Musashi - Eiji Yoshikawa [329]
“Is that so?” Osugi purred. “Then Musashi’s bound to be killed…. Isn’t he?”
“I’m not so sure. He may bring men to help him. And if he does, it’ll be quite a battle. That’s what a lot of people think will happen.”
“They may be right, but it’s still annoying. We can’t just sit on our hands and let somebody else kill him after searching for him all this time.”
“I agree, and I’ve got a plan,” Matahachi said excitedly. “If we get there before the battle, we can present ourselves to the Yoshiokas and tell them why we’re after Musashi. I’m sure they’ll let us strike a blow at the corpse. Then we can take some of his hair, or a sleeve, or something like that, and use it to prove to the people back home that we killed him. That would restore our standing, wouldn’t it?”
“That’s a good plan, my son. I doubt if there’s any better way.” Apparently forgetting that she had once suggested the same thing to him, she sat straight and squared her shoulders. “Not only would it clear our name, but with Musashi dead, Otsū would be like a fish out of water.”
His mother’s calm restored, Matahachi felt relieved—but also thirsty again. “Well, that’s settled. We have a few hours to wait. Don’t you think we should have some sake before dinner?”
“Hmm; all right. Have some brought out here. I’ll have a little myself to celebrate our approaching victory.”
As he put his hands on his knees and started to get up, he glanced to one side, blinked and stared.
“Akemi!” he cried, and ran to the small window.
She was cowering under a tree just outside, like a guilty cat that had not quite managed to flee in time. Staring with disbelieving eyes, she gasped, “Matahachi, is that you?”
“What brought you here?”
“Oh, I’ve been staying here for some time.”
“I had no idea. Are you with Okō?”
“No.”
“Don’t you live with her anymore?”
“No. You know Gion Tōji, don’t you?”
“I’ve heard of him.”
“He and Mother ran away together.” Her little bell tinkled as she raised her sleeve to hide her tears.
The light in the shade of the tree had a bluish tinge; the nape of her neck, her delicate hand, everything about her looked very different from the Akemi he remembered. The girlish glow that had so enchanted him at Ibuki and relieved his gloom at the Yomogi was no longer in evidence.
“Matahachi,” said Osugi suspiciously, “who’s that you’re talking to?” “It’s the girl I told you about before. Okō’s daughter.”
“Her? What was she doing, eavesdropping?”
Matahachi turned, saying heatedly, “Why do you always jump to conclusions? She’s staying here too. She just happened to be passing by. Right, Akemi?”
“Yes, I didn’t dream you were here, though I saw that girl named Otsū here once.
“Did you talk to her?”
“Not really, but later I got to wondering. Isn’t she the girl you were engaged to?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so. My mother caused you a lot of trouble, didn’t she?” Matahachi ignored the question. “Are you still single? You look different somehow.”
“Mother made life miserable for me after you left. I put up with it as long as I could, because she is my mother. But last year, when we were in Sumiyoshi, I ran away.”
“She messed up both our lives, didn’t she? But you just wait and see. In the end, she’ll get what she deserves.”
“I don’t even care if she doesn’t. I just wish I knew what I’m going to do from now on.”
“Me too. The future doesn’t look very bright. I’d like to get even with Okō, but I suppose all I’ll ever do is think about it.”
While they were complaining about their difficulties, Osugi had busied herself with her travel preparations. Now, with a click of her tongue, she said sharply, “Matahachi! Why are you standing there grumbling to somebody who has nothing to do with us?