CHAPTER XIV.
THE HAWKING-PARTY.
Some days after the reception of the embassy, towards the tenth hourof the morning, the hour of the serpent, a young cavalier rode at fullspeed along the road which leads from Osaka to Kioto.
At that hour the road is very crowded; beasts of burden, pedlers,men and women of the people pass and repass along its entire length.Peasants carry the produce of their fields to the suburban towns;they are on their way to Fusimi, Yodo, and Firacca. Merchandise ofevery kind is taken from Osaka to Kioto,--rice, salt-fish, metals, andprecious woods; while Kioto sends to the city of the Shogun tea, silk,bronze vases, and various sorts of lacquered ware.
The young horseman paid not the faintest heed to the crowd; he gavehis steed the reins, and urged him on with his voice. Moreover, theroad was always free before him; people sprang quickly aside at thesound of the furious galloping feet, and the passers-by retreated tothe roadside, which was bordered here and there with houses made ofbeech-wood.
The rider moved so rapidly that, in spite of all their efforts, thecurious could not distinguish his features.
"It's a warrior," said one; "I saw the gleam of his weapons."
"That was no great thing to see," said another; "every time he moved heglittered like lightning."
"It's a warrior of high rank; I saw the gold thongs of his whip ofoffice."
"Is he a general?"
"Ask the swallow, as she flies, to see whether the copper horns shineupon his helmet; she alone is capable of overtaking that knight."
When he reached Kioto, the young soldier did not slacken his pace; herode through the city at a gallop, and entering the palace, inquiredfor the envoys of the Shogun.
"They are at the summer-palace," was the answer; "or rather they arenot there. They have joined our divine Kisaki in the chase; theystarted at sunrise."
"In which direction did they go?"
"Towards the shores of Lake Biva, at the foot of the mountains,"replied the lackey; "but, my lord, do you wish to join the illustrioushunters?"
"Bring me a horse," said the young man coldly, without answering thequestion.
At the same time he alighted, and the servant led away his weary steed;soon two grooms brought forward another, equipped, and full of spirit.
The soldier again mounted, and rode away.
Lake Biva lies behind the chain of hills that surrounds Kioto. Toreach it, several valleys must be traversed, and many roundabout pathspursued. The young man could not keep his horse at a steady gallop, onaccount of the many hills up and down which lay his course. Sometimes,instead of following the windings of the road, he galloped over thethick grass in the valleys, to cut short his journey. At the end of anhour he came out upon the lake-shore; but then he did not know whichway to turn.
The lake, blue as a sapphire, stretched before him far as the eye couldroach. To right and left rose small copses and thickets and brownrocks; whilst beyond them lay broad pastures covered with moss andheath. Of the hunt, no trace, no sign by which he might guess in whichdirection he was to follow.
The young soldier seemed in no wise disconcerted by this circumstance;he spurred his horse up a slight eminence and gazed around him. He thenperceived, in the midst of a bamboo grove, the roof of a tiny templehalf buried in the trees. Thither he hurried, and, without dismounting,rudely struck the alarm-bell.
The noise waked the keeper of the temple, a bald-headed old bonze, withlong, thin face.
He ran out, rubbing his eyes.
"Do you know which way the royal hunt went?" said the young man.
"This morning I heard the barking of dogs, the neighing of horses, andloud laughter," said the bonze; "but I saw nothing. The hunters did notpass this way."
"Then they must have gone to the right," said the warrior, droppinga piece of silver into the alms-chest covered with a lattice work ofbamboo.
He started off at a gallop. He rode for a long time, pausingoccasionally to listen. At last he heard a distant barking, althoughthe shore lay desolate before him. He stopped, and looked in alldirections.
The barking came from the mountains; the sound of horses' hoofs wasalso indistinctly heard.
Suddenly, without a break, the sounds became loud and clear. Black dogssprang from a narrow gorge between the hills, speedily followed by menon horseback.
The entire hunt passed before the young man. He recognized the Kisakiby the red gauze veil which floated around her. Some of the princessesheld a hooded falcon upon their left fist. The lords bent forward,ready to let fly their arrows; each grasped a huge black lacquer bow.
As all the hunters had their heads thrown back, and were watching afalcon chasing a buzzard, high in the heavens, they passed withoutobserving the young warrior. The latter at once rode alongside of them.
The dogs started a pheasant, which rose screaming from a bush. A freshfalcon was unleashed.
As he rode, the soldier sought out, among the nobles, the Prince ofNagato, and approached him.
"Stay, Iwakura!" he cried; "Fide-Yori sends me to you."
The Prince turned his head with a start; he drew in his horse. Theylingered behind.
"Signenari!" exclaimed Nagato, as he recognized the young leader. "Whathas happened?"
"I bring important news," said Signenari. "Civil war threatens us.Hieyas has levied armies; he holds half Japan. With an amazingpromptitude, he has collected large forces,--far superior to ours.The danger is imminent; therefore the master desires to rally all hisfollowers around him."
"Alas! alas!" cried Nagato, "the future alarms me! must the land,then, be bathed in the blood of its own children? What does GeneralYoke-Moura say?"
"Yoke-Moura is full of energy and confidence; he has assembled acouncil of war. But still another misfortune has befallen us: we havelost the Prince of Mayada."
"Is he dead, that dear old man?" said Nagato, bowing his head,--"theonly one who never yielded to the invading power of Hieyas! He couldnot have loved Fide-Yori more dearly, had he been his father. It washe who, on the death of the Tycoon, brought the little boy into theHall of a Thousand Mats and presented him to the princes, who sworeallegiance to him. How many have betrayed him since that day. Howmany more will yet betray him! Poor Mayada, you alone could win somesemblance of respect from Hieyas; now he fears nothing mortal."
"He shall fear us, I swear it to you!" cried Signenari, with an heroicflash in his eye.
"You are right! Forgive me for this temporary weakness," said thePrince, lifting his head. "I am so crushed with grief that this sadnews overwhelmed me for an instant."
The hunters had noticed the Prince of Nagato's absence. Supposing someaccident had occurred, an alarm was raised, and the whole Court cameflying back.
They soon perceived the Prince, talking with Signenari. They joined andsurrounded them, asking a thousand questions. The dogs barked, some ofthe horses reared and plunged; the falconers recalled their birds, whorefused to obey, and continued to pursue their prey.
"What has happened?" said one.
"It's a messenger."
"Does he bring tidings from Osaka?"
"Bad news!"
Nagato led Signenari to the Kisaki's side.
The Queen was mounted on a white horse covered with a network ofpearls, and decked with silken head-tassels.
"Here is the bravest of your soldiers," said Nagato, turning toSignenari. "He comes from Osaka."
Signenari bowed low; then resumed his grave and reserved attitude.
"Speak!" said the Kisaki.
"Divine Sovereign, it is with pain that I disturb your pleasures,"said Signenari; "but I must inform you that the peace of your kingdomis threatened. Hieyas has raised a part of Japan in revolt; he ispreparing to attack Osaka, that he may usurp the power intrusted toyour servant Fide-Yori by the celestial Mikado."
"Is it possible!" exclaimed the Kisaki. "Would Hieyas dare commit sucha crime? Has the man no soul, that, to satisfy his insatiate ambition,he does not hesitate to arm brothers
against brothers, and to shedon Japanese soil the blood of Japan's sons? Are you sure of what youstate?"
"The news was brought to Osaka last night by messengers sent in hothaste by the princes; the latter were hurriedly striving to fortifytheir provinces. The Daimio of Arima arrived this morning at dawn andconfirmed the news of the messengers. Scouts were instantly sent tovarious points, and the Shogun ordered me to recall his ambassadors asswiftly as possible, to hold a council."
"Let us return to the palace," said the Kisaki.
The party set out silently; only the princesses whispered together asthey stared at the young warrior.
"What a beauty he is?"
"You might take him for a woman!"
"Yes; but what daring in his eye!"
"What coldness too! His tranquil gravity disquiets and alarms."
"He must be terrible in battle."
"Terrible, too, to her who loves him; his heart seems to be of steel,like his sword. Do not look at him so steadily."
Nagato rode up to the Queen.
"These events will delay your marriage, Iwakura!" said she, with astrange feeling of delight.
"Yes, Queen," said the Prince; "and the chances of war are many:perhaps it may never take place. However, as Fatkoura is publicly knownas my betrothed, I wish her to go, until the wedding, to my castle ofHagui, where she will live with my father. If I die, she will bear myname, and be ruler over the province of Nagato."
"You are right," said the Kisaki; "but death will spare you. I willmake vows for your preservation."
Nagato looked at her reproachfully. He dared not speak, but his eyesexpressed his thought; they said plainly: "You know that death would besweeter to me than the union which you force me to make."
The Kisaki, deeply moved, turned away her head and spurred on herhorse. They returned to the Dairi.
When the Mikado learned the tidings of probable war, he seemedafflicted; but in secret he rejoiced. He did not love the Regent, nordid he care much more for the Shogun. Although he was their sovereignlord, he had a confused feeling that they ruled him. He knew that theyboth kept a watchful eye on him, and he feared them. He was thereforedelighted to think that they would mutually inflict on each other allthe evil that he wished them both.
That same day the envoys of Fide-Yori left Kioto and returned to Osaka.