Musashi - Eiji Yoshikawa [325]
At the mention of his name, the samurai shifted their eyes away from Musashi. Itakura’s men patrolled the quarter regularly, and everyone gave them a wide berth.
A young man pushed his way into the open space in front of Musashi. “Wait!” he cried in the booming voice that had given the alarm.
Smirking, Sasaki Kojirō said, “I was just getting out of my palanquin when I heard a fight was about to break out. I’ve been afraid for some time this might happen. I’m appalled to see it take place here and now. I’m not a partisan of the Yoshioka School. Still less am I a supporter of Musashi. Nevertheless, as a warrior and visiting swordsman, I believe I am qualified to make an appeal in the name of the warrior’s code and the warrior class as a whole.” He spoke forcefully and eloquently, but in a patronizing tone and with uncompromising arrogance.
“I want to ask you what you’re going to do when the police get here. Wouldn’t you be ashamed to be picked up in a common street brawl? If you force the authorities to take notice, it won’t be treated like an ordinary fight among townspeople. But that is another question.
“Your timing is bad. So is the place. It’s a disgrace to the entire military class for samurai to disturb the public order. As one of your number, I enjoin you to cease this unseemly behavior immediately. If you must cross swords to settle your grievance, then in the name of heaven, abide by the rules of swordsmanship. Choose a time and place!”
“Fair enough!” said Jūrōzaemon. “But if we set a time and place, can you guarantee Musashi will appear?”
“I’d be willing to, but—”
“Can you guarantee it?”
“What can I say? Musashi can speak for himself!”
“Perhaps you have in mind helping him to escape!”
“Don’t be an ass! If I were to show partiality to him, the rest of you would challenge me. He’s no friend of mine. There’s no reason for me to protect him. And if he leaves Kyoto, you only have to put up notices all over town to expose his cowardice.”
“That’s not enough. We aren’t leaving here tonight unless you guarantee to take custody of him until the bout.”
Kojirō spun around. He thrust out his chest and walked closer to Musashi, who had been staring fixedly at his back. Their eyes locked, like those of two wild beasts watching each other. There was an inevitability in the way their youthful egos were pitted one against the other, a recognition of the other man’s ability and, perhaps, a mote of fear.
“Do you consent, Musashi, to meet as I have proposed?”
“I accept.”
“Good.”
“However, I take exception to your involvement.”
“You’re not willing to put yourself in my custody?”
“I resent the implication. In my bouts with Seijūrō and Denshichirō, I have done absolutely nothing cowardly. Why should their followers think I’d flee in the face of a challenge from them?”
“Well spoken, Musashi. I won’t forget that. Now, my guarantee aside, would you name the time and place?
“I agree to any time and place they choose.”
“That, too, is a gallant answer. Where will you be between now and the time of the fight?”
“I don’t have an address.”
“If your opponents don’t know where you are, how can they send a written challenge?”
“Decide the time and place now. I’ll be there.”
Kojirō nodded. After consulting with Jūrōzaemon and a few of the others, he came back to Musashi and said, “They want the time to be five o’clock in the morning the day after tomorrow.”
“I accept.”
“The place is to be the spreading pine at the foot of Ichijōji Hill, on the road to Mount Hiei. The nominal representative of the House of Yoshioka will be Genjirō, the eldest son of Yoshioka Genzaemon, uncle of Seijurō and Denshichirō. Genjirō being the new head of the House of