Yes.
Because I still have eight more of these strange barbarians in reserve. Perhaps their collective knowledge will equal or exceed that of this single man. The important thing is to be back in Yedo as quickly as possible to prepare for the war, which cannot be avoided. Kiyama and Onoshi? Who knows if they"ll support me. Perhaps they will, perhaps not. But a plot of land and some promises are nothing in the balance if the Christian weight is on my side in forty days.
"It"s karma karma, Tsukku-san. Neh?" Neh?"
"Yes, Sire." Alvito glanced at the Captain-General, very satisfied. "Lord Toranaga suggests that nothing is done. It"s the will of G.o.d."
"Is it?"
The drum on the galley began abruptly. The oars bit into the water with great strength.
"What, in the name of Christ, is he doing?" Ferriera bellowed.
And then, as they watched the galley pulling away from them, Toranaga"s pennant came fluttering down from the masthead.
Rodrigues said, "Looks like they"re telling every G.o.d-cursed fishing boat in the harbor that Lord Toranaga"s no longer aboard."
"What"s he going to do?"
"I don"t know."
"Don"t you?" Ferriera asked.
"No. But if I was him I"d head for sea and leave us in the cesspit-or try to. The Ingeles has put the finger on us now. What"s it to be?"
"You"re ordered to Yedo." The Captain-General wanted to add, if you ram the galley all the better, but he didn"t. Because Mariko was listening.
The priests thankfully went ash.o.r.e in the longboat.
"All sails ho!" Rodrigues shouted, his leg paining and throbbing. "Sou" by sou"west! All hands lay to!"
"Senhora, please tell Lord Toranaga he"d best go below. It"ll be safer," Ferriera said.
"He thanks you and says he will stay here."
Ferriera shrugged, went to the edge of the quarterdeck. "Prime all cannon. Load grape! Action stations!"
CHAPTER 28.
"Isogi!" Blackthorne shouted, urging the oarsmaster to increase the beat. He looked aft at the frigate that was bearing down on them, close-hauled now under full sail, then for"ard again, estimating the next tack that she must use. He wondered if he had judged right, for there was very little sea room here near the cliffs, barely a few yards between disaster and success. Because of the wind, the frigate had to tack to make the harbor mouth, while the galley could maneuver at its whim. But the frigate had the advantage of speed. And on the last tack Rodrigues had made it clear that the galley had better stay out of the way when the Blackthorne shouted, urging the oarsmaster to increase the beat. He looked aft at the frigate that was bearing down on them, close-hauled now under full sail, then for"ard again, estimating the next tack that she must use. He wondered if he had judged right, for there was very little sea room here near the cliffs, barely a few yards between disaster and success. Because of the wind, the frigate had to tack to make the harbor mouth, while the galley could maneuver at its whim. But the frigate had the advantage of speed. And on the last tack Rodrigues had made it clear that the galley had better stay out of the way when the Santa Theresa Santa Theresa needed sea room. needed sea room.
Yabu was chattering at him again but he paid no heed. "Don"t understand-wakarimasen, Yabu-san! Listen, Toranaga-sama said, me, Anjin-san, ichi-ban ima! ichi-ban ima! I"m chief Captain-san now! I"m chief Captain-san now! Wakarimasu ka Wakarimasu ka, Yabu-san?" He pointed the course on the compa.s.s to the j.a.panese captain, who gesticulated at the frigate, barely fifty yards aft now, overtaking them rapidly on another collision path.
"Hold your course, by G.o.d!" Blackthorne said, the breeze cooling his seasodden clothes, which chilled him but helped to clear his head. He checked the sky. No clouds were near the bright moon and the wind was fair. No danger there, he thought. G.o.d keep the moon bright till we"re through.
"Hey, Captain!" he called out in English, knowing it made no difference if he spoke English or Portuguese or Dutch or Latin because he was alone. "Send someone for sake! Sake! Wakarimasu ka?" Wakarimasu ka?"
"Hai, Anjin-san."
A seaman was sent scurrying. As the man ran he looked over his shoulder, frightened by the size of the approaching frigate and her speed. Blackthorne held their course, trying to force the frigate to turn before she had gained all s.p.a.ce to windward. But she never wavered and came directly at him. At the last second he swung out of her way and then, when her bowsprit was almost over their aft deck, he heard Rodrigues" order, "Bear on the larboard tack! Let go staysails, and steady as she goes!" Then a shout at him in Spanish, "Thy mouth in the devil"s a.r.s.e, Ingeles!"
"Thy mother was there first, Rodrigues!"
Then the frigate peeled off the wind to scud now for the far sh.o.r.e, where she would have to turn again to reach into the wind and tack for this side once more before she could turn a last time again and make for the harbor mouth.
For an instant the ships were so close that he could almost touch her, Rodrigues, Toranaga, Mariko, and the Captain-General swaying on the quarterdeck. Then the frigate was away and they were twisting in her wash.
"Isogi, isogi, by G.o.d!"
The rowers redoubled their efforts and with signs Blackthorne ordered more men on the oars until there were no reserves. He had to get to the mouth before the frigate or they were lost.
The galley was eating up the distance. But so was the frigate. At the far side of the harbor she spun like a dancer and he saw that Rodrigues had added topsails and topgallants.
"He"s as canny a b.a.s.t.a.r.d as any Portuguese born!"
The sake arrived but it was taken out of the seaman"s hands by the young woman who had helped Mariko and offered precariously to him. She had stayed gamely on deck, even though clearly out of her element. Her hands were strong, her hair well groomed, and her kimono rich, in good taste and neat. The galley lurched in the chop. The girl reeled and dropped the cup. Her face did not change but he saw the flush of shame.
"Por nada," he said as she groped for it. "It doesn"t matter. he said as she groped for it. "It doesn"t matter. Namae ka?" Namae ka?"
"Usagi Fujiko, Anjin-san."
"Fujiko-san. Here, give it to me. Dozo." Dozo." He held out his hand and took the flask and drank directly from it, gulping the wine, eager to have its heat inside his body. He concentrated on the new course, skirting the shoals that Santiago, on Rodrigues" orders, had told him about. He rechecked the bearing from the headland that gave them a clean, hazardless run to the mouth while he finished the warmed wine, wondering in pa.s.sing how it had been warmed, and why they always served it warm and in small quant.i.ties. He held out his hand and took the flask and drank directly from it, gulping the wine, eager to have its heat inside his body. He concentrated on the new course, skirting the shoals that Santiago, on Rodrigues" orders, had told him about. He rechecked the bearing from the headland that gave them a clean, hazardless run to the mouth while he finished the warmed wine, wondering in pa.s.sing how it had been warmed, and why they always served it warm and in small quant.i.ties.
His head was clear now, and he felt strong enough, if he was careful. But he knew he had no reserves to draw upon, just as the ship had no reserves.
"Sake dozo dozo, Fujiko-san." He handed her the flask and forgot her.
On the windward tack the frigate made way too well and she pa.s.sed a hundred yards ahead of them, bearing for the sh.o.r.e. He heard obscenities coming down on the wind and did not bother to reply, conserving his energy.
"Isogi, by G.o.d! We"re losing!"
The excitement of the race and of being alone again and in command-more by the strength of his will than by position-added to the rare privilege of having Yabu in his power, filled him with unholy glee. "If it wasn"t that the ship"d go down and me with her, I"d put her on the rocks just to see you drown, s.h.i.t-face Yabu! For old Pieterzoon!"
But didn"t Yabu save Rodrigues when you couldn"t? Didn"t he charge the bandits when you were ambushed? And he was brave tonight. Yes, he"s a s.h.i.t-face, but even so he"s a brave s.h.i.t-face and that"s the truth.
The flask of sake was offered again. "Domo," he said. he said.
The frigate was keeled over, close-hauled and greatly pleasing to him. "I couldn"t do better," he said aloud to the wind. "But if I had her, I"d go through the boats and out to sea and never come back. I"d sail her home, somehow, and leave the j.a.pans to the j.a.panese and to the pestilential Portuguese." He saw Yabu and the captain staring at him. "I wouldn"t really, not yet. There"s a Black Ship to catch and plunder to be had. And revenge, eh, Yabu-san?"
"Nan desu ka, Anjin-san? Nan ja?" Nan ja?"
"Ichi-ban! Number one!" he replied, waving at the frigate. He drained the flask. Fujiko took it from him. Number one!" he replied, waving at the frigate. He drained the flask. Fujiko took it from him.
"Sake, Anjin-san?"
"Domo, iye!"
The two ships were very near the ma.s.sed fishing boats now, the galley heading straight for the pa.s.s that had been deliberately left between them, the frigate on the last reach and turning for the harbor mouth. Here the wind freshened as the protecting headlands fell away, open sea half a mile ahead. Gusts billowed the frigate"s sails, the shrouds crackling like pistol shots, froth now at her bow and in her wake.
The rowers were bathed with sweat and flagging. One man dropped. And another. The fifty-odd ronin-samurai were already in position. Ahead, archers in the fishing boats either side of the narrow channel were arming their bows. Blackthorne saw small braziers in many of the boats and he knew that the arrows would be fire arrows when they came.
He had prepared for battle as best he could. Yabu had understood that they would have to fight, and had understood fire arrows immediately. Blackthorne had erected protective wooden bulkheads around the helm. He had broken open some of the crates of muskets and had set those who could to arming them with powder and with shot. And he had brought several small kegs of powder up onto the quarterdeck and fused them.
When Santiago, the first mate, had helped him aboard the longboat, he had told him that Rodrigues was going to help, with G.o.d"s good grace.
"Why?" he had asked.
"My Pilot says to tell you that he had you thrown overboard to sober you up, senhor."
"Why?"
"Because, he said to tell you, Senhor Pilot, because there was danger aboard the Santa Theresa Santa Theresa, danger for you."
"What danger?"
"You are to fight your own way out, he tells you, if you can. But he will help."
"Why?"
"For the Madonna"s sweet sake, hold your heretic tongue and listen, I"ve little time."
Then the mate had told him about the shoals and the bearings and the way of the channel and the plan. And given him two pistols. "How good a shot are you, my Pilot asks."
"Poor," he had lied.
"Go with G.o.d, my Pilot said to tell you finally."
"And him-and you."
"For me I a.s.sign thee to h.e.l.l!"
"Thy sister!"
Blackthorne had fused the kegs in case the cannon began and there was no plan, or if the plan proved false, and also against encroaching hostiles. Even such a little keg, the fuse alight, floated against the side of the frigate would sink her as surely as a seventy-gun broadside. It doesn"t matter how small the keg, he thought, providing it guts her.
"Isogi for your lives!" he called out and took the helm, thanking G.o.d for Rodrigues and the brightness of the moon. for your lives!" he called out and took the helm, thanking G.o.d for Rodrigues and the brightness of the moon.
Here at the mouth the harbor narrowed to four hundred yards. Deep water was almost sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e, the rock headlands rising sharp from the sea.
The s.p.a.ce between the ambushing fishing boats was a hundred yards.
The Santa Theresa Santa Theresa had the bit between her teeth now, the wind abaft the beam to starboard, strong wake aft, and she was gaining on them fast. Blackthorne held the center of the channel and signed to Yabu to be ready. All their ronin-samurai had been ordered to squat below the gunwales, unseen, until Blackthorne gave the signal, when it was every man-with musket or sword-to port or to starboard, wherever they were needed, Yabu commanding the fight. The j.a.panese captain knew that his oarsmen were to follow the drum and the drum master knew that he had to obey the Anjin-san. And the Anjin-san alone was to guide the ship. had the bit between her teeth now, the wind abaft the beam to starboard, strong wake aft, and she was gaining on them fast. Blackthorne held the center of the channel and signed to Yabu to be ready. All their ronin-samurai had been ordered to squat below the gunwales, unseen, until Blackthorne gave the signal, when it was every man-with musket or sword-to port or to starboard, wherever they were needed, Yabu commanding the fight. The j.a.panese captain knew that his oarsmen were to follow the drum and the drum master knew that he had to obey the Anjin-san. And the Anjin-san alone was to guide the ship.
The frigate was fifty yards astern, in mid-channel, heading directly for them, and making it obvious that she required the mid-channel path.
Aboard the frigate, Ferriera breathed softly to Rodrigues, "Ram him." His eyes were on Mariko, who stood ten paces off, near the railings, with Toranaga.
"We daren"t-not with Toranaga there and the girl."
"Senhora!" Ferriera called out. "Senhora-better to get below, you and your master. It"d be safer for him on the gundeck."
Mariko translated to Toranaga, who thought a moment, then walked down the companion way onto the gundeck.
"G.o.d d.a.m.n my eyes," the chief gunner said to no one in particular. "I"d like to fire a broadside and sink something. It"s a G.o.d-cursed year since we sunk even a poxed pirate."
"Aye. The monkeys deserve a bath."
On the quarterdeck Ferriera repeated, "Ram the galley, Rodrigues!"
"Why kill your enemy when others"re doing it for you?"
"Madonna! You"re as bad as the priest! Thou hast no blood in thee!"
"Yes, I have none of the killing blood," Rodrigues replied, also in Spanish. "But thou? Thou hast it. Eh? And Spanish blood perhaps?"
"Are you going to ram him or not?" Ferriera asked in Portuguese, the nearness of the kill possessing him.
"If she stays where she is, yes."
"Then, Madonna, let her stay where she is."
"What had you in mind for the Ingeles? Why were you so angry he wasn"t aboard us?"
"I do not like you or trust you now, Rodrigues. Twice you"ve sided, or seemed to side, with the heretic against me, or us. If there was another acceptable pilot in all Asia, I would beach you, Rodrigues, and I would sail off with my Black Ship."
"Then you will drown. There"s a smell of death over you and only I can protect you."
Ferriera crossed himself superst.i.tiously. "Madonna, thou and thy filthy tongue! What right hast thou to say that?"
"My mother was a gypsy and she the seventh child of a seventh child, as I am."
"Liar!"
Rodrigues smiled. "Ah, my Lord Captain-General, perhaps I am." He cupped his hands and shouted, "Action stations!" and then to the helmsman, "Steady as she goes, and if that belly-gutter wh.o.r.e doesn"t move, sink her!"
Blackthorne held the wheel firmly, arms aching, legs aching. The oarsmaster was pounding the drum, the oarsmen making a final effort.
Now the frigate was twenty yards astern, now fifteen, now ten. Then Blackthorne swung hard to port. The frigate almost brushed them, heeled over toward them, and then she was alongside. Blackthorne swung hard astarboard to come parallel to the frigate, ten yards from her. Then, together-side by side-they were ready to run the gauntlet between the hostiles.
"Puuuull, pull, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!" Blackthorne shouted, wanting to stay exactly alongside, because only here were they guarded by the frigate"s bulk and by her sails. Some musket shots, then a salvo of burning arrows slashed at them, doing no real damage, but several by mistake struck the frigate"s lower sails and fire broke out.
All the commanding samurai in the boats stopped their archers in horror. No one had ever attacked a Southern Barbarian ship before. Don"t they alone bring the silks which make every summer"s humid heat bearable, and every winter"s cold bearable, and every spring and fall a joy? Aren"t the Southern Barbarians protected by Imperial decrees? Wouldn"t burning one of their ships infuriate them so much that they would, rightly, never come back again?