by Gai-Jin(Lit)
The gai-jin will be kept waiting a suitable
"face losing" period, about half a candle, when we will send word and you may escort them into our presence. He said rapidly, "Of course I will take you the instant you have had refreshment and everything is ready for your perfect reception but oh so sorry this is just not possible for a little while as their August Persons are not yet in their correct attire so it is not yet possible to comply with your Master's unseemly request,
Interpreter-san."
"Please to say again, not fast," Tyrer said nervously, swamped. Another flood of
Japanese. "Sir William I think he's saying we have to wait."
"Eh? Why?"
"My Master say, why wait?"
More Japanese which Tyrer lost, so the man turned to Dutch, and Erlicher stepped into the conversation, further irritating Sir William and the others. At length Erlicher said, "It seems, Sir William, that the roju are not, how you say, ah yes, they are not quite ready, but when they are we'll be taken to the audience room."
"Please tell this, this fellow bluntly to take us there right smartly, that we are on time, that high-level meetings are always on time because both sides have other important affairs of State to deal with as I've explained fifty times! And tell him to hurry up!"
Erlicher beamed and said it plainly and however much the official twisted and turned and eventually begged, he bowed and, as slowly as possible, led them through a door, down a corridor--first sending a messenger ahead to warn to the Council of the gai-jin's astounding impertinence.
Another corridor and then, ahead, samurai opened huge doors, the official went onto his knees and bowed his head to the floor. Four men in elaborate silk robes, swords in their belts sat on chairs at the far end of the audience room on a slightly raised platform.
The central chair was empty. In front of them, on a lower level--which all Ministers noted instantly--were six chairs for each of the
Ministers and between the two knelt the official interpreter. A hundred or so samurai officers knelt in a half circle facing the door and as Sir William came in, all samurai in the room bowed. The four roju did not.
Sir William and the others bowed back politely, then approached the dais and took their seats: "Under no circumstances do Ministers of civilized nations get down on their knees and bow their heads to the floor," Sir William had said, "whatever your customs, whether you do it or no and that's the end of it!"
Phillip Tyrer, now an expert on bowing because of Nakama, noticed that each time an Elder bowed it was as superior to inferior.
Never mind, he thought, awed and excited, we're in the inner sanctum. When does the Sh@ogun arrive to take the empty chair? A boy? I wonder what he'll look like and what--
An Elder began to speak. With a sudden start,
Tyrer recognized him as the youngish official from their previous meeting at their Legation, and also the nervous, swarthy man sitting beside him who had said nothing then but had watched everything with his narrow eyes.
Why had two Elders come to meet with us without announcing themselves as such? he asked himself. Wait a minute, didn't the young Official introduce himself as Tomo Watanabe, yes, certainly he did, "junior official, second class."
Obviously a phony name. But why? And why the disguise?
Unsettled, Tyrer left that to be answered later and gave his attention to what the man was saying, understanding almost none of it, as he had been forewarned by Nakama would happen, who had told him that Court-oriented words would probably be used, most of which, as with most ordinary Japanese words and phrases, had different, often conflicting meanings.
His concentration wandered. The third Elder was rotund with a pudgy face and feminine hands, and the last truly elderly, graying and thin-faced with a bad scar on his left cheek. All were barely over five and a half feet, their winglike overmantles and wide-legged trousers and high-domed, lacquered hats tied under their chins and, above all their immobile dignity, making them imposing.
Now the Japanese interpreter spoke in
Dutch: "The roju, the Council of Elders of the Sh@ogunate welcomes the foreign representatives and wishes them to present their documents as has been agreed."
Sir William sighed, mesmerized by the empty chair. "All right, Johann, let's begin. Say to them, shouldn't we wait until the
Sh@ogun honors us with his presence?"
This into Dutch into Japanese, much discussion, then again the young Elder, Yoshi, made a pronouncement, slowly and meticulously translated into Dutch, into English.
"Basically, without the usual palaver, Sir
William, the spokesman says the Sh@ogun wasn't expected in this meeting, this is with the roju only. The Sh@ogun was to be later."
"That was not as was agreed and I inform them again that
Ministerial credentials are only presented to the
Head of State, in this case the Sh@ogun, so we can't proceed."
Back and forth and then, to the Ministers' displeasure: "The Elder says the Sh@ogun had to leave for Ky@oto urgently and regrets he will not have the pleasure of meeting you, etc., but you can give the roju your credentials as they have his authority to accept them."
Back and forth, Sir William's annoyance reddening into visible anger, more discussion on both sides and more time consumed, then a scroll, heavy with characters and sealed importantly and handled as though it were the Holy Grail, was presented by a kneeling official to Sir William.
"Phillip, can you read this?"
"I, no, sorry sir."
"No need to worry." Sir William sighed and turned to the others. "This is most improper."
"Yes," von Heimrich said coldly.
"Unacceptable," Count Alexi Zergeyev agreed.
"A dangerous precedent," Adamson said.
"It's certainly most unusual," Seratard said in French, "and they did promise the
Sh@ogun. We could, for just this meeting, agree to their request, eh, my friends?" He was careful to hide his own annoyance and kept his voice smooth and gentle as Andr`e Poncin, at his elbow, had suggested in a cautious whisper the moment they had entered the room, adding: "Be careful, Henri, the roju spokesman is the same Bakufu official I... we made the offer to after the other meeting, to inspect a warship, remember? Mon Dieu, I thought he was important, but never one of the Elders! If we could get him on the side of France, it would be an marvelous coup..."
Count Zergeyev was saying, "Agreeing will create a deplorable precedent."
"It will only be for this meeting. Yes?"
"It doesn't matter, it's wind over a cow's arse," the Swiss, Erlicher, said.
"Let's get on with it."
They argued. Tyrer listened but kept his attention on the Elders without being apparent, fascinated by them, wanting to take advantage of this rare opportunity to learn the maximum about them in the minimum time. His father had impressed on him from an early age: "In any meeting, always watch your opponent's hands and feet, they are the giveaways, eyes too and faces, yes, but those are usually easily controlled. Concentrate! Observe, but cautiously or the clues to tell you what he or she is really thinking will be obscured. Remember, my son, everyone exaggerates, everyone lies in some degree."
The hands and feet of the swarthy, shifty-eyed
Elder twitched constantly, little nervous movements, those of the young Elder hardly at all.
From time to time, as in the other meeting, he saw the man he had dubbed "Shifty Eyes" whisper to the young Elder, the spokesman--only to him.
Why? Tyrer asked himself. And why does Shifty
Eyes take no part in any of their discussions, seemingly dismissed by them, keeping his eyes constantly on the Ministers and not the interpreters.
Abruptly Sir William motioned at the empty chair: "If the Sh@ogun was not expected at this meeting, and there are five Elders in the roju, why is there an empty chair?"
Back and forth, forth and back and then: "He says the President of their Council, Lord
Anjo
, has just been taken ill and cannot be here, but that does not matter, they have his authority to proceed. Please proceed."
Von Heimrich, said in perfect French as a put-down to Seratard, "Doesn't this invalidate the meeting, didn't they keep harping on the "unanimous" nature of this Council?
Five men. This could be another deceitful ploy to be used in future to negate the whole proceedings." Again an argument began.
Only Sir William was silent. He was keeping his fury, and anxiety, off his face.
Clearly we've been duped again. What to do?
Then heard himself say in a firm voice: "Very well, we will accept this authority as bona fide from your Sh@ogun, for this meeting only. We will inform our governments that prior agreement was not adhered to and we will proceed to Ky@oto as soon as possible to present credentials properly to your
Sh@ogun--and Emperor Komei--with a more than suitable escort."
As Johann began to translate into Dutch,
Count Zergeyev murmured, "Bravo--that's the only way to deal with the matyeryebitz!" Von Heimrich and van de
Tromp, the Dutchman, quietly agreed, to the objections of Seratard, Adamson the
American and Erlicher.
The Japanese interpreter gaped and said loudly he was sure that he had misunderstood.
Johann told him there was no misunderstanding.
During this lengthy back and forth, Sir William closed his ears to them, watching the faces of the roju intently as they listened to the interpreter.
In varying degrees all of them became unsettled. Good, he thought.
"With the usual palaver, Sir William, but with a heavy load of polite apologies this time, he says it won't be possible to see the
Sh@ogun in Ky@oto, the weather is very inclement at this time of the year, but they will make sure the moment he's back, etc., etc."
Sir William smiled mirthlessly. "Say to them: Inclement or not, we will visit the
Emperor in the very near future, stress that
Johann. On that basis only we will proceed."
The roju received that in stony silence.
In turn, Sir William first, then the others, got up and bowed, spoke his name and rank and the country he represented, and offered his credentials. These were accepted with dignity. Each time the roju bowed back, respectfully.
"Now," Sir William said, his chin jutting.
"To proceed with the second business of the meeting:
Her Majesty's Government reaffirms that on
Friday the 12th September, this Year of Our
Lord, 1862, an English gentleman was foully murdered in daylight by samurai of the Satsuma contingent under the command of their king Sanjiro. Two others were wounded. Her Majesty's Government demands the murderers be handed over or dealt with publicly according to Japanese law, that a reparation of one hundred thousand pounds sterling in gold be paid forthwith, an apology published and a public guarantee promulgated that this will not happen again.
Next: the second and final payment of five thousand pounds sterling in gold as reparation for the murders of Sergeant Gunn and Corporal
Roper in our Legation last year, weeks overdue, be paid in gold in three days or the amount is doubled every day thereafter..."
Sir William allowed time for Johann to translate word for word but allowing no discussion until he had finished the list,
Adamson had demanded reparations for the murder of the
American official, and last, the Russian
Minister.
Count Zergeyev, his multitude of medals and decorations clinking on his gold-braided uniform said, "A Russian officer and one soldier off our man-of-war, Gudenev, were hacked to death in
Yokohama on 16th of February, last year," then added to the consternation of the others, "For reparations, Tsar Alexander II of all the
Russias, demands the Kurile Islands."
During the translations, Sir William leaned over and whispered pleasantly in
Russian: "A nice jest, Count Alexi, forof course Her Majesty's Government could never agree to such an intrusion into our sphere of influence."
"Perhaps, perhaps not. War is coming in Europe again. Soon we'll have to see who are our friends, and who enemies."
Sir William chuckled. "That's always a problem for certain countries. The United
Kingdom has no permanent enemies, only permanent interests."
"True, dear friend, but you forgot to add "no permanent friends." Also now, with Vladivostok, we're a Pacific power."
"Power from sea to sea? The dream of the Tsars, eh?"
"Why not? Better us than some," Count
Alexi said pointedly, then shrugged. "The
Kuriles? If not them some other islands--merely to protect Vladivostok."
"We must discuss your "curious" Pacific presence under more perfect conditions. My
Government is most interested."
Seratard, not understanding Russian and furious that he had not been party to this exchange, said coldly in French, "I trust, Sir William, you are well aware of French interests."
"As always, Monsieur, the interests of gallant allies are forefront in the mind of
Her Majesty's Foreign Office."
"Sir William," Johann said wearily,
"the Elder says... he's only repeating their previous position that they've no jurisdiction over Satsuma, don't know who the murderers are, and think any reparation should be claimed from
Satsuma itself, through correct channels of course."
"What correct channels?"
Back and forth: "He says through them, that they'll pass on your request to Satsuma again."
"It's not a request, by God. We will try one final time, stress that Johann, a different tack," Sir William said. "Say, Do they punish murderers, and tell the interpreter I require a yes or no. Only."
Back and forth: "He says, Sir
William, that under some circum--"
"Murder for Christ's sake. Yes or no!
Phillip, say it in Japanese!"
Tyrer's stomach twisted. He had been watching the swarthy Elder whispering again but bravely he jumped to his feet. "Honored
Lords, please excuse my poor Japanese but my Master ask, please if when murder, you kill murder man, yes or no please."
Silence. The Elders looked at Yoshi who stared at Tyrer, hands playing with his fan. The man alongside whispered to him and he nodded.
"The penalty for murder is death."
"He says yes, sir. For murder, the penalty is death," Tyrer said, having learned those key words from Nakama who had also explained the Japanese penal code and its severity.
"Tell him thank you."
"My Master say thank you, Lord."
"Now ask him, Is it correct to demand a reparation for such a crime, Yes or no?"
"Lord, please excuse me but is... is
... I..." Tyrer stopped, his mind a sudden blank, "sorry Sir William I don't know the word for "reparations.""
At once Andr`e Poncin leapt in with, "The word's bakkin, Sir William, and little known, may I try please?"
"Go ahead."
"Honored Lords," Poncin said with a deep bow, and Tyrer blessed him for the rescue and saving his face. "Please my Master ask if correct, humbly ask for justice and head payment for family, for murder, a fine against
Satsuma?"
"Against Satsuma yes," Yoshi said with a fleeting smile.
Andr`e sighed with relief. "He says yes,
Sir William but the reparation should be demanded specifically from Satsuma." Before
Sir William could ask another question, Poncin in his most perfect, rehearsed Japanese--and to Tyrer's astonishment--began to offer the face-saving formula he had devised:
"Honored Lord, on behalf of my Master, humbly suggest roju perhap consdir, ah please excuse, perhaps consider roju lend
Satsuma first payment, one fifth. This you offer now, give time get rest Satsuma, collect rest from Satsuma. Please?"
This
time they all saw the young Elder's interest.
At once he began a whispered conversation with the others, Andr`e saw Tyrer frowning at him so subtly shook his head, silently asking him not to interfere. In a moment Yoshi said, "Perhaps it would be possible to offer a twentieth, paid in a hundred days against Satsuma's obvious debt."