Shogun_ A Novel of Japan - James Clavell [580]
“What message say, Anjin-san?”
“So sorry, Sire. Mariko-sama say this ship not necessary. Say build new ship. Say—”
“Ah! Possible? Possible, Anjin-san?”
Blackthorne saw the daimyos flashing interest. “Yes. If get…” He could not remember the word for carpenter.
“If Toranaga-sama give men, ship-making men, neh? Yes. I can.” In his mind the new ship began to take shape. Smaller, much smaller than Erasmus. About ninety to a hundred tons would be all he could manage, for he had never overseen or designed a complete ship by himself before, though Alban Caradoc had certainly trained him as a shipwright as well as pilot. God bless you, Alban, he exulted. Yes, ninety tons to start with. Drake’s Golden Hind was thereabouts and remember what she endured! I can get twenty cannon aboard and that would be enough to … “Christ Jesus, the cannon!”
He whirled and peered at the wreck, then saw Toranaga and all of them staring at him and realized he’d been talking English to them. “Ah, so sorry, Sire. Think too quick. Big guns—there, in sea, neh? Must get quick!”
Toranaga spoke to his men, then faced Blackthorne again. “Samurai say everything from ship at camp. Some things fished from sea, shallow, here at low tide, neh? Now in camp. Why?”
Blackthorne felt light-headed. “Can make ship. If have big guns can fight enemy. Can Toranaga-sama get gunpowder?”
“Yes. How many carpenters? How much need?”
“Forty carpenters, blacksmiths, oak for timbers, do you have oak here? Then I’ll need iron, steel, I’ll set up a forge and I’ll need a master …” Blackthorne realized he was talking in English again. “Sorry. I write on paper. Carefully. And I think carefully. Please, you give men to help?”
“All men, all money. At once. I need ship. At once! How fast can you build it?”
“Six months from the day we lay keel.”
“Oh, not faster?”
“No, so sorry.”
“Later we talk some more, Anjin-san. What else Mariko-sama say?”
“Little more, Sire. Say give money to help ship, her money. Say also sorry if … if she help my enemy destroy ship.”
“What enemy? What way destroy ship?”
“Not say who—or how, Sire. Nothing clear. Just sorry if. Mariko-sama say sayonara. Hope seppuku serves Lord Toranaga.”
“Ah yes, serves greatly, neh?”
“Yes.”
Toranaga smiled at him. “Glad all good now, Anjin-san. Eeeeee, Mariko-sama was right. Don’t worry about that!” Toranaga pointed at the hulk. “Build new ship at once. A fighting ship, neh? You understand?”
“Understand very much.”
“This new ship … could this new ship fight the Black Ship?”
“Yes.”
“Ah! Next year’s Black Ship?”
“Possible.”
“What about crew?”
“Please?”
“Seamen—gunners?”
“Ah! By next year can train my vassals as gunners. Not seamen.”
“You can have the pick of all the seamen in the Kwanto.”
“Then next year possible.” Blackthorne grinned. “Is next year possible? War? What about war?”
Toranaga shrugged. “War or no war—still try, neh? That’s your prey—understand ‘prey’? And our secret. Between you and me only, neh? The Black Ship.”
“Priests will soon break secret.”
“Perhaps. But this time no tidal wave or tai-fun, my friend. You will watch and I will watch.”
“Yes.”
“First Black Ship, then go home. Bring me back a navy. Understand?”
“Oh yes.”
“If I lose—karma. If not, then everything, Anjin-san. Everything as you said. Everything—Black Ship, ambassador, treaty, ships! Understand?”
“Yes. Oh yes! Thank you.”
“Thank Mariko-sama. Without her …” Toranaga saluted him warmly, for the first time as an equal; and went away with his guards. Blackthorne’s vassals bowed, completely impressed with the honor done to their master.
Blackthorne watched Toranaga leave, exulting, then he saw the food. The servants were beginning to pack up the remains. “Wait. Now food, please.”
He ate carefully, slowly and with good manners, his own men quarreling for the privilege of serving him, his mind roving over all the vast possibilities that Toranaga had opened up for him. You’ve won, he