A little while later, in a room downstairs, as the distant boom of the first cannonade signalled the departure of the imperial hearse from the palace, as the temple bells began tolling one hundred and eight times, Shizuko’s sister heard a series of strange sounds coming from the second-floor rooms and she called for a maid. The maid ran upstairs to check on her master and mistress. She found the door to their living quarters securely locked, but from within she could hear an incomprehensible, pained voice, and through a crack in the door she could see her mistress lying on the floor.
The elderly sister immediately telephoned the local police station, only to find the line was busy. Nor was she able to reach the neighbourhood doctor, and so she sent the maids to search for help on the street outside. By chance, they found a passing police officer from Nagano who had been seconded to the capital for the funeral, Assistant Inspector Sakamoto.
Sakamoto followed the maids back inside the house. He went upstairs to the second floor and there, with his shoulders, forced open the doors.
In the eight-mat Japanese-style room farthest from the doors, before the framed portraits of the Emperor Meiji, the General’s parents, and their two sons who had died in the Russo-Japanese War, the General lay on his side in a pool of blood, his wife on her knees, her forehead touching the floor.
As the imperial carriage bearing the corpse of the Emperor, drawn through the night by oxen, ground past the house, in their shuttered rooms on Yūrei Zaka, Maresuke and Shizuko had turned themselves to ghost.
*
Ryūnosuke bought the newspapers, all of the newspapers, and Ryūnosuke read account after account of the deaths of General Nogi and his wife:
RENOWNED NOGI SUICIDED
GENERAL AND COUNTESS REPORTED COMMITTED OLD-FASHIONED HARAKIRI
FOLLOWED MASTER TO GRAVE JUST BEFORE IMPERIAL FUNERAL PROCESSION STARTED
WHY GENERAL NOGI DIED
LAST TESTAMENT OF GREAT HERO AN EPIC OF DEEPEST PATHOS
TOGO WEEPS, EMPIRE MOURNS, AND THE WORLD LAMENTS LOSS OF THIS SPOTLESS SOUL
The following is the testament left by the late General Count Nogi, the document being written by him on the night of the 12th, the eve of the Imperial Funeral:
‘1. I kill myself to follow Him who is gone. I am aware of the gravity of this crime; the offence it involves is not light. But to recall, I was responsible for the loss of the regimental colours in the campaign of Meiji 10, and since then I have searched in vain for a proper opportunity to die. To this day, I have been treated with unmerited kindness, receiving abundant Imperial favours and gracious treatment. Gradually I have become old and weak; my time has disappeared and I can no longer serve my lord. Feeling extremely distressed by his death, I have resolved to end my life.
‘2. Since the fall of the two Sukes in battle (abbreviation of the names of the General’s two sons, who met glorious death at the siege of Port Arthur), my respected seniors and friends have repeatedly urged that I adopt a son. Since ancient times, however, the difficulties of adopted heirs have been discussed, and there are many examples, in addition to the case of my brother. If I still had a child of my own, the honour of having received a noble title would force me to name him my successor, but to avoid leaving behind a possible disgrace I think it is best not to defy heaven’s orders by adopting a son. The tombs of my ancestors should be cared for by relatives, as long as they are related by blood. I request that the Shinsaka residence be donated either to the Ward or City.
‘3. I have written about the distribution of my property in a separate paper. My wife, Shizuko, will manage all matters I have not mentioned.
‘4. As to the distribution of my personal effects, I have left a word of request to Colonel Tsukada that he may use his discretion in giving my watch, range-finder, fieldglass, saddleries, swords, and other articles of soldier’s use, to my adjutants in my memory. The Colonel did a great deal for me during the late two wars. Shizuko is already informed of this distribution, so please discuss it with her. I leave my other possessions open to negotiation.
‘5. The Imperial gifts bearing the Imperial crests should be collected and presented to the Gakushūin Peers School, a word of request being left in this connection to Mr Matsui and Mr Igaya to deal with this matter.
‘6. Present the Gakushūin those of my books which it can use and give the rest to the Library of Chōfu. Those which are useless may be disposed of in any fashion.
‘7. The writings of my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather should be considered part of the history of the Nogi family. They should be scrupulously collected, excluding any truly unimportant works, and preserved for eternity either in the care of the house of Marquis Sasaki or in the Sasaki Shrine.
‘8. I bequeath the articles exhibited at the Yūshūkan (the war museum at Kudan) to that institution. This, I believe, is the best way to preserve them in commemoration of the house of Nogi.
‘9. As Shizuko gradually enters old age and encounters episodes of illness, the house of Ishibayashi, in addition to being an inconvenient place, will be very depressing. Therefore, this house should be given over to my brother Shūsaku, and Shizuko has agreed that she should live at my residence in Nakano. I leave the house and land in Nakano entirely to Shizuko.
‘10. I have left a word of request to Baron Ishiguro as to the treatment of my body, which may be donated to a medical school. Beneath my gravestone, it will be sufficient (and Shizuko consents to this) to place my hair, nails and teeth, including false teeth. I request that my gold watch with the Imperial gift inscription should go to Masayuki Tamaki, my nephew. I forbid him to carry
