The Curse of Koshiu: A Chronicle of Old Japan

by Lewis Wingfield

  CHAPTER VII.

  THE FARMER'S SENTENCE.

  Perhaps the Daimio of Nara was right in his prognostications of theprobable. Although the lives of a few peasants are to Japanesepatricians of but small account, there had been considerableexcitement among the daimios over Hojo's high-handed treatment of thevillage elders, a tornado of lamentation among the lower and unarmedclasses. Had the action of the despot been voted orthodox, had heunwaveringly pursued his course, the other lords would have done thesame as he with joy, to wring out additional sums for pleasant uses;but as No-Kami gave way with little pressing, and thereby stultifiedhis action, there was a general chorus of disapproval. If, excited andcruel, he were now to inflict signal vengeance on the unfortunatefarmer, there would be still further uproar; and each freshdemonstration tended to a universal rising, for the destruction of theterrible octopus. Nara was old enough to have learned that the waitinggame is generally best in the end, and preached sage wisdom to hismaster, who wept, being foolish, and young, and also uneasy in hismind.

  No-Kami was frantic with wrath when he considered Koshiu's sin. What adeplorable precedent was this! A petty farmer, little better than thecommon labourer, who strews the paddy field with filth, and grubs onhands on knees like a pig in the mud when the young rice begins tosprout; this abject, well-nigh four-footed, grovelling creature hadabsolutely, erect upon hind legs, dared to approach the head of thestate--the nominal head--with a writing wherein he, the reigninaHojo--the real head of the state--was impeached and accused ofmisdemeanours,--even of deeds called CRIMES! Such audacity to the mostnimble imagination was all but inconceivable. It was no lesspreposterous and ludicrous than if the brisk and too sprightly fleawere, with his tiny mandibles, to assault the elephant. As he revolvedthe circumstance, the Daimio was so tickled that, as he paced a pathin his garden outside Ki[^y]oto, he laughed a hard and gratingcachination, that was half a snort, and shouted for a cup of warmsake, the which was brought, with the humblest of genuflections; formy lord's laugh clanked like rusty chains, and was precursor usuallyof bloodshed. But this was really too amusing, or would have been, ifnot so impudent. As he drained cup after cup of wine, my lord's mindbecame more active, the heat of his resentment more whitely glowing.What punishment was severe enough for such a caitiff? What was meredeath, even the slowest, with ingeniously long-drawn agonies, butabsurdly insufficient. The doom of the farmer must be somethingcalculated to appal,--to spread terror broadcast, or his pestilentexample might be followed by other swine. He would be a good riddance,this Koshiu, for he had always been a dangerous character,--one whodared to think for himself, actually to think, and frame views andtheories of an independent and subversive kind. Oh for some brilliantidea, some happy thought, startling and awe-inspiring,--something atwhich the ordinary mind would revolt, then shrink down cowering!Decidedly this was an occasion on which the culprit must be made agenuine "example;" and as he paced the garden path, the brain ofNo-Kami was much exercised to find some awful sentence worthy of hisreputation and his name.

  His heart was so hardened by schemes of revenge that the scene aroundwas powerless to calm his ruffled soul; and yet his villa withoutKi[^y]oto, known as the Golden House (it exists to this day), was aspot where loving nature had freely given of her best.

  On the plain between the city and the mountains is a wood, some threemiles square, wherein branching umbrella pines and lofty cryptomeriasand black-pointed cypresses are mingled in calculated confusion withthe ensanguined foliage of the maple, and a luxuriant shrub coveredwith yellow blossoms, which has a scent resembling that of theapricot. The underbrush being carefully removed, the feet of the treesstand clear, rising from a tumbled surface of rich moss and rock andknoll, through which meander crystal streams shaded by grass andferns. In a secluded portion of the wood is a large oblong pond,half-covered with dense reeds, and full offish and tortoises. In this,between the reed-beds, is mirrored a fairy cot--very small, assuitable for fairies--with the usual heavy roof and posts, and withwindows inlaid with oyster shell. The peculiarity of the villa, at thetime which occupies us, was that inside and out it was entirely gilt,which, against the sombre green background, in the limpid atmosphere,gave it the aspect of an enchanted dwelling. The rooms were of thesmallest, and as naked and uncomfortable as Japanese rooms always are;and yet, in miniature, there was naught neglected. There was theporter's lodge, wherein lounged the armed retainers, and whereupright, clean, and ready were the three formidable instrumentsdesigned to entangle, throw down, and pin a quarrelsome or unwelcomevisitor. Stout quarter staves were also ready wherewith to belabour astruggling wight. There were bows and arrows in plenty, while in a rowhung wooden tickets inscribed with the names of the soldiers inresidence, which, were handed to the keeper of the gate, in token ofabsence, as the men passed out. In one corner was a bath--a mere rudetub--wherein, after the Daimio had bathed, others might be allowed toplunge; while further on, in the _tokonoma_, or recess of honour, wereranged in glittering state, ready always for use, the armour of mylord--his cuirass and greaves, helmet, chainmail, and swords.

  As he paced up and down under shadow of the trees, No-Kami had aninspiration; and summoning his favourite samurai, he bade him producethe prisoner. With arms crossed on his broad chest, and a mien ofsullen defiance, Koshiu emerged, and having approached, stared hardinto his oppressor's eyes with such undaunted boldness that Hojo feltalmost sorry. It was a pity to have to annihilate so bold a varlet;and yet the independent ways of these same bold varlets arepestilent,--dangerous to the lords who are set over them.

  "What hast thou to say--what excuse to make?" demanded the imperiousNo-Kami.

  "The performance of duty calls for no excuse," replied the blufffarmer.

  "Duty!"

  "Yes, duty,--to myself, to my fellow-sufferers, to the sublime Mikado,who, unless told, knows naught--for he dwells apart--of the wickedsuch as thee."

  "By Buddha's crown, but thou art mad! instead of suing for mercy,aggravating thy offence."

  "The Hojos never knew mercy--thou least of all--and I expect none."

  "Will none make a lid for this rascal?" cried the Daimio, his smallstock of patience ebbing. Then, seeing half a score of bright bladesflashing in the sun, he waved them back into their scabbards. "Nay,nay," he grumbled; "sully not your steel."

  "The Hojos were ever bad," observed Koshiu, without blenching. "Thouand thy brother are the worst."

  "Sampei!" exclaimed No-Kami, in surprise. "Why he is half of thy castehimself, and is adored by the populace. What evil hath he done tothee?"

  "He robbed me of my eldest child, whom I held dear. She has vanished,seduced by him."

  No-Kami laughed long and loud, that very ugly laugh.

  "So, so. The General is sly, and keeps his counsel, and hath done theeand thine far too much honour, ingrate! See, here he comes to answerfor himself."

  It was indeed Sampei, who, in extreme haste and heat, was crashingthrough the ferns. How unfortunate that the Emperor should not havedetained him ten minutes longer. He would have expostulated with hisbrother then and there, in the Imperial presence,--have entreated theFountain of Honour not to give up the captive. For in Hojo's greedydesire to obtain possession of him there was lurking somethingsinister. No-Kami's temper was so warm. For his sake, and the namethey both bore, he must be prevented from going to extremities. Thanksto the gods, he was in time, for there the man stood, unharmed as yet.Ere he reached the spot where the two were standing, with retainersgrouped in a circle, Sampei cried out, in his strong voice,--

  "No-Kami, my brother, give me this man's life!"

  "Again," laughed No-Kami. "What a glutton for the lives of prisoners.Not this one; no, his is a special case; but I'll give thee his littlewanton."

  "What wanton?" And then of a sudden the young soldier remembered hismother's news which had so startled him. This was the father of themaid whose heart he had unconsciously captured, and whose parent hadfive years ago denied
to him his doors. It was with a whimsical smilethat he shrugged his shoulders, and said,--"Mine' is no wanton that Iknow of. She is as pure for me as Fugi, the holy and snow-cappedmountain."

  "Liar!" shouted Koshiu. "What have Hojos to do with truth?"

  Whereupon, with a low growl, the retainers drew their dirks andpressed close round.

  Sampei grew a shade paler, but, controlling himself, quietly said,--

  "Let be, men! Sheathe your blades! The man labours under a mistake,and will know better by-and-by. Grant me his life, my brother!"

  "Why, of what parentage art thou?" exclaimed No-Kami, with a gestureof scorn. "He dubbed thee liar! Well, well! A drop of low peasantblood mingled with the best envenoms the entire stream. Yet am Iashamed, that thou, who art said to have done deeds of exceedingprowess, should tamely accept such insolence! And yet--and yet! I seenow that I was wrong, precipitate. So mean a target is not worth yourarrows. Fear not, my sober brother, I will myself avenge thee. Standforth thou, and hear thy sentence. Whereas thou--audacious andstiff-necked--hast set thyself up as a champion and head of thevillagers; and whereas thou hast dared to make light of me, thy feudallord, by petitioning the Emperor directly; and whereas thou hast beenguilty of conspiracy--three heinous crimes--it is decreed that thoushalt be taken in chains to Tsu, in a litter covered with a net ofshame, and there suffer death by crucifixion. Thy wife will sufferlikewise. Thy children shall merely be beheaded. The girl--what is hername? Mine--alone shall live, since I have bestowed her as a boon uponmy brother."

  The samurai knelt down and rested their foreheads on the grass,clasping their hands in token of admiration and respect; Sampeicovered his glowing face with quivering fingers; the farmer turnedashen grey. A thunderbolt hurled down to annihilate a family. Forhimself he cared not: his life he had known was forfeit. But wife andinnocent babes! Gennosuke, the sturdy little lad; and pretty Sohei,and Kihachi, who could barely toddle! The unexpected blow wasparalysing--stupefying with overwhelming sweep; and No-Kami, who sawwith delight that the bolt went home, motioned for the condemned to beremoved. Sampei felt stunned,--torn between horror, and the instinctof blind loyalty to his chief, his creed--the creed in which he hadcarefully been nurtured. The innocent and the guilty involved in onecommon doom. It was horrible--unjust! Less vindictive by-and-by, theDaimio would repent him of his severity. Sampei saw clearly that theman must go. That could not be helped: he had brought on himself hispunishment. But the wife and children! Sampei had hurried hither toendeavour to rescue the man, and on behalf of the innocent had notfound a word of protest. Thank goodness that, owing to a mistake, Mineat least was safe. As to the wife and children, he and O'Tei mustcombine ere the sentence was carried out, and make a strenuous effort.There was no help to be looked for from the weak Mikado. What a pitythat he was such a feeble creature! But then, had he been moreformidable, he would have shared the fate of the others long ago. TheHojo looked so surly, that Sampei felt the moment unpropitious forremonstrance. Incensed as my lord now was, prayers would but aggravatehim further. Sampei seemed, therefore, to acquiesce in the decision ofthe Daimio, and turned to another topic.

  "A new eye sees things," he remarked, as they strolled under thetrees, "which escape the ken of him to whom surrounding objects arefamiliar. Powerful as you are, swaying with a nod affairs of state,you strike me as less secure than was our father."

  "He governed, as was necessary, with an iron hand, and so do I,"retorted No-Kami.

  "His was not so wet with blood," suggested the other gently.

  "Can this be indeed the successful soldier?" asked the Daimio,stopping in amaze. "More like that puling wife of mine. A pity you didnot wed her!"

  Sampei started and winced. Could his brother guess. There was no traceof suspicion on his visage. His secret was safe. It was only a strayshot.

  "The daimios," he observed quietly, "hate you, and they aretreacherous."

  "The daimios always hate him who is in power," replied the other withcomposure, "and burn to oust him. And people say that all Japanese aretreacherous. They must be curbed by fear. Hence my severity just now.Nay, do not speak or waste your breath and anger me. On that my mindis fixed. I was too mild and compassionate with those elders, and lookon the result! A stupid blunder, due to over-kindliness. The new-bornarrogance of those tillers of the soil must be sternly checked.Clemency would be construed into a sign of weakness. He who rules withthe sword must not be afraid to use it."

  "I would warn you to mistrust Nara," observed Sampei, after a pause ofthought; "he does not wish you well."

  "Nara!" echoed the Daimio. "He who our astute father selected as myspecial counsellor! You are too suspicious. For Nara I have nothingbut contempt--for him as for his counsel. He assumes sapient airs, andbeneath them is a coward and a fool. Sometimes, in sport, I press downmy heel on him, and he affords no sport, for he does not even writhe.Since you are a man of valour--the hero of the hour, though I vow youare more like a girl--furbish up your arms, and drill your cohorts,and leave policy to me. Drill your troops for my protection, mostdoughty of Hojos. As for statecraft, believe me, meddle not with acomplicated tangle which you have not the skill to unravel. Your armis more exercised than mine, but of heads, mine is the better."