Musashi - Eiji Yoshikawa [584]
When was it coming? For a giddy moment, he thought the sweat dripping from his forehead was boiling water. A minute seemed like a hundred years. “Why, it’s Sado,” said Kojirō.
Sahei and all the others turned and stared at the old samurai.
“What’s going on here?” Sado asked, coming across the street with Nuinosuke at his side.
Kojirō laughed and said lightly, “You caught us at an odd moment. They’re punishing the boy.”
Sado looked intently at Iori. “Punishing him? Well, if he’s done something bad, he should be punished. Go right ahead. I’ll watch.”
Sahei glanced out of the corner of his eye at Kojirō, who sized the situation up immediately and knew he was the one who would be held responsible for the severity of the punishment. “That’s enough,” he said.
Iori opened his eyes. He had a little trouble focusing them, but when he recognized Sado, he said happily, “I know you. You’re the samurai who came to the Tokuganji in Hōtengahara.”
“You remember me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What’s happened to your teacher, Musashi?”
Iori sniffled and put his hands to his eyes.
Sado’s knowing the boy came as a shock to Kojirō. Thinking about it for a moment, he decided it must have something to do with Sado’s search for Musashi. But he certainly didn’t want Musashi’s name to come up in a conversation between himself and the senior retainer. He knew that one of these days he would have to fight Musashi, but it was no longer a strictly private matter.
In fact, a split had developed in both the main line and the branches of the House of Hosokawa, one faction thinking highly of Musashi, the other partial to the former rōnin who was now the clan’s chief sword instructor. Some said the real reason the fight was inevitable was behind-the-scenes rivalry between Sado and Kakubei.
To Kojirō’s relief, the boatswain of the Tatsumimaru arrived just then with word that the ship was ready.
Sado, remaining behind, said, “The ship doesn’t leave till sundown, does it?”
“That’s right,” replied Sahei, who was pacing about the office worrying about the consequences of today’s affair.
“I have time for a little rest, then?”
“Plenty of time. Please, have some tea.”
Otsuru appeared at the inner door and beckoned to the manager. After listening to her for a couple of minutes, Sahei came back to Sado and said, “The office is not really the place to receive you. It’s only a step through the garden to the house. Would you mind going there?”
“That’s very kind,” replied Sado. “To whom am I indebted? The lady of the house?”
“Yes. She said she’d like to thank you.”
“What for?”
Sahei scratched his head. “I, eh, I imagine for seeing that Iori came to no harm. Since the master isn’t here …”
“Speaking of Iori, I’d like to talk to him. Would you call him?”
The garden was what Sado would have expected in the house of a rich Sakai merchant. Though bounded on one side by a storehouse, it was a world apart from the hot, noisy office. Rocks and plants were all freshly watered and there was a running brook.
Osei and Otsuru were kneeling in a small, elegant room facing the garden. There was a wool rug on top of the tatami and trays of cakes and tobacco. Sado noticed the spicy fragrance of mixed incense.
Sitting down at the edge of the room, he said, “I won’t come in. My feet are dirty.”
While serving him tea, Osei apologized for her employees and thanked him for saving Iori.
Sado said, “I had occasion some time ago to meet that boy. I’m happy to have found him again. How does it happen he’s staying in your house?”
After hearing her explanation, Sado told her about his long search for Musashi. They chatted amiably for a while, then Sado said, “I was watching Iori from across the street for several minutes. I admired his ability to remain calm. He conducted himself