To refute such subtleness was beyond me. The best I could do was to assume a bold front.
“As a kinsman of Owari, I do not choose to answer the queries of the partisan of Mito,” I declared.
“Not even to explain why you held off until the _ronins_ had slaughtered the _hatamotos_, and why the _ronins_ fled before two men when they had slain a score?” interrogated Midzuano.
“Give me a sword and confront me with a Mito partisan in full armor,” I rejoined. “One reason for the fleeing of the _ronins_ will shortly be made apparent.”
“Enough of the _ronin_ attack and of Yuki the _ronin_,” said the Shogun. “There remains a matter that more nearly concerns my honor. Gengo will repeat his account of the outrageous conduct of the _tojin_ in the palace of the Princess.”
I flushed crimson with rage. The treacherous chamberlain had stolen out during my instruction of Azai, to aid Midzuano in setting this snare for my destruction. I met the gaze of the Shogun with a look as angry as his own, and said with deliberate reproof: “In my land men of noble blood do not publicly discuss matters concerning ladies.”
He made a sign with his fan, and commanded: “All others than Midzuano will withdraw beyond earshot.”
“The matter is between Your Highness and myself,” I said. “My life is in the hand of Minamoto Iyeyoshi. Rather than speak in the presence of a third person, I am prepared to die without benefit of medicine.”
The Shogun again signed with his fan. Midzuano rose to his knees and shuffled away after the others. I was left alone in front of the dais, still too angry to flinch before the Shogun’s frown and the menace of his eyes.
“Your Highness has condemned me without a hearing,” I charged. “Is that the boasted justice of Dai Nippon?”
“Such insolence is of itself worthy of death!” he exclaimed.
“Your Highness,” I replied, “I come of a family so proud that it is a degradation for me to kowtow even before the exalted ruler of Nippon, yet my desire to serve has caused me to humble myself.”
“The rudeness of the _tojin_ might be forgiven on the plea of his ignorance. Not so an insult to the Princess my daughter.”
“Your Highness has listened to the lying tales of my enemies. I would sooner strike off my right hand than insult the Princess Azai. Your Highness does ill to heed the malicious slanders of those who condemned me on false charges and who, when baffled by the command of Your Highness, laid an ambush for me in the garden of the Princess.”