Musashi - Eiji Yoshikawa [578]
Nuinosuke, who hadn’t moved from the veranda, cast an anxious look toward the back of the house. Relations between Edo and Osaka were strained, to say the least. Why was Sado taking a risk like this? He didn’t imagine Sado to be in any immediate danger, but he’d heard that the lord of Kii Province, Asano Nagaakira, had instructions to keep a strict watch on Mount Kudo. If one of Asano’s men reported that Sado had paid a secret visit to Yukimura, the shogunate would become suspicious of the House of Hosokawa.
“Now’s my chance,” he thought, as the wind suddenly swept through the forsythia and kerria blossoms in the garden. Black clouds were forming rapidly, and it began to sprinkle.
He hurried down the corridor and announced, “It’s starting to rain, sir. If we’re going to leave, I think now is the time.”
Grateful for the opportunity to break away, Sado stood up immediately. “Thank you, Nuinosuke,” he said. “By all means, let’s be on our way.”
Yukimura refrained from urging Sado to stay overnight. He called Daisuke and his wife and said, “Give our guests some straw rain capes. And you, Daisuke, go with them to Kamuro.”
At the gate, after expressing thanks for Yukimura’s hospitality, Sado said, “I’m sure we’ll meet again one of these days. Maybe it’ll be another day of rain, or maybe there’ll be a strong wind blowing. Until then, I wish you the best of health.”
Yukimura grinned and nodded. Yes, one of these days … For an instant each man saw the other in his mind’s eye, mounted on horseback and carrying a lance. But for the present there was only the host bowing amidst falling apricot petals and the departing guest in a straw cape streaked with rain.
As they walked slowly down the road, Daisuke said, “It won’t rain much. At this time of year, we have a little shower like this every day.”
Still, the clouds above Senjō Valley and the peaks of Kōya looked threatening, and they unconsciously quickened their pace.
Entering Kamuro, they were greeted by the sight of a man sharing the back of a horse with bundles of firewood and tied so tightly he couldn’t move. Leading the horse was a white-robed priest, who called Daisuke’s name and ran toward him. Daisuke pretended not to notice.
“Someone’s calling you,” said Sado, exchanging glances with Nuinosuke. Forced to take notice of the priest, Daisuke said, “Oh, Rinshōbō. Sorry, I didn’t see you.”
“I’ve come straight from Kiimi Pass,” said the priest in a loud, excited voice. “The man from Edo—the one we were told to watch for—I spotted him in Nara. He put up quite a fight, but we took him alive. Now, if we take him to Gessō and force him to talk, we’ll find out—”
“‘What are you talking about?” broke in Daisuke.
“The man on the horse. He’s a spy from Edo.”
“Can’t you shut up, you fool!” hissed Daisuke. “Do you know who the man with me is? Nagaoka Sado of the House of Hosokawa. We rarely have the privilege of seeing him, and I’ll not have you disturbing us with your silly joke.”
Rinshōbō’s eyes, turning to the two travelers, betrayed his shock, and he barely caught himself before blurting out, “House of Hosokawa?”
Sado and Nuinosuke were trying to look poised and indifferent, but the wind whipped at their rain capes, making them flap out like the wings of a crane and rather spoiling their efforts.
“Why?” asked Rinshōbō in a low voice.
Daisuke drew him a little to one side and spoke in a whisper. When he returned to his guests, Sado said, “Why don’t you go back now? I’d hate to put you to any more trouble.”
After watching them until they were out of sight, Daisuke said to the priest, “How could you be so stupid? Don’t you