Shogun

their priests are no threat against our overwhelming joint forces. We smashed the hordes of Kublai Khan and we can deal with any invader. But allied to one of our own, a great Christian daimyo with armies of samurai, and given civil wars throughout the realm, this could, ultimately, give this one daimyo absolute power over all of us.

Kiyama or Onoshi? It’s obvious now, that has to be the priest’s scheme. The timing’s perfect. But which daimyo?

Both, initially, helped by Harima of Nagasaki. But who’ll carry the final banner? Kiyama—because Onoshi the leper’s not long for this earth and Onoshi’s obvious reward for supporting his hated enemy and rival, Kiyama, would be a guaranteed, painless, everlasting life in the Christian heaven with a permanent seat at the right hand of the Christian God.

They’ve four hundred thousand samurai between them now. Their base is Kyushu and that island’s safe from my grasp. Together those two could easily subjugate the whole island, then they have limitless troops, limitless food, all the ships necessary for an invasion, all the silk, and Nagasaki. Throughout the land there are perhaps another five or six hundred thousand Christians. Of these, more than half—the Jesuit Christian converts—are samurai, all salted nicely among the forces of all daimyos, a vast pool of potential traitors, spies, or assassins—should the priests order it. And why shouldn’t they? They’d get what they want above life itself: absolute power over all our souls, thus over the soul of this Land of the Gods —to inherit our earth and all that it contains—just as the Anjin-san has explained has already happened fifty times in this New World of theirs.?.?.?. They convert a king, then use him against his own kind, until all the land is swallowed up.

It’s so easy for them to conquer us, this tiny band of barbarian priests. How many are there in all Japan? Fifty or sixty? But they’ve the power. And they believe. They’re prepared to die gladly for their beliefs, with pride and with bravery, with the name of their God on their lips. We saw that at Nagasaki when the Taiko’s experiment proved a disastrous mistake. Not one of the priests recanted, tens of thousands witnessed the burnings, tens of thousands were converted, and this “martyrdom” gave the Christian religion immense prestige that Christian priests have fed on ever since.

For me, the priests have failed, but that won’t deter them from their relentless course. That’s reality, too.

So, it’s Kiyama.

Is the plan already settled, with Ishido a dupe and the Lady Ochiba and Yaemon also? Has Harima already thrown in with them secretly? Should I launch the Anjin-san at the Black Ship and Nagasaki immediately?

What shall I do?

Nothing more than usual. Be patient, seek harmony, put aside all worries about I or Thou, Life or Death, Oblivion or Afterlife, Now or Then, and set a new plan into motion. What plan? he wanted to shout in desperation. There isn’t one!

“It saddens me that those two stay with the real enemy.”

“I swear we tried, Sire.” Alvito watched him compassionately, seeing the heaviness of his spirit.

“Yes. I believe that. I believe you and the Father-Visitor kept your solemn promise, so I will keep mine. You may begin to build your temple at Yedo at once. The land has been set aside. I cannot forbid the priests, the other Hairies, entrance to the Empire, but at least I can make them unwelcome in my domain. The new barbarians will be equally unwelcome, if they ever arrive. As to the Anjin-san?.?.?.” Toranaga shrugged. “But how long all this .?.?. well, that’s karma, neh?”

Alvito was thanking God fervently for His mercy and favor at the unexpected reprieve. “Thank you, Sire,” he said, hardly able to talk. “I know you’ll not regret it. I pray that your enemies will be scattered like chaff and that you may reap the rewards of Heaven.”

“I’m sorry for my harsh words. They were spoken in anger. There’s so much?.?.?.” Toranaga got up ponderously. “You have my permission to say your service tomorrow, old friend.”

“Thank you, Sire,” Alvito said, bowing low, pitying the normally majestic man. “Thank you with all my heart. May the Divinity bless you and take you into His keeping.”

Toranaga trudged into the inn, his guards following. “Naga-san!”

“Yes, Father,” the youth said, hurrying up.

“Where’s the Lady Mariko?”

“There, Sire, with Buntaro-san.” Naga pointed to the small, lantern-lit cha house inside its enclosure in the garden, the shadowed figures within. “Shall I interrupt the cha-no-yu?” A cha-no-yu was a formal, extremely ritualized Tea Ceremony.

“No. That must never be interfered with. Where are Omi and Yabu-san?”

“They’re at their inn, Sire.” Naga indicated the sprawling low building on the other side of the river, near the far bank.

“Who chose that one?”

“I did, Sire. Please excuse me, you asked me to find them an inn on the other side of the bridge. Did I misunderstand you?”

“The Anjin-san?”

“He’s in his room, Sire. He’s waiting in case you want him.”

Again Toranaga shook his head. “I’ll see him tomorrow.” After a pause, he said in the same faraway voice, “I’m going to take a bath now. Then I don’t wish to be disturbed till dawn except?.?.?.”

Naga waited uneasily, watching his father stare sightlessly into space, greatly disconcerted by his manner. “Are you all right, Father?”

“What? Oh, yes—yes, I’m all right. Why?”

“Nothing—please excuse me. Do you still want to hunt at dawn?”

“Hunt? Ah yes, that’s a good idea. Thank you for suggesting it, yes, that would be very good. See to it. Well, good night .?.?. Oh yes, the Tsukku-san has my permission to give a private service tomorrow. All Christians may go. You go also.”

“Sire?”

“On the first day of the New Year you will become a Christian.”

“Me!”

“Yes. Of your own free will. Tell Tsukku-san privately.”

“Sire?”

Toranaga wheeled on him. “Are you deaf? Don’t you understand the simplest thing anymore?”

“Please excuse me. Yes, Father. I understand.”

“Good.” Toranaga fell back into his distracted attitude, then wandered off, his personal bodyguard in tow. All samurai bowed stiffly, but he took no notice of them.

An officer came up to Naga, equally apprehensive. “What’s the matter with our Lord?”

“I don’t know, Yoshinaka-san.” Naga looked back at the clearing. Alvito was just leaving, heading toward the bridge, a single samurai escorting him. “Must be something to do with him.”

“I’ve never seen Lord Toranaga walk so heavily. Never. They say—they say that barbarian priest’s a magician, a wizard. He must be to speak our tongue so well, neh? Could he have put a spell on our Lord?”

“No. Never. Not my father.”

“Barbarians make my spine shake too, Naga-san. Did you hear about the row—Tsukku-san and his band shouting and quarreling like ill-mannered eta?”

“Yes. Disgusting. I’m sure that man must have destroyed my father’s harmony.”

“If you ask me, an arrow in that priest’s throat would save our Master a lot of trouble.”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps we should tell Buntaro-san about Lord Toranaga? He’s our senior officer.”

“I agree—but later. My father said clearly I was not to interrupt the cha-no-yu. I’ll wait till he’s finished.”

In the peace and quiet of the little house, Buntaro fastidiously opened the small earthenware tea caddy of the T’ang Dynasty and, with equal care, took up the bamboo spoon, beginning the final part of the ceremony. Deftly