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  A squad of archers ran out and formed in ranks. Then an ornate palanquin was quickly carried out, followed by another squad of archers, and the whole procession moved away down the street. Oishi had to look fast, but he was rewarded at last. Inside the palanquin was the unmistakable figure of Kira, recognizable from all the descriptions he had heard. It was only a brief glimpse, but he would never forget that scowling face and blackened teeth. This was the face he swore he would next see before him at the end of a long sword.

  He turned to Hara and reahzed that he had been holding his breath. He let it out long and slowly.

  "I think that's all we need to see for now," he said, and they returned quietly to where the others were waiting.

  r rrrrrrrrrrr r rwwrrrrrrrrrrr rwrrrrrrr r

  9 m ®

  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

  Oishi's men were now scattered all over Edo. So far they seemed to have escaped detection by the local authorities, but they paid for their secrecy in terms of not being a single unified force.

  Hara and Horibe acted as deputy commanders and relayed Oishi's messages to subordinate group leaders who in turn passed the word along to each individual samurai. Since they still had no idea when or where the decisive attack would be made, Oishi's first order was for each man to become famihar with the area around Kira's mansion and, if possible, to learn to know Kira by sight. He had to trust that none of them would become too aroused at the sight of the black-toothed scoundrel and make a single-handed attempt on his life. In his message he stressed the fact that Kira's guards were well trained, and that any rash act against their master would be easily put down. Furthermore, such a move would alert all of Edo to their presence and their chance of eventual success would be doomed.

  So far it was working out as he had planned. The men, alone or in small groups, received their intro-

  duction to Kira by casually passing by his gate at times when it was calculated he would be coming or going. Their tours of duty were of varying lengths and no one stayed long. The only exception was a permanent guard stationed over a shop directly across from the mansion. He kept a complete log on all arrivals and departures, and Kira's palanquin was discreetly followed to learn the pattern of their enemy's affairs. The question was, how long could they keep this up before Kira's guards began to recognize them?

  Yoshida recognized another very real danger as well.

  "We're extremely vulnerable in one way, Oishi-dono," he said one night at a strategy meeting with Hara, Horibe, and Onodera in Oishi's room at the inn.

  "What's that?" Oishi asked in concern.

  "We're all completely dependent on you for our directions. . . . Not that I would have it any other way," he added hastily as Oishi's brow furrowed. "But wouldn't it be more reasonable for you to guard your person more carefully?"

  Oishi shook his head at the prospect of limiting his own movements, but the others agreed with Yoshida.

  "There are 'accidents' that could happen to you if Kira willed it," Hara said.

  "But I can't travel around with an armed guard," Oishi snapped. "What good would I be to anyone?"

  "Perhaps the answer is not to travel at all," Yoshida suggested. "A squad of four or five fighting men could stay here with you at all times." ^^ "I think he's right, Oishi-dono," Horibe put in. "You're taller and more easily recognized than the rest of us. As time goes by, you'll be spotted as a

  Chapter Eighteen

  spy, if not actually identified as Lord Asano's chief retainer."

  Oishi fretted for a moment and then sighed.

  "I hate to think of shutting myself off—I had so much of that for so long in Yamashina."

  "I sympathize with you," Hara said, "but what can you gain by seeing our enemy again?"

  "Nothing, I suppose ... I had hoped to be able to see Daigaku, but his confinement is well enforced. Still, perhaps it's just as well. I don't want him involved in our plans if I can help it."

  The others nodded. This was the best way.

  "Have all the men had a chance to see Kira by now?" Oishi asked abruptly.

  Hara hesitated and looked at Horibe. He cleared his throat and prepared to speak, his eyes strangely downcast, when they were interrupted by a quiet knock at the door. Horibe opened it a crack, then quickly let in a grinning Kataoka.

  The monkey-faced man bowed courteously to Oishi, nodded to the others and found a place to sit on the floor.

  "You look pleased with yourself," Oishi observed.

  Kataoka's grin grew broader.

  "I've discovered a new diversion for rich merchants like myself in Edo."

  "Oh? And what do the visiting merchants find to occupy themselves with in Edo nowadays?"

  "Lessons," Kataoka said in confidential tones. "Lessons in the tea ceremony."

  "Tea ceremony!" Oishi exploded.

  The others looked at one another in surprise. Had Kataoka lost his mind to be playing games with them at a time like this?

  "Of course I know the ceremony better than he

  does," Kataoka went on calmly, "but the tea master talks a lot and that part is entertaining."

  "Fm glad you're amused," Oishi said sarcastically. "Some of us are not so fortunate in being able to choose the way we spend our time."

  But Kataoka was not the kind to take a gentle hint.

  "I learn much gossip of the court from my teacher," he went on imperturbably. "About many of those in high places."

  "And how does this help us?" Hara asked impatiently. "I couldn't care less about the gossip of the court."

  "But it would be nice to know Kira's plans in advance, wouldn't it?"

  "Of course it would."

  "Well, my teacher has a client who should be an excellent source for such information."

  "And who is this client?" Hara asked wearily.

  "I thought you'd never ask. He used to be court Master of Ceremonies. His name is Kira."

  All those present reacted in pleased surprise. Kataoka had indeed made progress.

  "Well done, Kataoka," Oishi said with a smile. "I knew you weren't just wasting our time."

  "I didn't," Hara growled, and then laughed along with the rest of them.

  Onodera nodded his gray head.

  "I can't think of a better way to keep up with Kira's social life—and as it appears, that's what we need to know about most. If we can pin him down to a specific place and time ..."

  There was no need to say more. All were busy with their own thoughts until Oishi remembered some unfinished business.

  "Hara, you were reporting on the men's tours of

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  Chapter Eighteen

  duty. Did you say that there are still some who haven't seen Kira?"

  Again Hara hesitated.

  "That is true."

  "And for what reason?"

  Hara scowled at the floor. This was the kind of report he hated to make.

  "Because some of the men on the list have— disappeared."

  "Disappeared," Oishi echoed bitterly. "You mean deserted, don't you?"

  Hara made no answer and Oishi sighed.

  "How many have left us?"

  "About a third of our force."

  "And you didn't mention this before?" Oishi asked in some anger.

  "It makes no difference," Hara said doggedly. "We'll go ahead without them."

  "You shouldn't be too surprised," Onodera said gently to Oishi. "You yourself said some men would turn from us when the scent of battle was actually in the air."

  Oishi nodded.

  "I know. Forgive my outburst." He shot a glance at Horibe. "You were right, Horibe, when you said time was against us. How could I expect to keep the men at a fever pitch for battle when I kept putting them off."

  Horibe shook his head.

  "It's not time that's working against us—only fear."

  "Caused partly by the disunity of our organization," Oishi said. "Which will become worse with my isolation."

  He sighe
d. A drastic move was evidently called for. In spite of the dangers involved, it was important to

  •201 .

  do something about their unity. He went to the door and beckoned to the man outside.

  "Mimura," he said as the servant stepped in, "I have a special mission for you."

  Mimura's head bobbed rapidly as he listened.

  "I want you to find a suitable place—a public restaurant, perhaps—where we can all assemble."

  "All of us?" asked Hara in alarm.

  "Yes," Oishi said grimly. "It's time for one last meeting to reaffirm our purposes before our 'fighting men' drift away, one by one."

  The others murmured among themselves in concern but Oishi continued with his instructions to the servant. It was essential that the loyal band grow no smaller.

  After a few days of searching, Mimura found that Oishi's suggestion of a public restaurant as a meeting place was a good one. They could meet in the middle of the day like any other group of merchants and call themselves a "social group."

  In Fukagawa, a central district of the city, he found an inn with large private dining rooms and reserved one on the ground floor. His reasoning was that in a downstairs room they would have a better chance of fighting their way out of any trap that might be sprung. He asked to see the kitchen on the pretext that his group was particular about the food it was served, and noted the location of the rear door for use in case of an emergency. He also asked that his party be disturbed as little as possible during the meal as the financial measures under discussion would require great concentration.

  When the arrangements were completed, Oishi sent

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  Chapter Eighteen

  out word to all the Ako men remaining in Edo and on the appointed day they began to gather. Mimura entered the dining room with Oishi, then went to make one last inspection of the kitchen to be sure the rear exit was unobstructed. He had barely put his head in the door, however, before he quickly closed it and ran white faced back to Oishi.

  "We can't meet here," he spluttered excitedly.

  "Tell me what's wrong, Mimura," said Oishi gruffly. "I'll decide whether we meet here or not."

  "I'm sorry," Mimura apologized, "I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds ..."

  "Get to the point," Oishi said. "What is the matter?"

  "It's the boy—the fire boy who was in our house in Edo before . . . before our Lord Asano's death. He's here, in this kitchen! Fortunately, I got out before he saw me. But if he should come into the dining room for any reason ..."

  Oishi thought rapidly. "The chances are if he's only a kitchen helper, he won't be serving us . . . How did you happen to miss him before? I thought you'd inspected this place and found it safe?"

  "I'm sorry," Mimura said in abject apology. "He wasn't here the other day. I should have checked this morning ... it is an oversight I most seriously regret."

  "There's no help for it now," said Hara, who had entered in time to learn of their difficulty. "We must move elsewhere."

  "We can't switch our plans at this late date," objected Oishi. "Everyone will be here soon. We have no alternative but to go ahead and meet as planned."

  "But if the boy sees any of us from the old house ..." said Mimura despairingly.

  "If he does," interrupted Oishi, "it will be your job to take care of him. You got us into this, you'll have to get us out ... Sit by the door leading to the kitchen. Listen for approaching servants and warn us when they're coming. You can clear your throat or propose a toast or something. And if the servant who enters is that wretched fire boy, I want you to cause him to die a "natural death" on the spot. How to do it I leave up to you. Understood?"

  Mimura nodded helplessly.

  "Now take your place. The meeting will be starting any minute and we don't want to cause any delays."

  With a quick look around, Oishi went to take his place at the head of the table. Mimura stationed himself as ordered and Kataoka sat beside him to furnish aid if required. The others were now beginning to arrive.

  When they were all present, the lunch began and Oishi was relieved to see that the serving was all handled by waitresses. The dishes were brought rapidly and the girls then withdrew in accordance with their instructions. Now Oishi called for everyone's attention. He wasted no time in getting to the point.

  "Comrades," he began, with great emotion in his voice, "I'm glad to see you all here. The time we've been waiting for is near, and final plans must be made. Before going ahead, I must know who I can count on. With fewer men than this we cannot hope to succeed. I hope you can appreciate that fact and will respond honestly."

  There was a murmur of agreement and he continued, much encouraged. He announced that he had a new oath to present which they were all to sign in blood. He paused and then began to read it to them.

  • 20^.

  Chapter Eighteen

  "No matter what one's assignment may be in this matter, or no matter how menial one might consider such an assignment, there shall be no difference in honor or merit between one follower and the next, provided that he fulfills his duty to the best of his abihty. Each of us must help the others at all times, seeking no individual glory. It must also be thoroughly understood ..."

  He was suddenly interrupted by Mimura who was coughing loudly. "A toast," he called out, "a toast to Hara, I mean Harano, the rice dealer!"

  "To Harano, the rice dealer," the others echoed and drank down their cups of sake as a waitress entered from the kitchen to check their progress.

  "To the drapery dealer from Kyoto," called out Mimura next and the others repeated the toast and drank to Kataoka, who grinned sheepishly. Then the waitress was gone and Oishi concluded reading the pledge.

  "It must be thoroughly understood that none of us are free to act as we wish even after Kira has been killed. Procedures to be followed then will depend on circumstances we cannot foresee and will be announced at that time."

  The men murmured in approval and when lunch was over and they came to bid farewell to their leader each signed his name in blood. There were forty-seven signers to this document, including one man in his seventies; five in their sixties, including Yoshida and Onodera; four in their fifties, including Hara; four in their forties, including Oishi; eighteen in their thirties, including Kataoka and Horibe; thirteen in their twenties, including Onodera's son Koemon; and Yato and Chikara, who were both seventeen. Each was handed detailed instructions as to armor,

  weapons, signals, meeting places, and names of their immediate leaders. The actual time and place of the attack remained to be set. All else was decided.

  The men went as they had come, in twos and threes, until only Oishi and Mimura were left. Oishi now permitted himself to relax and even smile. Mimura came toward him tentatively with a crooked little smile of his own and they went out together, both pleased at the success of the meeting.

  After a moment some kitchen helpers came in to clear the tables. One of them was the fire boy from Lord Asano's mansion. He was picking up some dishes at Oishi's place when he noticed a soiled napkin on the floor. He picked it up and looked at it curiously. It was covered with dots of blood and he threw it onto the table distastefully. If his curiosity had been more intense, he might have counted the stains and found that there were exactly forty-seven.

  Not to be outdone by Kataoka, Hara established his own contact with Kira's household. He opened a rice shop and actually got their enemy's kitchen steward for a customer. The steward demanded a large discount so that Hara actually sold the rice for less than he paid for it, but in this case a business loss could be profitable in other ways. He was not allowed to deliver the rice inside Kira's gates—the security measures were much too strict for that—but he was in a position to know when extra quantities of rice might be needed for entertainment purposes. Horibe had already befriended a priest who was a social acquaintance of Kira's; some of the other followers used their own methods to try to pin down the movements of their elusive quarry.


  •206 *

  Chapter Eighteen

  But it was Kataoka through his tea master who got the first real lead.

  He had gone for his weekly lesson and was bravely sipping the poorly made tea from an oversized cup when the tea master was called to the door to receive a message. While his back was turned, Kataoka dumped the tea into the hibachi, but the tea master, a cherubic fellow with a shaved head like a priest, was so excited when he returned that he failed to notice.

  "Guess what," he gushed. "I've been invited to a party!"

  "That's nice," murmured Kataoka, as he pretended to sip from his cup. "It must be an important occasion to give you so much pleasure."

  "Oh, it is! At Lord Kira's house ..."

  Kataoka caught his breath and held it.

  ". . .a ceremonial tea on the morning of December 6. I'm so flattered that he's asked me. I haven't been in Edo long, but already I'm beginning to make my way in society."

  "Yes," said Kataoka, "you certainly are. And the ceremonial is to be at Lord Kira's house?"

  "Yes, at his mansion. Oh, I wish I could take you with me. You've never been inside a real Edo mansion, have you?"

  "No," lied Kataoka, who was remembering back to that fateful morning when Lord Asano had gone out of his mansion for the last time.

  "But of course I haven't the right to invite you. I understand Lord Kira is very particular about his guests and has guards to check the invitations. Do you suppose he's still afraid some of Lord Asano's followers might be after him?"

  "I don't know why he should think that—after so long a time."

  •207-

  "Yes—that's the way I look at it. If they really wanted revenge, they would have taken it a long time ago."

  Kataoka nodded as the man talked on.

  "It only goes to show that the day of the samurai is over, after all. When they don't uphold their own code, what can they expect will happen to the morals of the rest of the country?"

  Kataoka gritted his teeth and said nothing.

  "Anyway, it promises to be a grand occasion at Lord Kira's. Now then, shall we get back to our lesson?"

  Kataoka obediently raised the empty cup to his Hps and pretended to sip, turning it a little at a time as etiquette required. The morning of the sixth, he was thinking, meant that an attack could be mounted on the evening of the fifth with reasonable assurance that their man would be at home.