CHAPTER XXVIII.
HENCEFORTH MY HOUSE SHALL BE AT PEACE.
The leaders of the conspiracy were all arrested at the Day-break Inn;but the soldiers of Hieyas, warned betimes, did not disembark; so thatalthough the Shogun was certain that Hieyas was the secret head of theplot, no positive proof could be brought against him. Still it wasevident that civil war was about to break out again. General Yoke-Mourathought that it would be best to take the initiative, and carry the warinto the enemy's country. The other generals, on the contrary, desiredto collect all their forces in and around Osaka, and wait.
Discord ensued among the leaders. "You are too rash," they said toYoke-Moura.
"You are fools," replied the General.
No decision was reached. Fide-Yori, absorbed in his happiness, wouldnot hear any mention of the war. "Let my generals do their work," saidhe.
At the entreaty of the Prince of Nagato, however, he sent to Hieyasan aged officer named Kiomassa, whose prudence and devotion were wellknown.
"Let him go to Mikawa under the guise of peace," said the Prince, "andendeavor to find out whether Hieyas really means to resume the war. TheMikado ordered him to preserve the peace; the first who infringes uponhis decree will incur his wrath. If war is inevitable, let our enemy bethe first to offend. Kiomassa owns a castle in the outskirts of Mikawa;he can pay a visit to Hieyas on his way to his estates without rousingsuspicion."
General Kiomassa set off, escorted by three thousand troops. "I havecome to make you a neighborly call," said he to Hieyas, as he enteredthe castle of Mikawa.
Hieyas received him with a mocking smile. "I have always held you inhigh esteem," he said, "and I am delighted that chance has brought youhither. I said this morning to the nobles of my household, on hearingof your arrival in my dominions, that, save for three things, I sawnothing to reprove in you."
"And what are those three things?" said Kiomassa.
"First, you travel with an army, which is strange in time of peace;second, you possess a fortress, which seems to threaten my provinces;third and last, you let your beard grow under your chin, contrary tothe prevailing style."
Kiomassa answered without seeming disturbed: "I travel with an army topreserve myself from all danger, for I think the roads insecure; I havea fortress, of course, for the lodgment of that army. As for my beard,it is very useful to me; when I tie my helmet on, it makes a littlecushion under my chin, and keeps it from being chafed."
"Very good; keep your beard, but shave away your castle," said Hieyas,smiling; "your soldiers will help you with the work."'
"If you insist upon it, I will ask Fide-Yori whether he will authorizeme to yield the castle up to you. I shall soon return to my master.Have you no message to send him!"
"You may tell him that I am angry with him," said Hieyas.
"For what cause?"
"Because he has graven the characters composing my name on the bronzebell which he consecrated to the temple of Buddha, and they are beatenmorning and night."
"What do you mean?" cried Kiomassa. "Fide-Yori had these wordsinscribed upon the bell: 'Henceforth my house shall be at peace.'"
"I tell you that all the characters in my name are used to make up thatsentence; and it is upon my name the priest strikes with his bronzemallet, accompanying the blow with curses on my head."
"I will inform the Shogun that this coincidence offends you," saidKiomassa, without losing one whit of his composure.
He returned to Osaka, and told how he was received by Hieyas. Themocking insolence and the idle quarrel picked by the aged Regent were asufficient indication of his hostile purpose, which he did not even tryto disguise.
"His conduct is equivalent to a declaration of war," said Fide-Yori;"we should consider it as such. However, we will make no attack.Let Hieyas stand forth; he will not do so immediately; we shall,undoubtedly, have time to re-dig the moats around the castle. Let thework be begun at once."
Some time after this, Fide-Yori repudiated his wife, the granddaughterof Hieyas, and sent her back to her grandfather. He at the same timeannounced his speedy marriage with Omiti, to whom he had given thetitle of Princess of Yamato.
The two lovers forgot the rest of the world; their happiness blindedthem; they had no room for thought of the dangers which threatenedthem. Besides, to them the only misfortune possible was to be parted;and they were sure, if any disaster occurred, that they could at leastdie together.
They had revisited the lemon grove. Delicate buds began to stud thebranches, for spring comes quickly in that climate. The last snow hasscarcely melted when the trees grow green. They wandered down the mistygarden-paths, hand in hand, enjoying the bliss of being together, ofseeing one another otherwise than in imagination or in a dream; forthey adored each other, but did not know each other. They had met foran instant only, and the mental image which each had preserved of theother was incomplete and rather different from reality. Every momentbrought them some fresh surprise.
"I thought you were shorter," said Fide-Yori.
"Your eyes seemed to me proud and scornful," said Omiti; "but they arefull of infinite tenderness."
"How sweet your voice is, my beloved!" resumed the King; "my memoryperverted its divine music."
Sometimes they embarked in a little boat, and with one stroke of theoar reached the middle of the pond. Upon the bank a tall willow dippedits long green branches in the water; the stiff leaves of the irispierced the liquid mirror; and water-lilies bloomed on its surface. Thebetrothed pair cast their lines, and the hook sank, making a series ofcircles on the water. But the fish nibbled in vain; in vain the lightfloat hovering on the surface of the pond danced a reckless measure;they heeded it not. From one end of the boat to the other, they gazedfondly at each other. But sometimes they noticed that the fish set themat nought; then their clear laughter rang out, mingling with the songof the birds.
He was twenty-three, she eighteen. Yet it was Omiti who occasionallyconcerned herself about the war. "Do not forget your duties as a kingin your love for me," said she; "do not forget that we are threatenedwith war."
"Your heart is at peace with mine," said Fide-Yori; "why do you talk ofwar?"
However, the Shogun might safely devote himself to his love. ThePrince of Nagato took his place, arranged the defence, and strove tobring about harmony among the generals, who were all at odds, and onlythought of thwarting one another. Harounaga in particular gave himabundant cause for anxiety. He forbade his men to dig the moat aroundthe castle. "That is work for slaves," said he; "and you are warriors."
The soldiers of the other companies, unwilling to be less sensitivethan their comrades, in their turn refused to work. So that after thelapse of a month and a half children could still run up and down intothe moat at play. Nagato was obliged to inflict severe punishments, andorder was restored by degrees.
Signenari pitched his camp on the plain to the north of the city;Yoke-Moura took up his quarters on the hill called Yoka-Yama, andHarounaga on Tchaousi-Yama. All the rest of the troops guarded theshore, or were collected in the fortress. Moreover, Nagato had chargedRaiden and his mates to enlist all who would fight; and the bravesailors had gathered ten thousand volunteers.
Thus defended, it was difficult to take the city by surprise. Nagato'seagle eye was everywhere; he had fortified the two bastions which standat the entrance to Osaka, on either side of the river. By the helpof the canals intersecting the entire town, by destroying a certainnumber of bridges, he had contrived to make a moat, and to insulate thedistrict containing the fortress. The Prince seemed unwearied. Withsuch a leader, who thought of everything, and kindled the ardor of thetroops by his words and his example, the city might be defended, andstill hope. But all at once Nagato left Osaka.
One evening a horseman paused at the door of his palace. Nagatorecognized Farou-So-Chan, one of the nobles especially attached to theservice of the Kisaki. Iwakura never saw any one who came from theDairi without a palpitation of the heart. On this occasion his emotionwas y
et more marked. Farou-So-Chan was charged with a particular andsecret mission.
"Here is a letter which the Kisaki directed me to place in your hands,"said he, with a melancholy gravity which struck Nagato.
He unfolded the letter with trembling fingers; it exhaled the delicateperfume which he loved so much.
It read as follows:--
"On the tenth day of the fifth moon go to the province of Ise, to the temple of Ten-Sio-Dai-Tsin, at nightfall; kneel on the threshold of the temple and remain in prayer until a young priest approaches you and touches you on the shoulder; then rise and follow him; he will conduct you to me."
Nagato lost himself in conjectures. What could be the meaning ofthis singular tryst at the doors of the temple of the Sun-Goddess inthe province of Ise? Was it a trap? No; for Farou-So-Chan was themessenger. But then he should see her again; all anxiety faded beforethat delightful prospect.
The tenth day of the fifth moon was the very next day but one. ThePrince had barely time to reach the spot at the hour appointed, and hestarted in haste.