"He"s a broken reed. I"m ashamed to say it. Terrible, but that"s what he"s become. We should go to war. Far better to go to war than to know the only future I"ve got is to see Ishido"s filthy face laughing at my karma!" karma!"
"Yes, so sorry. I wish there was something I could do to help. Would you like sake or cha?"
Buntaro turned and bellowed at a servant who was waiting in the pa.s.sageway. "Get sake! Hurry up!"
Buntaro walked into her room. Mariko closed the door. Now he stood at the window looking up at the castle walls and the donjon beyond.
"Please don"t worry, Sire," she said placatingly. "The bath"s ready and I"ve sent for your favorite."
He kept his eyes on the donjon, seething. Then he said, "He should resign in Lord Sudara"s favor if he"s not got the stomach for leadership anymore. Lord Sudara"s his son and legal heir, neh? Neh?" neh? Neh?"
"Yes, Sire."
"Yes. Or even better, he should do as Zataki suggested. Commit seppuku. Then we"d have Zataki and his armies fighting with us. With them and the muskets we could smash through to Kyoto, I know we could. Even if we failed, better that than give up like filthy, cowardly Garlic Eaters! Our Master"s forfeited all rights. Neh? NEH?" Neh? NEH?" He whirled on her. He whirled on her.
"Please excuse me-it"s not for me to say. He"s our liege lord."
Buntaro turned back again, brooding, to stare at the donjon. Lights flickered on all levels. Particularly the sixth. "My advice to his Council is to invite him to depart, and if he won"t-to help him. There"s precedent enough! There are many who share my opinion, but not Lord Sudara, not yet. Maybe he does secretly, who knows about him, what he"s really thinking? When you meet his wife, when you meet Lady Genjiko, talk to her, persuade her. Then she"ll persuade him-she leads him by the nose, neh? neh? You"re friends, she"ll listen to you. Persuade her." You"re friends, she"ll listen to you. Persuade her."
"I think that would be very bad to do, Sire. That"s treason."
"I order you to talk to her!"
"I will obey you."
"Yes, you"ll obey an order, won"t you?" he snarled. "Obey? Why are you always so cold and bitter? Eh?" He picked up her mirror and shoved it up to her face. "Look at yourself!"
"Please excuse me if I displease you, Sire." Her voice was level and she stared past the mirror to his face. "I don"t wish to anger you." He watched her for a moment then sullenly tossed the mirror back onto the lacquered table. "I didn"t accuse you. If I thought that I"d ... I wouldn"t hesitate."
Mariko heard herself spit back, unforgivably, "Wouldn"t hesitate to do what? Kill me, Sire? Or leave me alive to shame me more?"
"I didn"t accuse you, only him!" Buntaro bellowed.
"But I accuse you!" she shrieked in return. "And you did did accuse me!" accuse me!"
"Hold your tongue!"
"You shamed me in front of our lord! You accused me and you won"t do your duty! You"re afraid! You"re You"re a coward! A filthy, garlic-eating coward!" a coward! A filthy, garlic-eating coward!"
His sword came out of its scabbard, and she gloried in the fact that at least she had dared to push him over the brink.
But the sword remained poised in the air. "I ... I have your ... I have your promise before your ... your G.o.d, in Osaka. Before we ... we go into death ... I have your promise and I ... I hold you to that!"
Her baiting laugh was shrill and vicious. "Oh yes, mighty Lord. I"ll be your cushion just once more, but your welcome will be dry, bitter, and rancid!"
He hacked blindly with all his two-handed strength at a corner post and the blade sliced almost totally through the foot-thick seasoned beam. He tugged but the sword held fast. Almost berserk, he twisted it and fought it and then the blade snapped. With a final curse he hurled the broken haft through the flimsy wall and staggered drunkenly for the door. The quavering servant stood there with the tray and sake. Buntaro smashed it out of his hands. Instantly the servant knelt, put his head on the floor, and froze.
Buntaro leaned on the shattered door frame. "Wait ... wait till Osaka."
He groped out of the house.
For a time, Mariko remained immobile, seemingly in a trance. Then the color began to return to her cheeks. Her eyes focused. Silently she returned to her mirror. She studied her reflection for a moment. Then, quite calmly, she finished applying her makeup.
Blackthorne ran up the stairs two at a time, his guard with him. They were on the main staircase within the donjon and he was glad to be unenc.u.mbered by his swords. He had formally surrendered them in the courtyard to the first guards, who had also searched him politely but thoroughly. Torches lit the staircase and the landings. On the fourth landing he stopped, almost bursting with pent-up excitement, and called back, "Mariko-san, are you all right?"
"Yes-yes. I"m fine, thank you, Anjin-san."
He began to climb again, feeling light and very strong, until he reached the final landing on the sixth floor. This level was heavily guarded like all the others. His escorting samurai went over to those cl.u.s.tering at the final iron-fortified door and bowed. They bowed back and motioned Blackthorne to wait.
The ironwork and woodwork in the entire castle were excellent. Here in the donjon all the windows, though delicate and soaring, doubled as stations for bowmen, and there were heavy, iron-covered shutters ready to swing into place for further protection.
Mariko rounded the last angle of the easily defensible staircase and reached him.
"You all right?" he asked.
"Oh yes, thank you," she answered, slightly out of breath. But she still possessed the same curious serenity and detachment that he had at once noticed when he had met her in the courtyard but had never seen before.
Never mind, he thought confidently, it"s just the castle and Toranaga and Buntaro and being here in Yedo. I know what to do now.
Ever since he had seen Erasmus Erasmus he had been filled with an immense joy. He had truly never expected to find his ship so perfect, so clean and cared for, and ready. There"s hardly reason to stay in Yedo now, he had thought. I"ll just take a quick look below to test the bilges, an easy dive over the side to check the keel, then guns, powder room, ammunition and shot and sails. During the journey to Yedo he"d planned how to use heavy silk or cotton cloth for sails; Mariko had told him that canvas did not exist in j.a.pan. Just get the sails commissioned, he chortled, and any other spares we need, then off to Nagasaki like a lightning bolt. he had been filled with an immense joy. He had truly never expected to find his ship so perfect, so clean and cared for, and ready. There"s hardly reason to stay in Yedo now, he had thought. I"ll just take a quick look below to test the bilges, an easy dive over the side to check the keel, then guns, powder room, ammunition and shot and sails. During the journey to Yedo he"d planned how to use heavy silk or cotton cloth for sails; Mariko had told him that canvas did not exist in j.a.pan. Just get the sails commissioned, he chortled, and any other spares we need, then off to Nagasaki like a lightning bolt.
"Anjin-san!" The samurai was back.
"Hai?"
"Dozo."
The fortified door swung open silently. Toranaga was seated at the far end of the square room on a section of raised tatamis. Alone.
Blackthorne knelt and bowed low, his hands flat. "Konbanwa, Toranaga-sama. Ikaga desu ka Ikaga desu ka?"
"Okagesana de genki desu. Anata wa?"
Toranaga seemed older and lackl.u.s.ter, and much thinner than before. Shigata ga nai Shigata ga nai, Blackthorne told himself. Toranaga"s karma karma won"t touch won"t touch Erasmus Erasmus-she"s going to be his savior, by G.o.d.
He answered Toranaga"s standard inquiries in simple but well-accented j.a.panese, using a simplified technique he had developed with Alvito"s help. Toranaga complimented him on the improvement and began to speak faster.
Blackthorne used one of the stock phrases he had worked out with Alvito and Mariko: "Please excuse me, Lord, as my j.a.panese is not good, would you please speak slower and use simple words, as I have to use simple words-please excuse me for putting you to so much trouble."
"All right. Yes, certainly. Tell me, how did you like Yokose?"
Blackthorne replied, keeping up with Toranaga, his answers halting, his vocabulary still very limited, until Toranaga asked a question, the key words of which he missed entirely. "Dozo? Gomen nasai, Toranaga-sama," he said apologetically. "Wakarimasen." I don"t understand. I don"t understand.
Toranaga repeated what he had said, in simpler language. Blackthorne glanced at Mariko. "So sorry, Mariko-san, what"s "sonkei su beki umi"?" "sonkei su beki umi"?"
""Seaworthy," Anjin-san."
"Ah! Domo." Domo." Blackthorne turned back. The Blackthorne turned back. The daimyo daimyo had asked if he could quickly make sure whether his ship was completely seaworthy, and how long that would take. He replied, "Yes, easy. Half day, Lord." had asked if he could quickly make sure whether his ship was completely seaworthy, and how long that would take. He replied, "Yes, easy. Half day, Lord."
Toranaga thought a moment, then told him to do that tomorrow and report back in the afternoon, during the Hour of the Goat. "Wakarimasu?"
"Hai."
"Then you can see your men," Toranaga added.
"Sire?"
"Your va.s.sals. I sent for you to tell you tomorrow you"ll have your va.s.sals."
"Ah, so sorry; I understand. Samurai va.s.sals. Two hundred men."
"Yes. Good night, Anjin-san. I"ll see you tomorrow."
"Please excuse me, Lord, may I respectfully ask three things?"
"What?"
"First: Possible see my crew now please? Save time, neh? neh? Please." Toranaga agreed and gave a curt order to one of the samurai to guide Blackthorne. "Take a ten-man guard with you. Take the Anjin-san there and bring him back to the castle." Please." Toranaga agreed and gave a curt order to one of the samurai to guide Blackthorne. "Take a ten-man guard with you. Take the Anjin-san there and bring him back to the castle."
"Yes, Lord."
"Next, Anjin-san?"
"Please possible talk alone? Little time. Please excuse my rudeness." Blackthorne tried not to show his anxiety as Toranaga asked Mariko what this was all about. She replied truthfully that she only knew the Anjin-san had something private to say but she had not asked him what it was.
"You"re certain it"ll be all right for me to ask him, Mariko-san?" Blackthorne had said as they began to climb the stairs.
"Oh yes. Providing you wait till he"s finished. But be sure you know exactly what you"re going to say, Anjin-san. He"s ... he"s not as patient as he is normally." She had not asked him what he had wanted to ask, and he had not volunteered anything.
"Very well, Anjin-san," Toranaga was saying. "Please wait outside, Mariko-san." She bowed and left. "Yes?"
"So sorry, hear Lord Harima of Nagasaki now enemy."
Toranaga was startled for he had heard about Harima"s public commitment to Ishido"s standard only when he himself had reached Yedo. "Where did you get that information?"
"Please?"
Toranaga repeated the question slower.
"Ah! Understand. Hear about Lord Harima at Hakone. Gyoko-san tell us. Gyoko-san hear in Mishima."
"That woman"s well informed. Perhaps too well informed."
"Sire?"
"Nothing. Go on. What about Lord Harima?"
"Sire, may I respectfully say: my ship, big weapon over Black Ship, neh? neh? If I take Black Ship very quick-priests very anger because no money Christian work here-no money also Portuguese other lands. Last year no Black Ship here, so no money, If I take Black Ship very quick-priests very anger because no money Christian work here-no money also Portuguese other lands. Last year no Black Ship here, so no money, neh? neh? If now take Black Ship quick, very quick, and also next year, all priest has great fear. That"s the truth, Sire. Think priests If now take Black Ship quick, very quick, and also next year, all priest has great fear. That"s the truth, Sire. Think priests must must bend if threatens. Priests like this for Toranaga-sama!" Blackthorne snapped his hand shut to make his point. bend if threatens. Priests like this for Toranaga-sama!" Blackthorne snapped his hand shut to make his point.
Toranaga had listened intently, watching his lips as he was doing the same. "I follow you, but to what end, Anjin-san?"
"Sire?"
Toranaga fell into the same pattern of using few words. "To obtain what? To catch what? To get what?"
"Lord Onoshi, Lord Kiyama, and Lord Harima."
"So you want to interfere in our politics like the priests? You think you know how to rule us as well, Anjin-san?"
"So sorry, please, excuse me, I don"t understand."
"It doesn"t matter." Toranaga thought for a long time, then said, "Priests say they"ve no power to order Christian daimyos." daimyos."
"No true, Sire, please excuse me. Money big big power over priests. It"s the truth, Sire. If no Black Ship this year, and also next year no Black Ship, ruin. Very, very bad for priests. It"s the truth, Sire. Money power over priests. It"s the truth, Sire. If no Black Ship this year, and also next year no Black Ship, ruin. Very, very bad for priests. It"s the truth, Sire. Money is is power. Please consider: If Crimson Sky at same time or before, I attack Nagasaki. Nagasaki enemy now, power. Please consider: If Crimson Sky at same time or before, I attack Nagasaki. Nagasaki enemy now, neh? neh? I take Black Ship and attack sea roads between Kyushu and Honshu. Maybe threat enough to make enemy into friend?" I take Black Ship and attack sea roads between Kyushu and Honshu. Maybe threat enough to make enemy into friend?"
"No. The priests will stop trade. I am not at war with the priests or Nagasaki. Or anyone. I am going to Osaka. There will be no Crimson Sky. Wakarimasu?" Wakarimasu?"
"Hai." Blackthorne was not perturbed. He knew that now Toranaga clearly understood that this possible tactic would certainly draw off a large proportion of Kiyama-Onoshi-Harima forces, all of whom were Kyushu-based. And Blackthorne was not perturbed. He knew that now Toranaga clearly understood that this possible tactic would certainly draw off a large proportion of Kiyama-Onoshi-Harima forces, all of whom were Kyushu-based. And Erasmus Erasmus could certainly wreck any large-scale sea-borne transfer of troops from that island to the main one. Be patient, he cautioned himself. Let Toranaga consider it. Maybe it"ll be as Mariko says: There is a long time between now and Osaka, and who knows what might happen? Prepare for the best but do not fear the worst. could certainly wreck any large-scale sea-borne transfer of troops from that island to the main one. Be patient, he cautioned himself. Let Toranaga consider it. Maybe it"ll be as Mariko says: There is a long time between now and Osaka, and who knows what might happen? Prepare for the best but do not fear the worst.
"Anjin-san, why not say this in front of Mariko-san? She will tell priests? You think that?"
"No, Sire. Only want to try talk direct. Not woman"s business to war. One last ask, Toranaga-sama." Blackthorne launched himself on a chosen course. "Custom hatamoto ask favor, sometimes. Please excuse me, Sire, may I respectfully say now possible ask?"
Toranaga"s fan stopped waving. "What favor?"
"Know divorce easy if lord say. Ask Toda Mariko-sama wife." Toranaga was dumbstruck and Blackthorne was afraid he"d gone too far. "Please excuse me for my rudeness," he added.
Toranaga recovered quickly. "Mariko-san agrees?"
"No, Toranaga-sama. Secret my. Never say to her, anyone. Secret my only. Not say to Toda Mariko-san. Never. Kinjiru, neh? Kinjiru, neh? But know angers between husband wife. Divorce easy in j.a.pan. This my secret only. Ask Lord Toranaga only. Very secret. Never Mariko-san. Please excuse me if I"ve offended you." But know angers between husband wife. Divorce easy in j.a.pan. This my secret only. Ask Lord Toranaga only. Very secret. Never Mariko-san. Please excuse me if I"ve offended you."
"That"s a presumptuous request for a stranger. Unheard of! Because you"re hatamoto I"m duty bound to consider it, though you"re forbidden to mention it to her under any circ.u.mstances, either to her or to her husband. Is that clear?"
"Please?" Blackthorne asked, not understanding at all, hardly able to think.
"Very bad ask and thought, Anjin-san. Understand?"
"Yes Sire, so sor-"
"Because Anjin-san hatamoto I"m not angry. Will consider. Understand?"
"Yes, I think so. Thank you. Please excuse my bad j.a.panese, so sorry."
"No talk to her, Anjin-san, about divorce. Mariko-san or Buntaro-san. Kinjiru, wakarimasu?" Kinjiru, wakarimasu?"
"Yes, Lord. Understand. Only secret you, I. Secret. Thank you. Please excuse my rudeness and thank you for your patience." Blackthorne bowed perfectly and, almost in a dream, he walked out. The door closed behind him. On the landing everyone was watching him quizzically.
He wanted to share his victory with Mariko. But he was inhibited by her distracted serenity and the presence of the guards. "I"m sorry to keep you waiting" was all he said.