With these words the two men rose and prepared for the struggle. Gonzaemon wondered at their infatuation. For years Ujisato had regretted the act that had cost him a faithful retainer. For years Gonshirō had wandered a rōnin, homeless, and often without food. Chief and vassal had become reconciled and all was going well, when, for the sake of a little paltry pride, this happy state of things was again endangered and a permanent estrangement might be the result. He strove to remonstrate but neither would listen. All he could do was to advise Gonshirō, by dumb signs, to allow himself to be beaten; and Gonshirō coming too late to a better understanding of his rash conduct answered in the same manner, “I will.”
Satisfied that he had averted a catastrophe, the karō offered to act as umpire, standing up with an open fan in his hand. After the preliminary moves the combatants grappled, and a hard tussle it was. Gonshirō honestly intended to let his master have the satisfaction of winning. “But,” thought he, “if I let myself be thrown too easily my lord will suspect something; besides I cannot let him think me quite such a weakling as he would make out.” Warming to the fight he again thought, “If I allow myself to be beaten, having strength to win, I should be a contemptible creature selling himself for the sake of his place and pay. Nothing disgraces a samurai so much as to be a flatterer. ‘A man lives for but one generation, but a good name lives forever.’ A good name is above all material rewards. I cannot pretend defeat. I must do my best at all costs and come what may, throw my lord again.”
Hereupon he braced his feet and bent his body, and with a loud shout shouldered his opponent, and threw him down three mats off just as he had done before.
The umpire never doubting that Gonshirō had followed his counsel and that it was he who was thrown, ran forward, exclaiming:—
“Well done, my lord! I never saw a better throw!”
He had no time to say more before he found out his mistake. What was his dismay to find that Gonshirō was again the victor and that it was his lord who had thus a second time suffered a humiliating defeat. It was too exasperating! The same story over again.
Now that his excitement had cooled down somewhat, Gonshirō was covered with shame and mortification at what he had done.
Ujisato rose without assistance and stamping his foot as though in rage stalked off to an inner apartment.
“Fool that I am, I have done it again!” cried Gonshirō in despair. “In spite of your advice, in spite of my own determination, my vanity got the upper hand and forgetting all else I committed this unpardonable offence a second time. I will disembowel myself and I beg you to do me the honour to witness the act!”
So saying the unhappy man took up the short sword he had laid aside and was on the point of plunging it into his body, when the sliding door was hastily pushed open and Ujisato ran forward just in time to arrest his arm.