THE TREATY OF PEACE.
Hieyas consented to close the war; but, as Fide-Yori predicted, his
terms were hard.
"I demand," he said, "the execution of one of the three following
alternatives: let Fide-Yori give up the fortress, and spend seven years
at Yamato; let me receive Yodogimi as hostage; or let the walls of
Osaka be razed, and the moats filled up."
The last proposition only was received with favor by the assembled
generals in council of war. But Yoke-Moura regarded the destruction of
the ramparts as almost sacrilegious.
"This peace will not last long," said he; "and If the war is renewed,
what will become of us with our dismantled castle?"
There was a question of letting Yodogimi go.
"My mother! How can you think of such a thing?" cried the Shogun. "Such
a hostage once in his hands, we should cease to be aught but the slaves
of Hieyas."
"True," exclaimed General Harounaga; "it is impossible."
"Our walls once destroyed, we are left defenceless. War is preferable
to such a peace," broke in Yoke-Moura. He would willingly have
surrendered Yodogimi; he cared but little for a woman.
"Hieyas specifies," said some one, "that the moats are to be filled up
in such a way that children of three can run up and down into them at
play."
"Ten thousand laborers are to be set to work on the walls in all
haste," said another.
Yoke-Moura sighed.
"We must accept that condition," said the Shogun; "we are forced to do
so. At the least suspicion of war, we can build up the walls and dig
out the moats again."
"As you insist," said Yoke-Moura, "I will follow your advice; let us
demolish the fortress."
"Let General Signenari proceed to Hieyas' camp to exchange treaties
of peace; he will represent me worthily; and, I am sure, will acquit
himself nobly in this delicate affair."
"I will strive to deserve the trust with which you honor me," said
Signenari. "I await your orders to depart."
"You have scarcely sheathed the sword with which you punished the
province of Tosa," said the Shogun; "if you require a day's rest, take
it."
"I will start this evening," said Signenari. That same day, in fact,
the young General, accompanied by a large and splendid escort, set off
for the camp of Hieyas.
Hieyas, after the burning of the forest, in which a part of his men
perished, had taken up his quarters on the neighboring plain. He was
unwilling to abandon a position so near Osaka. When reinforcements
reached him, he marched against Harounaga, who still occupied
Soumiossi. The General was beaten, and his army routed. Hieyas,
however, left only an advance-guard in the conquered territory,
and returned to his camp, where he received the decree of peace
emanating from the Mikado. He then summoned several of the lords of
his council,--Owari, Dathe, Todo, Coroda. All agreed that it was
impossible to resist the command of the Son of the Gods; that they must
feign to yield, but create some obstacle to the signing of the treaty.
"Let us manage to make Fide-Yori refuse to sign the treaty of peace,"
said Hieyas. "In that way the wrath of Heaven will fall on his head."
To his great surprise, he was informed of the arrival of an envoy from
Osaka; then Fide-Yori accepted the terms he offered.
"Whom has he sent?" asked Hieyas.
"General Signenari."
The young warrior, whose heroism was well known, inspired even his
enemies with profound esteem. When he rode through the camp in his
military dress, the sovereign princes saluted him; but Signenari paid
no heed to their greetings.
"What is the meaning of this haughty bearing?" asked a nobleman.
"He represents the Shogun, Fide-Yori; he cannot return a salute."
He was conducted to the master's tent. Hieyas was seated at the back on
a folding-stool; to right and left of him, mats were spread upon the
ground. The princes and generals were present. Signenari was invited to
take his place with the princes; but he did not seem to understand, and
sat down opposite Hieyas.
"That is right," said one of the lords, in a low voice; "that warrior,
young as he is, has already acquired the dignity and prudence of a
veteran."
Signenari unrolled a paper.
"These are the words of my master, the Shogun Fide-Yori, son of the
Shogun Taiko-Sama," said he. And he read the roll, which he held in
both hands:--
"I, Fide-Yori, general-in-chief of the armies of the
Mikado, in order to put an end to the unjust war
declared against me by Hieyas, which lays the kingdom
waste, consent to accept one of the alternatives
proposed by my opponent for the conclusion of peace: I
will destroy the outer wall of the fortress of Osaka,
and I will fill up the moats; therefore all hostilities
are to cease, and arms to be laid down.
"I write this in all sincerity, on the fifteenth day of
the second moon of the autumn, in the nineteenth year of
the Nengo-Kai-Tio, and I sign with my blood.
"FIDE-YORI."
"If this be so," said Hieyas, in his weak and trembling voice, "I agree
to the peace."
He ordered writing materials to be brought, and dictated to a
secretary:--
"I, Minamoto Hieyas, proclaimed Shogun by the
predecessor of Go-Mitzou-No, in the name of the Shogun
Fide-Tadda, in whose favor I have abdicated, consent to
put an end to the war, on condition that Fide-Yori has
the walls of the castle of Osaka pulled down and the
moats filled up in such fashion that children of three
may run up and down into them at play."
A new brush and a long needle were then handed to Hieyas, with which
he was to prick the tip of his finger and sign in his own blood. He
pricked himself slightly, and only obtained a small, pale drop; still,
he signed, and the treaty was handed to Signenari.
"That will not do," said the General, glancing at the document; "the
writing is too pale. Your name is illegible; try again."
"But," said Hieyas, "I am old; I am weak and ill; to me a drop of blood
is very precious."
Signenari pretended not to hear. Hieyas, with a sigh, pricked himself
afresh, and retraced his signature; then only did the young General
give him the treaty signed by Fide-Yori.