NEWS REACHES KWAIBA
Kwaiba was hard at it, practising his favourite arts. His _saké_ cup
stood before him, and from time to time he raised the bottle from the
hot water, testing its temperature with skilled hand. He accompanied the
action with a continual drone of a _gidayu_. Kwaiba by no means confined
the art of _gidayu_ recitation to the heroic tales usually therewith
associated. His present effort was one of the suggestive and obscene
_ukarebushi_, quite as frequent and as well received in the _gidayu_
theme containing them. Kibei listened and applauded, with cynical
amusement at the depravity of the impotent old man. Kwaiba had found an
excellent bottle companion, and renewed his own former days in the
"Quarter," with the fresher experiences retailed by Kibei. Said
Kwaiba--"All has gone well. For half the year Kibei has been the son of
Kwaiba. He has brought luck into the house." Kibei bowed respectfully.
Continued the old man--"Iémon with his whore is fast destroying Tamiya
by riot and drinking. Cho[u]zaémon is a fish in the net. The debt of ten
_ryo[u]_ has doubled into twenty _ryo[u]_, which at any cost he must
repay. Kwaiba will make him cut belly if he don't. And Tamiya! Old
Tamiya; Matazaémon! O'Iwa is paying his debt to Kwaiba by becoming an
outcast, perhaps a beggar somewhere on the highway. If she shows her
face in the ward, seeking 'cash' to keep life in a wretched carcass,
this Kwaiba will send her to the jail, to rot as vagrant. But what did
become of her? Iémon has never spoken." Kibei shrugged his shoulders. "A
close mouthed fellow; too wise to talk of himself. He would but say that
Cho[u]bei took the affair in hand." Kwaiba threw up his hands in horror
and merriment. Said he--"'Tis rumoured the fellow is a pimp. But surely
he could not dispose of O'Iwa in his line. The very demons of the Hell
of lust would refuse all intercourse with her."
Just then Kakusuké presented himself. "Report to make to the Go Inkyo[u]
Sama. Inagaki Dono sends his compliments to Ito[u] Sama. The papers of
transfer are these; by the hand of Kakusuké." As he took the documents,
said Kwaiba in answer to Kibei's inquiring look--"Your honoured parent
has favoured this Kwaiba. The transfer is of farms in Kazusa for others
in Shimosa. Thus all can be brought under one hand. A single _nanushi_
(bailiff) can manage the whole property in the two villages."--"But the
office...," objected Kibei. He had the _samurai_ instinct against the
slightest taint of failure in obligation. "Let Kibei San deign to follow
in the footsteps of Kwaiba. The successor to the _nanushi_ recently
deceased is a child. Kwaiba is in no haste to provide a substitute
pending majority. The right will lapse, and at majority the boy can be
found occupation elsewhere, to no small gain in the revenue. Out of
sight, out of mind. Kwaiba's present manager is unsurpassed; so is the
income he manages to gather." He looked around in some surprise, seeing
that Kakusuké still maintained his position, although dismissed. Then
noting him closely--"What has happened, Kakusuké? Your colour is bad.
Too cordial entertainment by the _chu[u]gen_ of Inagaki Dono? Or has
Kakusuké seen a ghost?"
"Kakusuké has seen O'Iwa San; of Tamiya. Rather would he have seen a
ghost; if indeed it was not a demon he saw." Kwaiba started--"O'Iwa!
Where?"--"It was at the brothel of Toémon, chief of the night-hawks, at
Yoshidacho[u] in Honjo[u]. Mobei the toilet dealer had suffered
direfully at her hands. Meeting her unexpectedly, the fool let out all
he knew of the happenings in the ward. In a rage she flew on him. 'To
seven lives a curse on Iémon Dono, on Akiyama Sama, on Kondo[u]
Sama.'"--He hesitated; then added--"on the Go Inkyo[u] Sama. Then in a
straight line she flew off toward the canal. Did she drown herself? This
Kakusuké could not ascertain. Going to the aid of Mobei, mauled and
prostrate on the ground, the whole story was learned. Cho[u]bei had sold
her for life to Toémon, to serve as a night-hawk."
Ito[u] Kwaiba sat straight up. His idle braggart words of a few moments
before came home to him. In Kibei he found no encouragement. After all
Kibei was a _samurai_; harsh, but with the courage of his caste and
profession. He spoke openly--"It was an outrageous deed. To sell a
_samurai_ woman to such a life! It stinks. This comes of bringing in a
low dog (_yaro[u]_) such as this Cho[u]bei. Did Iémon know of his
intention?" He looked Kwaiba in the eye, but the latter met him
squarely--"What Iémon knew or did not know, this Kwaiba knows not. But
of this event he must know--and at once. Kakusuké, go in all haste to
the house of Tamiya Sama. Kwaiba would consult with him." Kibei
fidgetted and fumed. He walked up and down the room. Then
abruptly--"Condescend to pardon the presence of Kibei. The honoured
father having matters to discuss with the diviner--he finds no amusement
in the counsellor." As he was withdrawing Iémon entered. Their greeting
was cold to the extreme. Iémon knew that Kibei hated and despised him;
as much as he, Iémon, hated and feared Kibei. Kwaiba called sharply to
his genial son--"Pray be within call, if needed." He was glad to see the
surly fellow's exit. In some things Kwaiba felt fear. The stiff courage
of Kibei made him ashamed openly to air his weakness. He broke the news
at once to Iémon. "Kakusuké has seen O'Iwa." Iémon looked at him
curiously. Was Kwaiba frightened? Said the one-time priest--"What of
that? She lives in Edo. A meeting with her is quite likely; at least for
a man of the grade of Kakusuké." He smiled grimly--"But...," said
Kwaiba. He plunged into the story of the _chu[u]gen_ in its full
details. Iémon listened carefully. "Ah! She is likely to come
here."--"Come here!" bellowed Kwaiba. "Just so," answered Iémon. "If she
seeks vengeance on this Iémon, on Kwaiba, or the others, where else
would she come than Yotsuya. We cannot run away." Kwaiba gasped at his
coolness--"And Iémon Dono, does he open Tamiya to the presence of its
ex-lady and mistress?"--"A beggar, an outcast, importuning Tamiya; the
severed body will lie in the ditch, for the gatherers of offal to cast
as food to the dogs on the moor. Fear enters, but--honoured chief,
condescend to follow the example of Iémon."
The round eyes in the round face of Kwaiba stood out. He leaned over
and touched Iémon's sleeve. In astonishment Iémon noted the fright
depicted in his face. The blustering old man at bottom was an arrant
coward. Two knaves should understand each other--as did he and
Cho[u]bei. He felt that he had been gulled during the whole of his
intercourse with this old fool. He should have bluffed; and not been
bluffed. Said Kwaiba in lowered voice--"Kakusuké could see nothing of
her. She disappeared into the waters of Warigesui. Suppose O'Iwa appears
as a ghost, to take vengeance on Kwaiba...." He straightened up in
astonishment and some anger at the derisive smile playing over the face
of Iémon. Indeed Iémon was more than amused. Not at the circumstances,
but at finding at last this weak spot in the man who had dominated him.
Conditions, however, controlled him. It was fact that the physical O'Iwa
might appear--to the distress and discomfiture of all concerned. They
must stand together. He spoke with severity--"Rich and afraid of ghosts!
Has not Ito[u] Dono two spearmen when he goes abroad? When he has an
interview with his lord does he tremble with fear? When the enemy in
life, with all physical powers, is not feared; why fear a disembodied
spirit deprived of all means of venting its wrath and spite? It is but
the imagination which works havoc. None are more helpless than the dead.
With them time and occasion has reached an end. If O'Iwa returns to
Yotsuya, it will be in her own person. With O'Iwa, the beggar and
night-hawk, our _Kumi-gashira_ knows how to deal."--"Then Iémon knew the
lot dealt out to O'Iwa."--"At first hand; from Cho[u]bei himself. The
lean knave has prospered by the affair. Iémon had no such desire to see
him, as to secure his costly presence at the dinner so unfortunately
witnessed by Mobei.... But deign to call for wine; drive out these
vapours with wine. Honoured chief, condescend to play the host to
Iémon." Iémon's manner was not wholly natural, as Kwaiba could have
detected if more himself. He felt immensely relieved. A priest--surely
he was one to know all about the nature of ghosts; was one to speak with
authority. Iémon was hardly to be regarded as in ecclesiastical good
odour. But Kwaiba was easily satisfied. He, too, roared--"Wine! Wine!
Bring wine!" As by magic Kibei appeared at the welcome sound. He
disliked Iémon, but he liked wine. The servants bustled around. The wine
was heated--again and again. A feast of fish--with more wine--followed.
It was late when Iémon left the house, the only sober member of the
party. Of his hosts, one was maudlin, the other asleep. The ample
resources of Tamiya, if not of benefit to his person, in these past two
years had given him the chance to harden his head; and he had grasped
it.
Iémon by no means had all the confidence he displayed before Kwaiba. He
was a priest, but environment influences everybody. There was a
possibility--discountenanced by experience, but existing. As he walked
slowly along Teramachi his thoughts strayed back into the past. "It was
an ill bond between this Iémon and O'Iwa San. Without question she has
drowned herself in the Warigesui. The body must be found and buried.
Memorial services are to be recited, for one dying without relatives or
friends (_segaki_)." The virtuous resolution was the outcome of his
meditation and glances into the many graveyards passed in his progress
through the temple-lined street. It was a beautiful street, with its
overhanging trees, its open spaces populated by the many dead, its
temples gorgeous in red and gilding amid the dark green of pine and
cedar. Iémon on this night had to hasten his steps. Rain threatened.
Gusts of wind came sharply from this side and that, driving the first
drops of the coming storm. He reached home just as it broke with all its
fury.
To O'Hana he would say nothing of Kwaiba's mission. On her remarking on
the lateness of the hour, he made answer that the old man was out of
sorts. Kibei was too robust a bottle companion for a man reaching toward
his seventieth year. No matter how vigorous, Kwaiba's wine was showing
on him. The two prepared for bed. O'Hana listened as the rain dashed in
streams against the _amado_, as if trying to break its way in. She gave
a little chuckle--"Who would have thought it!"--"What?" asked Iémon,
perhaps a little tartly. He was nervous. O'Hana laughed--"That Iémon and
this Hana should be where they now are. Their parting was on a night
like this. Ah! At seeing a man weep Hana could have retired into a
cave--forever. Only the fortunate accident of a drunken _yakunin_
(constable) as guest enabled her to give warning.... And now! Once more
united Iémon and this Hana live in luxury. Every wish is gratified.
Thanks for the past which contained this meeting in its womb; thanks for
the present in which happiness is secured:
'Losing one's way, again roads meet!
The hill of flowers.'"[27]
A terrific gust struck the rain-doors. They bent and cracked before
the force of the gale. The vivid white of lightning showed that one door
had been forced from its groove. Iémon rose and replaced it. As he
turned away suddenly the room was plunged in darkness. Said the voice of
O'Hana--"The light of the _andon_ has gone out. Oya! Oya! The lights in
the Butsudan (altar) are lit. And yet this Hana extinguished them."
Grumbled Iémon--"The wind has blown out the light in the _andon_.
Doubtless a spark was left in the wick of the altar light. Fire is to be
dreaded; great care should be taken in extinguishing the light." As he
relit the light in the night lamp, O'Hana went up to the Butsudan to
extinguish the lights there. She put her hand out to take one. A sharp
scream, and she fell back in confusion and fright. "An _aodaisho[u]_ in
the Butsudan! Help! Aid this Hana!" As she fled the snake with a thud
fell on the _tatami_. Unrolling its six feet of length, it started in
pursuit. Iémon stepped behind it and caught it by the tail. A sharp rap
behind the head stunned it. It hung limp in his hand. "Hana, please open
the _amado_."--"No, no: this Hana cannot; move she will not."--"Coward!"
said Iémon. "Time comes when Hana, for generations in the future
existence, will wander hill and dale in such form."--"Ara!" The woman
was properly shocked at this speech, wicked and brutal as an
imprecation. "Has the life of Hana been so foul as to deserve such
punishment in a future life? Surely 'tis not the priest of Reigan who
speaks; nor Iémon." She could only see his lips move as he stood at the
_amado_. "Evil was the connection between O'Iwa and this Iémon. Wander
not as one unburied, but becoming a Buddha at once enter Nirvana. Namu
Myo[u]ho[u] Renge Kyo[u]! Namu Myo[u]ho[u] Renge Kyo[u]! Wonderful the
Law, wondrous the Scripture of the Lotus!" With the invocation he cast
the stunned reptile far out into the garden. Returning, he said--"The
_aodaisho[u]_ is the most harmless of snakes. The farmers keep it to
destroy the rats which infest house and store rooms. How can Hana be
afraid of snakes, living in this _yashiki_ overgrown by weeds and grass,
from roof to garden?" O'Hana did not reply in direct terms--"It is evil
fortune to take a snake in the hand."--"Never mind such talk. It is the
priest who speaks. This Iémon knows all about snakes. Go to sleep." She
obeyed, knowing nothing about O'Iwa and the events of the day; yet her
slumber was broken and restless. By morning she was in a high fever.[28]