Musashi - Eiji Yoshikawa [561]
“I wonder,” mumbled Sukekurō, scrutinizing the man’s face. “Are you by any chance Hamada Toranosuke?”
“No.”
“I’ve never met Hamada, but there’s a man at the castle who insists Hamada’s now serving as Inshun’s attendant.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Is it a case of mistaken identity?”
Torazō, red in the face, lowered his voice. “Actually, I am Hamada. I’ve come to the Hōzōin for reasons of my own. To avoid further disgrace to my teacher and greater shame to myself, I’d like to keep my identity secret. If you don’t mind …”
“Don’t worry. I had no intention of prying into your affairs.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard about Tadaaki. His abandoning his school and retiring to the mountains was due to a mistake of mine. I’ve given up my status. Doing menial tasks at the temple will be good discipline. I didn’t give the priests my real name. It’s all very embarrassing.”
“The outcome of Tadaaki’s fight with Kojirō is no secret. Kojirō told everyone he met between Edo and Buzen. I take it you’ve resolved to clear your teacher’s name.”
“One of these days … I’ll see you again, sir.” Torazō took his leave swiftly, as though unable to endure another moment.
Hemp Seed
Hyōgo was growing concerned. After going to Otsū’s room with a letter from Takuan in his hand, he’d searched for her all over the castle grounds, more and more urgently as the hours passed.
The letter, dated the tenth month of the previous year but inexplicably delayed, told of Musashi’s pending appointment as an instructor to the shōgun. Takuan had asked that Otsū come to the capital as soon as possible, since Musashi would soon need a house as well as “someone to look after it.” Hyōgo couldn’t wait to see her face light up.
Not finding her, he finally went to question the guard at the gate and was told men were out looking for her. Hyōgo took a deep breath, thinking how unlike Otsū it was to cause people to worry, how unlike her not to leave word. She rarely acted impulsively, even in the smallest matters.
Before he began to imagine the worst, however, news came that they were back, Otsū with Sukekurō, and Ushinosuke with the men sent to Tsukigase. The boy, apologizing to everyone for no one knew what, was obviously in a hurry to be on his way.
“Where do you think you’re going?” asked one of the attendants.
“I’ve got to get back to Araki. My mother will worry if I don’t.”
“If you try to go back now,” said Sukekurō, “those rōnin will get you, and it’s not likely they’d let you go alive. You can stay here tonight and go home in the morning.”
Ushinosuke mumbled something vaguely acquiescent and was told to go to a wood storehouse in the outer encirclement, where the apprentice samurai slept.
Beckoning to Otsū, Hyōgo took her aside and told her what Takuan had written. He wasn’t surprised when she said, “I’ll leave in the morning,” a deep blush revealing her feelings.
Hyōgo then reminded her of Munenori’s coming visit and suggested she return to Edo with him, though he knew quite well what her answer would be. She was in no mood to wait two more days, much less two more months. He made another attempt, saying that if she waited until after the funeral service, she could travel with him as far as Nagoya, since he’d been invited to become a vassal of Lord Tokugawa of Owari. When she again demurred, he told her how much the idea of her making the long journey alone displeased him. In every town and inn along the way she would encounter inconveniences, if not actual danger.
She smiled. “You seem to forget. I’m used to traveling. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
That evening, at a modest farewell party, everyone expressed his affection for Otsū, and the next morning, which was bright and clear, family and servants gathered at the front gate to see her off.
Sukekurō sent a man to fetch Ushinosuke, thinking that Otsū could ride his ox as far as Uji. When the man returned and reported the boy had gone home the night before after all, Sukekurō ordered a horse to be brought.
Otsū, feeling she was of too low a status to be so favored, refused the offer,