“How grasping you are! Well, then, I will buy your secret with this.” So saying, Shichiroyemon took a packet of money out of his bosom and threw it down on the mat. The crone picked it up in silence, a cunning smile playing about her lips.
“Mr. Sakuma, you must not be off your guard.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, K...; you must give her up.”
“What! Give up Katsuno?” he exclaimed, startled. “Why? Tell me quick!”
“Don’t be surprised, sir. It is our lord’s pleasure to give her to Hachiya in marriage.”
Katsuno was a maid-of-honour of Oda Nobuyuki with whom she was a great favourite. A young damsel of nineteen springs, she was the incarnation of beauty, grace and sweetness of disposition, combined with refinement and dignity. In spite of his years Shichiroyemon was madly in love with the fair maiden; but though he had courted her in every way through O-Tora, she had shown no inclination to respond to his advances.
“Has Hachiya formed a liaison with Katsuno?” asked Shichiroyemon anxiously.
“Not that; you know they are both such honest blockheads; they are too stupid for that. Even if they had the inclination, it would be impossible for them to elude my vigilant eye—not even a devil could do it!”