“By all means.”
“Permit me to go to Inaba, my lord.”
“To Inaba! You want to go to the castle of that Saitō Dōzō?”
“Yes, my lord. I wish to enter the castle in disguise, and avenge the death of Hachiya on his murderer!”
“Not to be thought of, Katsuno!” Nobuyuki could not keep back a smile, though he saw the girl was in deadly earnest. “A young woman, and single handed!—absurd!”
“Not so, my lord, believe me!” Katsuno’s eyes gleamed, and her breath came quick and fast. “I have thought it all out. I beseech you to let me go!”
Nobuyuki argued with her in vain. Her mind was made up, and nothing could shake her resolution. Therefore, he at length reluctantly gave her the desired permission, at the same time handing her the Masamuné dagger, to which reference has been made before, and saying:—
“This is the dagger with which our Hachiya was stabbed; thrust it up to the hilt in the throat of his murderer, and avenge his death!”
“I will, or die in the attempt! My lord, I thank you, farewell, fare....”