Gonshirō’s blood was up. He threw discretion to the winds.
“Ingrate and liar! I did save your life!”
“A lie!”
Ujisato frowned darkly and seemed about to have the daring offender punished as he deserved, but apparently changing his mind, he laughed good-humouredly and:—
“Look here, Gonshirō,” he said, “you insist that you saved me; I deny it. At this rate there can be no end of the matter for each holds to his own opinion. But to settle the question once for all let us have a wrestling bout, you and I. If I am beaten I will admit that you saved me as you aver, and prostrating myself before you with both hands on the ground I will humbly beg your pardon for what I have said. That will be as great an humiliation as removing one’s helmet on the field of battle and surrendering to the foe. On the other hand, should you be thrown you will be branded as a liar and ordered to commit seppuku. Will you wrestle with me on those conditions?”
The guests were amazed. One whispered to another.
“What a proposal!”
“Monstrously unfair!”
“One contestant risks his life, the other a mere apology!”