IF OLD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT
Thus Kosaka Jinnai, under the name of Osada, at the beginning of
Sho[u]ho[u] 2nd year (1645) was established at Aoyama Harajuku-mura. For
a gentleman of such abilities his pretensions were modest. It is true
that he hung out a gilt sign before his fencing hall, with no boasting
advertisement of his qualities as teacher. Yet his fame quickly became
such that students flocked to him by the score. In a few months, on plea
of being over-stocked, he was turning away all who would seek his
instruction. Some he could not refuse--retainers of _yashiki_ in his
vicinity. But the generality of his disciples were a very rough lot; and
this finer quality of his flock were carefully segregated, came and went
at their appointed time apart from the common herd; and as matter of
fact profited much from their teacher, and knew very little about him.
Which was exactly the aim of Jinnai. This was remembered of him later.
There is but one domestic episode connected with this period, so short
and purposely obscure in its duration. About the time of his first
establishment a villager, on visit to Edo town, chanced upon the
practice hour of Jinnai. The years had passed, yet the rustic had no
difficulty in recognizing in the Sensei the one time Jinnosuké. When
later he sought a more personal interview the great man was found
courteous but freezing cold in the reception. The news from Tsukuba
district was of that mixed character not to afford any exuberant
pleasure. His reputation for bad company had gone abroad, though no
great deeds of wickedness had been attributed to him. With the devotion
of a daughter his wife had nourished the old folk, brought up her two
daughters. On her shoulders during all these years had rested the
management of these small affairs. The girls grew toward womanhood.
When O'Kiku was in her seventeenth year Jisuké had died--unconsoled at
the ill turn fortune had played him in this unfilial son. These
grandparents had lingered out the years, crippled and helpless, urging a
re-marriage on O'Ichi--always refused on the plea that such relation was
for two lives. Jisuké Dono had united them, and he alone could separate
her from Jinnai. She sought no second relation herself and plead against
it; and Jisuké would not force it on this filial daughter, who thus
would block the disinheritance of the son. Thus the farm stood, ready
for the master on his return. Truly the whole village wondered, and
admired her filial conduct.
To most of this Jinnai listened with indifference. "These girls--their
looks and age?" Replied the man--"O'Kiku now is seventeen years; O'Yui
Dono has fifteen years. Truly they are the village beauties, and rarely
found in such life, for they would spare the mother all labour." He
spoke with enthusiasm. "Then the mother lives?" The man shook his
head--"The grave mound yet is very fresh. When she died she spoke no
word of Jinnosuké Dono." Boldly he looked in rebuke at the unfilial man.
Jinnai, if anything, showed annoyance. The old woman alive would have
kept the inconvenient wife--the three women--at the distance of
Tsukuba's slopes. His plans admitted of no possible descent on him at
Aoyama Harajuku. Briefly he made request for the favour of bearing a
message. Gladly the mission was accepted. With a discouraging cordiality
in the leave taking the old acquaintance took his way back to the
village. With something of a flutter O'Ichi opened and ran out the
scroll he brought--"Unexpected and gratifying the meeting with
Taro[u]bei San. The news of the village, not pleasing, is subject of
condolence. Deign to observe well the instructions here given. The time
will come when a summons to Edo town will be in order. At present the
establishment is new and tender, and stands not the presence of
strangers to the town. Condescend to show the same care in the present
as in the past. The farm and its tenure is left to the hands of Ichi. As
for these girls, look well to their care. They are said to be handsome
and reputed the daughters of this Jinnai. Obey then his command. These
are no mares for the public service, or for the private delectation of
some rich plebeian. Service in a _yashiki_ need not be refused, and
jumps more with the plans and purposes of Jinnai. Keep this well in
mind, and await the ripeness of time. With salutation...." Such the cold
greeting through the years. "Reputed the daughters of this Jinnai." Ah!
He thought and knew the years turned the beauty Ichi into the worn and
wrinkled country hag of nearly forty years, only too ready to market her
girls for her own necessities. She was ill and worn in her service. Here
Jinnai was to be recognized. He was the man of his caste, with contempt
for the plebeian he turned to his uses, but who must have no intimate
contact with him or his.
Edo town was in a turmoil. North, East, South of the town the lives and
purses of men who walked were at hazard. Plainly some band was operating
in these quarters of the town. Aoyama Shu[u]zen was hard put to it. His
arrests, outrageous and barbarous, increased with his difficulties. Some
specimens have been instanced. His bands of _yakunin_ lay out in a wide
net around the threatened quarters of the city. On the outskirts of
Honjo[u] a country mansion would be fired and plundered. In O[u]kubo a
temple (the Jisho[u]-in) was clean gutted of its treasury--without
notice to its neighbours. Not a sign of the spoil could be traced until
the Sho[u]shidai of Kyo[u]to sent as present to the suzerain a most
valued hanging picture (_kakémono_) of Shu[u]bun, picked up for him in
O[u]saka town, and worthy of being seen by the eyes of Edo's ruler.
Murder and rape were the common accompaniments of these crimes, the
doers of which left no witness, if resisted. _Tsujikiri_, cutting down
wayfarers merely to test the value of a sword blade, found revival. Such
murders in the outward wards of the city were of nightly occurrence. Yet
they all centred in Aoyama's own precinct; starting forth from the
fencing hall of Osada Jinnai. What a band they were! At this long
distant date the names read with that tinge of the descriptive which
such nomenclature gives--Yamaguchi Chiyari, Kanagawa Koni, Sendai no
O[u]kami, Okayama Koshin, Kumamoto Kondo[u], Tsukuba Endé;[26] their
great chief being Kosaka Jinnai.
The eleventh month (December) was closing its first decade. The wine
shop at Shiba Nihon Enoki was celebrating a first opening, a feast in
progress for some hours, and to be maintained for the few ensuing days.
The enthusiasm was at its height, and the wine flowed like water. Some
few guests, who could, tottered home at midnight. Clerks and
domestics--there is little difference in Nipponese practice--shut up the
premises as well as their drunken state permitted. Those who had still
some trace of sobriety proceeded to guzzle what was left in the opened
casks. When the hour of the ox (1 A.M.) struck, not a man in the place
knew front from rear. They lay sprawled out dead drunk--as were some of
the women. This was the hour watched for and chosen by Jinnai. Such of
the females as could give the alarm were bound and gagged by the masked
invaders. Then they gutted place and store-houses. With bending backs
they betook themselves over the hills the short distance to Harajuku.
Here Jinnai, in the unwise benevolence of the bandit chieftain, gave
rein to the licentiousness of these favourites of his mature age, to
these lieutenants and agents in the great movement for which all this
loot was gathered. The circuit was formed. The heads of wine barrels
just stolen were broached. The grizzled, tousled member who officiated
as cook, and as such had been left behind to his own offices, produced
the feast of fish and delicacies in celebration of the great deed and
accomplishment. "Now is the turn of this company," said Jinnai in
pleasant reference to the victims of the raid. "A real banquet of
extreme intoxication.[27] Alas! We have no _tabo_.... Too dangerous a
loot," commented Jinnai amid the roar of laughter and approval. "Use and
abuse go together; and the necessity to slit the throats of such
chattering parrots. For this company the remains would give trouble,
and might bring unexpected visitors about our ears. Be virtuous--and
spare not the wine." The advice was followed to the letter. Soon the
house of Jinnai was a match for that of the looted wine shop.
With the light of the December dawn a metal dealer (_doguya_) was
trudging his way over the sifted cover of an early snow fall. He lived
thereabouts; often had had small jobs of mending the weapons and
implements of this sturdy establishment of Jinnai, hence had some good
will to its owner, which was more than could be said of most of the
neighbours. To his surprise he noted the wide open gate to Jinnai's
entrance, the many tracks leading within. Strange sounds were heard. He
would venture on a look. "Oya! Oya!" The man stood stock still, half in
fright and half in a wondering concupiscence of curiosity, as he took in
the riotous vision of the fencing hall. Some twenty men lay scattered in
different postures--all dead drunk. The noise arose from their wide open
snoring mouths and nostrils. A score of wine casks lay tumbled, the
liquor spilled on the _tatami_. Mingled with the remains of food and
vomit were stained cups and dirty plates. More suggestive to his
frightened eyes was the heap of packages laid out at the side. Some of
them had been opened, and displayed the varied assortment of the
contents. Most conspicuous was Jinnai, who had gone to sleep with the
bag of all the coin found in the wine shop as pillow. Ah! Ha! The scene
needed no interpreter. This was a mere band of thieves, the house their
den. The man stole to the kitchen. He knew his ground, and that in these
bachelor quarters no women would be stirring. Jinnai was a
misogynist--on business principles. Hearing a stir he would have fled at
the rear, but the body of the drunken cook, the intermediary of their
dealings, lay square across the exit. Fearful he made his return. As he
passed out the front--"Alas! Alas! What is to be done? The Sensei, so
just and prompt in his dealings, so kind in his patronage, is a mere
thief. Report is to be made. As witness this Sentaro[u] will send the
Sensei to the execution ground. But the honoured mother--no trouble is
to be brought on her. By other discovery ... and perchance someone has
seen this entrance! What's to be done? What's to be done?" He did one
thing in his perplexity. He shut the outside door, closed fast the big
gate, and departed by the service gate. Thus no others should intrude on
this rash man; and likewise Jinnai had no inkling of his visit. Then the
_doguya_ fled to his home, so blue in the face and overcome as to
frighten the household. They gathered round the unhappy man with hot
water to drink as restorative. "Had he seen a ghost?"
All day he pondered. Then he told his story to Aikawa Chu[u]dayu. The
officer was indebted to Sentaro[u]; for many a hint in his operations.
"Deign somehow, honoured _yo[u]nin_, that the Sensei be allowed to
escape. For this Sentaro[u] to appear as witness will bring down the
curse of one sure to be visited with execution. Condescend this favour."
Chu[u]dayu looked on him with approval, but shook his head in
doubt--"Never mind the curse of one dead. The service to the suzerain is
most opportune. Thus surely there will be reward, not punishment. For
the present you cannot be allowed to leave, but the mother shall suffer
no anxiety. There is much serious matter against this man; perchance no
testimony will be called for.... Strange he should be caught thus; on
both sides, and in accordance." He looked over the scroll he held in his
hands, and with it took his way to his master's apartment. Thus it was
he could spring on Shu[u]zen the greater affair concerning the long
missing man. Making his report of the tale of the _doguya_ he passed
over the scroll he held in his hand--"The fellow is caught in both
quarters. There are three of these _ro[u]nin_, most intimate. Of this
Marubashi Chu[u]ya little favourable is known, but he has the support of
Yui Sensei, the noted master of the Ushigomé Enoki fencing room, and
favourite of all but Hida no Kami, whom he would rival in attainment.
Shibata Saburo[u]bei and this Kato[u] Ichiémon seem honourable men, of
clean lives and reputation beyond the fact of being _ro[u]nin_. All
experts at arms they live by teaching one form or other of the practice.
Curiosity led Chu[u]ya to the encounter of this Osada at his fencing
hall, to find him more than his match at everything but his favourite
art of the spear. But here lies the point. Later he returned, in company
with a one time _shoké_ of the Zo[u]jo[u]ji. As Dentatsu the priest had
met with Jinnai, and nearly suffered at his hands. In what way he did
not say, but told Chu[u]ya that the man's real name was Kosaka--of the
stock of Kosaka Dansho[u] no Chu[u]den of Kai; of him your lordship
already has had experience in early days. At last he comes into the net
and under such fair terms."
Aoyama did know his man; even after all these years. He had ripened
much. Why not Jinnai? He would have gone himself, and chafed at not
doing so; but his satellites showed him the lack of dignity in such
procedure. The magistrate in person to take a common thief! Darkness
offered chance of escape; so with dawn a host of _yakunin_ was sent
under a _yoriki_[28] and several _do[u]shin_. Aikawa Chu[u]dayu himself
volunteered. Jinnai and his men were not yet up. On the previous day
awaking amid the unseemly debris of the night's debauch, with no clear
recollection of its progress and ending, the chief's first alarm had
been dissipated by finding the outer gate locked. The unbarred wicket
was attributed to an oversight which hardly would attract notice from
the outside. Indeed he had not been the first to rise and take tale of
his companions, to ascertain which one had occasion to open it and go
without. With such a chief few would admit negligence. The day passed
without notice. Confidence was restored. Now from the outside was heard
a hum of voices. "On his lordship's business! On his lordship's
business!" The cries came together with an irruption of _yakunin_ into
the entrance hall, Jinnai and his men promptly sprang to arms. A
scattered fight began, with none too great stomach of the officers
before the stout resistance offered. It was no great matter to reach a
ladder to the loft. Jinnai was the last man up. The more daring to
follow was laid low with an arrow shot from above, and the ladder
disappeared heavenward. Panels now were thrust back, short bows brought
into use, and almost before they had thought to fight or flee the
constables had five of their men stretched out on the _tatami_.
Before the shower of missiles they could but retreat. At the request
for aid Aoyama Shu[u]zen was in a rage. There was now no preventing his
departure. Mounting his horse off he rode from Kanda-mura toward
Harajuku-mura. But it had taken some little time for the messenger to
come; and more for Aoyama with his staff to go. Meanwhile much had taken
place. The ward constables had joined the _yakunin_ of Shu[u]zen. The
place completely surrounded, _tatami_ were taken from the neighbouring
houses for use as shields against the arrows. Then on signal a concerted
rush of the hardiest was made. Pouring in, with ladders raised aloft;
tumbling each other into the ditches, in the confusion pummelling each
other with mighty blows, and in consequence securing stout whacks from
the enraged recipients; the unlucky constables were soon
indistinguishable in their coating of mud and blood. The outrageous
ruffians, however, were soon tumbled from the posts of vantage and
precise aim by well directed thrusts. A dozen men poured up the ladders
and through broken panels into the loft above. Here in the uncertain
light they hesitated. The figures of the foe could be seen, armed and
ready for an arrow flight. Then a shout was raised from below. Stifling
smoke poured up from every quarter. The scene was illuminated by the
blazing figures of the archers, for these were old armour and weapons,
lay figures stuffed with straw and meant but to gain precious moments of
respite. The _yakunin_ now had themselves to save. The retreat was as
disorderly as at their first advent, but their rear was not galled by
aught but flying sparks and burning timbers. Discomfited they watched
the blazing mass of Jinnai's once establishment; watched it until it was
a mere mass of ashes and charred beams.
Jinnai had been long prepared for such an adventure. The _yakunin_ at
first driven back he followed his company through the tunnel[29] leading
to beneath a subsidiary shrine in the grounds of the neighbouring temple
of the Zenkwo[u]ji. Here he dismissed them, with hasty division of the
raided coin, and instructions to their chiefs to meet him at the
festival of the Owari no Tsushima in the fifth month (June). Himself he
would go north, to give notice and gather his recruits. Thus exposed at
Edo, the great uprising now must centre in O[u]saka. They scattered to
their different courses; and thus Jinnai failed to meet the enraged
Aoyama Shu[u]zen, now present on the scene. But even the harsh
discipline of their master had to yield to the piteous appearance of his
men in their discomfiture. Aikawa Chu[u]dayu bent low in most humble
apology. They had underestimated the man, had virtually allowed him to
escape--"Naruhodo! The figures were of straw, and no wonder yielded so
readily to the spear. Only the sight of the flames rising amid the
armour betrayed the deceit in the gloom of the loft. Deign to excuse the
negligence this once." A _do[u]shin_, an old and experienced officer,
spoke almost with tears. Aoyama gave a "humph!" Then looking over this
mud stained, blear eyed, bloody nosed, ash dusted band of his
confederates he began to chuckle at the battered and ludicrous
composition. All breathed again. But when he had re-entered his
_yashiki_, and was left to himself, without concubine for service, or
Jinnai for prospective amusement, then indeed he stamped his feet, his
belly greatly risen. Alas! Alas! How could Yokubei Sama find a
substitute for the one; and secure the real presence of the other?