Shogun_ A Novel of Japan - James Clavell [500]
Chimmoko fled in tears.
“So sorry, Sire. Please excuse her insolence.”
“Eh, that’s unimportant, neh? What about Ishido? Eeeee Lady … your shaft about ‘peasant,’ that hit the mark, that hurt the mighty Lord General. You’ve made such an enemy there now! Eeeeee, that took his Fruit and squeezed them before everyone!”
“Oh, do you think so? Oh, please excuse me, I didn’t mean to insult him.”
“Eh, he is a peasant, always has been, always will be, and he’s always hated those of us who are real samurai.”
“Oh, how clever of you, Lord, to know that. Oh, thank you for telling me.” Mariko bowed and appeared to brush away a tear and added, “May I please say that I feel so protected now—your strength…. If it hadn’t been for you, Lord Kasigi, I think I would have fainted.”
“Stupid to attack Ishido in front of everyone,” Yabu said, slightly mollified.
“Yes. You’re right. It’s such a pity all our leaders aren’t as strong and as clever as you, Sire, then Lord Toranaga wouldn’t be in such trouble.”
“I agree. But you’ve still put us into a latrine up to our noses.”
“Please excuse me. Yes, it’s all my fault.” Mariko pretended to hold back tears bravely. She looked down and whispered, “Thank you, Sire, for accepting my apologies. You’re so generous.”
Yabu nodded, believing the praise merited, her servility necessary, and himself peerless. She apologized again, and soothed and cajoled him. Soon he was pliant. “May I please explain my stupidity to the Anjin-san? Perhaps he can suggest a way out of….” She let her words fade away penitently.
“Yes. Very well.”
Mariko bowed her grateful thanks, turned to Blackthorne, and spoke in Portuguese. “Please listen, Anjin-san, listen and don’t ask questions for the moment. So sorry, but first I had to calm this ill-tempered baasterd—is that how you say it?” Quickly she told him what had been said, and why Ochiba had hurried off.
“That’s bad,” he said, his gaze searching her. “Neh?”
“Yes. Lord Yabu asks for your counsel. What should be done to overcome the mess my stupidity’s put you both into?”
“What stupidity?” Blackthorne was watching her and her disquiet increased. She looked down at the mats. He spoke directly to Yabu. “Don’t know yet. Sire. Now understand—now think.”
Yabu replied sourly, “What’s there to think about? We’re locked in.”
Mariko translated without looking up.
“That’s true, isn’t it, Mariko-san?” Blackthorne said. “That’s always been true.”
“Yes, so sorry.”
He turned away to stare into the night. Flares were placed in brackets on the stone walls that surrounded the front garden. Light flickered off the leaves and plants that had been watered for just that purpose. Westward was the iron-banded gate, guarded by a few Browns.
“Thou,” she heard him say, without turning back. “I must speak with thee in private.”
“Thou. Yes and I to thee,” she replied, keeping her face from Yabu, also not trusting herself. “Tonight I will find thee.” She looked up at Yabu. “The Anjin-san agrees with you, Sire, about my stupidity, so sorry.”
“But what’s the good of that now?”
“Anjin-san,” she said, her voice matter-of-fact, “later tonight I’m going to Kiritsubo-san. I know where your quarters are. I’ll find you.”
“Yes. Thank you.” He still kept his back to her.
“Yabu-sama,” she said humbly, “tonight I’m going to Kiritsubo-san. She’s wise—perhaps she’ll have a solution.”
“There’s only one solution,” Yabu said with a finality that unnerved her, his eyes coals. “Tomorrow you will apologize. And you will stay.”
Kiyama arrived punctually. Saruji was with him and her heart sank.
When the formal greetings were completed, Kiyama said gravely, “Now, please explain why, Mariko-chan.”
“There’s no war, Sire. We shouldn’t be confined—nor treated as hostages—so I can go as I please.”
“You don’t have to be at war to have hostages. You know that. The Lady Ochiba was hostage in Yedo against