The Heike Story (63 page)

"Come, enough about my verses. . . . With May here the rains will start soon and you'd better take care of your health."

"Is that the message I'm to take her?"

"A vulgar fellow you are! What makes you repeat what's already understood?"

"You will pardon me, sir, if I ask you another question. Do I understand that I'm to come here as before?"

"Come whenever you like," Kiyomori replied, adding: "but don't let Tokiko find you at it."

A SILVER IMAGE

One morning early in May when the hills and valleys were still white with haze, Yomogi stood outside the Nose's shuttered house on Fifth Avenue. "What are you doing here so early," queried Bamboku, still in his night-clothes, and staring bleary-eyed at Yomogi, looking her up and down from her head to her dew-soaked sandals.

"I'm sorry, coming so early, but I've heard something dreadful."

"You always come here with the most dreary tales. What's up now—:this morning?"

"It happened yesterday when I was on my way home as usual from Kiyomizu Temple."

"Still going to the temple, are you? That's a good girl!"

"And on my way back I found Mongaku waiting for me at the bottom of the hill."

"Mongaku—that bearded fellow, eh?"

"Yes, he's going to the Nachi Falls again this month and won't be back until autumn, and he's also going on a pilgrimage to Kishu."

"Since when have you known that vagrant? You'd better be careful of him. He goes about saying that he was once at school with Lord Kiyomori and hasn't a good word for him, I hear."

"But he's a good man. He's always so kind to us."

"That's neither here nor there. And what about this Mongaku?"

"Since he's leaving for Kishu and won't be back for some time, we went to visit a friend—Asatori. And as we talked of this and that, I mentioned seeing that young man washing the blood from his sword at the stream, and Tomizo having his head slashed off. . . ."

"Hmm—and then?"

"Then Mongaku exclaimed that this was terrible, that we'd better be careful. Then he said something dreadful would happen to my mistress next—it sounded as if he were prophesying."

"What did he mean exactly by that?"

"He said that the ox-dealer was not the person the young man was really after. That he'd only killed him by chance. That's what Mongaku thinks."

"Let me see—so the murderer must have been hiding inside the grounds there. Isn't that so?"

"Yes, Mongaku thinks that this fellow has been hiding for some time in my mistress's garden or somewhere about the house."

"Ridiculous—absolutely ridiculous!"

"But Mongaku's quite sure that's what happened. He even told me the fellow's name."

"What's the fellow's name?"

"I mustn't tell you."

"What?"

"I promised Mongaku to tell no one. He thinks it would be a pity if the name becomes known, and the Heike soldiers capture him."

"Are you Mongaku's messenger, or did your mistress send you? What made you come here to me?"

"Now wait until you hear me through. Stop yapping at me like that!"

Yomogi was a fair match for the scornful Nose this morning, and the eager words came tumbling out of her mouth as she went on to tell what Mongaku had said. The youth's name, she insisted, had to be kept a secret; he was a retainer of the Genji who had sworn to avenge his lord by killing Tokiwa; he was lying in wait for her; he had even hidden himself in the garden outside Tokiwa's room, but his courage had deserted him when he finally saw his intended victim. Mongaku had promised Yomogi to drive away the assassin by an incantation which he wrote on a slip of paper. He had given her the paper neatly folded, and had carefully instructed her to suspend it from a hedge in the garden where it could be seen. He assured her that if the paper disappeared during the night, there would no longer be any need to fear him. Until then, Mongaku had repeatedly warned her, everything must be done to shield Tokiwa. Yomogi had then gone home and done exactly as Mongaku told her, tying the paper to a low-hanging branch of a bamboo in a grove on the north side of the house where few people ever went.

". . . And I couldn't sleep a wink last night, wondering whether it would still be there or not by morning."

Yomogi ceased talking, though she still appeared eager to add more, but Bamboku had already guessed who the youth was.

"It must be Konno-maru. He's been hiding in the capital for some time with Yoshihira of the Genji."

"Oh, how did you know?"

"Who wouldn't know? And Mongaku's message—was it still there this morning?"

"It was gone."

"As I thought. . . ."

"But there was another in its place." Yomogi held out a slip of paper and anxiously watched Bamboku's face as he read it.

Bamboku wrinkled his brows and read the message several times over to himself. The writing, blurred by dew, was almost illegible.

"What does it say?"

"Seems to be in answer to Mongaku's note."

"What about the magic Mongaku said he would work?"

"What! You believe that that monk's words would have any effect? Looks more as though he's goaded the killer on."

"Oh, this is dreadful! . . . What are we to do, Bamboku, sir? Tell me, Nose—"

"Hm? What did you call me just now?"

"Nothing, sir, I only—"

"You're only a scatterbrained little fool! This is what comes of being too friendly with Mongaku. This should teach you a lesson!"

"But if it weren't for Mongaku, we wouldn't have known about this terrible person who wants to kill my mistress—or his name. Now if I—"

"Teh, how you chatter! We all know how much you love your mistress, but you might try talking less."

"I can't help it for worrying and worrying. ... I simply don't know what I'm to do next for worrying."

"Hoy should you know, anyway? You've no more brains than a sparrow! Off with you now to your mistress and put a stop to that twittering and twittering!"

Privy Councilor Kiyomori had spent the night at Court to attend a secret session that lasted until morning. He succeeded in snatching a few hours of sleep, and was on his way through the Palace halls when a courtier who saw him hurried to him with a message that had come through the Guard Office. One Bamboku from Fifth Avenue, it appeared, wished to speak with the Councilor and was now waiting in the library.

"Bamboku? What could he want?" Kiyomori asked himself, puzzled. It was no ordinary matter that would bring him here, nor would he ordinarily be admitted. Kiyomori sought the library and there found Bamboku and Itogo with him.

Bamboku, fully appreciating the unusual privilege of being where he was, prostrated himself solemnly and, without his usual facetiousness, briefly conveyed his belief that Tokiwa was in immediate danger and begged for Kiyomori's advice.

"That must be Konno-maru, who has sworn to take his revenge on the Heike. This is very serious," Kiyomori replied, and turned to Itogo. "Take your best soldiers to the Mibu villa, surround it, and get the man. There's only one—a youth."

As he turned to leave, Kiyomori added: "And you, Red-Nose, see that no harm comes to your charge. If anything happens to her, you're responsible."

The Nose bowed profoundly.

That same morning two hundred soldiers under Itogo left for Mibu villa. Scattering his men in a wide arc in the vicinity, Itogo ordered them to close in step by step until the spacious grounds were surrounded.

It was possible for a man to conceal himself for several days, and without too much difficulty, somewhere inside the walls of the villa—containing as it did a miniature lake, about which grew artfully placed groves simulating woods, and even a stretch of rolling ground through which a stream flowed.

Because of the bamboo thickets and woods which grew close outside the villa walls, the soldiers had some difficulty in approaching the house, but step by step the human net tightened and closed. Finally the Nose, accompanied by a few soldiers, entered the gate. "There's no danger of his escaping now," he was saying, "I'll make a search of the house itself. See that the lady is not alarmed."

Half of the soldiers were next sent inside the walls to search the premises; they crawled under the house; some climbed to the roof; others peered down wells or up into the treetops. No trace of the would-be assassin, however, could be found. The whole expedition appeared to have been in vain and the disgruntled soldiers were beginning to complain. The Nose, however, redoubled his efforts. He would be blamed for this uproar, for sounding a false alarm. He turned his spleen on Yomogi. "There's no Konno-maru to be found, is there? What do you mean by your stories! Just look at the commotion you've caused!" he roared as they came face to face in the servants' quarters.

"Here, here, Nose," a soldier who stood near by said in disgust, "what's the use of bawling at the poor girl? Let's call it a day. Besides, our men haven't yet had their supper. . . ."

Itogo retired, leaving twenty soldiers to stand guard around the villa walls.

The Nose turned over the whole affair in his mind once more. He would have to report this sorry business to Kiyomori. He next turned his attention to Yomogi. "Look here, tell your mistress this. Tell her how much we regret having disturbed her and caused such unnecessary excitement. We have set up guards inside as well as outside, so there's no fear of intruders. A thorough search has been made and she can be sure that no strangers are lurking about. You understand, don't you, Yomogi?"

"Yes, I shall tell her so."

"I'm going to Rokuhara now."

"Do be careful, sir."

"Tell her exactly what I said, now, and nothing else. Mind you don't say anything more."

"I really don't chatter so much as you think. Besides, who could have kept quiet this time?"

"There you go again! Twittering and twittering. . . ."

"Well, then, I won't talk any more. I won't say a word even if something does come up!"

"As you please. You wouldn't be of any earthly use anyhow. The soldiers will keep guard from tonight, so you needn't worry a particle. And see here, no more of this chattering when you go out. There's to be no more of this chattering, I warn you!"

"Is that so?" Yomogi pouted, turning her back on the Nose

Two giant oaks spread their branches umbrellawise over a gallery connecting one wing with the main part of Mibu villa, and extended over an inner court. The new leaves and last year's withered foliage made a thick tangle overhead. Konno-maru stirred and sighed with relief as he looked down from his nest. The thick interlacing of branches made it possible for him to stretch or even lie cradled among the leaves. He had hidden up there all day while Itogo's soldiers searched, planning, if discovered, to make his escape by a limb to the roof. It was dark now and he could see several watch-fires spaced out at intervals along the walls.

He recalled the events of the past several days, reproaching himself for his cowardice. Several chances had presented themselves for accomplishing what he had set out to do, but his courage had failed him each time. He found it easier now to consider what he should do next: he would kill Tokiwa tonight without any thought for his own safety. He waited for the hours to go by and the household to settle to sleep. Toward midnight Konno-maru slid down spiderlike from the tree and crept toward a room in which a single light still burned. By now he was familiar with his surroundings, and this he knew was Tokiwa's room. Climbing over a balustrade, he made his way along a gallery and then crouched beside a door. It was locked. It would be simple enough to pry the lock loose with his dagger and throw his weight against the door, though the noise would undoubtedly bring servants and soldiers running; but he could in the meantime stab Tokiwa. What happened to him after that did not matter.

While such thoughts went through his mind, he was startled by a voice.

". . . Who's there?"

It was a woman's voice. A light undulated across a lifted shutter and a silken rustle approached the door; Konno-maru sprang away from it. The door swung open and Tokiwa's pale face appeared, illumined by the lamp she was holding.