Musashi - Eiji Yoshikawa [48]
“What do you want from me?” the monk asked.
“It was because of this murderer that my son’s life has been ruined.” Shaking violently, she screeched, “And without Matahachi there is no one to carry on our family name.”
“Well,” countered Takuan, “Matahachi, if you don’t mind my saying so, never amounted to much anyway. Won’t you be better off in the long run taking your son-in-law as heir? Giving him the honored Hon’iden name?”
“How dare you say such a thing!” Suddenly the proud dowager burst into sobs. “I don’t care about what you think. Nobody understood him. He wasn’t really bad; he was my baby.” Her fury rose again and she pointed at Takezō. “He led him astray, he made him a good-for-nothing like himself. I have the right to take my revenge.” Addressing the crowd, she beseeched them, “Let me decide. Leave it to me. I know what to do with him!”
Just then a loud and angry shout from the back cut the old woman off. The crowd parted like rent cloth, and the latecomer marched quickly to the front. It was Scraggly Beard himself, in a towering rage.
“What’s going on here? This isn’t a sideshow! All of you, get out of here. Go back to work. Go home. Immediately!” There was shuffling, but no one turned to go. “You heard what I said! Get a move on! What are you waiting for?” He stepped threateningly toward them, his hand poised above his sword. Those in the front shrank back wide-eyed.
“No!” interrupted Takuan. “There’s no reason for these good people to go. I called them here for the express purpose of discussing what’s to be done with Takezō.”
“You be quiet!” commanded the captain. “You have nothing to say in this matter.” Drawing himself up and glaring first at Takuan, then at Osugi, and finally at the crowd, he boomed, “This Shimmen Takezō has not only committed grave and serious crimes against the laws of this province; he is also a fugitive from Sekigahara. His punishment cannot be decided by the people. He must be turned over to the government!”
Takuan shook his head. “Nonsense!” Seeing that Scraggly Beard was ready to respond, he raised a silencing finger. “That’s not what you agreed to!”
The captain, his dignity seriously threatened, started to argue. “Takuan, you will no doubt receive the money the government has offered as a reward. But as an official representative of Lord Terumasa, it is my duty to take charge of the prisoner at this point. His fate need no longer be of any concern to you. Don’t trouble yourself even thinking about it.”
Takuan, making no effort to answer, broke into peals of laughter. Every time it seemed to subside, it would come rolling up again.
“Watch your manners, monk!” warned the captain. He started to spit and sputter. “What’s so funny? Huh? You think this is all a joke?”
“My manners?” repeated Takuan, cracking up in laughter again. “My manners? Look, Scraggly Beard, are you thinking of breaking our agreement, going back on your sacred word? If you are, I warn you, I’ll turn Takezō loose here and now!”
With a unanimous gasp, the villagers began edging away.
“Ready?” asked Takuan, reaching toward the rope that bound Takezō. The captain was speechless.
“And when I unleash him, I’m going to sic him on you first. You can fight it out between yourselves. Then arrest him, if you can!”
“Now hold on—just a minute!”
“I kept my part of the bargain.” Takuan continued to make as if he were about to remove the prisoner’s fetters.
“Stop, I say.” The samurai’s forehead beaded with sweat.
“Why?”
“Well, because—because