“BROTHER, you were surely blind that you did not recognize your
prisoner,” said the Lady Evening Glory, after the lovers had been
carried from the room.
“His appearance, my lady, had no interest for me.”
“Now that you are aware he is her lover, what then?”
“All that is very fortunate. Whatever doubt I may have felt as to my
daughter’s ability to ensnare this Mori prince into marrying her is now
set at rest. She already possesses his affection. Nothing remains,
therefore, to be done save to bring about their early union. This shall
be effected just as soon as the young man regains sufficient strength.
Meanwhile—”
“Meanwhile?”
“You have permission to despatch word to Choshui that a delay has been
granted to the Prince. This will keep them for a time from attacking
Catzu Toro. Also, the shogunate, availing itself of the time to march
upon Choshui, will rescue your son.”
“But will not the Mori immediately retaliate by sending troops here to
attempt the rescue of their own prince?”
“Not so, since the whereabouts of their prince is entirely unknown to
them. As you are aware, his trial was in secret. Only the shogunate is
acquainted with his present abode. The secret will be guarded, rest
assured. In fact, for the very purpose of forestalling any such attempt
on the part of the Mori, they have placed at my service a company of
soldiers and a large number of spies.”
“What are your intentions with regard to this Mori prince?”
“He shall marry, as you already know, the Lady Wistaria, and in that way
will become an outcast, both legally and morally.”
“And after their marriage?”
“Immediate notification of the fact to his father.”
“And after that? What of the order from the shogunate touching his
execution?”
“It shall be destroyed. I have given my promise to my daughter.”
“But when this fact reaches the shogunate people they will resent it,
and will never permit so valuable a prisoner to escape them. They will
send troops, if necessary, to take him from you. In the event of your
refusing to execute him, they will find another who will do so.”
“Very well, let them do so. I have no doubt, however, that the Prince
Keiki will escape them. But having become an outcast, he will be useless
as an Imperialist leader.”
“Which does not alter the fact that the Shogun’s men will continue to
fear him. Even now, you say, their spies and soldiers are lurking about
on all sides. I tell you it is quite impossible for him to escape them
now.”
“Well, all that is his affair, my lady. So far as I am concerned, on the
day of his Eta marriage I shall destroy the order of execution.”
“Which would be a criminal act, and one that would place you under the
ban of the law.”
“That is true, but I shall answer, I assure you, for whatever unlawful
acts I have committed during my lifetime to a higher tribunal than any
that could be formed by the august shogunate.”
“Brother, what do your words imply?”
“Sister, I cannot answer that question yet. When my purpose in life is
accomplished you shall have the answer. And after that, will you perform
a favor for me?”
“Certainly.”
“The Lady Wistaria will be alone.”
“Alone? She will have a husband.”
“She will be alone, I repeat. Do you suppose I should rest peacefully in
my grave with the knowledge that the blood of Mori was mingling with my
own? I repeat once more, my daughter will be quite alone, sister. Be
gentle with her, and as tender and kind as it is possible for one woman
to be to another. She will not lack for worldly wealth, for I shall
leave her a fortune. I do not wish her to return to Catzu. I desire that
a small temple shall be built for her somewhere in a quiet and remote
region. There I wish her to become a high priestess, to devote the
remainder of her life to works of holiness and charity. In this way she
will atone for the many sins of her father, and the gods will listen to
her prayers and show charity to his soul.”
“Oh, brother, from your words I begin to have lamentable fears that you
contemplate committing some frightful harm to yourself.”
“We are children of the same father, my lady. Your words surprise me.
Surely they are unbefitting one of your blood and rank. Do you see any
disgrace in my contemplations? I would rather wish that you would urge
me to that deed you appear to dread, for otherwise my life would be
without honor. Therefore lay aside your unworthy fears and assure me
that you will carry out my wishes.”
“I shall do so, ani-san” (elder brother), she replied, somewhat
brokenly.
“That is all, then. Why do you wait?”
“For a letter signed by you as executioner, stating that the execution
has been postponed indefinitely. We must put Toro’s safety for the next
few days beyond a doubt.”
Hastily writing a few words upon paper, the samurai handed it to his
sister, who seized it eagerly. Then, having examined the scroll
carefully, she murmured a few words of thanks and prepared to leave the
room. The samurai stayed her.
“One moment. By whom do you send this paper to Choshui?”
“I have two couriers.”
“Well, but one of these samurai must attend you to Catzu.”
“Certainly.”
“Then only one can be sent to Choshui.”
“But why so? I shall not leave here until my couriers return with
intelligence as to the fate of my son.”
“I can assure you, my lady, that your couriers will not return, and I
should advise you to part with but one of the two samurai attending
you.”
“Why—?”
“The Mori people will not let this courier depart, rest assured, unless
he divulge the hiding-place of their prince. This no samurai would ever
do. If your courier has not the wit, therefore, to deceive the Mori, I
am very much afraid his life will be endangered by this undertaking.”
“And what samurai,” inquired the lady, quickly, “would not welcome the
chance of thus giving up his life in the service of his lord? What I
have to decide now is, which of the two samurai to send, for each will
claim the privilege of the undertaking.”
“What are their names?”
“Sir Nishimua Matsue and Sir Takemoto Genji. The former has been in my
lord’s service for twenty years, and is so trusted by him that whenever
I am forced to travel alone, as at the present time, my lord intrusts me
to his especial care. You are already acquainted with the history of the
other, Sir Genji. He was one of your own comrades in Choshui, but after
your exile he deserted the Mori and became a ronin. Afterwards my lord
pressed him into our service, and he became attached personally to Lady
Wistaria. You will see, therefore, that it is a difficult matter for me
to choose between these two brave gentlemen.”
“Not at all. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind as to which is
the most fit for the service. Bid the samurai Genji come hither, if you
please.”
A few minutes later the big samurai Genji and Shimadzu were bowing
deeply to each other. From their low bows of silent courtesy it was hard
to believe that these two men had once been the closest of friends and
comrades in arms. Now they met again after many years of separation, yet
neither exhibited that emotion which lay at the bottom of their hearts.
Shimadzu did not even allow opportunity for the usual exchange of
compliments, but went straight to the point.
“My good friend, your lady, my honorable sister,” said he, “has an
august mission for you to perform, but one fraught with exceeding great
danger, and of a delicate and diplomatic nature withal.”
The samurai bowed calmly, as though the fact of the danger were as
indifferent a matter to him as the mission itself.
“In fact, she wishes you to carry word to Choshui of the postponement of
Prince Keiki’s execution. I need not point out to you the dangers of
such a mission. The Mori will insist upon your revealing the place of
imprisonment of their prince, and upon your refusing to do so will take
drastic measures to compel you. These perils, however, will be to your
liking, I am sure.”
“To my liking, that is so,” said Genji, “but—”
“What?” interrupted the Lady Evening Glory. “You hesitate! You do not
set off at once!”
“I do not hesitate, my lady,” replied the samurai, bowing respectfully.
“I refuse. I do not set off at once because I am not going.”
The Lady Evening Glory could scarcely believe her ears. Never in her
memory had a samurai refused to do the bidding of his lord or lady. That
Genji, of all samurai, should do so, astounded her. Nevertheless she
brought herself to listen to his amazing words.
“My lady, long before I entered the service of my Lord of Catzu I was a
ronin, an independent samurai who owed allegiance to no lord or prince.
I was induced to enter your service not for love of your lord or desire
to ingratiate myself with the Shogun powers, for, though a deserter for
personal reasons, I was of the clan of Choshui, and an Imperialist at
heart!”
“Such insolence,” said the lady, furiously, “shall be punished with thy
insignificant head.”
“Tsh!” interposed her brother, angrily. “Permit our good friend to
speak. I have a liking and understanding for his words.”
“As I have said,” repeated Genji, “it was neither for love of thy lord
nor his cause that I entered his service, but because I desired to be
near to, and to serve with my life, if necessary, the orphaned daughter
of my old friend and comrade, the Lady Wistaria.”
“It is well,” said the Lady Evening Glory, sharply, “that you did not
acquaint my Lord Catzu with all this. If my memory serves me correctly,
you came to Catzu with great protestations and promises of allegiance
and loyalty to his lordship.”
“And,” said Genji, “during the time that I have served the Lord Catzu,
there has been no samurai whose allegiance has been more unswerving than
mine.”
“And yet,” said the lady, scornfully, “at the first test the allegiance
you boast of is found wanting.”
“I respectfully beg to call your attention, my lady, to the error and
injustice you commit in making such a remark. In following my
inclination at this present time I expect to be discharged by his
lordship, or I shall submit my resignation to him. Under the
circumstances, I am once more a free samurai, and, being out of service,
I am at perfect liberty to serve whom I please. Nevertheless I shall
take delight in obeying any commands you may be pleased to bestow when I
am at liberty to do so. At present I am not at liberty.”
“May I inquire,” she asked, with her cold eyes disdainfully fixed above
his head, “why you condescended to accompany me?”
“Certainly. I had a fancy that you were about to set off for the place
where the Lady Wistaria might be residing. Consequently I besought you
to permit me to attend you. What is more, I had reason to believe that
the Lady Wistaria would be in need of me. Hence, here I am, and here I
remain, the gods permitting.”
“If you suppose, Sir Genji, that by pretending zeal in behalf of my
honorable niece you can excuse your conduct towards those in whose
service you rightfully belong, you will soon discover your error, I
assure you.”
“There I disagree with you,” interrupted Shimadzu, suddenly. “It is my
opinion that my old friend’s loyal zeal for the insignificant Lady
Wistaria excuses him from any seeming lapses in his service to his lord,
and in this I believe the Lord of Catzu will agree with me. Therefore,
sister, let us call a truce to this harsh and useless exchange of bitter
words. Instead, let us beg that Sir Genji will condescend to accept our
gratitude for his loyalty to one who, though insignificant, is yet of
our family.”
Again the two samurai bowed deeply to each other. The Lady of Catzu
shrugged angry shoulders.
“What is to be done?” she inquired, after a moment.
“Despatch the samurai Matsue at once with the paper,” said her brother.
“Meanwhile”—he turned to Genji—“deign to permit me to lead you to my
Lady Wistaria.”
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[Illustration: Decoration]