons.\n\n\u201cHachiya,\u201d began Nobuyuki, abruptly, with a pleasant smile, \u201cI think it\nis high time for you to\u2014, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\n\n\u201cExcuse me, my lord, I do not understand you?\u201d said Hachiya with a\npuzzled look.\n\n\u201cThat important affair of yours.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat important affair of mine?\u201d echoed the young man more puzzled than\nbefore.\n\n\u201cHa, ha! how dull-witted you are to-day! The Katsuno affair!\u201d\n\nHachiya did not speak. It was not the first time that Nobuyuki, who\nwas enthusiastic over the question of Hachiya\u2019s marriage, had offered\nto act as middleman between him and Katsuno. Far from objecting to\nthe proposed bride, Hachiya\u2019s inclination pointed that way, but his\nprudence, however, had hitherto prevailed, and he remembered the saying\n\u2018a full moon is sure to wane.\u2019 His appointment as Prime Councillor over\nthe heads of older men was already calculated to give offence; should\nhe marry Katsuno, the acknowledged beauty of the clan, would he not\nstill further give cause for jealousy and ill-feeling? Moreover, he was\nnot ignorant of Shichiroyemon\u2019s mad attachment, and had no desire to\nprovoke his resentment; therefore, on various pretexts, he had month\nafter month evaded his lord\u2019s importunity.\n\n\u201cDo you again say \u2018until next month\u2019?\u201d said Nobuyuki, half\nthreateningly, as the young man remained silent. \u201cThink not to deceive\nme in that way!\u201d\n\nHachiya did not answer; his head was bent in respectful attention.\n\n\u201cAnswer me at once! Still silent?... Tell me, do you dislike the girl?\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, no, my lord, but I fear her refusal!\u201d\n\n\u201cIs that all! Set your mind at rest on that score; I have sounded her.\nPoor girl! Since the white-eye incident her \u2018sickness\u2019 has become worse\nand she has grown quite thin!\u201d\n\nObservant and sympathetic, Nobuyuki had found out that Katsuno was\nlove-sick for Hachiya.\n\n\u201cDo not tease me, my lord! I will tell you of my real reasons for this\nhesitation.\u201d\n\nAnd with this preface Hachiya gave his reasons, at each one of which\nthe older man gave a little nod of comprehension.\n\n\u201cI admire your prudence and forethought,\u201d he said when Hachiya ceased\nspeaking. \u201cBut remember you can never do anything if you think so much\nof the feelings of others. As for that doting old Shichiroyemon, do\nnot fear him. I have set my heart on your happiness, and I never do\nthings by halves. It is my wish, also, to give Katsuno the desire of\nher heart. But as it is so near the close of the year we will postpone\nthe marriage till the New Year, and then I will listen to no more\ndenials. Yes, yes, that is what we will do, Hachiya.\u201d\n\nSo saying, Nobuyuki summoned a maid and in a low voice gave an order.\nPresently a bottle of _sak\u00e9_ and some cups were brought in. Then the\n_fusuma_ between this and the next room was gently slid open and there\nappeared a beautiful young woman clad in a gay _uchikak\u00e9_ or gown, who\nknelt with movements full of grace on the threshold. It was none other\nthan Katsuno.\n\n\u201cWhat is your pleasure, my lord?\u201d said she bowing reverently first to\nNobuyuki and then to Hachiya.\n\n\u201cAh, is it Katsuno? I want you to serve us with _sak\u00e9_. Sit nearer to\nme, Hachiya; come, let us have some _sak\u00e9_.\u201d\n\n\u201cExcuse me, my lord. Something tells me I am needed at home; besides it\nis getting late. With your kind permission, I will go home at once.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no; not just yet, Hachiya. Though it is late no loved one is\nwaiting for your return, I imagine. Ha, ha! Come, you cannot refuse.\nKatsuno, pour him out a cup of _sak\u00e9_!\u201d\n\n[Illustration: She filled Hachiya\u2019s cup to the brim]\n\nKatsuno hesitated bashfully, but on Nobuyuki\u2019s repeating his command,\nshe took the bottle, and with a hand that trembled filled Hachiya\u2019s\ncup to the brim. Their eyes met and both blushed consciously.\n\n\u201cIf you have drunk, let Katsuno have the cup,\u201d said Nobuyuki.\n\n\u201cI should return the cup to your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, I will have it after her. Give it to Katsuno.\u201d\n\nHachiya had no choice but to do as he was told, and accordingly offered\nthe cup, into which he had poured more _sak\u00e9_, to the maid-of-honour,\nwho overcome with shyness, took and sipped it with difficulty.\n\n\u201cGive it to me.\u201d\n\nNobuyuki drank off three cupfuls and then said with a sly laugh:\u2014\n\n\u201cI am mightily glad you have thus exchanged the wine-cups of betrothal!\nHa, ha! You have my hearty congratulations!\u201d\n\nThe young lovers prostrated themselves in acknowledgment of his favour,\nbut even as they did so the loud clang, clang of the alarm-bell broke\nthe stillness of the night and caused them all to start up to listen.\n\n\u201cWhat can it be?\u201d exclaimed Hachiya, opening the _sh\u014dji_ to look out.\nNo need to ask that question; the lurid sky, the quickly rising flames\nand showers of falling sparks proclaimed all too surely a house on fire!\n\n\u201cA fire, my lord! And not more than five _ch\u014d_ beyond the pine-trees on\nthe bank of the moat. I must go at once!\u201d\n\n\u201cNo doubt as to its being a fire,\u201d said Nobuyuki looking out also. \u201cIs\nit not in your direction?\u201d\n\n\u201cAllow me to leave your presence; I fear it is as you say!\u201d\n\n\u201cThen lose no time! I will give the necessary instructions to the\nFire-Commissioner myself.\u201d\n\nWith a hurried word of thanks and apology to his lord and Katsuno,\nHachiya left the apartment and ran home at the top of his speed. A\nfierce wind had arisen and whistled through the branches of the tall\nold pine-trees; louder and louder clanged the iron-throated bell.\n\nHis fears were all too surely realised: he reached his home only to\nfind it wrapped in flames! A detached room where he had been wont to\nstudy was already reduced to ashes and the fire had caught on to the\nmain building. The trees in the garden were also burning and as the\nwind shook the branches they let fall a shower of sparks. A number of\nsamurai and firemen were doing their utmost with squirts and rakes\nto get the fire under, but against the fierce flames fanned to\nfury by the strong wind their efforts were of little avail. Hachiya\ninvoluntarily heaved a deep sigh of despair, but there was no time\nto delay. It was imperative that he should venture into the burning\nbuilding and save, if possible, important documents and ancestral\ntreasures, as well as some highly valued gifts he had received from his\nlord.\n\nAs he rushed through the front gate a dark form sprang from the shade\nof a great pine-tree and plunged a sword into his side. Before Hachiya\ncould draw his own weapon the assassin gave him another thrust through\nthe heart, and the young Councillor fell lifeless to the ground.\n\nThe charred body of the hapless samurai was found in the ashes of his\nruined home.\n\n\n                                 IV.\n\nOn hearing of Hachiya\u2019s death, Nobuyuki clenched his teeth, and Katsuno\nwas beside herself with grief.\n\nA dagger\u2014an excellent blade by Masamun\u00e9\u2014was found near the body. Seeing\nit, Nobuyuki slapped his thigh in delighted recognition, for it was a\nwell-known weapon which his elder brother Nobunaga, Lord of Owari, had\ngiven to the elder brother of Shichiroyemon, Gemba Morimasa, one\nof Nobunaga\u2019s councillors. Except Morimasa nobody could have had it\nbut Shichiroyemon; therefore, Nobuyuki who knew of the terms between\nhis two followers, had no doubt but that his favourite councillor had\nfallen a victim to the jealous malignancy of the man he had superseded\nboth in the favour of their master, and in the affection of the girl\non whom he had set his heart. Added to this, a man who had been\narrested on suspicion on Hachiya\u2019s premises the night of the fire,\nconfessed after a strict examination that it was at the instigation of\nShichiroyemon that he had set fire to the house.\n\nEvidence of his guilt being so strong, some sheriffs were despatched\nto Shichiroyemon\u2019s residence to arrest him; but the wily scoundrel\nscenting danger had fled, and it was not till after a rigorous search\nthat it was found that he had taken refuge in the neighbouring province\nof Mino in the castle of Inaba, belonging to Sait\u014d D\u014dz\u014d.\n\nO-Tora-no-Kata also disappeared about this time, and rumour had it that\nshe was now in the mansion of Gemba Morimasa.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nIt was the seventh of January, and most people were enjoying the\nNew Year festivities. But to Nobuyuki, the season brought no joy; he\nstill brooded over Hachiya\u2019s tragic end. Buried in thought as he leant\non his arm-rest, he did not notice the entrance of Katsuno, still pale\nand emaciated she knelt before him.\n\n\u201cAh, Katsuno, I am glad to see you,\u201d he said, \u201cI was thinking of\nHachiya, and of your great grief in losing your future husband just\nafter you had exchanged the cups of betrothal. I feel for you with all\nmy heart!\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you, my lord,\u201d she replied sadly. \u201cYou are too good to me!\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is natural you should grieve,\u201d went on Nobuyuki, after a pause.\n\u201cBut mere sorrowing does no good to any one. Far wiser would it be to\ndevise some way to kill the base assassin and avenge Hachiya with all\nspeed.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are right, my lord,\u2014I think my husband in Hades would be pleased\nto know that your lordship is willing to do so much for his honour. May\nI ask what is the result of your negotiations with His Excellency, the\nLord of Owari?\u201d\n\nNobuyuki\u2019s brother, the Lord of Owari, being the son-in-law of Sait\u014d\nD\u014dz\u014d, Nobuyuki had requested his brother to arrange for the delivery of\nShichiroyemon, but D\u014dz\u014d had ill-naturedly refused.\n\n\u201cThis puts difficulties in our way,\u201d concluded the old lord\ndisconsolately.\n\n\u201cI have a favour to ask of your lordship; may I venture to speak?\u201d\n\n\u201cBy all means.\u201d\n\n\u201cPermit me to go to Inaba, my lord.\u201d\n\n\u201cTo Inaba! You want to go to the castle of that Sait\u014d D\u014dz\u014d?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, my lord. I wish to enter the castle in disguise, and avenge the\ndeath of Hachiya on his murderer!\u201d\n\n\u201cNot to be thought of, Katsuno!\u201d Nobuyuki could not keep back a smile,\nthough he saw the girl was in deadly earnest. \u201cA young woman, and\nsingle handed!\u2014absurd!\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so, my lord, believe me!\u201d Katsuno\u2019s eyes gleamed, and her breath\ncame quick and fast. \u201cI have thought it all out. I beseech you to let\nme go!\u201d\n\nNobuyuki argued with her in vain. Her mind was made up, and nothing\ncould shake her resolution. Therefore, he at length reluctantly gave\nher the desired permission, at the same time handing her the Masamun\u00e9\ndagger, to which reference has been made before, and saying:\u2014\n\n\u201cThis is the dagger with which our Hachiya was stabbed; thrust it up to\nthe hilt in the throat of his murderer, and avenge his death!\u201d\n\n\u201cI will, or die in the attempt! My lord, I thank you, farewell,\nfare....\u201d\n\nA burst of tears choked her utterance; she hastened from the room.\n\n\u201cMay you have all success,\u201d said Nobuyuki, as she disappeared, and then\nhe returned to his thoughts.\n\n\n                                  V.\n\nIn the guise of a merchant\u2019s wife, and assuming a false name, Katsuno\njourneyed to the castle-town of Inaba, and taking up her abode at the\nhouse of an uncle who was a farmer living in a village close to the\ntown, watched for an opportunity to achieve her purpose.\n\nOne day, Yoshitatsu, the son of Sait\u014d D\u014dz\u014d, returning from hunting,\nstopped to rest at the farm-house. Katsuno waited upon him and served\nhim with tea. Her beauty and grace of manner attracted the attention\nof the young nobleman. In reply to his inquiries Katsuno\u2019s uncle told\nhim that she had recently lost her husband, a merchant, and that she\nwas anxious to enter the service of a daimio\u2019s lady. Yoshitatsu\nundertook to engage her as maid-of-honour to his mother, and his offer\nwas immediately accepted with joy. She was soon an inmate of the\ncastle, where her faithful service pleased her mistress so much that\nshe speedily became a great favourite.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nA warm spring day, with the delicate blossoms of the cherry-trees\nfilling all the land with their beauty, and the faint sweetness of\ntheir perfume. Since dawn a large number of workmen had been busily at\nwork sweeping the courtyard of the castle, and spreading clean sand\nover it. Some important function must be on hand. Katsuno wondered what\nit was.\n\n\u201cExcuse my curiosity, my lady,\u201d she said as she served her mistress\nwith a cup of tea, \u201cbut for what are those men making such great\npreparations? Is anything going to take place?\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t you know? To-morrow there will be matches of mounted archery.\u201d\n\n\u201cMounted archery, my lady? What is that?\u201d asked Katsuno, feigning\nignorance.\n\n\u201cAll the samurai who are skilled in archery will practise the art\non horseback.\u201d\n\n\u201cAre many coming, my lady?\u201d asked Katsuno, her heart beating high with\nthe hope that at last she might meet her enemy.\n\n\u201cAbout a hundred, I believe, to take part in the competition, and of\ncourse, all the samurai of our clan with their families will be present\nto look on.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho are the archers?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy do you ask?\u201d\n\nKatsuno was embarrassed for a moment, but quickly regaining her\npresence of mind, she replied:\u2014\n\n\u201cFor no special reason, my lady; but my father, though only a farmer,\nwas very fond of archery, and so, from a child, I have been interested\nin the sport.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, I see. Well, they brought me a programme of the day\u2019s events\nthis morning; here it is; you can see the names of the archers for\nyourself.\u201d The lady handed Katsuno a sheet of soft, thick paper covered\nwith bold, black characters. With an eagerness she strove to conceal,\nshe ran her eyes down the lines, till near the middle of the page she\nfound the name \u201cSakuma Shichiroyemon\u201d At last! This was the time for\nwhich she had waited and planned.\n\n\u201cAll the archers seem to be good samurai. What a splendid sight\nthey will present! How I should like to see the sport, even from a\ndistance.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere should be no difficulty about that. You have my permission.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lady, I am deeply grateful.\u201d She could say no more, but such was\nthe state of her feelings that it was with difficulty she performed her\nusual duties that day, nor could she sleep at all at night.\n\n\n                                  VI.\n\nThe following day the weather continued to be all that could be\ndesired. The wide courtyard was duly prepared. The centre was enclosed\nfor the list in the shape of an oblong square, and temporary stands had\nbeen erected all round it to accommodate the spectators; these were\ncovered with gay carpets and soft cushions which gave colour to the\nscene. A dais in the very centre of the gallery on the eastern side\nof the lists and at a convenient distance from the target, was richly\ndecorated with hangings of purple and white silk, which fluttered\ngently in the breeze. This was the place of honour for Lord Sait\u014d and\nhis family.\n\nFrom early in the morning, samurai after samurai began to arrive at\nthe castle, and soon every stand was crowded. The lord of the\ncastle accompanied by his family and attended by a numerous retinue\nof councillors, pages, and maids-of-honour, presently appeared, and\nin great state seated himself in the place prepared for him. Katsuno,\ngaily dressed, her face powdered and painted in the usual fashion, and\nthe Masamun\u00e9 dagger concealed in the bosom of her garments, was among\nthis company, and avoiding the attention of the others, eagerly awaited\nher opportunity.\n\n\u201cTo-day, or never,\u201d she thought to herself. \u201cIf I let such a golden\nopportunity pass, I shall never get another! Dearest Hachiya, look at\nme from Hades! I will avenge your death before the sun sets!\u201d Then\nclasping her hands she murmured a prayer, \u201cOh, Hachiman, God of War,\nfavour me with success!\u201d\n\nWhen those about to take part in the competitions were ready, the\numpire, the herald, the signalman and the registrar, all betook\nthemselves to their respective stations; a large drum being then loudly\nbeaten to announce that the tournament was about to begin.\n\nOne after another, the archers clad in _kosod\u00e9_ (silk underclothes),\n_hitatar\u00e9_ (court robes), and _mukabaki_ (breeches), came forth on\nhorseback into the lists and rode to and fro, till coming to the\nappointed spot from which to aim, they shot their arrows at the\nmark. The judge, or umpire, would then after a careful examination\ngive his decision, the herald would loudly proclaim the name of the\narcher and his achievement, while the registrar would make a written\nrecord. Then it was the part of the signalman to announce the event\nto the spectators, who raised such shouts of applause that one might\nalmost fancy the petals of the cherry-blossoms fell in showers from the\nvibration in the air.\n\nSo archer after archer exhibited his skill, until now it was the turn\nof \u201cNo. 53\u201d Sakuma Shichiroyemon. Katsuno, who had been impatiently\nawaiting her chance, and whose nerves were strained to the utmost,\ninvoluntarily grasped the dagger in her bosom.\n\nShichiroyemon rode out slowly, but as soon as he had bowed low to his\nlord, put spurs to his horse and dashed swiftly forward.\n\nIn her nervous excitement Katsuno pushed forward and straightening\nherself assumed the attitude necessary to cut at her enemy as he\ncame up to the dais. In so doing she touched her mistress\u2019s shoulder\nand shrank back inadvertently, but the next moment she again pressed\nforward and stood ready.\n\nShichiroyemon galloped up with the speed of lightning, the horse\u2019s mane\ntouched the railing of the gallery, but before the girl could act was\nfar out of her reach.\n\nWith an exclamation of dismay she stood looking after him.\n\n\u201cWhat is the matter with you, Katsuno?\u201d said Lady Sait\u014d, displeased at\nthe want of manners in her favourite maid.\n\nRecalled to herself the girl forced a laugh but replied readily enough:\u2014\n\n\u201cForgive my rudeness, my lady! In my admiration of the heroic sport I\nforgot myself.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are indeed fond of archery!\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, my lady, there is nothing I like so well.\u201d\n\n\u201cA strange taste for a girl!\u201d said her mistress looking curiously at\nher. \u201cBut the excitement is too much for you; you are pale and your\neyes are bloodshot. Have you a headache?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, your ladyship, but I did not sleep last night.\u201d\n\n\u201cAre you not well?\u201d\n\n\u201cI am quite well; it was the thought of to-day\u2019s pleasure that kept me\nawake.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat a passionate lover of archery!\u201d said the lady laughing, and\nKatsuno flushed at her mocking tone.\n\nThe performance of the various numbers on the programme required many\nof the archers to appear several times in the lists, Shichiroyemon\namong them. Every time he rode forth Katsuno eagerly watched for her\nchance, but to her intense mortification it nearly always happened that\nhis horse was on the opposite side of the lists; and the few occasions\non which he approached close enough to where she waited, he dashed\npast so swiftly she was unable to do anything. She wondered if her\nenemy had recognised her and was on his guard. She suffered an agony of\nimpatience and fear, and almost gave up in despair.\n\nThe programme had been duly gone through, and there now remained only\nthe final ceremony of _nanori_ or \u201cdeclaring of names.\u201d How would this\nbe performed? she wondered. She feared it would not bring Shichiroyemon\nwithin her reach. Should she rush desperately into the lists and\nkill him there in the midst of his compeers? No, that would be too\nhazardous; should she fail her chance would be gone for ever. On the\nother hand if she let slip this opportunity was it likely she would\never get another? And she must decide quickly.\n\nWhile Katsuno agonized thus, the ceremony had commenced. Each archer in\nhis turn rode up to the dais, bowed reverentially to his liege lord,\ndeclared his name, and slowly withdrew. Quickly making up her mind she\nbraced herself for action.\n\nThe day had advanced and it was now the middle of the afternoon. The\ncherry-blossoms hung still in the bright sunshine, for the air had not\nmovement enough to stir even their delicate petals. A langour seemed\nto have fallen on all and even the spectators showed signs of fatigue.\nOnly Katsuno was keenly on the alert!\n\n\u201cNo. 53!\u201d At the call Shichiroyemon leapt on his horse, pausing a\nmoment to arrange the harness. A swift glance at him as he sat in the\nfull blaze of the sun showed Katsuno that he was splendidly arrayed\nin a white _kosod\u00e9_, covered with a design of nightingales perched\non plum-trees. With bow and arrows in his hand, and mounted on a\nsnow-white steed he made a gallant show, his bronze complexion and\nbushy whiskers adding to his grim and warlike appearance. Katsuno\ngnashed her teeth.\n\nAfter riding three times round the lists Shichiroyemon suddenly\ntightened the reins and caused his horse to stop before the dais. Then\nslowly riding up to the foot of the gallery he bowed low, as in a\nclear voice he proclaimed his name. This moment, as he was about to\nwithdraw, was Katsuno\u2019s opportunity. Slipping off her upper garment she\nwas on the step before any one could stop her.\n\n\u201cWell met, Sakuma Shichiroyemon. I am the wife of Tsuda Hachiya whom\nyou foully murdered! Taste the sharpness of my revenge!\u201d\n\nWith these words she thrust the dagger into his side with all her\nstrength. So sudden was the attack, and such the force lent her by\ndesperation, that, strong man though he was, Shichiroyemon fell forward\nfrom his saddle to the ground. With the cry \u201cHachiya is avenged!\u201d she\ngave him another thrust which proved mortal.\n\nA white petal wafted by the breeze fluttered softly on to the\nblood-stained dagger, and for a while all who witnessed the scene were\nspeechless with horror.\n\n\n                                 VII.\n\nSait\u014d D\u014dz\u014d, in his admiration of Katsuno\u2019s heroic deed, had it in his\nmind to save the girl from the consequences of her rash action; but as\na samurai it did not accord with his honour to do so. This for two\nreasons; one being that he had refused to deliver up Shichiroyemon when\nasked to do so by Nobuyuki; and the other because it was a disgrace to\nhim personally that a warrior under his protection should have been\nkilled by a woman. Therefore, he gave orders for the close confinement\nof the culprit, directing that she should be strictly watched and\nguarded night and day.\n\nNow that she had accomplished her long-cherished desire, and had sent\nword to that effect to Lord Nobuyuki, Katsuno no longer had anything to\ntrouble her, and awaited her sentence with a tranquil mind.\n\nOne evening she was arranging some wisteria flowers which had been\nbrought to her by one of the samurai, appointed to keep guard over her,\nwhen without any announcement Lady Sait\u014d came into her room.\n\n\u201cHow tastefully you have arranged those flowers, Katsuno!\u201d she said.\n\u201cHave you recovered yourself?\u201d\n\nThe girl smiled.\n\n\u201cYes, thank you, my lady; having attained my object, I have nothing\nleft to wish for, and am ready to meet my fate.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are a pattern of womanhood! How I admire you! It is unbearable\nthat one so virtuous should be subjected to the ignominy of\nimprisonment for so long. I have repeatedly implored my lord for\nyour release, but as yet without avail.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are too good; but I have no hope of release, and I am ready to\ndie.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour death would serve no end, and I do not intend to let your life be\nsacrificed. Listen,\u201d she came nearer and whispered in Katsuno\u2019s ear, \u201cI\nhave managed to get your guard sent away on some pretext, and to-night,\nKatsuno, you shall escape.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed, no, my lady; that cannot be! I am quite prepared for death.\nWithout Hachiya my life is nothing to me, and should his lordship\ndiscover what you had done his wrath would be terrible,\u2014What might he\nnot do to you!\u201d\n\n\u201cHave no fears on that point. It is not likely my lord will suspect\nthat I had any hand in your escape, but at the worst he will not kill\nme. Do not think of me, but fly!\u201d\n\n\u201cBut, my lady,...\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, how obstinate you are! Why will you throw your life away? Katsuno,\nas your mistress, I command you to escape this night!\u201d\n\nSeeing her mistress would take no refusal the girl gave in, and they\nproceeded to discuss plans.\n\n\u201cAnd when you are safe, Katsuno, how will you spend your life?\u201d\n\n\u201cI shall become a nun and spend my life praying to Buddha for the peace\nof my dead husband\u2019s soul.\u201d\n\n\u201cAn admirable resolve, but foolish! Have you no love for your\nparents?\u2014for your family and home? Ah, forgive me, your parents and\nbrothers are dead? I did not mean to cause you pain. But do you not see\nthat in that case it is impossible for you to give yourself up to a\nlife of devotion? Who then could carry on the family name?\u201d\n\n\u201cBut, your ladyship, I became the wife of Hachiya....\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, yes, but you were only betrothed! If you had married him really,\nthe case would be different,\u2014an engagement is nothing. No other\nwoman would have considered it necessary to avenge his death. Your\nfaithfulness has been demonstrated by your heroic deed. Your devotion\nwill be handed down to posterity as a model for all wives to admire and\nemulate, but now that is over; other duties remain.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat would you have me do, my lady?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou must marry.\u201d\n\n\u201cA second marriage!\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, a first; as you told me yourself you were never married to\nHachiya, so who can blame you or call you a faithless wife if you\ncontract a marriage with another man? Even Hachiya in the spirit world\nwould approve of it.\u201d\n\nKatsuno thought over these words. It was true according to the ideas\nin which she had been brought up that it was her duty not to let her\nfamily name die out.\n\n\u201cYou are right,\u201d she said at length. \u201cIf I escape I will not refuse to\nmarry.\u201d But she sighed, for her heart was with Hachiya.\n\n\u201cI was sure you would be sensible. And now hear what I have to say; a\nnear relative of mine, \u014csuga Katsutaka, a retainer of Lord Tokugawa of\nMikawa province is looking for a wife. He is only twenty-seven, yet\nhe is distinguished for his scholarship, bravery and above all his\nmilitary achievements. He has a great future before him, and, what\ncounts with a woman before all things, he has very good looks! Will you\nmarry him? I have already sounded him on the subject and he is anxious\nyou should be his wife. Do not reject such a good offer.\u201d\n\nKatsuno was silent, partly because of maiden modesty, and partly\nbecause it was too momentous a question to be decided without due\nconsideration.\n\n\u201cWhy do not you answer? What is your objection? I assure you that \u014csuga\nis every thing that can be desired; you would never regret marrying\nhim\u2014he is so brave and learned! But what is most important in your\ncase, if you have two or three children by him you can adopt one of\nthem to succeed to your father\u2019s house and carry on the family name.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am deeply grateful to you for all your kindness, my lady. I will do\nas you advise; you are wiser than I, and you know what is best.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen you agree? That is right, you are a good girl, Katsuno, and\ndeserve to be happy, as I know you will be with \u014csuga. But it is\ngetting very late and it is time you went. A palanquin is ready with\nten strong footmen to convey you to the home of \u014csuga. I am sorry to\npart from you but it has to be, Farewell.\u201d\n\nAs she spoke, Lady Sait\u014d handed Katsuno a letter addressed to \u014csuga\nKatsutaka, and a packet of money for her travelling expenses. The\ngirl accepted them with many thanks, and bidding farewell to her\nmistress made her way to the postern gate from whence she safely\neffected her escape from the castle arriving at her destination without\nadventure.\n\n\n                                VIII.\n\n\u014csuga Katsutaka married Katsuno with the hearty approval of his lord,\nTokugawa Iyeyasu, who greatly struck with admiration of the girl\u2019s\nheroic deed, readily promised to accord her his special protection.\n\nOn hearing of this, Shichiroyemon\u2019s brother Gemba Morimasa, a\nwell-known warrior, who had won for himself the nickname of Gemba the\nTiger, clenched his teeth in wrath and mortification, and going to his\nlord, Nobunaga, gave him a minute account of all that had happened,\nrequesting him to take immediately some steps to wrest Katsuno from\nIyeyasu\u2019s hand.\n\n\u201cIf this be left undone,\u201d he continued fiercely, \u201cmy brother\u2019s spirit\nwill never be at peace, nor will my outraged feelings allow me to rest.\nYou must see this, my lord.\u201d\n\n\u201cCalm yourself, Morimasa. You speak wildly.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho could help it, my lord! Just think of the case! Not only was\nmy brother murdered by a mere woman, but she, my mortal enemy, has\nbeen taken under the protection of a powerful noble, so that I am\npowerless to touch her! If I allow the matter to stand my reputation as\na warrior will be compromised. If you decline to interfere, I will go\nmyself and negotiate with Lord Tokugawa. At least you will allow me to\ndo that!\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you are so set upon it, I will see what I can do,\u201d said Nobunaga,\nreluctantly; and he accordingly sent a warrior to Iyeyasu to request\nthe delivery of Katsuno.\n\nIyeyasu readily granted the messenger an interview, but after listening\nto what he had to say, replied bluntly:\u2014\n\n\u201cI am sorry, but I cannot consent. Katsuno is a heroine, and such a\nwoman as is rarely found in Japan. To speak frankly, Shichiroyemon did\nnot behave well. I understand that because Katsuno would have nothing\nto say to him, and because Hachiya, to whom she was affianced, was\na favourite with his lord, Shichiroyemon, out of a mean jealousy,\nunworthy of a samurai, caused his house to be set on fire and himself\nto be assassinated. In my opinion,\u2014in the opinion of all right-minded\nmen, he richly deserved his fate, and it was fitting he should die as\nhe did. What can his brother urge in extenuation of his crime? His\ndemand is preposterous! Think of Katsuno! For the sake of a man to\nwhom she was merely betrothed, she boldly avenged his death, stabbing\na strong warrior in the midst of a large concourse. What courage! It\nmight well put a man to shame! And this heroic woman comes to me for\nprotection, honouring me by her confidence! Do you imagine I will give\nher up? Never! Tell your lord that Iyeyasu is not one to betray his\ntrust, and that he emphatically refuses to deliver up this brave woman\nto her enemies.\u201d\n\nThere was nothing more to be said. The messenger returned to his\nlord and gave the answer he had received. Nobunaga admitted its\nreasonableness, and not even the hot-tempered Morimasa could deny its\ntruth. But being of a stubborn and revengeful nature, he brooded over\nhis grievance, and secretly schemed or the attainment of his purpose.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nOne fine autumn day Katsuno, attended by a maid, was strolling in the\ngrounds at the back of her residence. Sweet and beautiful she looked,\nwith the calm happiness of a contented young wife. To the west of the\ngarden were to be seen the quarters of her husband\u2019s retainers, and\nthe twang of bowstrings accompanied by the whistling arrows showed\nthat the samurai were strenuously practising their archery. A grove\nof maple-trees bounded the east, and their red leaves effectively\ncontrasted with the dark green of their background. In front, to\nthe south, the view led across paddy-fields to the tall black pines\nenclosing the precincts of the village shrine. A few little birds\nflitting here and there, and softly twittering, gave life to the scene.\n\nStanding by a pond in the garden Katsuno was idly throwing some food\nto the carp which came at her call, when the little gate that gave\nentrance to the grounds suddenly opened, and an elderly woman came in.\n\n\u201cI am glad to see you, Miss Katsuno, nay, I should say Mrs. \u014csuga,\u201d\nsaid the newcomer bowing politely.\n\n\u201cMadame O-Tora!\u201d exclaimed Katsuno, in surprise, quite taken aback by\nthis unexpected visitation. \u201cIs it indeed you? I am very glad to see\nyou, it is long since I had that pleasure. How did you find your way\nhere?\u201d\n\n\u201cBy a mere chance,\u201d replied the elder woman, smiling as though\noverjoyed at the meeting, and speaking in propitiatory tones. \u201cAs I was\npassing along this lane I happened to glance through the hedge and to\nmy great astonishment and joy recognised you in the garden. What a\nhappy home you have! I could envy you your good fortune!\u201d\n\nKatsuno made no reply to her honeyed speech, but asked curtly:\u2014\n\n\u201cHow do you _happen_ to be in these parts? Have you come to live here?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is a long story,\u201d said O-Tora in an agitated manner. \u201cI can\u2019t\ntell it in a few words. I cannot stop to tell you to-day, but I will\ncome again soon when I have more time to spare and tell you all about\nit. Now I must say Good-bye.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere are you staying?\u201d\n\n\u201cNot far from here ... but I\u2019ll come again soon.... Good-bye!\u201d\n\nAnd she hurried away. Katsuno stood gazing after her retreating figure\nwith an expression of mingled wonder and doubt, when suddenly from the\ngrove of maples an arrow whizzed past and grazing her sash pierced the\n_sh\u014dji_ of the samurai\u2019s rooms. Instantly an uproar arose, but before\nanything could be done another arrow whistled through the still air.\nQuick to think and act, Katsuno flung herself on to the ground but her\nmaid, too much alarmed to move, stood upright where she was.\n\nBy this time the young samurai had rushed forth with loud shouts.\n\n\u201cThe villain is hiding behind the maples,\u201d cried Katsuno. \u201cDo not let\nhim escape, quick, quick!\u201d\n\nWith drawn swords the party dashed into the grove, scattering the red\nleaves as they pushed through.\n\n\n                                 IX.\n\nWhile this was occurring, Katsuno\u2019s husband was away from home\nhaving gone up to the castle on duty. Two ruffians were caught, but\nunfortunately the samurai, being unacquainted with O-Tora\u2019s personality\nand evil intentions, did not think of trying to seize her also, though\nit would have been quite easy as she ran wildly hither and thither in\nher bewilderment and alarm.\n\nClosely questioned, the men confessed that they were spies, and had\nbeen hired by Gemba Morimasa to assassinate Katsuno, O-Tora being decoy.\n\nIyeyasu, in righteous anger, caused them to be decapitated, and their\nheads were exposed in front of one of the castle gates with a notice\nwhich ran as follows:\u2014\n\n\u201cThese villains, on a strict examination, confessed that at the\ninstigation of Sakuma Gemba Morimasa, a high retainer of Oda\nNobunaga, they had come disguised to our castle-town with intent to\nmurder. However, it may be that they were common thieves and only made\nup the above story to conceal their mean purposes. Therefore, we have\njudged them as thieves, and expose their heads accordingly.\u201d\n\nAt the failure of his plans, Morimasa flew into a terrible passion; nor\ncould Nobunaga allow the matter to pass without notice. He despatched a\nmessenger to Iyeyasu with a protest, to which he received the following\nreply:\u2014\n\n\u201cIf an honourable samurai of Gemba Morimasa\u2019s rank and position really\nintended to take his revenge on an enemy he would have come openly and\nin person. He would not intrust so important a task to low nameless\nassassins! He could not so debase his honour! This was an act worthy of\na peasant, a mere tradesman, or a _r\u014dnin_. So I concluded that those\nmen were common thieves and in that supposition caused that notice to\nbe written. Can Lord Oda say anything against it?\u201d\n\nWhat could Nobunaga or Morimasa urge against this temperate reply? They\ncould not confess that the would-be murderers were indeed what they had\nsaid, and not the thieves that Iyeyasu affected to believe them.\nThus were they again baffled. But Nobunaga was exceedingly enraged and\ndetermined to go to war with Iyeyasu in order to wipe out his disgrace.\nHe diligently set about his preparations.\n\nIt was not difficult to foretell the issue of a struggle between the\nrival lords; Iyeyasu, with his small following, had no chance against\nhis more powerful enemy. Katsuno was in despair. It was all through\nher that this danger threatened Lord Tokugawa, it was because he\nhad refused to give her up that all this trouble had come. She had\nforfeited her life by her act of vengeance at the castle of Inaba, and\nbut for the mercy of Lady Sait\u014d she would have died long before. Though\nher husband loved her devotedly and she was not unhappy, still she had\nno desire to live, and if she were to die, there would no longer be any\nobject in commencing a disastrous war. Therefore she would die.\n\nIn the silent watches of a winter\u2019s night when the silver moon flooded\nall the land with quiet beauty, Katsuno rose from her bed and with a\ndagger put an end to her life,\u2014in the flower of her womanhood, at the\nage of twenty-two!\n\nKatsuno left behind her four long letters addressed respectively to\nIyeyasu, her husband, Katsutaka, Lady Sait\u014d, and her former lord, Oda\nNobuyuki, giving the reason for her rash act, and repeatedly thanking\nthem for all their kindness.\n\n[2] Lines by Hakkyoi, a great poet of ancient China.\n\n[3] On the occasion of Buddhist funeral ceremonies, and at religious\nceremonies held on the anniversary of a death, it is a common custom to\nset at freedom caged birds for the peace of the spirit of the deceased.\n\n\n\n\n                          A WEDDING PRESENT\n\n\n\u201cLet go! Let go, can\u2019t you!\u201d shouted a young horseman furiously, as he\nraised himself up in his stirrups and angrily brandished a whip.\n\nIt was the ninth day of April in the twelfth year of Tensho (1584). The\nbattle of Komaki Hill, one of the five greatest battles in Japanese\nhistory had just been fought, and intelligence had reached the camp\nthat Lord Ikeda Nobuteru of the Castle of \u014cgaki in the province of Mino\nand his eldest son had both fallen. Wild with grief and rage, Terumasa,\nthe only remaining son, had leapt upon his horse and was about to\nplunge headlong into the opposing lines to avenge their death when his\nfaithful servant, Dansuk\u00e9, caught hold of his bridle and with all his\nmight strove to keep back the impetuous youth\u2014he was barely twenty\u2014from\nrushing on his fate.\n\nBut all unavailing were his remonstrances and entreaties. Quite mad for\nthe nonce, Terumasa was determined to carry out his intention, and he\nstruck Dansuk\u00e9 more than one stinging blow with his whip in order\nto force him to let go.\n\n\u201cSince you will not listen to reason, my lord, it is vain for me to\nseek to detain you. Go, then, and gain renown from all who shall hear\nof your gallant deed\u2014friends and foes alike. I wish you good speed. Let\nme touch up your horse a little that he may go the faster.\u201d\n\nWith these words the man struck the horse a sound blow on the crupper;\nbut cunning fellow that he was, he also gave the bridle a backward\ntwist before releasing it.\n\nLike one possessed the animal reared, and started off\u2014not the way his\nrider wished to go, but straight back in the opposite direction.\n\n\u201cThe devil!\u201d cried Terumasa.\n\nHe tried to pull up; to turn round; but in vain. The horse blessed\nwith more sense than his master knew which way safety lay and that way\nhe meant to pursue. Presently, however, his pace relaxed and Terumasa\nexerting all his strength managed to arrest his flight. Patting him\ngently on the neck and speaking soothing words Terumasa at length\nsucceeded in turning him round, and was once more on the point of\nperforming his rash act when once more he was stopped by Dansuk\u00e9, who\nrunning up, quite out of breath, a second time seized the bridle.\n\n\u201cWould you check me again, scoundrel?\u201d shouted Terumasa. \u201cLet go, let\ngo, I say, or you\u2019ll repent it!\u201d\n\nRaising his whip again and again he brought it down each time with\ntelling force on the head and shoulders of the man who dared to thwart\nhim; but, nothing daunted, Dansuk\u00e9 held on like grim death though the\nblood was streaming from the cuts he received.\n\n\u201cMy lord, my lord,\u201d he gasped. \u201cI entreat you to be calm, and to\nconsider for a few moments. Of what avail is this desperate action?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat, would you have me sit down quietly under this double loss? Would\nyou have me show myself an undutiful son as well as a disloyal vassal?\nAre the vile miscreants to slay as they please and go unpunished?\nNever! Let me go, I say!\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no, my dear young master, I will not let you go.... I will not let\nyou go thus blindly in your rage to certain death.... What is one man\namong so many? Do not think I do not understand your feelings.... I do,\nI do.... But, my lord, when you perish in a foolhardy, though brave,\nattempt to avenge the death of your honoured father and brother,\nwho, bethink you, will be left to carry on the family name?... What\nwill become of the noble house of Ikeda? If you follow your relatives\nto Hades in this precipitate fashion, will your father be pleased? Will\nhe commend your devotion and say \u2018My son, you have done right to follow\nme!\u2019 Will he not rather inquire \u2018In whose care have you left the honour\nof our family and its concerns?\u2019 Your filial and fraternal affection is\naltogether admirable, but your desire for revenge should not blind you\nto the higher duty that awaits you\u2014the duty you owe to a long line of\nillustrious ancestors, the handing on of an untarnished name.... I do\nnot urge that you should give up all thoughts of vengeance only that\nyou should postpone their execution to a more propitious season. It is\nunworthy of yourself to give way to this uncontrollable passion. Think\nof the responsibility that rests upon you as the sole representative\nof your family now that my honoured lord, your father, and his son\nare no more. The time will surely come when you will thank me for the\nrestraint that so enrages you to-day. Oh, my dear young master, do not\nbe angry, but listen to the words of your devoted servant.\u201d\n\nDuring this long speech Terumasa fumed and chafed, and with kicks and\nblows sought to release himself. But Dansuk\u00e9 would not let go his grip\nand earnestly did he pour forth his supplication, though perforce it\nwas delivered in rather jerky and intermittent fashion. The bloody and\ntearstained countenance of poor Dansuk\u00e9 at last wrought on the feelings\nof Terumasa and caused him to desist. Seeing no other course open to\nhim, he ungraciously gave in and allowed his servant to lead his horse\nback to their own camp. Here much sympathy was expressed for him in\nhis bereavement, but it was the unanimous opinion that Dansuk\u00e9 had\ndone right, for the time for revenge was not now when he was only too\ncertain to lose his own life without taking toll of that of his enemies.\n\nThus did the faithful Dansuk\u00e9 save the life of his young master and\npreserve the noble family of Ikeda from extinction.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nPeace reigned, for a reconciliation had been effected between the\nconflicting factions of Tokugawa Iyeyasu and Hashiba Hideyoshi, to\nthe latter of whom the Ikedas had adhered. Hideyoshi was proclaimed\nRegent. The bitter enemies of yesterday had turned, as you turn\nyour hand, to the warm friends of to-day. Iyeyasu, long a widower,\nnow sought the hand of Hideyoshi\u2019s younger sister in marriage and was\naccepted. Hideyoshi, on his side, adopted a son of Iyeyasu\u2019s for his\nown. Thus \u201cafter the rain the ground hardened,\u201d as the old saying has\nit. All was smiling peace and goodwill between the two families which,\nso short a time before had been at daggers drawn, not in the figurative\nsense only, but in the most deadly reality.\n\nTerumasa, his hot passion cooled down, began to look at things in a\nnew light. To what purpose had his revered father sacrificed his life?\nTo no purpose whatever! Not alone his father, but his elder brother\nand his brother-in-law\u2014each and all had died in an utterly meaningless\nstrife. No cause had been served by their death. By this time they were\ndoubtless gnashing their teeth in Hades at the inconsequence of it all.\nHe thought of his own feelings at the time and of Dansuk\u00e9\u2019s devotion\nwhich had saved him from falling another victim to the fate which had\novertaken his relatives.\n\n\u201cAt the moment Dansuk\u00e9 said, if I recollect aright, that the time would\nsurely come when I should thank him for restraining my rash act.\nYes, he was right, though I little thought so then and only yielded\nbecause I had to. That time has come, and sooner than even Dansuk\u00e9\ncould have foreseen. He is a worthy fellow that Dansuk\u00e9\u2014I must see what\nI can do for him.\u201d\n\nNo sooner said than done. Terumasa, in recognition of signal service\nrendered in the face of danger, promoted his humble vassal to the rank\nof a samurai; and Dansuk\u00e9, being a man of parts, once having his feet\non the ladder speedily climbed to a high position. Ban Daizen, as he\nwas now called, rose step by step till at last he reached the highest\nrank in the service of his lord, becoming one of the chief officials of\nthe Bizen clan. It is within the memory of living men that on the gate\nof Ban\u2019s house hung a pair of rusty stirrups. These stirrups are said\nto have been the identical ones with which Lord Terumasa kicked the\nprogenitor of the house, Ban Daizen, at that time plain Dansuk\u00e9, under\nthe circumstances above related, at the ever memorable battle of Komaki\nHill.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nThough all was peaceful between the heads of the erstwhile belligerent\nparties, Terumasa cherished an intense feeling of hatred towards\nTokugawa Iyeyasu, and resolved never to exchange greetings with the man\nwhom he deemed had indirectly been the cause of the death of his father\nand elder brother. It was inevitable that the two should meet sometimes\nat the palace of the Regent, and Iyeyasu was not so obtuse as not to\nnotice the stiff attitude of the young man, and shrewd enough to guess\nwhat was passing in his mind. Having no ill will on his side, however,\nIyeyasu did his best to make friends. Whenever they came across each\nother the older man would bow courteously and make a pleasant remark\nabout the weather, such as \u201cLord Ikeda, what a fine day it is!\u201d or\n\u201cLord Ikeda, the wind is very cold to-day!\u201d. But Terumasa was blind\nand deaf to all his overtures and would pass on quickly, with no\nacknowledgment other than a savage stare.\n\nAnd thus eight years rolled on.\n\nThe Regent was well aware of the estrangement between the two great\nnobles, and it troubled him. He gave much thought to a plan that should\nalter the relations between them.\n\n\u201cIt grieves me much,\u201d he said, one day to Iyeyasu, \u201cto see that you and\nTerumasa are not on good terms. I should be glad if you were friends.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour Highness,\u201d replied Iyeyasu, \u201cit is what I should like myself. The\nanimosity is not on my side, I assure you. For what happened all those\nyears ago at the battle of Komaki he blames me still and ever harbours\nthoughts of revenge. I know it from his manner, but what can I do?\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you will allow me, my friend, I will see what I can do for you.\nLet me see, you have many daughters who are, as I have been told, fair\nto look upon\u2014what do you say to giving one of them in marriage to\nTerumasa. His wife died some time ago and he has one little son. Would\nyou have any objection to the alliance?\u201d\n\n\u201cNone at all, Your Highness, but how think you? Is it likely Terumasa\nwill listen to such a proposal? If I have any knowledge of his\ncharacter he will but give a contemptuous refusal.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot he! Do not concern yourself on that score. I will act\ncircumspectly, and if I am not very much mistaken, all will fall out as\nwe desire. Will you entrust the matter to my discretion?\u201d\n\n\u201cEntirely, Your Highness; and if you succeed you will have my hearty\nthanks.\u201d\n\nSo far, so good. Hideyoshi\u2019s next step was to summon Terumasa to\nhis presence, and when the young man appeared, he spoke to him as\nfollows:\u2014\n\n\u201cMy young friend, I hear that the sad death of your father and brother\nat the battle of Komaki Hill is still rankling in your heart, and that\nin consequence you refuse to be friends with Lord Tokugawa Iyeyasu.\nThe occurrence was indeed lamentable but it was the fortune of war and\nto keep up a grudge so long against an innocent man is unreasonable.\nThe battle was between the Tokugawas and the Toyotomis, it was no\nprivate conflict between the Tokugawas and the Ikedas. Peace has long\nbeen restored\u2014in these days it does not become a warrior to harbour\nrevengeful feelings against would-be friends\u2014there are enough real foes\nto fight. As a personal favour to me, if for no other reason, I ask you\nto be reconciled to Iyeyasu and to forget the past. Or if my wish has\nno weight with you, for love of the Emperor and of your native land,\nthrow off this evil feeling and be friends.\u201d\n\nThe gentle pleading of his loved chief touched Terumasa\u2019s stubborn\nheart. He could not say him nay.\n\n\u201cYour Highness,\u201d he said with his usual frank impetuosity, without\ngiving himself time to think. \u201cIt shall be as you desire. From this\nmoment I bid farewell to all ideas of revenge.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour ready compliance augurs well for your sincerity,\u201d said the great\nstatesman, much pleased. \u201cI thank you, dear Terumasa, and I am sure you\nwill never regret your magnanimity.\u201d\n\nSome more talk passed between them on indifferent subjects, but as\nTerumasa was about to retire the Regent seemed struck with a sudden\nidea.\n\n\u201cTerumasa,\u201d he said, \u201cif I mistake not you are still a widower and\nyour little son has no one to take care of him;\u2014it is time you married\nagain.\u201d\n\n\u201cSome day, Your Highness, I may think about it, but I am in no haste.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt has just come into my head that it would be good to seal your\nreconciliation with Tokugawa by marrying one of his daughters. That\nwould proclaim the fact to every one. If you permit me I will broach\nthe matter to him.\u201d\n\nThis was going further than Terumasa altogether liked, but seeing no\nhelp for it he gave his assent, secretly hoping the negotiations would\nfail.\n\n\u201cI leave everything to your discretion, Your Highness,\u201d he said. \u201cI am\nready to do all you wish.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen farewell for the present, Terumasa. I will let you know later on\nwhat success I have.\u201d\n\nCongratulating himself on the result of his diplomacy the Regent lost\nno time in telling Iyeyasu. It was agreed between them that Lady\nToku, the second daughter should be the bride; and Terumasa offering\nno objection, preparations were speedily set on foot for the formal\nbetrothal.\n\nBut before this was celebrated, Terumasa presented himself before\nHideyoshi and proffered a request.\n\n\u201cSince things have progressed so far by your kind mediation, Your\nHighness, it is of course a matter on which there can be no two\nopinions that my retainers become Tokugawa\u2019s and Tokugawa\u2019s retainers\nbecome mine. In a word we are reconciled and become as one family.\nBut there is one little point that must be clearly understood. It is\nthis. It is well known that one of Lord Tokugawa\u2019s retainers, a man\nnamed Nagai Naokatsu killed my father at the battle of Komaki. It is\nimpossible that I should ever feel anything but enmity against this\nfellow. As I said before, this must be clearly understood.\u201d\n\nThe Regent was nonplussed. It were unreasonable to condemn Terumasa\u2019s\nsentiments on this matter, and should he do so he felt convinced\nthat the young man would be only too glad to seize an excuse to back\nout of the engagement and things would go back to their old footing.\nTherefore, he saw nothing for it but to put a good face on the matter\nand to answer cordially.\n\n\u201cThere need be no disagreement about that, my dear Terumasa. Of course\nyou are at perfect liberty to indulge whatever feeling you like.\u201d\n\nSo the daughter of Iyeyasu was betrothed to Terumasa and it was\narranged that the wedding should take place at the earliest possible\ndate.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nTowards the end of February of the next year it became necessary that\nIyeyasu should go to his home in Yedo on some private business. The\nwar with Korea was at its height and the highest military authorities\nhad for some months been sitting in grave conclave at the Regent\u2019s\nheadquarters at Nagoya in Hizen. Iyeyasu\u2019s presence in Yedo offered\nthe first favourable opportunity for celebrating the nuptials of his\ndaughter, and it was settled that Terumasa should follow his intended\nfather-in-law to Yedo Castle as soon as possible.\n\nIyeyasu\u2019s thoughts as he awaited his whilom foe were not all as joyful\nas befitted a wedding. Anxious furrows lined his broad brow. Hideyoshi\nhad told him what the bridegroom had said about the man who had slain\nthose so near and dear to him, and Iyeyasu dreaded what those words\nmight portend. The idea crossed his mind that Terumasa might even\ndemand the head of Naokatsu as a wedding gift from the bride\u2019s father.\n\n\u201cSee that you pay his lordship the utmost respect and honour,\u201d said he\nto the four chief retainers whose place it was to receive the expected\nguest. \u201cIt weighs heavy on my mind that he has an unconquerable\nanimosity against poor Nagai Naokatsu. Be careful never so much as to\nmention his name and it may be Lord Ikeda will forget. I trust you will\nnot fail me in this important and delicate matter.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou may rely on our caution, my lord,\u201d answered one of those he\naddressed. \u201cWe will do all in our power to interest Lord Ikeda and to\ndivert his thoughts from dangerous subjects. And for fear of accidents\nNagai shall be warned to keep out of the way. Do not be anxious, my\nlord, we will take every precaution.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is well; I count on your fidelity.\u201d\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nIn due time Terumasa arrived at the castle. Iyeyasu\u2019s four chief\nretainers received him with the greatest courtesy and ushering him into\nthe spacious guest-room conducted him to the seat of honour. They then\nretreated backwards to the other end of the apartment, whence, with\nboth hands on the mats, they bowed repeatedly the while they uttered\nwords of welcome.\n\n\u201cLord Ikeda, we rejoice to see you and congratulate you on your safe\narrival after the dangers of your long journey. We beg to offer you our\nhumble felicitations on the happy event that has brought you hither,\nand pray that all good fortune may ever attend you and your bride.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am glad to find myself under this roof on so agreeable a mission,\u201d\nreplied Terumasa genially. \u201cThere is no need for me to introduce myself\nfor you know who I am. It had been my design never to come to speaking\nterms with Lord Tokugawa, but through the kindly mediation of His\nHighness the Regent, all unfriendly thoughts have been banished and to\nseal our alliance I have come here this day to wed his daughter.\nSince the two families are to be thus united you are all my retainers,\nand mine are all Lord Tokugawa\u2019s. The old enmity is wiped out. We\nstart afresh on a new and better footing. I am delighted to make your\nacquaintance.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, it is very condescending of you to show us so much favour.\nPermit us to profit by this opportunity to recommend ourselves to your\ngood graces.\u201d\n\n\u201cMay I enquire your names?\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, we have been remiss! I, who speak, am Ii Naomasa, at your service.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd I am Sakai Saemon, your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan it be! I know your names well and I recall seeing you both at a\ndistance now and again before your camp at the time of the battle of\nKomaki Hill. Yes, you fought valiantly.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour lordship flatters us. We do not deserve such praise.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd who may you be, my friend?\u201d\n\n\u201cMy name, your lordship, is Nakatsukasa Tadakatsu, formerly Honda\nHeihachiro.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know, I know! It was a misty morning when I saw you fighting\nbravely on the bank of the river near Ry\u016bsenji Temple in Kasugai. Yes,\nyes, you, too, acquitted yourself splendidly.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, I do not merit such commendation; I am but a plain soldier.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is one more\u2014may I ask your name also?\u201d\n\n\u201cSakakibara Yasumasa, my lord.\u201d\n\n\u201cDo I behold the countenance of the renowned Sakakibara?\u2014Sakakibara,\nwho by himself gave chase to Lord Hideyoshi when he was forced to\nretreat near Hosonigaki? Your temerity on that occasion is still\nvividly remembered by His Highness. He admits, of an evening when in a\ntalkative mood, that he was never so terrified in his life! Ha, ha, ha!\nYou were a bold man.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe past is past and forgotten, my lord. I am now one of the most\nfaithful and obedient servants of His Highness. We whose trade is that\nof arms, fight and make peace as the god of war casts his dice\u2014we have\nno choice in the matter.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe presence of so many brave soldiers who took part in the battle of\nKomaki Hill gives me much pleasure. My thoughts are carried back to the\npast and\u2014that reminds me\u2014my brave sirs, will you answer me one\nquestion?\u201d\n\n\u201cAs many as it is your pleasure to put, your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have heard of one Nagai Naokatsu who was also at the battle; what\nhas become of him?\u201d\n\nThis was a bolt from the blue! The four veterans, brave men though they\nwere, looked from one to the other in consternation and dismay, quite\nat a loss how to reply. That which their lord had warned them against\nhad befallen in the very first hour. Terumasa seeing, and it must be\nconfessed, enjoying, their discomfiture, pressed for his answer.\n\n\u201cWhat has become of Nagai? Where is he now?\u201d he repeated, impatiently.\n\nAnother exchange of glances. Not one of them dared to take upon himself\nthe onus of the answer.\n\n\u201cHave you suddenly lost your hearing, sirs? I ask again, What has\nbecome of Nagai?\u201d\n\nIt was plain that Terumasa was losing his temper.\n\n\u201cBegging your lordship\u2019s pardon,\u201d faltered Sakai Saemon, behind whom\nthe others were gradually insinuating themselves as they pushed him\nforward to fulfil his usual office of spokesman, \u201cI believe he is\nin good health, and still in our lord\u2019s service.\u201d\n\n\u201cStill in your lord\u2019s service? I am glad of that; it removes a great\nweight from my mind. It is to see this same Nagai, the murderer of\nmy father, that I have covered so many miles. You will oblige me by\nbringing him before me without delay.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, I venture to suggest that you send for him after your\ninterview with Lord Tokugawa.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat can wait. I desire to see this Nagai first. If you refuse, it\nonly remains for me to leave Yedo at once without paying my respects to\nhis lordship. I have spoken.\u201d\n\nThere was no doubting that Terumasa meant what he said. There was\nnothing for it but to apprise their master of what had happened in\nspite of their precautions, and to leave the matter to his judgment.\nSakai Saemon bowed low as he said:\u2014\n\n\u201cMy lord, deign to wait a few minutes. I will oblige you with all\nspeed.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo equivocation, mind. Beware how you play with me!\u201d\n\nSakai withdrew, his three friends having already disappeared. Terumasa\nsmiled grimly to himself. Nothing was lost upon him.\n\nThe four retainers hastened to their lord\u2019s chamber. He looked up as\nthey entered and asked pleasantly:\u2014\n\n\u201cWell, he has arrived?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cIs all well?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, your lordship; we fear the worst has happened.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow! What do you mean?\u201d\n\n\u201cHe demands to be at once confronted with Nagai.\u201d\n\n\u201cDid I not warn you....\u201d began Iyeyasu, angrily; then he checked\nhimself, and with arms folded and head sunk on his breast, considered\nthe situation.\n\n\u201cYou say that Lord Ikeda insists on seeing Nagai Naokatsu at once?\u201d he\nqueried presently, looking up.\n\n\u201cYes, your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen by all means, let him see Nagai. Lord Ikeda is not a madman. He\nhas come here to marry my daughter. It is not likely, unless he is out\nof his mind, that he will upset all our plans and imperil the favour of\nthe Regent just to satisfy an old grudge.\u201d\n\n\u201cJudging from his words and manner there is no saying what he may or\nmay not do, your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cHumph!\u201d\n\n\u201cShould he put his hand on his sword when he finds Nagai before him,\nwe shall not be able to stop him from wreaking his vengeance. Or\nshould he demand Nagai\u2019s head for a wedding present, how can we refuse?\u201d\n\n\u201cWill he go so far as that?\u201d\n\n\u201cNothing more likely, your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cI was afraid of this. Let me think what can be done.\u201d\n\nIyeyasu pondered awhile, a deep frown of perplexity and trouble on\nhis forehead. Then as if a solution had suddenly come to him his eyes\nsparkled, and he spoke firmly.\n\n\u201cTake Nagai Naokatsu into the presence of Lord Ikeda as he desires, and\nif he demands his head as a wedding gift deny him resolutely. Those are\nmy orders.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour lordship, it is easy to obey, but if we act like that there will\nbe an end to the proposed marriage, and you will incur the displeasure\nof His Highness, the Regent. Dare you run such a risk?\u201d\n\n\u201cDo not trouble yourselves about results, only do as I tell you. If\nLord Ikeda asks for the head of Nagai as a wedding gift, remind him\nthat the battle of Komaki was fought between the Tokugawas and the\nToyotomis\u2014it was no private affair of the Ikedas. Nagai served\nunder his chief and killed General Ikeda Nobuteru by the fortune of\nwar. It was one of the chances of battle and in a fair field. Nagai did\nbut do his duty. If Terumasa feels any animosity for the death of his\nrelatives it should be directed against me, the principal, not against\nNagai who was only fighting under my orders. Therefore, tell him, he\nis welcome to wreak all his vengeance upon my daughter, Lady Toku,\nhis bride. Let him cut her in strips if so he wills and I shall not\ninterfere, but let him understand explicitly that Iyeyasu will never\nsacrifice his loyal retainer on any consideration whatever.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, your words impress us deeply. We will return and try to\nadjust the matter to the satisfaction of all parties!\u201d\n\nNagai Naokatsu was sent for. The four retainers told him how things\nstood, and further instructed him to be on his guard, ready to fly\nshould the young nobleman\u2019s hand move towards his sword-hilt.\n\nThen the four went back to the guest-room where Terumasa fuming and\nchafing had been waiting all this time.\n\nAnd now it was Sakakibara Yasumasa who spoke first.\n\n\u201cMy lord, we apologize for the long delay,\u201d he began.\n\n\u201cHave you brought Nagai\u2014where is he?\u201d Terumasa interrupted him.\n\n\u201cYes, my lord, he is without.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is well. Show him instantly into my presence.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, my lord.\u201d\n\nThe sliding screens were pushed aside and there, in the ante-chamber,\nat a very respectful distance calculated for the convenience of making\nhis escape in case of need, sat Nagai, his bent head hiding his face.\n\n\u201cAre you Nagai?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome here, Nagai.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, I am unworthy to approach your honourable lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cAway with excuses! Come here, I say.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, I cannot venture so far.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou try my patience beyond its limit, sirrah!\u201d\n\nTerumasa rose to his feet precipitately and crossed the intervening\nspace to where Nagai crouched. The sweat burst out on the four men who\nwere witnesses of the scene; they trembled for what would come.\n\n\u201cWhy do you not come when I call?\u201d thundered Terumasa, seizing the\nother\u2019s wrists and dragging him over the floor. \u201cI\u2019ll teach you to obey\nat once!\u201d\n\nTerumasa being a big man and possessed of great strength, Nagai was as\na sparrow in the talons of a hawk and entirely at his mercy. Before he\nhad time to think, much less to struggle, he found himself landed by\nthe cushion where Terumasa had been sitting since his arrival and on\nwhich he again seated himself.\n\n\u201cLook at me, sirrah!\u201d commanded Terumasa.\n\n\u201cMy lord,\u201d said the frightened wretch, \u201cI cannot do that.\u201d\n\n\u201cLook at me. You were not such a craven when you killed my father\nNobuteru in cold blood, on the ninth day of the fourth month in the\ntwelfth year of Tensho.\u201d\n\n\u201cAll the more reason why I should quail now, your lordship.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are a most obstinate fellow! Why will you never do as I tell you?\u201d\n\nTerumasa took hold of the man\u2019s collar and twisted his face upwards.\nLooking calmly and critically at it for a moment or two he observed\ncomplacently.\n\n[Illustration: Terumasa took hold of the man\u2019s collar and twisted his\nface upwards]\n\n\u201cWell, Nagai Naokatsu, it affords me much gratification to look at\nyou. I have been told that you have the best appearance of all\nthe men in the service of Lord Tokugawa. My informant was right\u2014you\nare undoubtedly a very handsome man, though at the present moment you\ndo not appear to the best advantage.... It is a satisfaction to know\nthat my father met his death at the hands of so creditable a soldier.\nWithout doubt he went the less reluctantly to the spirit world. So far,\nwell, Nagai.\u201d\n\nNaokatsu gave himself up for lost. Though far from being a coward at\nordinary times, the stern aspect and speech of Terumasa whom he had so\ngreatly, though inadvertently, wronged, awed and intimidated him.\n\nThe four retainers stood prepared to interfere at the last moment\nshould it be necessary, and they too thought Nagai\u2019s doom was sealed.\n\nStill keeping his grip on the collar of his victim\u2019s garment, Terumasa\ncontinued to gaze at him thoughtfully. Then turning to the other men he\nasked abruptly:\u2014\n\n\u201cWhat annual stipend does he receive at the present time?\u201d\n\n\u201cOne thousand _koku_ of rice from his fief near Kawago\u00e9.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd how much did he get at the time of the battle of Komaki?\u201d\n\n\u201cTwo hundred _koku_, your lordship.\u201d\n\nTerumasa flung the man from him and clapped both hands on his knees.\nTears of mortification stood in his eyes.\n\n\u201cCan I credit my ears? At the time of the battle his stipend was two\nhundred _koku_; now after the lapse of well-nigh ten years it has risen\nto only one thousand _koku_, and that derived from an out-of-the-way\nhole like Kawago\u00e9! Ah, what a worthless fellow he must be! To think\nthat my revered father perished by the hand of such an insignificant\ncreature! It is too humiliating! Father, I fear you can never forgive\nyourself for allowing such a disgraceful thing to happen. You must\neverlastingly be bemoaning your untoward fate in the land of the\nshades. I, Terumasa, your son, sympathise with you from the bottom of\nmy heart!\u201d\n\nHis emotion was so genuine that tears trickled down his dark cheeks and\nhe seemed to forget that there were witnesses of his unusual weakness.\nNot for long, however. Recovering his composure, he turned his eyes on\nthe men before him.\n\n\u201cSirs,\u201d he said, \u201cI told you a short time since, that my main\nobject in coming to Yedo was to behold the countenance of this man,\nthe slayer of my father and brother. I have seen him and am not\ndisappointed. But there is one request that I desire you will kindly\nsubmit to my future father-in-law. It concerns this same Nagai\nNaokatsu. If, according to custom, his lordship intends giving me a\nwedding present....\u201d\n\nHere it was at last! The four chief retainers could not restrain a\nshudder, and the face of Nagai grew livid. It was Ii who first found\nhis voice.\n\n\u201cMy lord,\u201d he stammered, \u201cwhat you say is reasonable and we expected\nas much. But will you not let bygones be bygones? The Komaki affair\nhappened nearly ten years ago and it is too late to rake it up.\nMoreover, this is a day highly blessed by the god of peace\u2014a day on\nwhich two noble families are to be joined. Let not such an occasion\nbe marred by a deed of revenge and blood. I entreat your lordship to\nreconsider your words and mercifully to let Nagai live!\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, we all unite in humbly pleading for the life of this\nunfortunate man!\u201d chorused the other three, as all threw themselves\ndown with heads touching the mats before him.\n\n\u201cWhat are you all talking about?\u201d said Terumasa, unceremoniously. \u201cWho\nsaid I wanted the life of Nagai? Nothing is further from my thoughts.\nThis is what I wish you to ask Lord Tokugawa\u2014that he will use his\ninfluence with His Highness, the Regent, to have this fellow created\na daimio, as soon as possible, with an annual income of, say, ten\nthousand _koku_.\u201d\n\nAmazement was depicted on the faces of the five men\u2014amazement and\nrelief. Iyeyasu, who behind a sliding screen had heard all that had\npassed, now pushed it aside and ran into the room. Clasping Terumasa\u2019s\nhands in his he raised them to his head while he gave vent to his\nfeelings as follows:\u2014\n\n\u201cTerumasa, you have acquitted yourself nobly! I am unworthy of so\nmagnanimous a son-in-law. What can I say but that I will do all in my\npower to further your truly chivalrous request.\u201d\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nAfter the wedding Terumasa returned with his bride to the city of\nNagoya, where Iyeyasu soon followed him. He told the whole story to\nthe Regent and proffered his request. Hideyoshi slapped his knee in\napproval.\n\n\u201cTerumasa is a true samurai,\u201d he said. \u201cRest assured his petition shall\nmeet with immediate attention.\u201d\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nAccordingly, Nagai Naokatsu, a minor vassal, of one thousand _koku_,\nfrom a place near Kawago\u00e9, was at a bound promoted to the dignity of a\ndaimio worth ten thousand _koku_ yearly.\n\nSo you see that Ikeda Nobuteru did not fall by the sword of a nameless\nsamurai!\n\n\n\n\n                    THE HEROISM OF TORII KATSUTAKA\n\n\nThe little garrison besieged in the Castle of Nagashino, in the\nprovince of Mikawa, was in desperate straits.\n\nOkudaira Sadayoshi, Governor of the castle, was away at a distance on\nbusiness of importance, and his son, Sadamasa, was left in command with\na small company of but eight hundred men. These fought with the courage\nof despair; but having been taken at unawares, the castle was ill\nprovided with ammunition and provisions, and at the end of a fortnight\ndeath, from starvation, or the alternative of surrender, stared them in\nthe face.\n\nIt was at the close of April in the third year of Tensho (1575). Takeda\nKatsuyori, Lord of Kai, knowing his feudal enemy, Sadayoshi, to be\nabsent, deemed it a good opportunity to attack his stronghold; and,\ntherefore, at the head of 28,000, suddenly swooped down and surrounded\nthe castle. Stationing his head-quarters on a hill opposite the main\nentrance, he invested it on all sides, day and night continuing\nthe assaults on the walls, so that, if possible, it might fall into his\nhands before either Sadayoshi\u2019s liege lord, Tokugawa Iyeyasu, or the\nlatter\u2019s powerful ally, Oda Nobunaga, could come to the rescue.\n\nBy the end of two weeks some three hundred of the defenders had been\nkilled, or so seriously wounded as to be incapable of rendering further\naid; and sparing though they had been of it, food remained for barely\ntwo days more. In this sore strait Sadamasa summoned all his men and\nwith calm courage and determination addressed them as follows:\u2014\n\n\u201cMy men,\u201d he said, \u201cI cannot speak too highly of your bravery and\ndevotion, and I thank you. But the odds against us are too great and\nthe castle must be given up. Our ammunition has almost run out and we\nhave food for but two days more. To send for help is impossible, so\nclosely does the enemy watch every outlet. I will send an envoy to\nTakeda requesting that you may all depart unmolested, while I myself\nwill commit _seppuku_. It may be in your hearts to fight to the end\nrather than surrender the castle, but of what avail would it be for you\nthus to sacrifice your lives. It would do no good to me nor to anyone\nelse. It is my wish that you should all live to join my father and\nhereafter fight again for him and it may be recover the castle that we\nare now forced by wholly unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances to\nyield. There is nothing else to be done. Save yourselves and allow me\nto commit _seppuku_.\u201d\n\nSadamasa ceased speaking, but before the sound of his grave tones had\ndied away, a ringing voice from the rear took up his words.\n\n\u201cCommit _seppuku_, my lord! It is too soon to talk of such a desperate\nmeasure! With your permission I will steal my way through the enemy\u2019s\nlines and summon reinforcements before it is too late.\u201d\n\n\u201cIs it Katsutaka who speaks? My brave fellow, I appreciate your desire,\nbut the idea is quite impracticable. How could a rat, much less a giant\nlike you over six feet, get through the enemy\u2019s lines unobserved, and\nsupposing such a miracle accomplished, how could an army reach us\nin time to avert our dying from starvation? It is not without deep\nconsideration that I have come to the conclusion that I have just made\nknown to you. Your project is impossible.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so, my lord,\u201d Katsutaka spoke quietly like a man who has fully\nmade up his mind and knows what he is about. \u201cAs you know, I am a\ngood swimmer, and I am strong. I will cross the river in the dark and\nhurrying at utmost speed to His Excellency Lord Tokugawa lay before him\nour need and request the instant despatch of troops to disperse the\nbesiegers. I have thought the matter over; I can do it.\u201d\n\n\u201cBravely conceived and bravely spoken, Katsutaka! Well, desperate\ndiseases call for desperate remedies. You can but fail and we shall be\nno worse off than before. Go, my friend, and may luck attend you!\u201d He\npaused, for emotion made it difficult to speak; then recovering his\nvoice, he went on:\u2014\u201cShould you effect your escape, as you hope, it is\nnecessary that we should know of it that we may hold out to the last\nminute. How can you inform us of the fact!\u201d\n\n\u201cEasily, my lord. I will climb to the summit of Mt. Funatsuki and\ncause smoke to rise by way of a signal. From thence to Okazaki where\nLord Tokugawa is in residence is a distance of only twenty-three miles\nor so. I shall arrive at his castle by noon to-morrow, and having\ndelivered my message shall return without delay.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd how can you tell us of the coming of reinforcements?\u201d\n\n\u201cAt midnight, the day after to-morrow, I shall be back on the mountain,\nand again I will signal to you by smoke. One column of smoke will\nmean that His Excellency Lord Tokugawa\u2019s troops are coming alone; two\nwill mean that they are accompanied by those of Lord Oda; and three\nwill signify that His Excellency\u2019s army has been joined by both Lords\nOda,\u2014an allied army of three divisions.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan you by any possibility inform us of the number of troops?\u201d\n\n\u201cNothing easier, my lord. One shot will tell you that 10,000 troops are\non their way; two shots, 20,000; three shots 30,000. Have no fears, my\nlord. I am confident that I shall succeed.\u201d\n\n\u201cHeaven aid your heroic spirit, Katsutaka! When do you propose to\nstart?\u201d\n\n\u201cWith your permission, as soon as it is dark, my lord. There is no time\nto be lost. Farewell!\u201d\n\n\u201cStay, my friend. I will give you something before you go. See here.\u201d\n\nKatsutaka approached nearer and his master gave into his hands a case\nof costly incense and a valuable sword.\n\n\u201cThis incense is a family treasure, having been handed down from\nour ancestor, Prince Tomohira, the seventh son of the Emperor Murakami;\nand this sword is another heirloom\u2014a noted blade by Sadamun\u00e9. Take\nthese articles as some small recognition of your bravery and loyalty.\u201d\n\nWith deep reverence the soldier received the precious gifts.\n\n\u201cYour lordship is too good to his humble servant. I accept your\ngenerosity with profound gratitude.\u201d\n\n\u201cStay yet again, Katsutaka! I must pledge you in a parting cup.\u201d\n\nTwo cups were brought and a bottle of _sak\u00e9_. Katsutaka then executed a\nwar-dance singing a martial strain the while. Then he departed to make\nthe few preparations necessary for his perilous undertaking, leaving\nall those assembled, both officers and men, full of admiration for his\nheroism.\n\nClad in the lightest attire and with a small packet wrapped in\nwaterproof oil-paper in his hand, in the stillness of night, Katsutaka\nstole out of a postern gate and crept to the bank of the River Iwashiro\nwhich flowed at no great distance past the castle. The rainy season\nhaving already set in, the stream was much swollen and the swift\ncurrent in its windings dashed furiously against either bank in\nturn. Katsutaka hid himself among the tall reeds growing on the edge\nand cast a searching eye in every direction. The full moon, breaking\nout of a heavy bank of clouds, made the night almost as bright as day;\nand to his dismay the adventurer saw that a web of large and small\nropes to which were fastened innumerable clappers was extended over the\nstream, and that a close line of sentinels was on guard on the opposite\nshore. When anything happened to touch the ropes the clappers would\nrattle loudly \u201cgara-gara, gara-gara,\u201d and at each rattle the sentinels\nwere on the alert with torches to discover the cause of the noise.\n\nAt this unexpected difficulty Katsutaka was greatly taken aback.\nHow could he swim across the river in the face of such vigilant\nprecautions? To add to his dismay he saw waving lazily in the gentle\nnight breeze an _umajirushi_ or \u201chorse-badge\u201d and a flag, both bearing\na coat of arms that he knew belonged to Baba Nobufusa who was esteemed\nthe ablest of all the veteran generals of the opposing army.\n\n\u201cI am certainly under an unlucky star,\u201d groaned Katsutaka. \u201cWith Baba\nNobufusa in charge of this side it is well-nigh impossible for me to\ncross the river and effect a landing. But I will not give up\nwithout doing my best, and it may be I shall yet find a way to elude\ntheir vigilance.\u201d\n\nHe tore up a reed and was about to hurl it into the river when it\nstruck him that if the root had earth on it the sagacious Nobufusa\nwould conclude that some one was hiding in the vicinity and order\nhis soldiers to make a strict search. That would be fatal to his\nenterprise. He, therefore, washed the mud off the reed and then threw\nit into the stream. Immediately it got entangled in the network\nof ropes and set all the clappers clattering loudly, \u201cgara-gara,\ngara-gara.\u201d\n\nOn the instant two sentinels leapt into the water and drew the reed to\nland. It was taken to Nobufusa who carefully examined the root by the\nlight of a torch.\n\n\u201cThere is nothing suspicious about this reed,\u201d said the general. \u201cIt is\nof no consequence.\u201d\n\nKatsutaka, peering intently from his hiding place on the other side,\nfelt his heart sink.\n\n\u201cIt is hopeless to think of crossing,\u201d he said to himself.\n\nAfter a few moments of despondency he once more uprooted a reed and\nwashing off the mud as before cast it into the river. Again the\nclappers were set a-going and again some of the men plunged into\nthe water to seek the cause.\n\n\u201cAnother reed, my lord,\u201d said the man who handed it to the general.\n\n\u201cThe reeds are being washed off the bank by the flood,\u201d he remarked\nafter examining the reed. \u201cIt is nothing; but nevertheless do not relax\nyour vigilance, my men.\u201d\n\nKatsutaka now picked up a dead branch that had been washed ashore, and\nthrew it at the ropes, and after that another reed. So he went on,\nthrowing now one thing, now another, keeping the clappers rattling\nso unintermittingly that in time Nobufusa\u2019s soldiers ceased to take\nnotice of the sound and no longer dashed into the river at every fresh\nrepetition. Still, however, Katsutaka could not venture to enter the\nriver himself, for watchful eyes never left off scanning the dark\nwaters. Time was passing. What could he do? Katsutaka was well-nigh in\ndespair. To return and confess he had failed at the very outset was\ninsupportable\u2014unthinkable even!\n\nJust then he heard the roll of a drum\u2014the guard was being relieved.\nNobufusa\u2019s men retired and Atob\u00e9 \u014cinosuk\u00e9\u2019s took their place.\n\nKatsutaka\u2019s spirits rose. \u014cinosuk\u00e9 was noted for his subtlety, he knew,\nbut could not be compared with Nobufusa in patient strategy. Once more\nKatsutaka began throwing things into the river, but the fresh sentinels\nwere very much on the alert and examined everything that set the\nclappers rattling. Poor Katsutaka was feeling indeed hopeless when the\nheavy clouds that had been coming up unobserved, obscured the moon and\nthere was a low rumble of thunder in the distance. Then with appalling\nswiftness the storm was upon them. The noise was terrific. The heavy\nrush of the rain that came down in sheets, the roar of the wind and the\nroll and rattle of thunder made a pandemonium of the erstwhile peaceful\nnight.\n\nKatsutaka had no fear of the elements; he only thought that now his\ncourse was clear. He danced and shouted for joy, knowing that he could\nbe neither seen nor heard through the tumult and pitchy darkness. But\nno time was to be lost. The storm might pass over as rapidly as it had\ncome. Stripping himself bare and tying his oil-paper package round his\nneck he slipped into the turbid waters and with his dagger cut some\nof the ropes that crossed it. The noisy clappers sounded faintly to\nthe watchers on the opposite bank, but as some men were about to\ninvestigate their general stopped them.\n\n\u201cIt is unnecessary, my men,\u201d he said. \u201cThe clappers are moved by fish\ncoming down the flood from the upper reaches of the river. None of the\ngarrison opposite would be so mad as to attempt to cross in such a\nstorm\u2014it would mean instant death. Therefore be reassured.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou speak truly, my lord,\u201d assented one of the men. \u201cIt can only be\nfish as your honour says.\u201d\n\nTossed and whirled about by the current, Katsutaka struggled to the\nopposite bank at a point about half a mile from where he had started.\nHe found this part also well guarded, but hoped that under cover of the\ndarkness and noise he might get through. Stealthily he was making his\nway when suddenly his foot slipped on the wet ground and he fell with a\nslight thud.\n\n\u201cWho goes there?\u201d rang out the quick challenge in his ear.\n\nStartled, Katsutaka scrambled to his feet and laid his hand on the hilt\nof his dagger.\n\n\u201cOne of the patrol, sir,\u201d he answered readily.\n\n\u201cIs that all? I pity you out in the storm. Pass on!\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you, Captain. Good-night, sir.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood-night. Do not relax your care. The enemy may take advantage of\nthe storm.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will take care, sir.\u201d\n\nThus his presence of mind saved the situation when all seemed lost, and\nthe first and most difficult part of his enterprise was accomplished.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nBy the time Katsutaka had ascended to the summit of the mountain from\nwhence he intended to signal, the rain had almost ceased and the rumble\nof thunder was barely audible in the growing distance. As he paused\nto take breath the moon shone out again and bathed the landscape\nin silvery loveliness. With material brought in his little package\nhe managed to make a small blaze, trusting it would be seen by the\nwatchers at the castle who would be anxious to know of his escape. Then\nonce more resuming his journey he hastened down the declivity and with\nno further adventure arrived at the town of Okazaki about 10 o\u2019clock\nthe following morning.\n\nAs he drew near the castle he met an officer on horseback attended by\na few men on foot. To his great joy he recognized his own chief,\nLord Okudaira Sadayoshi. Placing himself in the way and bowing with due\nreverence:\u2014\n\n\u201cI am Torii Katsutaka, my lord,\u201d he said, \u201cand I have come on an urgent\nerrand from your honourable son at present beleaguered in the Castle of\nNagashino.\u201d\n\n\u201cBeleaguered! My son beleaguered! What mean you by such strange\ntidings? Follow me; I will return to the castle instantly.\u201d\n\nTurning his horse and followed closely by his retinue and Katsutaka,\nSadayoshi cantered quickly back the way he had come and dismounting in\nthe courtyard demanded of the messenger a more explicit and detailed\naccount of how matters stood. He was indignant beyond measure at what\nhe heard.\n\n\u201cThis is wholly unexpected and unwelcome news,\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cMy brave\nfellow, your daring deed is beyond all praise. I came here two days ago\nwith Lord Tokugawa, on my way home intending to stay a short time. Now\nI must proceed instantly. Wait here while I go to tell His Excellency;\nit may be he will wish to question you himself.\u201d\n\nIn a very short time an attendant summoned Katsutaka to the presence of\nthe famous statesman.\n\n\u201cTorii Katsutaka,\u201d said he kindly, \u201cyou are a brave man, and have done\na wonderful thing. Let me know exactly how matters stand at the Castle\nof Nagashino. You have my permission to speak to me directly.\u201d\n\nExpressing his sense of the honour shown him, Katsutaka, in the simple\nwords of a plain soldier, gave a detailed account of the state of\naffairs within and without the castle when he had left it.\n\n\u201cIf reinforcements be not instantly despatched, Your Excellency,\u201d\nhe concluded, \u201cthe garrison will starve to death. I entreat, Your\nExcellency, let no time be lost.\u201d\n\n\u201cReinforcements shall be sent with all possible speed,\u201d said Iyeyasu.\n\u201cBy a happy chance both Lords Oda are now in this province with their\ntroops, and they can reach the besieged castle in two, or at the most,\nthree days. But for you we should have known nothing till too late. You\nare a hero indeed. Now go and get food and rest before you start on\nyour return journey.\u201d\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe afternoon of the same day, Iyeyasu, at the head of 20,000 men\nproceeded to the castle of Ushikubo, where he was joined by the two\nLords Oda with their combined forces of 50,000 men. Arrangements were\nset on foot for an early start the next morning.\n\nIyeyasu then spoke to Katsutaka again:\u2014\n\n\u201cAs you see, our allied armies will be able to reach Nagashino in two\ndays at the latest. So rest assured that the relief will be in time.\nYou must be greatly fatigued. Remain here a few days till you are fully\nrested.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour Excellency is too considerate, but I cannot take advantage of\nyour kindness. I must return at once and tell the garrison of the\nsuccess of my mission and that help is coming. Allow me to set out\nwithout delay.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy your own showing it would be quite impossible for you to re-enter\nthe castle in the manner in which you came out. Do not be rash, but\nstay here as I advise you.\u201d\n\n\u201cA thousand pardons, Your Excellency,\u201d said Katsutaka, respectfully,\nbut firmly. \u201cAt the risk of my life I undertook this errand; I will\ncarry it through to the end. It is an honour more than my poor life is\nworth to have been granted speech with Your Excellency and favoured\nwith words of commendation from your august lips. Life can offer me\nno higher grace. Even should I be captured by the enemy and put\nto an ignominious death I should have nothing to regret. The garrison\nis starving; to know that help is on the way will give them new life.\nPermit me to go, Your Excellency.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you are so set upon it,\u201d replied Lord Tokugawa, \u201cI will say no\nmore. You shall take a letter from me to Sadamasa.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat would be dangerous, Your Excellency. If the letter were found on\nmy person notice would be given of your approach and the enemy would\ntake steps accordingly.\u201d\n\n\u201cRight,\u201d said Iyeyasu with a smile. \u201cYou are wise as well as brave, my\nKatsutaka!\u201d\n\nThen Katsutaka bade farewell to Lord Tokugawa and Lord Okudaira\nSadayoshi, and shouldering his gun set out once more on his perilous\njourney.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nAnxiously did the diminishing and weakened garrison at the besieged\ncastle wait for the signal that should tell them help was coming.\nCheered by the knowledge that Katsutaka, contrary to expectation, had\nsucceeded in eluding the sentinels they now had some hope that he would\nhave the same good fortune in his further quest. In turn watchmen\nwent up to the high tower and strained their eyes in the direction\nwhence the promised signal would appear. At midnight of the second day,\nto their boundless joy, they descried a light as of a bonfire on Mt.\nFunatsuki; and soon three columns of dark smoke rose in the still air\nplainly seen against the sky that was lighted up by a great round moon.\nHelp was coming! But would it be sufficient? How many troops were on\ntheir way? Hark! a sharp report, and then another and yet another till\nseven shots gave the glad assurance of the approach of 70,000 men. The\nstarving men took heart again, and forgetting hunger and wounds looked\nforward with joy to their speedy relief.\n\nBut the sound of the shots reached other ears as well as those for\nwhich it was intended. The company on guard at the foot of the mountain\nheard it too, and a detachment went up to investigate. General Naito\nMasatoyo himself led the little band. With no thought of danger\nKatsutaka, triumphant, was gaily running down when he found himself\nsurrounded by the very men he wished to avoid.\n\n\u201cHalt! Who are you?\u201d demanded the general. Katsutaka\u2019s ready wit did\nnot desert him.\n\n\u201cHearing shots, I have been with my comrades to find out what they\nmeant. We have searched everywhere but can find no one. I am coming\ndown to report our failure.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome nearer and let me see your face. Who is your captain?\u201d\n\n\u201cI belong to the company of riflemen under the command of Captain\nAnayama.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour name!\u201d\n\n\u201cMy name\u2014my name is....\u201d\n\n\u201cMen, take this fellow prisoner.\u201d\n\nMore easily said than done. At the command four or five soldiers sprang\nforward to obey, but Katsutaka made such a vigorous defence that they\nfound it impossible to hold him; and freeing himself from their grasp\nhe ran down towards the foot of the hill. More soldiers were coming up,\nhowever, so he turned back, hoping under cover of some bushes to slip\npast and thus escape. But he was seen and caught as in a trap. Dealing\nheavy blows right and left he made a good fight, but the odds were too\noverwhelming and he was at last forced to yield. His gun was taken from\nhim and handed to the general who found thereon an inscription in red\nlacquer, \u201cOne of 3,000 guns belonging to the Castle of Okazaki.\u201d\n\nThe truth flashed upon him. He guessed that the man they had captured\nhad been to Okazaki to ask for reinforcements. Late though it was he\nmust be taken before the Commander-in-chief, General Katsuyori, at once.\n\nBloodstained and travel-worn Katsutaka presented a pitiable sight when,\nroused from his slumbers, the general surveyed him by the imperfect\nlight of a lantern. Yet there was something in the bearing of the man\nthat called forth a feeling of admiration for his courage rather than\ncompassion for his condition and circumstances.\n\n\u201cYour name?\u201d said the general.\n\nHaving no motive now for concealment Katsutaka spoke out boldly.\n\n\u201cTorii Katsutaka, retainer of Lord Okudaira Sadamasa, Governor of the\nCastle of Nagashino.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou have been to Okazaki, for reinforcements, and fired these shots\nfrom the top of Mt. Funatsuki by a prearranged plan. Is it not so?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is so, Your Excellency.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt was a hazardous errand. You must tell me later how you managed\nto creep through our lines. I know how to appreciate and reward\nbravery, and would like to number you among my men. If you will come\nover to us I will give you a yearly stipend of 1,000 _koku_[4] of rice.\nIf you refuse you die.\u201d\n\nPretending to be pleased with the offer Katsutaka accepted it with many\nexpressions of gratitude. He was thinking that by doing this he might\nput his captors off their guard and be able to escape, or in some way\nrender a service to those shut up in the castle.\n\n\u201cYou do me too much honour, Your Excellency,\u201d he said. \u201cI am but a\nhumble private but I will use all diligence to serve you faithfully.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am glad you are troubled by no foolish scruples as to desertion,\u201d\nsaid the general, who nevertheless was somewhat surprised at the ready\nacceptance of his proposal. \u201cThere is something I desire you to do at\nonce to prove your sincerity.\u201d\n\nIn a low voice General Katsuyori gave an order to an _aide-de-camp_,\nwho retired and after a little time came back with a written paper\nwhich he handed to his chief. It purported to be a letter from\nSadayoshi to his son, informing him that, on account of a sudden\noutbreak of insurrection, Lord Tokugawa was unable to despatch troops\nto the relief of the Castle of Nagashino and that there was nothing to\nbe done but to give it up on the best terms available. The letter was\na skilful imitation of Sadayoshi\u2019s hand, for it had been written by an\nofficer who had once served under him and who was well acquainted with\nhis style.\n\nShowing the forgery to Katsutaka with no little pride, Katsuyori said:\u2014\n\n\u201cNow, my man, you must write another letter to confirm the intelligence\ncontained in this one, and both letters shall be at once shot over the\nwalls. What! do you hesitate?\u201d\n\nSeeing no course open to him but to obey, Katsutaka did as required.\nThe two missives were then fastened to an arrow and shot into the\ncastle by a skilled archer.\n\nThe consternation and disappointment of the expectant garrison can be\nbetter imagined than described. All the more bitter was this news from\nthe hope that had preceded it. Strong men wept.\n\nBut Okudaira Jiyemon, chief Councillor, having closely examined the\nletters, burst out laughing.\n\n\u201cIt is hardly an occasion for mirth, Jiyemon,\u201d said Sadamasa, much\ndispleased at this untimely merriment. \u201cMay I inquire the nature of the\njoke?\u201d\n\n\u201cHa, ha, ha! I beg your lordship\u2019s pardon, but Katsuyori is a dull\nfellow to imagine we could be taken in so easily. Be so good as to look\nat this paper\u2014it is not the kind manufactured in this province such as\nour lord always uses, but in theirs. That one fact gives them away.\nNever fear, my lord! Take my word for it, Katsutaka\u2019s signals told the\ntruth. This is but a plot to deceive us into surrendering before help\ncomes.\u201d\n\nIt was now plain to all that the letters were not genuine and their\nspirits again rose. Going up to the high tower Sadamasa called so that\nthe sentinels on the other side could hear him.\n\n\u201cSoldiers of Kai, approach! I have something to say in answer to the\nletters sent me but now. Request an officer to come near enough to hear\nmy words.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: He raised his voice so that every word rang clear and\ndistinct]\n\nNothing doubting but that Sadamasa wished to make terms of surrender,\nKatsuyori himself came forth, attended by his suite.\n\n\u201cAccept my best thanks for your arrow-letters,\u201d began Sadamasa\npolitely. \u201cIt was good of you to pass on my father\u2019s communication\nand I am much obliged to you.\u201d Then suddenly changing his tone, \u201cDo you\nthink,\u201d he thundered, \u201cthat such a clumsy trick could deceive us or\ninduce me to give up the stronghold of my ancestors? Fools! The laugh\nis on our side! Ha, ha, ha!\u201d\n\n\u201cHa, ha, ha!\u201d roared the men behind him greatly enjoying the\ndiscomfiture of the men below.\n\nKatsuyori was furious.\n\n\u201cGo, Katsutaka,\u201d he shouted. \u201cGo to the edge of the moat and tell them\nthat no reinforcements are coming\u2014that they must surrender!\u201d\n\nGuarded by two men, for he had not yet been set at liberty, Katsutaka\nstepped forward to the edge of the moat, and raising his voice so that\nevery word rang clear and distinct:\u2014\n\n\u201cListen, my lord, and comrades,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat I tell you is the\ntruth. Lord Tokugawa and the two Lords Oda, with an allied army of\n70,000 men are hastening to your rescue. They will be here to-morrow\nwithout fail. The arrow-letters are utterly false. Rest assured!\u201d\n\nSo wholly unexpected was this bold speech that no one thought of\nstopping it till the mischief was done. As a mighty cheer\nwent up from the besieged, however, the infuriated soldiers of the\ninvesting army seized Katsutaka and in mad fury kicked and cuffed\nhim mercilessly. Then at Katsuyori\u2019s command they crucified him just\nopposite the main gate of the castle he had given his life to save.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nEarly the next morning the allied forces came and the Kai army being\nutterly routed, the siege was raised.\n\n[4] A koku is about four bushels; in feudal days it was customary to\npay the samurai in rice.\n\n\n\n\n                      THE WRESTLING OF A DAIMIO\n\n\nIn the second month of the fifteenth year of Tensh\u014d (A.D. 1587),\nToyotomi Hideyoshi, who had brought the greater part of Japan under his\nsway, crossed over to the Island of Ky\u016bshi\u016b with a large army, in order\nto subjugate Shimazu Yoshihisa, an independent daimio governing eight\nof the nine provinces that form the island. The following month Gam\u014d\nUjisato, a renowned general in Hideyoshi\u2019s army, advanced to the Castle\nof Ganshaku in the province of Buzen, and attacked it fiercely for\nthree successive days. The garrison, however, offered such a stubborn\nresistance that little impression was made; and it seemed unlikely\nthat the fortress would fall into the hands of the besiegers for some\ntime. Ujisato, being a man of impetuous and fiery disposition, lost all\npatience, and rated his men soundly.\n\n\u201cCowards!\u201d he shouted. \u201cHow is it you are so long in taking such an\ninsignificant place? Have you all turned women? I will take the castle\nsingle-handed!\u201d\n\nHe dashed to the front, spurring his steed recklessly forward in the\nvery teeth of a volley of arrows and bullets that was directed at him.\nBut as he neared the ramparts a shot struck his horse in the abdomen\ncausing it, with a scream of agony, to rear itself up on its hind legs\nand throw its rider backwards off the saddle. At the instant, the gate\nof the castle was flung open, and a number of men rushed out. The\nfallen warrior encompassed by the foe thought his end had come, when\na giant clad in black armour and mounted on a great chestnut horse\ndashed to the rescue. With mighty strokes he cut and hewed right and\nleft, scattering the enemy like leaves before the wind of autumn. Some\nfell dead beneath the hoofs of his horse, others took to their heels\nand regained the shelter of the walls. Nishimura Gonshir\u014d did not\ntrouble himself to follow the fugitives, but leaping from his charger\nhastened to raise his chief. Ujisato was but slightly wounded, and with\nGonshir\u014d\u2019s help was able to mount the latter\u2019s horse.\n\n\u201cA thousand thanks, my gallant fellow,\u201d he said, gathering up the\nreins. \u201cBut for you I should by this time have been a dead man. I shall\nnever forget you have saved my life this day, and it will be my\ngreat pleasure after the war to express my gratitude in some tangible\nform.\u201d\n\nThe example of Gonshir\u014d\u2019s heroic deed seemed to put new spirit into\nUjisato\u2019s men, and with greater determination and bravery they stormed\nthe castle. As a result in the course of a few hours the garrison was\nobliged to surrender, and before many days had elapsed all Ky\u016bshi\u016b had\nsubmitted to Hideyoshi\u2019s rule.\n\nWhen quiet was restored Hideyoshi bestowed rewards on all the daimios\nwho had fought for him, and Ujisato was promoted to the Governorship\nof Matsuzaka Castle in the province of Is\u00e9 with an annual income of\n300,000 _koku_ of rice.\n\nAll in their turns, and according to their degrees, Ujisato rewarded\nthose of his vassals who had distinguished themselves under his\nleadership. Some were given handsome gifts; others had their stipends\nraised. Gonshir\u014d who considered he had done a greater deed than any of\nthe others, seeing that he had saved his master\u2019s life at the risk of\nhis own, naturally expected to receive some special favour. But greatly\nto his surprise and chagrin no acknowledgment was made. What could be\nthe reason?\n\nAt first he felt no little resentment and brooded over this\nneglect. But after a time, being a man who cared little for gain, he\nlet the affair fade from his mind though he still felt sore when he\nhappened to think of it.\n\nMeanwhile the summer had come and gone, and now the 15th of September\nwas here. The night of all the year on which the atmosphere in Japan is\nmost translucent and the moon shines with the greatest brilliancy. The\nnight when men of a poetic turn sit up into the small hours composing\nverses on the beauty of the scene, the while they sip _sak\u00e9_ from\ndelicate porcelain cups to aid the fickle muse. On this night therefore\nUjisato gave a \u201cmoon-viewing party,\u201d inviting a large number of his\nretainers to a banquet in the main hall of his castle.\n\nThe witching light of the full moon wrapt the stern old pile; the tiny\nripples on the moat glistened like liquid gold; the crickets shrilled\nmusically among the tall grasses. The sliding screens had been removed\nand the calm beauty without softened and impressed the hearts of the\nsturdy warriors inured to scenes so different of bloodshed and the din\nof battle. Now it was that charmed by the loveliness around them many\nbegan to compose verses in adoration of the scene, and Ujisato\u2019s\nwere among the best. But after a time the _sak\u00e9_ of which they partook,\nnot sparingly, went to their heads, and it is not surprising that some\nof the would-be poets became a little elevated. The talk turned to\ntales of war and one and another recounted deeds of prowess performed\nby himself in the face of danger and difficulty. Nor was the host, Lord\nUjisato himself, above a little boasting in his cups and it was thus he\nspoke:\u2014\n\n\u201cListen, my friends,\u201d he began. \u201cDo you remember the fierce assault\nof the Castle of Ganshaku at the beginning of this year? The mere\nmention of it makes my blood boil! We attacked the castle three days\nwithout a break yet could make no headway. You men lost heart. To rouse\nyou to a final effort I rode up to the gate alone\u2014alone, in the face\nof the enemy amid a perfect hailstorm of missiles. A bullet struck\nmy horse and he fell\u2014I under him. Seizing the opportunity the enemy\npoured out and surrounded me nine or ten deep\u2014I determined to sell my\nlife dear\u201d ... here the narrator paused to wipe his face from which\nthe perspiration was streaming from the energy with which he spoke.\nGonshir\u014d\u2019s heart leapt, he bent forward his face eager\u2014now, at last his\nlord was about to reward his patient waiting and acknowledge his\nservice before all men.\n\n\u201cTo sell my life dear,\u201d repeated Ujisato with gleaming eyes. \u201cSo I\nfought as I had never done before with the courage of despair. Some I\ncut down, others I put to flight, finally I succeeded in remounting my\nhorse and rode into the castle before the enemy could close the gates\nagainst me. Seeing my intrepid action you were inspired by my spirit,\nand following closely on my heels, you all did your best and the\nfortress was taken.\u201d\n\nThus did Ujisato omit all mention of Gonshir\u014d and overlook his gallant\ndeed. This base ingratitude was more than the faithful retainer could\nbear!\n\n\u201cGonshir\u014d begs permission to speak a word, your lordship,\u201d he said\nbrusquely.\n\n\u201cBy all means,\u201d assented Ujisato. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d\n\n\u201cForgive me, your lordship, but what you said just now is hardly\ncorrect.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat! You imply I spoke an untruth!\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, your lordship. You talk as if you had ridden into the castle\nunaided. That is not true. When you fell from your horse and were\nsurrounded by the enemy\u2019s men I hastened to your rescue and it was\nmy horse on which I assisted you to mount. By my timely help you\nwere enabled to ride into the castle. It is but bare justice that you\nshould amend your statement and acknowledge that you were saved from\ncertain death by Gonshir\u014d, your lordship.\u201d\n\nThis bold speech caused no little stir amongst the guests. Many of\nthose present could bear witness to the truth of the rough soldier\u2019s\nwords. They waited with bated breath for what would follow.\n\nUjisato was moved to make a frank avowal. It had long been in his\nmind to requite Gonshir\u014d\u2019s great service by a suitable reward, and it\nwas his intention to appoint him governor of the castle of Tag\u00e9 which\nwas a small fortress attached to the large castle of Matsuzaka where\nhe himself resided. But Tag\u00e9 Castle occupied a naturally strong site\nand stood in relation to the greater castle in such a situation that\nif a rebellion broke out in it, or if it were taken by an enemy, the\nsafety of Matsuzaka would be immediately threatened. It was of the\nfirst importance, therefore, that it should be placed in the hands\nof an absolutely trustworthy man, and the cautious Ujisato wished\nto be quite sure of the loyalty of Gonshir\u014d and to test him to the\nutmost before putting him in a position of so much importance and\nresponsibility.\n\n\u201cSilence, Gonshir\u014d!\u201d thundered the daimio, keeping up the part he had\ndecided to play a little longer. \u201cHow dare you say such a thing of your\nlord! Liar! I have no recollection of being saved by you or by any one\nelse.\u201d\n\n\u201cStrange, my lord! Your words at the time were, \u2018A thousand thanks,\nGonshir\u014d! But for you I should have been dead by now. I shall never\nforget what you have done and after the war I will give you a reward.\u2019\nI want no reward\u2014I am a plain soldier with neither wife nor child\u2014but\nit is unbearable that you should thus ignore my service. It is an\nundoubted fact, my lord, that I did save your life and thus opened the\nway for our troops to take the castle of Ganshaku.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is a lie! You did not save my life.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is the truth! I did save you!\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are drunk; you do not know what you are saying. I repeat, you did\nnot save my life!\u201d\n\nGonshir\u014d\u2019s blood was up. He threw discretion to the winds.\n\n\u201cIngrate and liar! I did save your life!\u201d\n\n\u201cA lie!\u201d\n\nUjisato frowned darkly and seemed about to have the daring offender\npunished as he deserved, but apparently changing his mind, he laughed\ngood-humouredly and:\u2014\n\n\u201cLook here, Gonshir\u014d,\u201d he said, \u201cyou insist that you saved me; I deny\nit. At this rate there can be no end of the matter for each holds to\nhis own opinion. But to settle the question once for all let us have a\nwrestling bout, you and I. If I am beaten I will admit that you saved\nme as you aver, and prostrating myself before you with both hands on\nthe ground I will humbly beg your pardon for what I have said. That\nwill be as great an humiliation as removing one\u2019s helmet on the field\nof battle and surrendering to the foe. On the other hand, should you\nbe thrown you will be branded as a liar and ordered to commit\n_seppuku._ Will you wrestle with me on those conditions?\u201d\n\nThe guests were amazed. One whispered to another.\n\n\u201cWhat a proposal!\u201d\n\n\u201cMonstrously unfair!\u201d\n\n\u201cOne contestant risks his life, the other a mere apology!\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat are the chances?\u201d\n\n\u201cGonshir\u014d is the better man.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere I disagree with you\u2014our lord has the greater skill. I wager his\nlordship will win.\u201d\n\n\u201cGonshir\u014d will never accept such conditions\u2014they are too unequal!\u201d\n\nWhile these whispers were going round Gonshir\u014d with head bent took an\ninstant\u2019s thought. Then he looked up, stern defiance in his eye.\n\n\u201cMy lord,\u201d he said, \u201cI take up your challenge! I accept your conditions\nunfair though they be. I am a samurai and as such shrink from no\ndanger. Strong in the truth of my cause I will wrestle with you.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood! At once. Prepare!\u201d\n\n\u201cYour lordship, I am ready.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: Gonshir\u014d threw him by a supreme effort down on to the\nmats]\n\nA space was cleared in the centre of the hall whilst the two champions\ndivested themselves of all unnecessary clothing. Then the struggle\nbegan, and being well-nigh equally matched for some time neither\ngained any advantage over his opponent. At last, however, with a loud\nshout Gonshir\u014d managed to twist his body, and by a dexterous movement\nraised his adversary on his shoulders, to throw him by a supreme effort\ndown on to the mats at a distance of eight or nine feet. Ujisato\nswooned, and great was the consternation with which all rushed to his\nassistance. Restoratives were administered and to the relief\nof the company consciousness soon returned. The defeated combatant\nwas able, leaning on the arm of an attendant, to retire to his own\nprivate apartments. The banquet, of course, was abandoned, most of the\nguests returning home. Gonshir\u014d left the castle in great dejection and\nexasperation.\n\n\u201cWhat a fool my lord has shown himself,\u201d were his thoughts. \u201cI could\nnever have conceived it of him. I will remain in his service no longer.\nIt is not on this place alone that the sun shines. A man of my prowess\ncan find a billet anywhere. Heigh ho! I will go and seek service with\nsome other daimio\u2014some one I can respect more than I can my Lord\nUjisato.\u201d\n\nHaving made up his mind it did not take Gonshir\u014d long to get ready. At\nmidnight he stole secretly away intending never to return.\n\nThe next morning all the samurai made their appearance at the castle to\nenquire after the health of their lord\u2014all that is, but Gonshir\u014d. The\ndaimio who had quite recovered himself noticed his absence and calling\nGam\u014d Gonzaemon, one of his _kar\u014d_, or chief councillors, he asked what\nhad become of him.\n\n\u201cI beg to inform, your lordship,\u201d replied the _kar\u014d_, \u201cI have just\nheard a report that he has not been seen this morning and it\nis surmised that he has run away in consequence of the unfortunate\noccurrence of last evening.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf that is true,\u201d exclaimed Ujisato, \u201cI am indeed sorry. I did but\ndissimulate in order to test his fidelity, and if my words have lost me\na good retainer I shall be much grieved. Order a search to be made and\nwhen he is found bring him instantly before me. Tell him I did but jest\nand that he shall have a liberal reward for the service he did me. Go\nat once, Gonzaemon; he cannot have gone far.\u201d\n\nSo the missing samurai was sought for in every likely and unlikely\nplace, but without success. Nothing was seen or heard of him for many a\nlong day.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nAn emaciated, shabbily dressed _r\u014dnin_[5] carrying two swords with worn\nand ragged hilt-strings and rusty scabbards, and having on his dusty\nfeet well-worn straw sandals, walked up, with the swagger peculiar to\nhis caste, to the front door of Gonzaemon\u2019s residence.\n\n\u201cInsolent fellow!\u201d cried the attendant whose business it was to answer\nthe door. \u201cThis is not the place for you. If you would ask alms go\nto the back.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am no beggar to crave for alms,\u201d replied the stranger proudly. \u201cI\nam one Nishimura Gonshir\u014d, till three years ago in the service of Lord\nUjisato. I have come to speak a word with your master. Kindly inform\nhis honour of my visit.\u201d\n\nGonzaemon was delighted to hear of the return of the long vainly sought\nabsentee. To the disgust of the usher who looked with disdain on the\ndirty and travel-worn appearance of the guest, he was admitted into the\ninner guest chamber. After a cordial greeting Gonzaemon asked:\u2014\n\n\u201cAnd how have you been getting along since you left us so suddenly,\nGonshir\u014d?\u201d\n\n\u201cBut badly, your honour. They say \u2018a faithful servant never serves\ntwo masters,\u2019 but my case has been different. You see, I forsook my\nlord and of my own will became a _r\u014dnin_. Hoping to enter the service\nof a more honourable chief I travelled from one province to another.\nBut I was always unfortunate. Those whom I would have chosen to serve\nwould have none of me\u2014a deserter from another clan; those who would\nhave accepted me were not good enough to suit my taste. After long and\nbitter experiences I have come to the conclusion that there is no\ndaimio so worthy of allegiance as my former master, Lord Gam\u014d. So I\nhave come back to see if he will overlook my bad conduct in the past\nand let me re-enter his ranks. Of course, I do not expect to receive\nmy former pay. I shall be grateful and more than satisfied if he will\nlet me wait upon him as a humble attendant. Will you be so kind as to\nintercede for me?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou have done right to come back,\u201d answered the _kar\u014d_, kindly. \u201cSooth\nto say, our lord has greatly regretted his foolish jest and has caused\nstrict search to be made to discover your whereabouts and if possible\nget you to return. He will rejoice to hear my news. Wait here and\nrefresh yourself while I go and tell him.\u201d\n\nGonzaemon did not keep his visitor waiting long. He told Gonshir\u014d that\nhis lordship was pleased that he had come back and desired to see him\nat once.\n\n\u201cExcuse my mentioning such a thing,\u201d continued, the _kar\u014d_, \u201cbut your\ngarments are worn and travel-stained. May I not accommodate you with a\nchange of apparel before you present yourself before his lordship?\u201d\n\n\u201cOn no account,\u201d returned the samurai. \u201cYou are very kind, but\nallow me to go as I am. My shabby condition will give my lord some idea\nof the hardships I have undergone as a _r\u014dnin_.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs you please, my independent fellow!\u201d\n\nThe two men so different in aspect went up to the castle and waited in\nan ante-room till summoned to Lord Gam\u014d\u2019s presence.\n\n\u201cAh, Gonshir\u014d!\u201d he called out genially. \u201cI am mightily glad to see you\nagain. You were too hasty in running away. I was but teasing you and\nyou took my words in bitter earnest. I hope you will take your old\nplace and serve me as faithfully as before.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour kind words overwhelm me, your lordship,\u201d said Gonshir\u014d humbly.\n\u201cI have no words in which to express my sense of your clemency. I will\nhenceforth serve you to the uttermost of my ability.\u201d\n\nThe good-natured Gonzaemon was delighted to witness this reconciliation\nbetween chief and vassal. The daimio ordered a feast to be prepared in\nhonour of the occasion, and presently, over the good cheer, they all\nbecame very merry. It was not long before Ujisato began, as on a former\noccasion, to talk rather boastfully of his exploits and his prowess on\nthe field.\n\n\u201cGonshir\u014d, when I wrestled with you that time, we all remember,\nI was beaten because I was half intoxicated,\u201d he said. \u201cSince then\nmy health has much improved and I am much heavier and stronger than\nbefore. On the other hand, your many hardships have greatly reduced you\nand you are a mere shadow of your former self. Should we try a bout\nnow, you would have no chance at all.\u201d\n\nIt might have been thought that learning wisdom from bitter experience\nGonshir\u014d would have had the sense to agree with his lord\u2019s words, and\nto have said \u201cThat is very true, your lordship. It was but by a fluke\nthat I won before; I should have not the slightest chance now.\u201d But\nfoolish fellow that he was, he forgot everything but the supposed\naspersion on his strength and skill which he could not allow to pass\nunchallenged.\n\n\u201cI am very thin as your lordship truly observes,\u201d he said bluntly,\n\u201cbut my strength is unabated. It is fitting that a samurai should be\nstronger than his chief. My muscles were hardened in many a field of\nbattle and in friendly contests\u2014they are like wires. Excuse me, but I\ncould not be thrown though five\u2014nay ten\u2014men of your weight should set\nupon me at the same time.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat, braggart! You still boast of your strength! Well, if you\nare so sure of yourself you shall wrestle with me again.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith pleasure, your lordship!\u201d said the undaunted samurai.\n\n\u201cGet ready!\u201d\n\n\u201cI am ready, your lordship.\u201d\n\nWith these words the two men rose and prepared for the struggle.\nGonzaemon wondered at their infatuation. For years Ujisato had\nregretted the act that had cost him a faithful retainer. For years\nGonshir\u014d had wandered a _r\u014dnin_, homeless, and often without food.\nChief and vassal had become reconciled and all was going well, when,\nfor the sake of a little paltry pride, this happy state of things was\nagain endangered and a permanent estrangement might be the result. He\nstrove to remonstrate but neither would listen. All he could do was\nto advise Gonshir\u014d, by dumb signs, to allow himself to be beaten; and\nGonshir\u014d coming too late to a better understanding of his rash conduct\nanswered in the same manner, \u201cI will.\u201d\n\nSatisfied that he had averted a catastrophe, the _kar\u014d_ offered to\nact as umpire, standing up with an open fan in his hand. After the\npreliminary moves the combatants grappled, and a hard tussle it was.\nGonshir\u014d honestly intended to let his master have the satisfaction\nof winning. \u201cBut,\u201d thought he, \u201cif I let myself be thrown too easily\nmy lord will suspect something; besides I cannot let him think me\nquite such a weakling as he would make out.\u201d Warming to the fight he\nagain thought, \u201cIf I allow myself to be beaten, having strength to\nwin, I should be a contemptible creature selling himself for the sake\nof his place and pay. Nothing disgraces a samurai so much as to be a\nflatterer. \u2018A man lives for but one generation, but a good name lives\nforever.\u2019 A good name is above all material rewards. I cannot pretend\ndefeat. I must do my best at all costs and come what may, throw my lord\nagain.\u201d\n\nHereupon he braced his feet and bent his body, and with a loud shout\nshouldered his opponent, and threw him down three mats off just as he\nhad done before.\n\nThe umpire never doubting that Gonshir\u014d had followed his counsel and\nthat it was he who was thrown, ran forward, exclaiming:\u2014\n\n\u201cWell done, my lord! I never saw a better throw!\u201d\n\nHe had no time to say more before he found out his mistake. What was\nhis dismay to find that Gonshir\u014d was again the victor and that it was\nhis lord who had thus a second time suffered a humiliating defeat. It\nwas too exasperating! The same story over again.\n\nNow that his excitement had cooled down somewhat, Gonshir\u014d was covered\nwith shame and mortification at what he had done.\n\nUjisato rose without assistance and stamping his foot as though in rage\nstalked off to an inner apartment.\n\n\u201cFool that I am, I have done it again!\u201d cried Gonshir\u014d in despair. \u201cIn\nspite of your advice, in spite of my own determination, my vanity got\nthe upper hand and forgetting all else I committed this unpardonable\noffence a second time. I will disembowel myself and I beg you to do me\nthe honour to witness the act!\u201d\n\nSo saying the unhappy man took up the short sword he had laid aside and\nwas on the point of plunging it into his body, when the sliding door\nwas hastily pushed open and Ujisato ran forward just in time to arrest\nhis arm.\n\n\u201cHold, hold! Gonshir\u014d,\u201d he cried. \u201cYou are always too impetuous. I do\nnot blame you for this\u2014it is the true samurai spirit\u2014the same spirit\nthat in spite of want, of hunger and rags, disdains to flatter for the\nsake of gain. My brave fellow, I honour you for this! It might have\nbeen that the hardships of the last three years had changed your\ncharacter\u2014that you might now have been willing to sell your honour\nfor my favour and worldly prosperity\u2014so I feigned drunkenness and a\nboastful spirit that once more I might challenge you to fight and thus\ntest you to the full. You have stood the test nobly. You disdained to\nflatter even at such a cost. You are indeed the pattern of all that a\nsamurai should be! In recognition of your signal service to me at the\nstorming of the Castle of Ganshaku I appoint you Governor of the Castle\nof Tag\u00e9 with a stipend of 10,000 _koku_. As a reward for throwing me\nto-day in the face of every temptation to do otherwise I give you a\nfurther stipend of 1,000 _koku_; and in acknowledgment of the defeat\nI sustained at your hands three years ago you shall have yet another\n1,000. Here is your writ of appointment.\u201d\n\nAt this unexpected magnanimity on the part of his lord even Gonshir\u014d,\nhardened warrior though he was, could not restrain his tears.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nIn the years following, Gonshir\u014d served his chief, Lord Gam\u014d,\nfaithfully and with devotion. When Ujisato was poisoned through the\nwiles of an adversary his loyal vassal killed himself in order to\naccompany his dearly loved master to Hades.\n\n[5] A samurai who had renounced his clan and become a wanderer.\n\n\n\n\n                    THE STORY OF KIMURA SHIGENARI\n\n\n                                  I.\n\nIn the eighteenth year of Keich\u014d (A.D. 1613) Toyotomi Hideyoshi had\nbeen dead fourteen years and his son, Hideyori, now two and twenty\nshould have been ruling over Japan as Regent in his stead. But his\nadherents had sustained a crushing defeat at the hands of the troops\nof his rival, Tokugawa Iyeyasu, at the battle of Sekigahara, and the\ntide of fortune had turned from him. All the daimios had given in their\nallegiance to Iyeyasu, and he was appointed Shogun by the Emperor. A\nfew years later he abdicated in favour of his son Hidetada, though\nin reality he still steered the ship of state. On the other hand\nHideyori\u2019s star had been fast declining. He was now merely the Lord of\nSettsu and Kawachi, comparatively, small provinces, with the honorary\ntitle of \u201cMinister of the Right.\u201d Nevertheless, in his stronghold,\nthe \u201cimpregnable\u201d Castle of Osaka, built by his father, Hideyoshi,\nat an enormous cost, there were still, it is said, some 100,000\nmen, among whom were many brave and loyal officers such as Katagiri\nKatsumoto, Sanada Yukimura, Suzukida Hayato and Kimura Shigenari, the\nlast of whom is the hero of this story.\n\nA few powerful daimios, remembering with gratitude the great favours\nthey had received from Hideyoshi, in secret still adhered to the cause\nof his son and watched for an opportunity to strike for the restoration\nof the Toyotomis\u2019 power and prestige. Iyeyasu, with his accustomed keen\ninsight, perceived the situation and determined by one stroke to settle\nmatters once for all. This was the state of affairs between the two\ngreat families, and it was felt that hostilities might break out again\nat any moment.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nShigenari now twenty years of age had served Hideyori as page and\nattendant since his childhood. His intelligence and loyalty, above all,\nhis prowess in arms and knowledge of tactics had just led Hideyori\u2019s\nPrime Councillor, Katagiri Katsumoto, to promote him over the heads\nof some older men to a high rank in the army, with the title of\nNagato-no-Kami, or Lord of Nagato province, and an annual allowance of\n7,000 _koku_ of rice. Mano Yorikan\u00e9, one of Hideyori\u2019s veteran\ngenerals, admiring his courage and sterling character, gave tangible\nproof of his admiration by bestowing his beautiful and accomplished\ndaughter, Aoyagi, on him for a wife.\n\nWith all his manly attributes and physical strength, Shigenari was\nexceptionally handsome, of a slender build, and possessed of a gentle\ngraceful manner. At first glance it was his beauty and refinement that\nstruck the beholder, not his strength and ability. For this reason\nthose of the warriors who had not had opportunity to witness his skill\nas a soldier were inclined to regard his sudden promotion with wonder\nand some suspicion, one or two even going so far as to say\u2014behind\nhis back\u2014\u201cShigenari is esteemed above his merits. He is effeminate\nand gentle; in war he will show cowardice and fly from the sounds of\nstrife.\u201d Among the backbiters was a _chab\u014dzu_ or \u201ctea-priest\u201d[6] called\nYamazo\u00e9 Ry\u014dkwan, a notorious bully and drunkard. Possessing undoubted\nskill in military arts and great muscular strength, he was apt to be\nboastful; and the idea seized him to pick a quarrel with Shigenari\nand thereby to provoke a contest between them and humiliate the courtly\nhero.\n\nWith this object Ry\u014dkwan one day hid himself behind a screen; and as\nShigenari passed hurriedly along the matted corridor on his way to the\naudience chamber, the tea-priest suddenly thrust his sheathed sword in\nhis way. The surprised warrior leapt lightly over it, but the skirt of\nhis _hakama_ touched it as he did so. Ry\u014dkwan sprang out of ambush.\n\n\u201cKimura Dono, you go too fast!\u201d he shouted angrily. Shigenari turned\nback.\n\n\u201cExcuse my rudeness,\u201d he said courteously.\n\n\u201cYour apology is too late! It came only after my demand.\u201d\n\n\u201cForgive my double rudeness, Yamazo\u00e9, I was in such haste that I did\nnot consider. Excuse me!\u201d\n\n\u201cYou speak like a fool! If you are late it is your own fault, and do\nyou think you may tread on my sword with impunity? It is true that I\nam a tea-priest and your inferior in rank, yet I also am a samurai! A\nsamurai\u2019s sword is his soul. You have trodden on my soul, and such an\ninsult is inexcusable! Out of malice you did it. I challenge you to a\nduel!\u201d\n\n\u201cYou speak wildly; why should I bear malice towards you, or wish\nto insult you?\u201d\n\n\u201cThen why did you tread on my sword?\u201d\n\n\u201cI have already explained;\u2014because I am in haste to present myself to\nmy lord.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen allow me to do to you what I choose and I will accept your\napology.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy all means; do to me as you wish.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will take that!\u201d and he struck a blow at Shigenari\u2019s cheek with all\nthe force of his bare hand.\n\nShigenari smiled.\n\n\u201cThank you for your chastisement!\u201d he said, and went on his way.\n\nRy\u014dkwan now strutted arrogantly about the castle, giving every one\nhe met a highly-coloured account of what had occurred, and calling\nShigenari \u201ca white-livered samurai.\u201d Those who were jealous of\nShigenari\u2019s promotion repeated the story in still more exaggerated\nterms, in consequence of which many samurai who had no real knowledge\nof the young officer\u2019s character believed the tale and laughed to scorn\nhis supposed pusillanimity. Shigenari knew all about this, but did not\nlet it disturb him at all.\n\nNot so his father-in-law, Yorikan\u00e9. Being fiery-tempered and extremely\npunctilious concerning points of honour, he no sooner heard of the\nincident than he hurried to Shigenari\u2019s residence and demanded to see\nhim.\n\n\u201cWelcome, father-in-law,\u201d said the young man composedly. \u201cPray sit\ndown.\u201d\n\n\u201cSit down? No, I cannot sit down, and never again call me \u2018father.\u2019 I\nhave come to tell you that you must divorce my daughter at once.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is very sudden! What reason can you give for your strange\nrequest?\u201d\n\n\u201cFool that I was to give my daughter to a white-livered samurai such as\nyou!\u201d\n\n\u201cHa! Do you use such a term of me!\u201d\n\n\u201cYou feign ignorance! Well, then, I will tell you why men call you a\ncoward. Listen! It is said you let your cheek be struck by that low\ntea-priest a day or two ago and he still lives to tell the tale! Has it\npassed from your mind so soon? Ah, I see you recollect it!\u201d\n\n\u201cSurely, I remember that Ry\u014dkwan struck my cheek with his hand, but\nwhat of it!\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat of it? What of it? Can a samurai receive a deadly insult like\nthat and suffer it to pass unnoticed! Coward! How came you to\npermit him to do it in the first instance?\u201d\n\n\u201cRy\u014dkwan put his sword in my way as I was hurrying to the presence of\nmy lord; the hem of my _hakama_ just touched it as I passed over but\nthe man insisted that I had trodden on it and by design. It is evident\nhe meant to pick a quarrel with me in any case. I apologised, but he\nrefused to listen. Deeming it waste of time to argue with a bully,\nto end the matter as speedily as possible, I let him strike me as he\nwished. That is the whole affair.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndolent coward!\u201d exclaimed Yorikan\u00e9, more incensed now that he\nheard Shigenari\u2019s account than he had been before. \u201cRy\u014dkwan is a mere\ntea-priest, and you are a samurai of high rank in close attendance on\nour lord. There can be no comparison as to your respective standing\u2014you\nshould have killed him on the spot. Your conduct is totally\ninexplicable!\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are mistaken, father, when you say I should have killed him.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow? There can be no two opinions on the matter. Where is your sense\nof honour? I will waste no more words on you. Let my daughter return\nhome at once. I am ashamed to be called your father-in-law.\u201d\n\n\u201cCalm yourself, father, and hear me for but a moment. Do you imagine I\noverlooked Ry\u014dkwan\u2019s insolent behaviour because I was afraid of him?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat else can I think?\u201d\n\n\u201cThen listen. Recollect, father, that a samurai\u2019s life is not his\nown\u2014it belongs to his liege lord. Judging from the strained relations\nbetween our clan and the Tokugawas hostilities may break out at any\ntime....\u201d here Shigenari\u2019s brow clouded and he sighed deeply; \u201cYes,\nwar may break out at any moment now, and on the result hangs the\nfuture destiny of our lord and his clan. It is my intention to fight\nto the utmost of my strength and ability to requite if it be but the\nthousandth part of the many and great favours I have received from our\ngracious master. I shall sell my blood dear for his cause. And this is\nthe bounden duty of every one of us, high and low alike. Our lives have\nnever been more precious\u2014not one can be spared except for the cause.\nIf I had killed Ry\u014dkwan out of resentment for a purely personal insult\nwhat good would it have done? Though his rank is inferior to mine, he\nis still a samurai; and as a samurai his death could not have been\npassed over unnoticed. Besides, Ry\u014dkwan, though in human form, is but\nan insect in my estimation. It would be derogatory for a samurai\nto unsheathe his sword in anger against a mere insect! Therefore....\u201d\n\n\u201cEnough, enough!\u201d interposed the impulsive Yorikan\u00e9. \u201cI understand; you\nare right and I in my haste misjudged you entirely. Forgive me, and\nforget my thoughtless words.\u201d\n\nShigenari smiled, well pleased at the reconciliation.\n\n\u201cWe are father and son again,\u201d went on the older man. \u201cI am proud of\nthe connection\u2014you are a true samurai. But, tell me,\u201d he added with a\nchuckle. \u201cYou call Ry\u014dkwan an insect; to what insect do you compare\nhim?\u201d\n\n\u201cTo a fly,\u201d answered Shigenari. \u201cA fly alights on filth or on an\nEmperor\u2019s crown\u2014it makes no distinction between good and bad, high\nor low. But no one would call a fly an impolite insect. Looking on\nRy\u014dkwan as a man one feels anger and disgust; consider he is but a fly\nand it is unreasonable to have any such feelings, he is beneath them.\nTherefore I take no notice of anything he can do or say.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell argued, Shigenari! What a noble-minded man you are! I admire\nyour wisdom and forbearance. As you say, the war cloud is fast\ndarkening over us and it behoves all loyal samurai to be on their\nguard and not waste their energies on petty quarrels of their\nown. Again I ask your pardon for misconstruing your conduct. Though\nyounger in years, dear Shigenari, you are older than I in judgment and\nforethought. Though old I am still as rash and impetuous as a boy.\u201d\n\nMore than satisfied with the explanation he had received, Yorikan\u00e9\nreturned home, and thenceforth did his best to clear his son-in-law\nfrom the imputation of cowardice. He spoke in glowing terms of\nShigenari\u2019s real motive in his behaviour to the tea-priest, and\ntold in what light he regarded him. Public opinion is ever quick\nto change; and those who had scoffed were soon loud in praise of\nShigenari\u2019s self-repression and loyalty. Ry\u014dkwan, on the other hand,\nwas universally laughed at and nicknamed the \u201cFly-priest.\u201d As a natural\nconsequence, instead of repenting of his misdeed, Ry\u014dkwan\u2019s envy and\nhatred of his superior increased, and he was ever on the watch for a\nchance to vent his spite.\n\nThere was a large bath-room in the castle which was used in common by\nall. It was usual for the samurai on night duty to bathe several at the\nsame time. One evening Ry\u014dkwan happened to see Shigenari going into the\nbath-room, and thinking the time to satisfy his grudge had come, he\nfollowed him unobserved. The room was misty with the dense vapour\nrising from the hot water, and four or five samurai were already in the\nlarge square bath. Taking one of them to be Shigenari the tea-priest\napproached, and mustering all his strength, struck his head a heavy\nblow. The naked man sprang out of the water, and seizing Ry\u014dkwan by\nthe collar, threw him on the floor where he returned the blow he had\nreceived with compound interest.\n\n\u201cI will teach you to strike a defenceless man without provocation!\u201d he\nroared. \u201cDo you know who I am? Suzukida Hayato! Prepare for instant\ndeath!\u201d Then seeing who it was he was belabouring, he exclaimed in\nastonishment:\u2014\n\n\u201cWhy, it\u2019s Ry\u014dkwan, the contemptible Fly-priest! What is your object in\nstriking my head as you did? You will find that though you are only a\nfly you cannot insult Suzukida with impunity!\u201d\n\nFrightened almost out of his wits at the mention of the name Suzukida,\nthat of a hero renowned far and wide for his muscular strength, Ry\u014dkwan\nstammered out:\u2014\n\n\u201cI humbly beg your pardon, Suzukida Sama; it was a mistake. I should\nnever think of striking you, the blow was intended for Kimura\nShigenari. Spare my life, I implore you!\u201d\n\nBut this speech only incensed Suzukida still further.\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d he cried. \u201cWould you strike your benefactor?\u2014the man who\ngenerously pardoned your outrageous conduct to him? Miscreant, I will\ndeal a blow for my friend Kimura. Die!\u201d\n\nWith these words Suzukida raised his iron fist and assuredly Ry\u014dkwan\u2019s\nlast hour had come had it not been that some one caught the hand before\nit fell. Mad with rage Suzukida struggled to free himself but in\nvain\u2014he was held as in a vice. Twisting round he saw to his surprise\nthat his captor was none other than Shigenari himself.\n\n\u201cExcuse my rudeness, Suzukida Dono. Without doubt it is as the coward\nsays\u2014he mistook you for me, a circumstance for which I am extremely\nsorry. It is natural you should resent such an insult, but if you\nstrike him with your fist you will kill him on the spot. He is my\nenemy; may I request you to leave his chastisement to me?\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course,\u201d replied Suzukida with a laugh and nod of assent as\nShigenari released him. \u201cIt is for you to deal with him as you think\nbest. I am told the fellow grows more arrogant and behaves with\nincreasing rudeness to our comrades every day. I trust you will\nsee that he has cause to repent.\u201d\n\nAs soon as Suzukida had left the room, Shigenari helped Ry\u014dkwan to get\nup, and very kindly assisted him to his own chamber where he attended\nto his bruises with great solicitude. When the tea-priest had recovered\nsomewhat, Shigenari said to him, gently remonstrant:\u2014\n\n\u201cHow foolish it is of you, Ry\u014dkwan, to be so proud of your strength\nand in consequence to behave so arrogantly to your comrades and\nsuperiors. A samurai should use his gifts for his lord\u2019s service only.\nYou should exert yourself solely for the benefit of His Highness\nLord Hideyori. It is regrettable that you should waste your powers\nin causeless quarrels and fights. It was fortunate for you that it\nwas I you insulted the other day; had it been some one else you would\nundoubtedly have paid for it with your life on the instant. You have\nsuperior muscular power and no little skill in the use of arms; now\nthat war is so imminent the life of every samurai is precious; that is\nwhy I spared you\u2014that you might live to serve in time of need. But you\ndid not understand my motive and sought occasion to insult me again.\nHow undiscriminating! If I had not interceded for you just now you\nwould have died a useless death at the hands of Suzukida Dono. Is not\na purposeless death like that dishonour for a samurai? If you repent\nyour past mistakes I will ask Suzukida Dono to overlook and pardon your\nrudeness, and I am sure he will not refuse. Will you not amend your\nconduct and from henceforth direct all your energies to doing your very\nbest for our lord and his cause, Ry\u014dkwan?\u201d\n\nTo this long speech delivered with a winning earnestness that pierced\nhim to the heart, Ry\u014dkwan listened with bent head and averted eyes. A\nfew hot tears stole down his rough cheeks; he brushed them away with\nhis sleeve before he answered in a broken voice.\n\n\u201cEvery word you have uttered has cut me to the heart, Kimura Sama,\u201d\nhe said. \u201cYour kindness overwhelms me. I am deeply ashamed of myself,\nand I now see how blind I was not to perceive your noble and unselfish\nmotives in the way you acted. Oh, that I might commit _seppuku_ in\natonement! But to take my life would be in opposition to your kind\ninstruction: as you have pointed out it is the duty of us all to\nlive till we die in our lord\u2019s cause.... If you can forgive me it is\nmy earnest desire that you will take me for your own retainer.\nUnworthy though I am, I entreat you will not deny my request.\u201d\n\nTouched and pleased at the success of his remonstrance, Shigenari\ngladly agreed to do as Ry\u014dkwan asked. Having obtained permission from\nLord Hideyori, they exchanged vows as master and retainer; and thus the\nbrawling, overbearing drunkard of a tea-priest became a changed man,\nand with all the strength of a strong nature devoted himself to the\nservice of the master he adored.\n\n\n                                 II.\n\nThe year following the events just narrated, the strained relations\nbetween the rivals, the Toyotomis and Tokugawas snapped, and as had\nbeen foreseen war was declared. The Ex-Shogun Iyeyasu and the reigning\nShogun Hidetada with an army of 200,000 men lay siege to the Castle of\nOsaka, though as yet they did not venture on very close quarters. The\nbesieged troops, though outnumbered by the enemy, were well commanded\nby numerous veteran generals and defended themselves with courage\nand skill. In several small engagements which took place without the\ncastle, Iyeyasu\u2019s men, ensnared with artfully constructed stratagems,\nsuffered severe defeat. Above all they sustained signal reverses\nat the hands of Shigenari who man\u0153uvered adroitly and fought bravely\nwith his company.\n\nThe siege lasted several months and still the brave little garrison\nheld the enemy at bay. With each success their spirits rose. The shrewd\nIyeyasu, seeing the impossibility of taking the stronghold by force\nand hopeless of starving it out, deemed it would be the best policy\nto patch up peace in some way, and trust to the pride and arrogance\nof the opposing faction to bring about their own downfall. Therefore,\nmost cunningly, through the Emperor\u2019s mediation as it seemed, he\nproposed, nay, almost dictated peace to Hideyori. Most of his generals,\nincluding Sanada Yukimura, Chief of the General Staff, and Shigenari,\nconsidering the present situation favourable to the triumph of their\nside, emphatically opposed such a fatal act; but Hideyori\u2019s infamous\nand beautiful mother Madame Yodogimi who had great influence over her\nson, being persuaded to that effect by her licentious and thoughtless\nfavourites who were weary of the confinement necessitated by the siege,\nthrew all the weight of her maternal authority on the acceptance of the\nterms. Furthermore, the proposal coming from the highest quarter\ncould hardly be slighted; therefore the defenders were almost without\noption compelled to agree to the humiliating terms proposed, which were\nthat Hideyori should destroy the outer moat of his castle\u2014to show the\nsincerity of his peaceful intentions\u2014while Iyeyasu, in return, should\ncede to him the provinces of Kii and Yamato.\n\nA day was appointed for the formal signing of the treaty; and Shigenari\nwas nominated special envoy for the occasion, with K\u014dri Shumenosuk\u00e9 for\nvice-envoy.\n\nIyeyasu had the entrance to his camp strictly guarded; and with a\nview to displaying his authority before all the daimios assembled to\nwitness the ceremony, he secretly instructed his most trusted generals\nto humiliate the expected envoys as much as possible. These officers\nwho felt much chagrin at their frequent defeats were only too glad to\nhave opportunity to wreck vengeance on the enemy by affronting their\nrepresentatives.\n\nShigenari and Shumenosuk\u00e9 arrived on horseback, escorted by a little\nband of some eighty men. On their appearance before the camp of T\u014dd\u014d\nTakatora, the sentinels one after the other called out:\u2014\n\n\u201cHalt, sirs! As His Highness\u2019s camp is so near you must dismount.\u201d\n\nShumenosuk\u00e9 hurriedly pulled up and was about to get off his horse; but\nhis superior stopped him with a gesture, and looked haughtily at the\nmen in front. He cried loudly:\u2014\n\n\u201cWe are Kimura Shigenari and K\u014dri Shumenosuk\u00e9, the representatives of\nLord Toyotomi, Minister of the Right. No code of etiquette requires\nanyone to dismount before his equal in rank. You are insolent! We\nproceed.\u201d\n\nThen Shigenari rode calmly forward followed by his suite.\n\nWhen the envoys came to General Ii\u2019s camp his sentinels likewise\ndemanded that they should dismount.\n\nGiving the same reply as before, Shigenari, disregarding their attempts\nto stop him, put spurs to his horse and rode on.\n\nAt the camp of Lord Echigo more strenuous efforts were made to force\nthe strangers to proceed on foot. In great wrath Shigenari protested\nagainst such unwarranted discourtesy.\n\n\u201cWhat mean you by such conduct?\u201d he cried. \u201cJudging from our reception\nI conclude it is the intention of Iyeyasu to disregard the\nImperial mandate to make peace. Well, then, it is useless to go\nfurther. We will return at once to the castle and report to our lord\nthe shameful treatment we have received!\u201d\n\nSo saying he turned his horse and was about to go back, when Lord\nEchigo\u2019s men seeing, they had gone too far, apologised profusely and\nbegged him to pass on to fulfil his mission.\n\nAt length the envoys came to the entrance of the building where they\nwere to meet the great Ex-Shogun. Here they dismounted and carrying\ntheir swords were about to enter when two ushers intercepted them,\ncrying:\u2014\n\n\u201cYour weapons must be left without!\u201d\n\nIn no wise discomposed Shigenari said sternly:\u2014\n\n\u201cIt is a rule with a samurai never to leave his sword behind when he\ngoes into an enemy\u2019s camp, on any pretext whatever.\u201d\n\nThis being an indisputable fact, the ushers could say no more, but\nled them armed as they were to the spacious apartment which had been\nprepared for the ceremony. A large number of daimios already occupied\ntheir places on two sides of the room. With a manner composed and\ndignified, Shigenari strode into the assembly in no wit daunted by\nthe many hostile looks cast upon him, and took the seat to which he was\ndirected in the centre, facing at a short distance the dais prepared\nfor Iyeyasu when he should make his appearance.\n\nShumenosuk\u00e9 closely followed the deportment of his chief, and took his\nseat beside him.\n\nTwo Masters of the Ceremonies informed them that His Highness would be\nthere presently. \u201cAnd,\u201d they added, \u201cas it is disrespectful to carry\nswords in his august presence you will kindly take them to the ante\nchamber and leave them there.\u201d\n\n\u201cDisrespectful!\u201d thundered Shigenari in tones that reverberated through\nthe hall. \u201cTo whom do you address such a word. Recollect that we are\nthe honourable representatives of the Minister of the Right! The\ndisrespect is on your side and if you repeat your insolence you will\nhave to answer for it!\u201d\n\nAnd he glared so fiercely on the two officials that they withdrew in\nconsternation.\n\nIn a short time Iyeyasu, accompanied by many attendants, made his\nappearance and with impressive solemnity took his seat. All the daimios\nbowed reverently, and awed by his majestic demeanor and the\nexample of others, Shumenosuk\u00e9 did the same. But Shigenari deigned to\ngive the great statesman but the slightest acknowledgment and calmly\nlooked him straight in the face.\n\n\u201cI am glad to see you, Shigenari,\u201d said Iyeyasu mildly. \u201cThank you for\ncoming on this important mission. Your father Hitachi-no-suk\u00e9 and I\nwere intimate friends and I am much indebted to him.\u201d\n\n\u201cPardon me, your Highness,\u201d replied Shigenari, \u201cbut to-day I am the\nmessenger of the Minister of the Right and private matters are out of\nplace.\u201d\n\nThe tactful Iyeyasu, though put in the wrong, showed not the slightest\ntrace of embarrassment. Producing a document from a receptacle in his\nhand, he passed it to Shigenari by an attendant and said quietly:\u2014\n\n\u201cKindly see that this is correct, Shigenari.\u201d\n\nShigenari carefully read over the paper which ran as follows:\u2014\n\n\u201cIn compliance with an Imperial Edict, Iyeyasu and Hideyori agree to\nmake peace, on the sole condition that Hideyori fill up the outer moat\nof his castle as a token of his peaceful intentions. Either of the\nparties concerned who first appeals to arms henceforth, shall\nbe guilty of disobeying the Imperial Mandate and shall be treated\naccordingly.\n\n\u201cKeich\u014d 19, 12th month, 27th day.\u201d\n\nAs he read Shigenari\u2019s face grew darker and darker, and when he came\nto the end he started to his feet and exclaimed indignantly:\u2014\n\n\u201cAre these your terms of peace, Your Highness? If so you have already\ndisobeyed the Imperial command! Prepare!\u201d\n\nSword in hand it seemed as if he were about to attack the old\nstatesman. All present started up and sought to intercept the thrust.\nIyeyasu, alarmed, raised both hands in deprecation and bade the young\nman resume his seat.\n\n\u201cCalm yourself, I pray you,\u201d he said hastily. \u201cOld age makes me\nforgetful. By mistake I have shown you the wrong paper\u2014here is the\nright one.\u201d\n\nThe crafty statesman produced another document from the case he held\nand handed it to Shigenari. It is hardly necessary to explain that this\nwas an artifice. Iyeyasu had caused to be prepared two documents in\ndifferent terms. Should the envoys accept the first in which all the\nadvantage was on his side his intention was to keep back the other in\nwhich were stated the real conditions of the treaty. Shigenari had\nbeen too astute for him. He now examined the new document which read\nthus:\u2014\n\n                           \u201cVOWS OF PEACE\n\n\u201cArticle I.\u2014In compliance with an Imperial Command, Iyeyasu and\n         Hideyori vow to make peace and to enter into friendly\n         relations.\n\n\u201cArticle II.\u2014Hideyori shall destroy the outer moat of his Castle, and\n         Iyeyasu shall in return cede to him the provinces of Kii and\n         Yamato by January next.\n\n\u201cArticle III.\u2014Immediately on the signing of the Vows of Peace, Iyeyasu\n         shall disband his army and depart for Yamato.\n\n\u201cArticle IV.\u2014Either of the parties who violates the above vows and\n         resorts to arms shall be found guilty of disobedience to the\n         Imperial Command and shall be punished by the gods.\n\n                \u201cKeich\u014d 19, 12th month, 27th day.\u201d\n\nShigenari read the paper carefully several times.\n\n\u201cThis is correct, Your Highness. Be pleased to put your signature and\nseal.\u201d\n\nIyeyasu complied. The envoy receiving it back put it into a bag\nmade of rich brocade. Then bowing courteously, he said gravely though\nnot without a touch of sarcasm:\u2014\n\n\u201cI beg to congratulate Your Highness.\u201d\n\nThen turning to the assembled daimios he bowed to them also saying:\u2014\n\n\u201cI thank you for your attendance.\u201d\n\nReceiving their salutations in return, he once more made an obeisance\nto Iyeyasu.\n\n\u201cAllow me to take my leave, Your Highness. Farewell, Your Highness and\nyour Excellencies.\u201d\n\nWith graceful courtesy he bowed once more and with his subordinate left\nthe audience-chamber. All were constrained to admire his noble bearing\nand courage.\n\n\n                                 III.\n\nHideyori faithfully observed his part of the \u201cVows of Peace,\u201d and\nthe outer moat which had constituted the greatest element in the\n\u201cimpregnability\u201d of his castle was filled up and levelled with the\nground. But Iyeyasu who had never had the least intention of fulfilling\nhis part of the treaty held back the stipulated provinces in spite of\nall the demands of Hideyori. Hence in the spring of the following year\nhostilities were resumed, and a great army commanded by Iyeyasu\nonce more invested the Castle of Osaka.\n\nThe garrison made a stubborn resistance for some weeks but the fortress\nwas now shorn of its main protection, and most unfortunately the\ndiscord between Madame Yodogimi\u2019s favourite generals and the other\nofficers assumed formidable dimensions. In consequence, the defenders\nwere severely defeated in more than one engagement, and their numbers\nwere so greatly reduced that it was impossible for them to hold the\ncastle much longer.\n\nOne night Sanada Yukimura, the Chief of the General Staff, met\nShigenari in secret.\n\n\u201cIt is not possible for us to hold out,\u201d he said gloomily. \u201cWe must\neffect the escape of our lord out of the castle and convey him to a\nplace of security\u2014he can take refuge in the province of Lord Shimazu.\nThrough him we may be able to do something to retrieve our losses and\nrestore the power of our clan. Some of us must go with our chief, but\nin order the more easily to get away the enemy must be deluded with\nthe idea that Hideyori and his bravest warriors have fallen; therefore\nwe must leave substitutes behind us who resemble us in some degree.\nTheir bodies will be found, and the enemy will think we are dead and\nnot try to pursue us as they most certainly would do if they thought\nwe had fled. I have found my substitute; do you find yours. I must\nregret that it is necessary for these men to sacrifice their lives for\nours, but we must all act for the future good of the clan to which we\nowe allegiance\u2014all personal considerations must give way. Do you not\napprove of my plan?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is an excellent idea,\u201d replied Shigenari, after some reflection.\n\u201cAnd I heartily approve of it. But if every experienced general leaves\nthe castle even though substitutes are left, the shrewd Iyeyasu\nwill soon suspect the truth. I at any rate must remain. I was seen\nby Iyeyasu and his staff only a short time ago; they will not have\nforgotten my features and cannot be deceived by another man clad in my\narmour. Therefore, I leave the escort of our lord and the restoration\nof the clan to you and the other generals. I will stay alone with the\ngarrison and fight to the last. My death and your life are equally\nnecessary for the sake of our lord. So do not seek to dissuade me. I am\nresolved.\u201d\n\n\u201cA truly noble resolve, my friend,\u201d said Yukimura with admiration.\n\u201cWould that I could remain with you! I am reluctant to leave you alone\nand we shall miss your help, but if you are determined to do\nthis thing far be it from me to dissuade you. It must be well-known\nto the enemy that you are a favourite of our lord and always in close\nattendance on his person; so when they find your dead body on the field\nthey will never suspect he has escaped. Your death in this way will be\nthe means of restoring the power of the Toyotomis. I could find it in\nmy heart to envy you, good comrade!\u201d\n\n\u201cThen that is settled. To-morrow I will charge the enemy\u2019s line with my\nmen and divert his attention while the rest of you steal out from the\nrear.\u201d\n\nAfter a few words of affectionate farewell, the two men parted knowing\nthey would never meet again.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nOn retiring to his room for a brief rest, Shigenari spoke to his young\nwife in his usual cheerful manner.\n\n\u201cTo-morrow our troops are going to make a sally that will effectually\ndispose of the enemy,\u201d he said. \u201cOn such a notable occasion I wish to\nwear the armour my lord graciously gave me last year; pray bring it to\nme.\u201d\n\nWhen his wife brought it he took the helmet; and burning some very\nprecious incense called _Ranjatai_, held the helmet so that the smoke\nascended into it. Aoyagi, divining from his manner that he had some\nsolemn motive for this action, felt her heart sink.\n\n\u201cYou intend to die fighting in to-morrow\u2019s engagement:\u2014is it not so, my\nhusband?\u201d\n\n\u201cDie fighting?\u201d said Shigenari. \u201cWhy do you ask? Does not a soldier\nalways take his life in his hand when he goes to the field of battle?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, but there is some special reason why I think you will fall\nto-morrow. I have often heard that a warrior burns incense into his\nhelmet when he is determined to die on the field. I know the castle\nwill fall before long and I am sure you mean to give up your life in\nto-morrow\u2019s battle. Do not seek to deceive me. I am the daughter of a\nsamurai. I will not let you die alone.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy brave wife! Forgive my hesitation in disclosing to you my resolve.\nI forebore to take you into my confidence fearing just this thing.\u201d\n\nHe then gave his wife an account of his conversation with Sanada\nYukimura and of their decision.\n\n\u201cThough I give up my life for my lord,\u201d he concluded. \u201cDo not be so\nrash as to die with me. It is my wish that you should live and\npray for the prosperity of our lord. Live for his sake. It is my last\nrequest.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour wish is my law,\u201d answered his wife. \u201cI will obey you. I know you\nwill die a glorious death and leave undying fame behind you!\u201d\n\nThen Aoyagi brought _sak\u00e9_ and two tiny cups in which they drank\nto their long farewell. That ceremony over, Aoyagi excused herself\nand retired to her own apartment. As she did not return, Shigenari,\nwondering at her long absence, went to seek her; and to his horror and\namazement found that she had committed suicide with a short sword that\nlay beside the lifeless body. A written paper explained her rash act.\n\n\u201cHusband,\u201d it ran, \u201cforgive my dying before you. I meant to obey you,\nbut I cannot do so. K\u014d-u of China, though a brave warrior overcome with\ngrief at parting with wife, hesitated shamefully before going to his\nlast battle. In our country Kiso Yoshinaka showed the same weakness.\nNot for a moment do I compare you to those men, but still I think that\nI, who losing you will have no further hope in this world, had better\ndie now before you fight your last fight and go to wait for you in\nHades. Do your best against the foe! We shall meet again in the\nSpirit World\u2014till then farewell! Aoyagi.\u201d\n\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe morning of the next day broke clear and cloudless. It was the first\nday of the fifth month in the twentieth year of Keich\u014d (1615).\n\nA large force under the command of Ii Naotaka advanced from the enemy\u2019s\ncamp and rushed to the attack. Shigenari met them at the head of seven\nhundred cavalry, and a fierce struggle took place. With the strength of\ndesperation Shigenari\u2019s company, though so inferior in numbers, beat\nback the foe. But as one regiment was beaten, another and yet another\ndashed forward to take its place, and it was impossible that the castle\nparty could win in the end.\n\n\u201cWe must cut our way into the main regiment,\u201d said Shigenari during\na short breathing space to his faithful retainer Ry\u014dkwan\u2014once known\nas the \u201cTea-priest\u201d\u2014\u201cIf we can only manage to kill Ii Naotaka, the\nCommander in Chief, the enemy will be disheartened and we may have some\nchance.\u201d\n\nThen inspired by the example of their leader, the little band\nhurled themselves on the foe; and unable to stand against such\nfury, the fourth and fifth companies fell back in disorder, and it\nseemed that a general rout would be the result.\n\nIi alone stood his ground. Brandishing his _saihai_ or baton he roared\nin stentorian tones:\u2014\n\n\u201cCowards! Do you fly before such a handful? Back, back, and the day is\nours!\u201d\n\nHis words took instant effect. His flying troops rallied, maintained\ntheir position and fought bravely. Seeing this, Shigenari smiled grimly\nto himself.\n\n\u201cNow is my time to break through the lines, kill Ii and then die!\u201d\n\nPutting spurs to his horse he darted forward swift as a flash of\nlightning, his brilliant helmet and shining armour gleaming in the\nsun. Ry\u014dkwan followed close with his heavy iron rod, and the rest\nof the devoted band strove to keep up, cutting and hewing their way\nthrough the ranks. So violent was their onset that again Ii\u2019s men\nwavered. At this critical juncture Seki J\u016brozaemon, a samurai noted\nfor his huge strength, suddenly appeared and struck at Shigenari with\na great halberd; but Shigenari\u2019s spear point pierced clean through his\nbreastplate of mail and he fell dead from his horse. Ii\u2019s soldiers were\npanic-stricken and none ventured to oppose Shigenari who continued\nhis onward rush and attacked Ii before he had time to escape. Being\nno match for his assailant, Ii must have fallen had it not been for\none Fujita Noto-no-Kami who came to his rescue. Furious at this check\nShigenari turned to throw him from the saddle with a single thrust, and\nin that moment Ii managed to escape.\n\nLooking back, Shigenari could see but few of his men; nearly all had\nfallen in the m\u00eal\u00e9e. Severely wounded, and faint with loss of blood,\nShigenari realised that he could do no more. Unnoticed he alighted from\nhis spent horse and retired to a small grove on some elevated ground.\nHis approach was observed by a low fellow belonging to Ii\u2019s camp who\nwas hiding behind the trees. Such was the estimation in which Shigenari\nwas held that even in his weakness he inspired awe and dread. The\nskulking coward did not dare to attack him openly, but as the wounded\nhero lay gasping on the ground stole softly up behind him and aimed a\nblow at his head. Shigenari heard the slight rustle of his approach and\nturned, whereupon the wretch made off. Shigenari called him back.\n\n\u201cFellow,\u201d he said, \u201cwhoever you are, come here and take my head.\u201d\n\nBut the man fearing some trick hesitated to obey.\n\n\u201cCoward,\u201d cried the dying warrior, \u201cyou have nothing to fear from me.\nCut off my head, but I conjure you not to remove the helmet till you\npresent it to your master, Iyeyasu. I am impatient\u2014cut off my head as I\nbid you.\u201d\n\nAs he spoke Shigenari lifted the lower plates of his helmet and\nstretched out his neck for the blow. As in a trance the craven crept up\nand severed the head from the body. Then gaining courage he raised the\ndripping trophy high in the air and shouted at the top of his voice:\u2014\n\n\u201cI, And\u014d Ch\u014dzabur\u014d, single-handed, have taken the head of\nNagato-no-Kami Shigenari, the most renowned warrior in the Osaka Army!\u201d\n\nThe boast reached the ears of a man covered with blood who was still in\nthe thick of the fray. It was Ry\u014dkwan.\n\n\u201cMy Lord, Nagato-no-Kami, was not the man to be killed by such a\nweakling as And\u014d,\u201d he cried, as loudly as his failing strength would\npermit. \u201cHe had some reason for allowing his head to be cut off.\nRemember that, my enemies.\u201d\n\nWith that he stabbed himself in his abdomen and expired.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nAfter the battle the head of Shigenari, enclosed in its helmet, was\ntaken to Iyeyasu for inspection. It had been the desire of all that\nday to get the head of the hero, and Ieyasu had the helmet removed\nfor verification. As this was done the sweet odour of incense floated\nthrough the air.\n\nThe old statesman surveyed the noble features with something of\nreverent admiration.\n\n\u201cNever was a more loyal or courageous samurai than Nagato-no-Kami!\u201d he\nsaid slowly. \u201cWould that I had many like him!\u201d\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe attempted escape from the castle proved a failure. On May 8th, the\nbesiegers once more attacked the castle on all sides, and there ensued\none of the bloodiest struggles in the history of Japan. It resulted in\nthe complete overthrow of Hideyori\u2019s faction and the destruction of the\ncastle by fire. The unfortunate nobleman, his mother and all the\nmaids of honour perished in the flames.\n\n[6] A samurai of lower rank whose business it was to serve his lord\nwith tea, and who was often master of the tea ceremonies. He had his\nhead shaven like a priest\u2014hence the name \u201ctea-priest.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n                            HONEST KY\u016aSUK\u00c9\n\n\nGonzaemon, the head-man of the village of Tamamura in the province\nof K\u014ddzuk\u00e9, whose family had from generation to generation enjoyed a\nlarge fortune, employed a number of servants. Among them was one named\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 who had been added to the household on the recommendation of a\npeasant of the same village as being exceedingly honest. Though he was\nvery young, unlike other servants, he worked very hard and performed\nall his duties as well when no one observed him as under the eye of\nhis master. Gonzaemon, therefore, began to look upon him as a great\nacquisition and took a keen interest in him.\n\nOne day he summoned Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 to his room and said:\u2014\n\n\u201cKy\u016bsuk\u00e9, I am pleased to see that you always work faithfully, but I\nthink I should be more pleased if you would leave off working at an\nearlier hour in the evening and go to bed at the same time as your\nfellow-servants. If you continue to be so much more industrious\nthan they there will be complaints among them.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy good master,\u201d answered the young man, \u201cthough I do not like to\ndisobey you, I regret to say that I can never get to sleep before nine\no\u2019clock at night.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou surprise me,\u201d said Gonzaemon, \u201cbut at least you can oblige me by\nremaining in bed until the usual hour for getting up in the morning.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy good master,\u201d replied Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 again, \u201cI am very sorry to displease\nyou so often, but mine is a hopeless case, for to be frank with you I\ncannot for the life of me stay abed after seven in the morning.\u201d\n\nNow, you must know, that according to our old way of counting time,\nnine at night was midnight, and seven in the morning answered to 4\no\u2019clock. Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, therefore, never slept more than four hours every\nnight, and his master on learning this was surprised beyond measure.\n\n\u201cWhat a wonder you are!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cIt is seldom one finds\ngentlemen in service such passionate lovers of work! How gratified\nI am to find such a notable exception in you. I trust you will not\ntake my suggestion amiss; it was necessary in order that your\nfellow-servants should not suffer in consequence of your zeal for work.\u201d\n\n\u201cI humbly beg your forgiveness for venturing to disobey your kind\norders,\u201d said the young man respectfully.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t beg my forgiveness,\u201d said his master, \u201cfor by so doing you put\nme in an awkward position.\u201d\n\nAfter considering for a few moments while the servant waited silently\nfor further orders, Gonzaemon resumed:\u2014\n\n\u201cWell, Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, I have another suggestion to offer you. You know that\nyou are your own master while your fellow-servants are asleep. I do not\nwish you to work for me in those hours, so if you do not wish to rest,\nemploy that time in making sandals for your own profit. I will see that\nyou are provided with plenty of straw.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy good master, you are very kind, but I fear it is not right that a\nservant should use any of his time in work for his own profit.\u201d\n\nThus Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 once more baffled the kind intentions of his master.\nGonzaemon was struck with his faithfulness.\n\n\u201cIf you persist in refusing all my proposals I shall be at a loss\nwhat to do with you,\u201d he said. \u201cSo be pleased to do as I request you\nonly this once.\u201d\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 could not refuse his master\u2019s kindness so delicately offered,\nand he consented to use his spare time for his own profit. Henceforth\nthe early morning and late evening hours were devoted to the task of\nmaking _waraji_ or straw sandals, which he sold to a kitchen-ware\ndealer in the village, thereby making a small but regular income, every\n_sen_ of which he intrusted to his kind master for safe keeping. Soon\nthe young servant\u2019s diligence became known, and the country people\nencouraged his industry by always asking for the \u201cKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 _waraji_\u201d\nin preference to any other. This naturally pleased the dealer who\ncontinually pressed Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 for further supplies. Gonzaemon, likewise\npleased at the success of his plan, determined to lend out the money\nin his charge so as to increase the amount by good interest. In this\nhe found no difficulty for people had the idea that some luck attached\nitself to anything connected with the honest servant, and were only too\nglad to be accommodated with loans out of his savings.\n\nThus eight years passed away and Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 was still a servant in the\nhousehold of Gonzaemon. One day the latter called the young man\ninto his apartment and addressed him as follows:\u2014\n\n\u201cMy dear Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, time indeed flies like an arrow, as the proverb says.\nEight years have elapsed since I was so fortunate as to take you into\nmy service. You have never squandered your wages as other servants do;\nsetting apart a certain amount for small personal expenses you have\nregularly committed to my care all that you earned. I should certainly\nhave proved but a poor banker, had I not sought some profitable\ninvestment for your deposits. All these years I have been lending out\nyour money at a moderate rate, and it is astonishing to find how much\nyour capital now amounts to. Behold! Your savings with interest and\ncompound interest now reach the sum of one hundred _ry\u014d_! Now, what do\nyou propose to do with all this money?\u201d\n\n\u201cMy good master,\u201d said Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, quite taken aback at the idea of such\nwealth, \u201cyou must be joking!\u201d\n\n\u201cNot at all; it is as I say. Will you continue to lend it out, or would\nyou prefer to dispose of it in some other way? It is for you to decide.\u201d\n\n\u201cA hundred _ry\u014d_!\u201d gasped Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9. \u201cDid you really say \u2018one hundred\n_ry\u014d_\u2019?\u201d\n\n\u201cA hundred _ry\u014d_!\u201d replied his master smiling.\n\n\u201cIt is unbelievable!\u201d said Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9.\n\n\u201cYour own industry is responsible for it,\u201d said Gonzaemon. \u201cNow tell me\nwhat you are going to do with it.\u201d\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 pondered long and deeply. At length he spoke.\n\n\u201cKind master, if you would not think it taking an unpardonable liberty,\nI should much like to take the money and pay a short visit to my native\nplace next spring.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy all means\u201d said Gonzaemon. \u201cDo you know of a good investment in\nyour native place?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d answered Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, readily enough now. \u201cBut you will understand\nbetter if I tell you a little of my family history. Excuse the liberty\nI take in troubling you with my affairs. I am the second son of a\npeasant, Ky\u016bzaemon by name, living in the village of Shimo-Ogita-mura\nnear Nanao, in the province of Noto. My elder brother, after leading a\ndissipated life and causing his parents much grief, suddenly left home\nand has never been heard of since. My mother died soon after, and my\nfather married a widow with one daughter. Before long my step-mother\ntook it into her head to adopt a son to marry her daughter and\nsucceed my father as head of the family. Me she hated, and consequently\ntreated me so unkindly, that I was soon convinced it would be for the\nhappiness of all parties that I should leave home and go right away. So\none day, leaving a letter of apology behind me, I secretly came away.\nAt first I had rather a hard time of it, but since I was so lucky as\nto become your servant I have had nothing to complain of. I cannot\nsufficiently thank you for all your kindness to me.\u201d Here Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9\npaused, and bowed low, while tears filled his eyes. Conquering his\nemotion he resumed:\u2014\n\n\u201cOne hundred _ry\u014d_, the largest sum of money I have ever set eyes\non, I owe entirely to your goodness\u2014how can I thank you? That I may\nmake a proper use of your gift\u2014for so I consider it\u2014I shall return to\nmy father and with this money buy him some rice-fields. In addition,\nshould my step-sister still remain single I shall try to find her a\nsuitable husband. Having done this and established my family so that it\nwill be in no danger of extinction, I shall make all haste to return\nto you and beg to offer you my lifelong service as some small way of\nrequiting all you have done for me.\u201d\n\nGonzaemon was greatly touched.\n\n\u201cKy\u016bsuk\u00e9,\u201d he said, \u201cyou are a noble fellow! A dutiful son as well as\na faithful servant. I admire your laudable intention. \u2018To your old\nhome return in splendour\u2019 says an old proverb, so Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, return in\nsplendour indeed! I will make it my business to provide the clothes you\nshall wear, and I will also see that you have suitable presents to take\nto all your relations.\u201d\n\nThus the conversation ended and Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 retired to pursue his usual\navocations.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nEarly the following year, in spite of his servant\u2019s remonstrances,\nGonzaemon, as good as his word, prepared all the necessary garments\nfor Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 to wear in order to make a good impression on his visit\nhome, and presents for each member of his family. Further, he pressed\nupon Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9\u2019s acceptance a short sword for protection on his journey,\nten _ry\u014d_ for travelling expenses, and five _ry\u014d_ as a parting gift.\nProducing Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9\u2019s own hundred _ry\u014d_ he said:\u2014\n\n\u201cNow, my dear Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, you had better not carry this large sum in cash\nfor fear you might get robbed on the way; I advise you to send it by\nbill of exchange.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed, no, good master,\u201d replied Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9. \u201cThat is quite unnecessary;\nwho would suspect that a fellow of my sort had any money about him and\nattempt to rob me? It will be quite safe in the bosom of my dress.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut you might lose it in some other way,\u201d persisted Gonzaemon. \u201cYou\nhad better do as I say,\u2014one cannot be too much on one\u2019s guard while\ntravelling.\u201d\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 laughed.\n\n\u201cDo not be uneasy on my account,\u201d he said. \u201cI will be careful.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs you please, Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9; but at least listen to me in one thing; while\non your journey always make it a rule to start late in the morning,\nand to put up early in the evening. Above all never make a travelling\ncompanion, and do not speak of your affairs.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will bear in mind what you say, and most certainly follow your\nadvice,\u201d said Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9. \u201cA thousand thanks for all your favours, kind\nmaster. I can never forget all I owe to you.\u201d\n\nWith affectionate words on both sides Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 and his master parted\nand the young man set out on his journey homewards. But once upon the\nroad the dutiful son, too eager to set his eyes once more on the\nvillage of his forefathers, was indiscreet enough to travel from the\nearliest hour of the day till late at night. So it was, that when he\nwas in the neighbourhood of Oiwak\u00e9 in the province of Shinano he one\nnight lost his way in the darkness, and after a long march of five or\nsix _ri_ found himself in the middle of an extensive moor without a\ntrace of human habitation.\n\n\u201cWhat shall I do?\u201d he asked himself. \u201cI fear I have been too rash. Had\nI followed my master\u2019s advice I should not be in this plight. It is\nonly what I deserve.\u201d\n\nPlodding on Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 was overjoyed after a time to observe a glimmer\nof light in the distance. Taking heart at this sign of a dwelling of\nsome kind, he bent his weary steps toward it, and by and by came to a\ntumble-down cottage which appeared to be the only habitation for miles\naround. Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 went up to the door and called for admittance.\n\n\u201cBe good enough to show favour to a stranger! I am very sorry to\ndisturb you at this late hour, but have lost my way and cannot find the\nroad. Please let me in and tell me how to get to the nearest inn.\u201d\n\nThe door opened and a woman appeared. She was about thirty and poorly\ndressed and her coiffure was of a mean style, but there was\nsomething in her person that seemed to contradict the idea that her\nbirth was as low as her surroundings.\n\n\u201cCome in,\u201d she said. \u201cBut you must not stay. I am indeed sorry for you,\nfor you stand in the middle of one of Shinano\u2019s many moors. Whichever\nway you turn you must walk about five _ri_ before you come to another\nhouse.\u201d\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 being very tired requested the woman to give him a night\u2019s\nlodging, but she shook her head.\n\n\u201cWhy did you come here?\u201d\n\n\u201cI have told you; I lost my way and I saw a light. You cannot be so\ninhuman as to refuse me shelter for a few hours,\u2014I ask no more.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou will not want to stay when I tell you that this is the house of a\nrobber\u2014a highwayman.\u201d\n\n\u201cA robber!\u201d Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 thinking of his treasure was alarmed. \u201cExcuse me, I\nmust go on at once.\u201d\n\n\u201cWill you not rest a few moments?\u201d\n\n\u201cBy no means. How can I sit down in what I have learned is the\nresidence of a highway-gentleman? Allow me to say Good-night; I am much\nobliged to you.\u201d\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 was for going at once but the woman stopped him.\n\n\u201cGood traveller, I must tell you that you are encompassed by danger in\nevery direction. After all, I think the safest course for you to pursue\nis to remain here for the night and I will hide you from my husband. He\nwill not be back for some time yet.\u201d\n\nThe manner and speech of the woman inspired confidence, so Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9\ndeemed it prudent to abide by her advice. Taking off the large bamboo\nhat that he wore as a protection from both sun and rain, he sat down on\nthe boarded floor of the kitchen glad to rest his weary limbs at last.\nThe woman hurriedly prepared a simple supper for him, which he ate with\nrelish, though in haste, as he feared the return of the master. The\nwoman then led him to a wood-shed at the back of the cottage and said:\u2014\n\n\u201cYou would be in great danger should my husband discover you. So keep\nyourself hidden in this shed and do not mind a little discomfort. As\nsoon as it is day and my husband goes out, I will let you out and you\ncan continue your journey in safety.\u201d\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 thanked her warmly, and had not long ensconced himself among\nthe piles of firewood, making himself as comfortable as he could under\nthe circumstances, when he heard a sound that caused his heart to\nleap into his mouth.\n\n\u201cO-Nami, I have returned.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, is it you at last?\u201d welcomed the wife.\n\n\u201cHow cold it is! Confound those killing winds that blow, down from Mt.\nAsama! O-Nami!\u201d\n\n\u201cYes; what is it?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhose hat is that?\u201d\n\n[Illustration: \u201cWhose hat is that?\u201d]\n\n\u201cHat? What hat?\u201d\n\n\u201cCome, no equivocations! There is a strange hat on the floor, and you\nknow whose it is. Out with it! I don\u2019t like this underhand way you have\nacquired of hiding things from me. You are concealing someone in the\nhouse!\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed, no! Why should I want to conceal anyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen how did this bamboo hat get here? Do you want me to believe that\nthe wind blew it in, as ours is the only building to check its course\nfor miles around? Come, woman, speak up!\u201d\n\nThere was the sound of quick movement, and a cry\u2014\n\n\u201cMercy, mercy....\u201d\n\n\u201cCome, speak up or you are a dead woman!\u201d\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9, in his hiding in the wood-shed, could imagine the scene.\n\n\u201cThis is terrible!\u201d he thought. \u201cHow could I be such a fool as to\nforget my hat! It may cost the woman her life!\u201d\n\nThe noise in the cottage increased, mingled with the shrieks of the\npoor woman and the threats of her enraged husband. Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 stole out of\nhis hiding place and peeped cautiously through a crack in the door. To\nhis horror he found the man was dragging his wife round the room by her\nlong hair with one hand, while he repeatedly struck her with the other.\nAt this sight Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 forgetting his own fears burst in.\n\n\u201cSir, sir, all the money I have about me I will give you! The woman is\nnot to blame,\u2014spare her!\u201d\n\n\u201cWho spoke?\u201d\n\nThe infuriated man checked his wrath for a moment to stare in\nastonishment at the unexpected apparition.\n\nTaking advantage of the lull, Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 quickly produced his hundred\n_ry\u014d_ along with what remained of the money his master had given him\nfor the journey and the little gift.\n\n\u201cHere, good sir, take all\u2014I have no more\u2014and do not punish your\nwife for a kind action. I only am to blame.\u201d\n\nThe ruffian took no further notice of his wife whom he left sobbing\non the floor, but turned to take up with greedy hands the rich store\noffered by the traveller. Not content with money, however, he coolly\ndemanded all the clothes he was wearing and possessed himself of the\ndagger into the bargain. Poor Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9! all the earnings of eight\nhard-working years had gone to fill the pockets of a villainous\ngentleman of the road.\n\n\u201cIn pity, give me back my clothes, I cannot go either back or forward\nin this naked state,\u201d pleaded Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9. \u201cAnd my dagger\u2014I need it to\ndefend myself from gentlemen such as you\u2014though I have nothing of which\nto be robbed now!\u201d he added ruefully.\n\n\u201cTake these,\u201d said the robber, throwing him a wadded garment and a\ngirdle, both much the worse for wear.\n\n\u201cThank you very much, but now my dagger....\u201d\n\n\u201cThat I shall find useful myself.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut without it I shall be at the mercy of any dog on the way....\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat a troublesome fellow you are! But no one shall say I left\nyou without the means of defence. Here, take this, and begone!\u201d\n\nWith these words the robber produced from a cupboard an old sword\ndoubtless acquired from some former luckless wayfarer and handed it to\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9, adding:\u2014\n\n\u201cAfter leaving this house go straight on till you come to a broad road,\nfollow this always turning to the north and in due time you will reach\nOiwak\u00e9. Now go!\u201d\n\n\u201cAgain my best thanks,\u201d said Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 bowing low; then turning to the\npoor woman he said softly:\u2014\n\n\u201cI am very sorry to have brought all this trouble upon you, forgive me.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no, it was I who was to blame but, indeed, I did it for the best.\u201d\n\n\u201cA truce to this nonsense!\u201d cried the robber impatiently. \u201cHere is a\ntorch to light your way; be off before I change my mind about letting\nyou go.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen, master and mistress, farewell to you,\u201d and with these words\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 accepted the torch held out to him and hastened away. But the\nfates seemed to be still against him, for no sooner had he set forth\nthan the rain which had begun to come down in torrents put out\nhis light so that he was in complete darkness. But this misfortune in\nreality saved his life, for the robber had given Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 a light for\nno other purpose than that it would serve his own evil intent, which\nwas to shoot the traveller as soon as his back was turned. True, he\nmight have despatched him before he left the cottage, but in that\ncase his wife would have interfered and been troublesome; besides he\nhardly liked to turn upon Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 and murder him just when he had so\nungrudgingly given up all he had. Wicked man though he was he could not\nbring himself to such a dastardly action as that. However, as soon as\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 closed the door the robber, weapon in hand, softly opened it\nagain and crept out, intending to take aim by the light that Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9\ncarried. But, alas for him, and fortunately for his intended victim,\nthe heavy rain had extinguished the light; so muttering \u201clucky dog!\u201d he\nre-entered his home leaving Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 to continue his way unmolested.\n\nOn arriving at Oiwak\u00e9 Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 drew a long breath and congratulated\nhimself on his narrow escape, though how narrow he did not realise.\nThere he gave up his cherished idea of visiting his old home, and\ndetermined to retrace his steps to his master\u2019s house, begging his way\nas he had now no money to pay for even the poorest fare. Gonzaemon\nreceived him very kindly, though, having heard the details of Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9\u2019s\nadventure, he could not resist saying:\u2014\n\n\u201cDid I not warn you? If you had drawn a draft for the money as I\nadvised you this would never have happened. But it is too late to\ntalk of that now. You were lucky to escape with the loss of your\nproperty,\u2014you might have lost your life as well. Do not give way to\ndespair. Rest for a few days and then set to work again.\u201d\n\nWhile speaking to Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 the master happened to take up the old sword\nhe had got from the robber. The thread round the hilt was frayed and\ncoming off. He tried to draw the blade but it was so rusty with disuse\nthat it stuck fast in the sheath. Bending over it his eye was caught by\nthe decorative stud which he was convinced was not of brass. Thinking\nthe weapon might be of more value than appeared at first sight, he sent\nfor a dealer in old wares, Kichibei by name, and requested his opinion\nas to its merits, pretending that it belonged to one of his friends who\nwished to dispose of it to the best advantage.\n\nThe dealer, with the skill acquired by long practice, soon\nwithdrew the blade from its sheath, and after closely examining it for\nsome time, said:\u2014\n\n\u201cThe sword is a valuable one. The blade is so rusty that I cannot say\nanything for certain about it, but the ornamentation is undoubtedly\nof solid gold. The pommel and stud are of Got\u014d\u2019s engraving, and the\nguard itself being by Nobui\u00e9 is worth at least thirty-five _ry\u014d_. I am\nwilling to give one hundred and thirty _ry\u014d_ for the decorative parts\nalone.\u201d\n\nThese words quite surpassed the expectations of Gonzaemon. He sent the\ndealer away on the pretext that he would consult his friend, and then\ntold Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 what he had said.\n\nAt this undreamt-of good luck Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 was struck dumb as well he might\nbe. Gonzaemon, however, encouraged by Kichibei\u2019s opinion thought that\na Yedo expert might value the sword even more highly and be more able,\nas well as willing, to purchase it at a higher rate. A blade in so\nelaborate and rich a mounting could hardly fail to prove a good one;\nand knowing something of the estimation in which much workmanship was\nheld, he decided to go up to Yedo himself and do the best he could for\nhis faithful but simple servant.\n\nIn Yedo he submitted the weapon to the examination of Honami, the\nablest connoisseur in matters of this sort, who pronounced the blade\nto be the undoubted work of Bizen Nagamitsu, one of the ten clever\ndisciples of Masamun\u00e9, although the name of the maker was not on it.\nFurther, in proof of his belief he offered to buy it for eight hundred\n_ry\u014d_, an offer Gonzaemon was more than glad to accept.\n\nThe business that took him to the city so satisfactorily concluded, he\nhastened home with all speed and gave the astonished Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 an account\nof the transaction. Laying the money before him he concluded with these\nwords:\u2014\n\n\u201cMy dear Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, see how advantageous it is to be honest always! Your\nmisfortune has proved a blessing in disguise. Heaven approving of your\nupright conduct has been pleased to grant you this great favour. How\ngrateful we should be! Now go home again with all despatch, but this\ntime take my advice and do not carry such a large sum in cash.\u201d\n\nAs soon as Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 recovered from his surprise he bowed respectfully to\nhis master, and spoke as follows:\u2014\n\n\u201cMy good master, you overwhelm me with obligation! I have no words in\nwhich to express my feelings. But far be it from me to appropriate all\nthis large sum. I hesitate to displease you, but only one hundred\n_ry\u014d_ do I consider is mine,\u2014for I left the robber\u2019s house poorer by\njust that amount, and that sum I shall send home by money order as you\nadvise. As for the rest, after you deduct the expenses of your journey\nto Yedo, I shall carry it all to the robber. The sword was his and I\ncan not make myself rich at the expense of a poor highwayman,\u2014that\nwould never do!\u201d\n\nGonzaemon was struck with admiration at this disinterested conduct on\nthe part of his servant.\n\n\u201cMy good fellow,\u201d he said warmly, \u201cyour honesty puts me to shame! But\nsurely you will not unnecessarily risk your life for such a purpose. As\nfor my journey to Yedo, that is purely my affair and you will dismiss\nit from your mind. But consider before you act so rashly as to put\nyourself again into the power of a desperate man.\u201d\n\nBut Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 was obstinate as well as honest.\n\n\u201cFar be it from me to go in opposition to your wishes,\u201d he said,\nrespectfully, \u201cbut in this thing only I beg you to let me have my own\nway. I am loath to cause you any uneasiness, but villain though he is\nhe will surely not harm a man who comes to do him a good turn. There\ncan be no danger.\u201d\n\nGonzaemon, knowing from experience that further persuasions would be\nof no avail, reluctantly permitted his servant to do as he proposed.\nAfter sending one hundred _ry\u014d_ to his father by money order, he tied\nup the seven hundred _ry\u014d_ remaining in a little package, which he put\nin his bosom and once more set off on his travels. Contrary to his\nformer experience, he had this time no little difficulty in finding\nthe cottage of the highwayman; at last, however, he came to the door\nwhich in response to his call was again opened by the kind-hearted\nmistress. Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 bowed, and in polite terms thanked her for the\nfavours he received at her hands on a former occasion. The woman was\nmuch surprised, but controlling her emotion she said:\u2014\n\n\u201cMy good traveller, I do not know how to apologise for what I did to\nyou the other day. Nevertheless you have come again! I shall be still\nmore grieved if you are robbed a second time. Fortunately for you,\u2014\nthough _I_ am sorry\u2014my husband is sick in bed. Please make all haste to\nretrace your steps.\u201d\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9\u2019s kind heart was moved with compassion for the sick man and his\nwife.\n\n\u201cIndeed I sympathise with you both. Allow me to pay my respects to him\nand inquire after his health.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no, sir! He is suffering now but his avarice may be excited at the\nsight of you. Should he again demand all you have with you, you may\nagain be inconvenienced.\u201d\n\n\u201cBe quite easy on that score; I am here to bring him some money.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are naturally surprised. Let me in and you will know. I must see\nyour husband.\u201d\n\nReluctantly the woman let him come into the house. Making his way to an\ninner room where the sick man was lying groaning, Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, saluting him\nin the usual manner, inquired:\u2014\n\n\u201cMy friend, how are you?\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is the traveller you treated so unkindly a short time ago,\u201d\nexplained the woman, seeing that her husband did not recognize the\nvisitor.\n\n\u201cWhich one?\u201d asked the robber, sourly.\n\n\u201cSir, it is I. I do not know how to requite you for the kindness you\nshowed me the other day. But now I must tell you what brings me here\nagain.\u201d\n\nThereupon Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 proceeded to inform the robber of what had happened\nabout the sword, and laying the packet of money by the bed concluded as\nfollows:\u2014\n\n\u201cFrom the price paid for the sword I have deducted one hundred _ry\u014d_\nas my due, sending it to my home by money order. All the rest I have\nbrought with me and it is in that package except a small sum I have\ntaken the liberty to keep for my travelling expenses. I have not\nquite enough to take me to my home in Noto province, and then back to\nmy master\u2019s house in Tamamura, K\u014ddzuk\u00e9 province, so I shall be much\nobliged if you will kindly allow me a little more. As for the remainder\nyou are welcome to appropriate it all. Ah, how glad I am to be relieved\nof the charge of this money which has been a source of constant anxiety\never since I set out on this journey.\u201d\n\nThe sick man appeared to be much impressed by the simple recital of\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9\u2019s tale. After a pause he said:\u2014\n\n\u201cYou say your home is in Noto; from what part of the province do you\ncome?\u201d\n\n\u201cI was born in Ogita-mura near Nanao. My name is Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 and I am the\nson of a peasant called Ky\u016bzaemon.\u201d\n\n\u201cWas your elder brother called Ky\u016btar\u014d?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow do you know that?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou may well wonder. Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, I have hardly the face to tell you.... I\nam Ky\u016btar\u014d, fallen as you see to the depths of degradation and\nmisery.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy elder brother, Ky\u016btar\u014d!\u201d\n\n\u201cWith shame I say it, yes.\u201d\n\nThe two brothers embraced with tears. O-Nami was surprised beyond\nmeasure at the pathetic sight.\n\n\u201cAre you indeed my husband\u2019s brother? Forgive me, I did not guess it,\u201d\nand she burst into tears.\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 hastened to console her.\n\n\u201cI beg you will not cry; forgive my rudeness in not knowing who you\nwere, and forgive also the great trouble I have occasioned you.\u201d\n\nKy\u016btar\u014d, whose conscience was at last smitten at the thought of all his\nmisdeeds, now took a hunting knife lying within reach, and planted it\nin the side of his abdomen. His wife and brother, too late to stop the\nrash act, caught his hands.\n\n\u201cStop, what madness is this!\u201d cried Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9.\n\n\u201cMy husband, oh what have you done!\u201d exclaimed the wife.\n\nKy\u016btar\u014d was almost beyond speaking. In a faint voice he said painfully:\u2014\n\n\u201cBrother, wife, how can I continue to live? Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, when I recall\nhow vile I have been I am stricken with remorse and shame. When you\nwere here last I would have killed you, little dreaming you were\nmy brother; O-Nami\u2019s remonstrances were of no avail, only providence\nsaved you by miraculously putting out the torch you carried. My evil\ndesigns have all turned to your good fortune; the sword I gave you to\nencourage you the sooner to leave this house proves a precious gift\nand brings you a large sum of money. Instead of profiting by it you\ntake the trouble to come and give it to me. Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, how scrupulous you\nare! Your nature is honest and spotless as the snow ... mine black as\ncharcoal! I have filled up the measure of my wickedness; the disease\nfrom which I am now suffering is the punishment of Heaven. What you\nhave just told me will serve like the blessing of a holy priest to\nenlighten my path to the other world. I am determined to die and join\nmy dead mother,\u2014to offer her my humble apologies for my bad conduct.\nThere is only one thing that disturbs me at this last moment,\u2014it is\nthe thought of O-Nami. It was her misfortune that she married such a\nwretched husband as I have been, but her heart is pure and tender. Look\nafter her when I am gone\u2014be kind to her, Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9, I entreat you.\u201d\n\nThus Ky\u016btar\u014d, unable to bear the stings of an awakened conscience,\nsucceeded in disengaging himself from the arms of his wife and\nbrother and died a manly death.\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 and O-Nami mingled their tears over the lifeless body, but the\ndeparted spirit was not to be recalled by their lamentations. So they\nstrove to conquer their grief and buried the dead robber in the best\nmanner possible under the circumstances.\n\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 then started for home, taking the money he had brought so far\nand the hair of the deceased. O-Nami accompanied him. Before leaving\nthe cottage they set fire to it that no one might ever use it for evil\npurposes again.\n\nOn reaching home Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 told his old father, his step-mother and her\ndaughter, all that had befallen him since he left them so many years\nbefore. The hundred _ry\u014d_ sent in advance had already come to hand, and\nhe now added to it all the money he had on his person. He also produced\nthe hair of the dead man. Old Ky\u016bzaemon lamented over the sad fate of\nhis undutiful son, but at the same time rejoiced in the possession of\nso admirable a younger son as Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9. The step-mother, now repenting\nof her selfishness of former days, sought his forgiveness. One and all\ntook pity on O-Nami in her great misery. It is wonderful how one\nman\u2019s goodness works upon the hearts of those about him. It was the\ndesire of his relations that Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9 should succeed to his father and\ncarry on the family name; but he firmly declined, and arranged that\nhis step-sister should get a husband, and that the new couple should\nbe the heirs of the old man after his demise. As for O-Nami, she was\ndetermined to become a nun and devote her remaining days to religious\nservices for the soul of her dead husband, her sole concern being\nprayer for the blotting out of his sins. It was decided to build a\nhermitage for her in order that she might pass her life undisturbed.\nThis is the origin of the Nanao nunnery.\n\nHaving settled his family affairs to the satisfaction of all concerned,\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 was happy to accept out of the cash he had brought home\na small sum sufficient to carry him back to his master\u2019s home in\nK\u014ddzuk\u00e9 province. After recounting his adventures and all he had done,\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 begged Gonzaemon to re-engage him on the same terms as before.\nGonzaemon was both surprised and pleased. The praiseworthy actions of\nKy\u016bsuk\u00e9 so moved the good-natured village head-man that he proposed to\nset the young man up as one of his branch families. Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9\u2019s modesty\nwas by no means eager to accept such an honour, but seeing it was\nreally the wish of his patron he at length yielded. I need not tell you\nhow industriously he attended to all his duties that he might prove no\ndiscredit to his master\u2019s judgment. His family thrives in Tama-mura\nto this day. As for the sword which he got from his robber brother it\nwas purchased by Lord Matsudaira, Daimio of Awa province. He named\nit \u201cSut\u00e9-maru\u201d (a foundling blade) in reference to its history, and\ntreasured it highly. It is still a valued heirloom in the family.\n\n\n\n\n  \u5927\u6b63\u4e5d\u5e74\u5341\u4e8c\u6708\u5341\u4e94\u65e5\u5237\u5370\n  \u5927\u6b63\u4e5d\u5e74\u5341\u4e8c\u6708\u4e8c\u5341\u65e5\u767c\u884c\n\n         \u5b9a\u50f9\u91d1\u56db\u5713\n\n  \u5e02\u5916\u4e0a\u5927\u5d0e\u753a\u4e09\u767e\u516b\u5341\u756a\u5730\n  \u8457\u8005\u3000\u5bae\u68ee\u9ebb\u592a\u90ce\n\n  \u6771\u4eac\u5e02\u6a4b\u5340\u9280\u5ea6\u56db\u4e01\u76ee\u4e00\u756a\u5730\n  \u767c\u884c\u8005\u3000\u30a8\u30c1\uff0c\u30c0\u30d6\u30ea\u30e6\u30fc\uff0c\u30b8\u30e8\u30fc\u30f3\u30b9\n\n  \u6771\u4eac\u5e02\u6a4b\u5340\u9280\u5ea6\u56db\u4e01\u76ee\u4e00\u756a\u5730\n  \u767c\u884c\u6240\u3000\u6559\u6587\u7ba1\n\n  \u6771\u4eac\u5e02\u6a4b\u5340\u5357\u91d1\u516d\u753a\u5341\u4e8c\u756a\u5730\n  \u5237\u5370\u8005\u3000\u671b\u6708\u7cbe\u77e3\n\n  \u6771\u4eac\u5e02\u6a4b\u5340\u5357\u91d1\u516d\u753a\u5341\u4e8c\u756a\u5730\n  \u5237\u5370\u6240\u3000\u82f1\u6587\u901a\u4fe1\u793e\u5237\u5370\u6240\n\n\n\n\n                         Transcriber\u2019s Notes:\n\n\n  Text Notes:\n\n  1. Italicized text is indicated with leading and trailing\n     underscores. (_)\n\n  2. Five spaced stars are used to indicate a larger gap between\n     paragraphs in the printed book.\n\n  3. In order to facilitate word wrapping, an ellipsis in the middle\n     of a sentence is replaced by a group of three periods. This group\n     has a leading and, unless a comma is present, trailing blank\n     space added. Ellipses at the end of a sentence do not have a\n     leading blank space, but closing punctuation has been added if\n     needed.\n\n  4. Footnotes have been numbered and moved to the end of each\n     story.\n\n  5. Half-title pages have been removed. The page numbers given in the\n     table of contents have been adjusted.\n\n  6. Illustrations have been placed in a manner to avoid splitting a\n     paragraph. The page numbers given in the List of Illustrations\n     have been adjusted as needed. Illustrations are indicated by\n     \u201c[Illustration:]\u201d with the caption text following the colon.\n\n  7. The two short poems in this text have been separated apart from\n     their containing paragraph to avoid word wrapping. They actually\n     are each part of a single paragraph with the text blocks above and\n     below.\n\n  8. Changed paragraphs ending in \u201c,\u201d to \u201c:\u2014\u201d to match style of the\n     rest of the book:\n       pg 129: with due reverence,\n       pg 139: clear and distinct,\n       pg 151: laughed good-humouredly and,\n\n  9. Except as mentioned above and in the Change List that follows,\n     every effort has been made to replicate text as faithfully as\n     possible, including non-standard or inconsistently applied\n     punctuation, inconsistently hyphenated words, and other\n     idiosyncrasies.\n\n  Change List (page numbers from original printed book):\n\n  Table of Contents\n    The Royalty of A Boy Samurai\n    changed to\n    The Loyalty of a Boy Samurai\n\n  Table of Contents\n    The Wrestling of A Daimio\n    changed to\n    The Wrestling of a Daimio\n\n  Page 5\n    Villian\n    changed to\n    Villain\n\n  Page 7\n    Assasination\n    changed to\n    Assassination\n\n  Page 37\n    Added \u201cI.\u201d section header to match other sections.\n\n  Page 42\n    had quite forgotton to attend\n    changed to\n    had quite forgotten to attend\n\n  Page 45\n    remonstrace\n    changed to\n    remonstrance\n\n  Page 57\n    Katsuno, till pale and emaciated\n    changed to\n    Katsuno, still pale and emaciated\n\n  Page 73\n    adressed to \u014csuga Katsutaka\n    changed to\n    addressed to \u014csuga Katsutaka\n\n  Page 85\n    twelth\n    changed to\n    twelfth\n\n  Page 90\n    at the inconseqence\n    changed to\n    at the inconsequence\n\n  Page 94\n    rankling in yonr heart\n    changed to\n    rankling in your heart\n\n  Page 95\n    seal your reconcilation\n    changed to\n    seal your reconciliation\n\n  Page 108\n    in the twelth year\n    changed to\n    in the twelfth year\n\n  Page 108\n    affords me much gratificaiton\n    changed to\n    affords me much gratification\n\n  Page 139\n    behined\n    changed to\n    behind\n\n  Page 155\n    Genzaemon\n    changed to\n    Gonzaemon\n\n  Page 156\n    May I not accomodate you\n    changed to\n    May I not accommodate you\n\n  Page 159\n    tussel\n    changed to\n    tussle\n\n  Page pg 162\n    wordly\n    changed to\n    worldly\n\n  Page 162\n    stipened\n    changed to\n    stipend\n\n  Page 173\n    Ry\u014dkan\n    changed to\n    Ry\u014dkwan\n\n  Page 178\n    Kyokwan\u2019s\n    changed to\n    Ry\u014dkwan\u2019s\n\n  Page 181\n    remontrance\n    changed to\n    remonstrance\n\n  Page 188\n    \u201cKeicho 19, 12th month, 27th day.\u201d\n    changed to\n    \u201cKeich\u014d 19, 12th month, 27th day.\u201d\n\n  Page 189\n    PAECE\n    changed to\n    PEACE\n\n  Page 189\n    receiving it back pu\n    changed to\n    receiving it back put\n\n  Page 196\n    a short breating space\n    changed to\n    a short breathing space\n\n  Page 197\n    halbert\n    changed to\n    halberd\n\n  Page 199\n    \u201cCoward,\u201d cried the dying warrior,\u201d \u201cyou\n    changed to\n    \u201cCoward,\u201d cried the dying warrior, \u201cyou\n\n  Page 199\n    weaking\n    changed to\n    weakling\n\n  Page 200\n    Iyeyrsu\n    changed to\n    Ieyasu\n\n  Page 205\n    a keen interst in him.\n    changed to\n    a keen interest in him.\n\n  Page 217\n    Added missing illustration caption.\n\n  Page 225\n    but villian though he is\n    changed to\n    but villain though he is\n\n  Page 227\n    robbor\n    changed to\n    robber\n\n  Page 229\n    cried K\u016bysuk\u00e9\n    changed to\n    cried Ky\u016bsuk\u00e9\n\n  Page 230\n    profitting\n    changed to\n    profiting\n\n  Page 231\n    ifeless body\n    changed to\n    lifeless body","title":"Tales of the Samurai: Stories Illustrating Bushido, the Moral Principles of the Japanese Knighthood","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":42986}