Musashi - Eiji Yoshikawa [40]
“Otsū,” he called, “we’d better get going.”
“I’ve already packed everything—straw sandals, walking sticks, leggings, medicine, paulownia-oil paper.”
“You forgot something.”
“What? A weapon? Should we take a sword or a lance or something?” “Certainly not! I want to take along a supply of food.”
“Oh, you mean some box lunches?”
“No, good food. I want some rice, some salty bean paste and—oh, yes—a little sake. Anything tasty will do. I also need a pot. Go to the kitchen and make up a big bundle. And get a pole to carry it with.”
The nearby mountains were now blacker than the best black lacquer, those in the distance paler than mica. It was late spring, and the breeze was perfumed and warm. Striped bamboo and wisteria vines entrapped the mist, and the farther Takuan and Otsū went from the village, the more the mountains, where every leaf shone faintly in the dim light, seemed to have been bathed by an evening shower. They walked through the darkness in single file, each shouldering an end of the bamboo pole from which swung their well-packed bundle.
“It’s a nice evening for a walk, isn’t it, Otsū?” Takuan said, glancing over his shoulder.
“I don’t think it’s so wonderful,” she muttered. “Where are we going, anyway?”
“I’m not quite sure yet,” he replied with a slightly pensive air, “but let’s go on a bit farther.”
“Well, I don’t mind walking.”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“No,” replied the girl, but the pole obviously hurt her, for every once in a while she shifted it from one shoulder to the other.
“Where is everyone? We haven’t seen a soul.”
“The captain didn’t show his face at the temple all day today. I bet he called the searchers back to the village so we can have three days all to ourselves. Takuan, just how do you propose to catch Takezō?”
“Oh, don’t worry. He’ll turn up sooner or later.”
“Well, he hasn’t turned up for anyone else. But even if he does, what are we going to do? With all those men pursuing him for so long, he must be desperate by now. He’ll be fighting for his life, and he’s very strong to begin with. My legs start shaking just thinking about it.”
“Careful! Watch your step!” Takuan shouted suddenly.
“Oh!” Otsū cried in terror, stopping dead in her tracks. “What’s the matter? Why did you scare me like that?”
“Don’t worry, it’s not Takezō. I just want you to watch where you walk. There are wisteria-vine and bramble traps all along the side of the road here.” “The searchers set them there to catch Takezō?”
“Uh-huh. But if we’re not careful, we’ll fall into one ourselves.”
“Takuan, if you keep saying things like that I’ll be so nervous I won’t be able to put one foot in front of the other!”
“What are you worried about? If we do walk into one, I’ll fall in first. No need for you to follow me.” He grinned back at her. “I must say, they went to an awful lot of trouble for nothing.” After a moment’s silence, he added, “Otsū, doesn’t the ravine seem to be getting narrower?”
“I don’t know, but we passed the back side of Sanumo some time ago. This should be Tsujinohara.”
“If that’s the case, we may have to walk all night.”
“Well, I don’t even know where we’re going. Why talk to me about it?” “Let’s put this down for a minute.” After they’d lowered the bundle to the ground, Takuan started toward a nearby cliff.
“Where are you going?”
“To relieve myself.”
A hundred feet below him, the waters that joined to form the Aida River were crashing thunderously from boulder to boulder. The sound roared up to him, filling his ears and penetrating his whole being. As he urinated, he gazed at the sky as if counting the stars. “Oh, this feels good!” he exulted. “Am I one with the universe, or is the universe one with me?”
“Takuan,” called Otsū, “aren’t you finished yet? You certainly do take your time!”
Finally he reappeared and explained himself. “While I was about it, I consulted the Book of Changes, and now I know