ACT XI.

Previous

ACT XI.

RECITATIVE.

That gentleness controls impetuosity and weakness strength was the secret which Shihkung imparted to Changliang.[1] Oboshi Yuranosuke, the retainer of Enya Hangwan Takasada, following this secret precept, has put out with over forty brave confederates in fishing-boats, which are covered with thick rush-mats, and, taking advantage of the unprotected position of Cape Inamura, has them rowed to the foot of a rock on the coast there. The first to land is Oboshi Yuranosuke Yoshikane, the second is Hara Goemon, and the third Oboshi Rikiya; they are followed by Takemori Kitahachi and Katayama Genta. Those in the leading boats and those that follow land in due order. The first five and Okuyama Magoshichi and Suda Goro, as they stand in a row, complete the first seven characters of the syllabary[2] marked on their haori. Katsuta, Hayami, and Tonomori, the famed Katayama Gengo and Owashi Bungo with a great mallet, and Yoshida and Okazaki make up the second seven. Among the young men are Odera, Tatekawa Jinbei, Fuwa, Maebara, Fukagawa Yajiro, Kawase Chudayu who lands with a small bow under his arm, and Oboshi Seibei, who make up the third seven. The fourth set consists of Okumura, Okano, Odera’s eldest son, Nakamura, Yajima, Maki, and Hiraga; and next to them stand Ashino, Sugano, Chiba, Matsumura, and Murabashi Denji; Shioda and Akane carry long swords; Isogawa Jumonji, Tomatsu, Sugino, Mimura no Jiro, and Kimura have rope-ladders in readiness; Senzaki Yagoro, Horii no Yaso, and Yakuro of the same surname, hold in their hands great bamboos about eight feet long and bent with bow-strings, to carry out the plan which Yuranosuke hit upon after drinking in the pleasure-quarters: and the rear is brought up by Yazama Jutaro, who is followed at a distance by the self-humbling Teraoka Heiyemon. Their names and marks appear on their sleeves, and they are forty-six in number. They all wear mail hakama and black haori, with breast-plates of fidelity; they are truly patterns of loyalty and exemplars of uprightness.

Yuranosuke. Do not forget the passwords “Ama” and “Kawa,” which we have taken from Gihei’s trade-name, but act as we agreed upon. Yazama, Senzaki, and Odera and their company, together with my son Rikiya, shall enter by the front gate, while Goemon and I will slip in by the back gate. When you hear my signal whistle, burst in as the time has come. There is but one head that we wish to take.

Recitative. Upon hearing Yuranosuke’s command, they all glare with angry looks upon the distant mansion and separate into parties which are to enter by the front and back gates.

(Here the stage revolves)

Unconscious of all this, Kono Musashi-no-Kami Moronao, who has been put off his guard by Yuranosuke’s dissipation, is drinking in fancied security and making women of pleasure dance and sing. With Yakushiji as his chief guest, he is carousing ignorant of his fate, and in the end he and his guests grow so lax in their behaviour as to lie down in the hall all together and are now fast asleep. Only the night-watchman is left awake, and all is silence except the sound of his clappers as he goes his round. The parties at the front and rear settle their plans, and the two fearless men, Yazama and Senzaki, creep to the front gate and listen attentively. They hear only the distant sound of the night watchman’s clappers; they see their opportunity, and tacking on the high wall the rope-ladder in the use of which they are expert, they climb upon the roof of the wall like spiders with an energy which might take them even to the clouds. The sound of the clappers is now nigh at hand, and as they jump down, the watchman discovers them and rushes upon them to see who they are; but they catch him and throw him down on the ground; they bind him fast and, seeing in him a good guide, they gag him and, tying to their own sashes the ends of the cord that binds him, they take up his clappers and strike them as they daringly go round with him to the offices in the mansion. The whistle is soon heard from the back-gate and as the time has come, the two men cry “Ama Kawa,” beating time with the clappers, and drawing out the cross-bar, they fling open the front gate. Rikiya, Sugino, Kimura, Mimura, and their company rush in, but find the shutters securely shut. Chikara tells his comrades that they must now make use of his father’s precept of the snow-laden bamboo; and putting the round bamboos bent with bow-strings between the upper and lower grooves of the shutters, they cry, “one, two, three,” and all at once cut at a stroke the bow-strings. The lintel rises and the sill sinks; and the shutters fall down one after another. “Now, run in,” they call, and with shouts of “Ama” and “Kawa,” they break into the house. “It is a night-attack,” exclaim the inmates, coming out with torches and lanterns. The comrades from the back-gate have entered, and Yuranosuke on the one side and Goemon on the other sit on camp-stools and

Illustration: Several men in battle

direct their men. The attacking party, though small in number, are this night valiant men who are prepared for death and fight with all their strength.

Yuranosuke. Do not look to others. Aim only at Moronao.

Recitative. He gives this command, together with Goemon, to all around them. The impetuous young men rush about and clash their swords. Next door to Moronao on the north lives Nikki Harima-no-Kami and on the south Ishido Umanojo. Both these neighbours, hearing the noise, send samurai on housetops with lanterns which look like stars in the distance.

Samurai. Hi, we hear great noises in your mansion, clashing of swords, whizzing of arrows, and cries. Is it ruffians or robbers, who are causing them, or is it due to a sudden order of the authorities? We are commanded by our lord to ascertain and report.

Recitative. They call out aloud, and instantly Yuranosuke answers them.

Yuranosuke. We are the retainers of Enya Hangwan, forty and more in number, who are fighting with desperation to avenge our lord’s death. We that speak to you are Oboshi Yuranosuke and Hara Goemon. We have no grudge against Lord Takauji and his brother and, as we certainly bear no malice against Moronao’s neighbours Lords Nikki and Ishido, we are not likely to do anything hostile; and as we have taken every precaution against fire, you need have no

Illustration: Men climbing over the top of a roof

anxiety on the matter. We only ask you quietly to leave us alone. But if you cannot remain unconcerned in your neighbour’s affairs and wish to aid him, we are ready, though much against our will, to fight you.

Samurai. That is admirable. It is but proper that they who have served a master should act as you do. If you have anything to say to us, we will hear you. Withdraw the lanterns.

Recitative. And all at once the neighbourhood sinks into silence. In the fight which has lasted about two hours, only two or three of the assailants are slightly injured while the enemy’s wounded are without number. But as no one looking like their commander Moronao is to be seen anywhere, the ashigaru, Teraoka Heiyemon, runs about the interior of the mansion; he not only searches room after room, but also thrusts his spear into the ceiling above and the bamboo matting below, and even into the well. Still Moronao is not to be found; Heiyemon goes into a room which appears to be Moronao’s bed-chamber, he feels the bed-clothes, and as they are still warm in this cold night, he perceives that he has not long fled from the room. He runs to see if Moronao has not escaped outside the house; but he is stopped by a voice.

A Voice. Wait, Heiyemon, wait.

Recitative. He sees Yazama Jutaro Shigeyuki dragging Moronao after him.

Yazama. Here, come, you all. I have found him hiding in the fuel-shed and brought him prisoner.

Recitative. On hearing this, they all run up to him in great glee such as a flower might feel when fed with dew.

Illustration: Yazama dragging Moronao

Yuranosuke. Well done, bravely done. But do not kill him recklessly. He is at least a governor; even in killing him etiquette must be observed.

Recitative. And taking him over, he makes him sit above himself.

Yuranosuke. We, though we are but retainers, have broken into my lord’s mansion and created a disturbance, because we desired to avenge our lord’s death, and we beg you to pardon our want of manners. You will now bravely give us your head.

Recitative. On hearing these words, Moronao, hypocrite as he is, betrays no fear.

Moronao. Oh, your request is natural. I am prepared for death; come, take my head.

Recitative. Putting him off his guard, Moronao suddenly draws his sword and strikes at him; but Yuranosuke parries the blow and twists his arm.

Yuranosuke. Ha, delicately do you offer resistance. Come, you all; now is the moment for wreaking our vengeance.

Recitative. Yuranosuke gives the first blow with his sword; and his forty and more comrades shout and rejoice as might the blind tortoise when it falls in with a floating log or as if they had seen the flower of the udonge which blooms but once in three thousand years; they leap and dance in the fulness of their joy. The head is cut off with the dirk that their lord left behind. They rejoice and dance, for it was to see this one head that they forsook their wives, parted from their children, and lost their parents. What an auspicious day is to-day! They beat the head and bite at it; they all weep with joy. It is too natural, and becomes saddening to see. Yuranosuke takes out of his bosom his dead lord’s tablet and places it on a table in the alcove; he washes the head of its blood-stains and offers it before the tablet; and then he burns incense which he has brought in his helmet. He shuffles back and bows three times, nay, nine times to the tablet.

Illustration: Man on knees bowing to a low table which a a censer with burning incense

Yuranosuke. I have the honour to report to the sacred spirit of our late lord, Renshoin Kenri-daikoji.[3] With the dirk which you bestowed on me when my lord committed suicide and enjoined me to give repose to your spirit, I have cut off Moronao’s head and now offer it before the tablet. I beg that from your resting-place under the grass my lord will accept it.

Recitative. With tears he offers prayers.

Yuranosuke. Come, let us one after another burn incense.

Rest. Since you are our chief commander, you will begin.

Yuranosuke. No, no. Before me you will burn incense, Master Yazama Jutaro.

Jutaro. No, no, that is not to be thought of. If you favour me thus before the whole company, you will embarrass me.

Yuranosuke. No, it is no favour. Of the forty-six of us who have risked our lives to take Moronao’s head, you alone found him in the fuel-shed and caught him alive; and it shows that you are, indeed, pleasing to the sacred spirit of our Lord Enya. We envy you, Master Yazama. What do you say, gentlemen?

All. We agree with you.

Jutaro. But that........

Yuranosuke. Come, we are wasting time.

Jutaro. Then, by your leave.

Recitative. He burns incense first of all.

Jutaro. The second is Master Yura. Come, stand up.

Yuranosuke. No, there is still another to burn incense.

Jutaro. Who is that? Which of us?

Recitative. Yuranosuke takes out of his bosom a purse of checkered cloth.

Yuranosuke. This shall be the second of the loyal retainers to burn incense. Hayano Kanpei was reduced to the greatest straits; through misconduct on his part, he was unable to join our league; and at least to be among those who subscribed for the monument, he obtained money by selling his wife; for that money his father-in-law was murdered; and the money itself was rejected, and in despair he put an end to himself by disembowelment. And Kanpei’s heart atthe time, how mortified, how desperate he must have been! The rejection of his money was the greatest blunder of my life; and since I brought him to a sad end, I have never for a moment allowed this purse to leave my person and have brought it with me in this night’s attack. Heiyemon, he was your brother-in-law; let him burn incense.

Recitative. And he throws the purse to him; and Heiyemon picks it up with bows.

Heiyemon. Very well, sir.......... How glad must he be as he rests under the grass! It is a fortune beyond his deserts.

Recitative. He places the purse on the censer, and calls aloud.

Heiyemon. The second to burn incense is Hayano Kanpei Shigeuji.

Recitative. His voice trembles for tears; and the breasts of the comrades around are bursting with regrets for Kanpei’s death. Suddenly a tumultuous noise of men and horses is heard and the hills and valleys resound with the beating of war-drums, and battle-cries are also raised. Yuranosuke is not in the least disturbed.

Yuranosuke. Then it appears that the samurai of Moronao’s house have returned to the attack. Why should we cause more sufferings?

Recitative. As they wait prepared for death, Momonoi Wakasanosuke rushes in.

Yuranosuke. Yes, if we put an end to ourselves, let it be in front of our late lord’s tomb. We will retire as my lord tells us, and beg you to guard the rear.

Recitative. No sooner has he spoken than Yakushiji Jiro and Sagisaka Bannai, who seem to have been in hiding somewhere, suddenly appear before them. Illustration: A man approaching

Wakasanosuke. Come, Oboshi. He who is now attacking at the front gate is Moronao’s younger brother, Moroyasu. If you kill yourselves here, it will be reported to the latest generations that you were afraid of the enemy. Withdraw to Enya’s family temple, Komyoji.

Yuranosuke. Yes, if we put an end to ourselves, let it be in front of our late lord’s tomb. We willbretire as my lord tells us, and beg you to guard the rear.

Recitative. No sooner has he spoken than Yakushiji Jiro and Sagisaka Bannai, who seem to have been hiding somewhere, suddenly apear before them.

Yakushiji and Bannai. You Oboshi, we will not let you escape.

Recitative. They attack him from the right and left; but Chikara parries their blows; and after fighting for a while, Chikara sees his chance and deals a fatal blow on Yakushiji’s shoulder and with the same stroke he cuts off Sagisaka’s legs, and Bannai falls down dead. Chikara is praised for his prowess; and the same praise is bestowed on the loyal retainers to the latest generations. And this we write to the everlasting glory of our Lord the Shogun and his House.

14th day of the 8th month in the

First year of Kwan-en.

TAKEDA IZUMO,

MIYOSHI SHORAKU,

NAMIKI SENRYU.

Illustration: Samurai hat]

[1]A famous Chinese general, flourished in the third century before Christ.
[2]The loyal retainers have each of them one of the forty-seven characters of the Japanese syllabary written on their haori. From the coincidence in the number of the retainers and that of these characters, the title Kanadehon Chushingura is given to this play, Kanadehon meaning the copy-book of the Japanese syllabary.
[3]The Buddhistic name of Enya Hangwan, which was, according to custom, given him upon his death.

???
?????????????
?????????????
?????????????
?????

???????????????
????????????????
?????????????????
??????????????

?? ???
(??) ?????????

?????
??? ??? ????
????????????? ??? ????
???????????????? ??? ?????
????????? ??? ??????


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Clyx.com


Top of Page
Top of Page