“If you persist in refusing all my proposals I shall be at a loss what to do with you,” he said. “So be pleased to do as I request you only this once.”
Kyūsuké could not refuse his master’s kindness so delicately offered, and he consented to use his spare time for his own profit. Henceforth the early morning and late evening hours were devoted to the task of making waraji or straw sandals, which he sold to a kitchen-ware dealer in the village, thereby making a small but regular income, every sen of which he intrusted to his kind master for safe keeping. Soon the young servant’s diligence became known, and the country people encouraged his industry by always asking for the “Kyūsuké waraji” in preference to any other. This naturally pleased the dealer who continually pressed Kyūsuké for further supplies. Gonzaemon, likewise pleased at the success of his plan, determined to lend out the money in his charge so as to increase the amount by good interest. In this he found no difficulty for people had the idea that some luck attached itself to anything connected with the honest servant, and were only too glad to be accommodated with loans out of his savings.
Thus eight years passed away and Kyūsuké was still a servant in the household of Gonzaemon. One day the latter called the young man into his apartment and addressed him as follows:—
“My dear Kyūsuké, time indeed flies like an arrow, as the proverb says. Eight years have elapsed since I was so fortunate as to take you into my service. You have never squandered your wages as other servants do; setting apart a certain amount for small personal expenses you have regularly committed to my care all that you earned. I should certainly have proved but a poor banker, had I not sought some profitable investment for your deposits. All these years I have been lending out your money at a moderate rate, and it is astonishing to find how much your capital now amounts to. Behold! Your savings with interest and compound interest now reach the sum of one hundred ryō! Now, what do you propose to do with all this money?”
“My good master,” said Kyūsuké, quite taken aback at the idea of such wealth, “you must be joking!”
“Not at all; it is as I say. Will you continue to lend it out, or would you prefer to dispose of it in some other way? It is for you to decide.”
“A hundred ryō!” gasped Kyūsuké. “Did you really say ‘one hundred ryō’?”
“A hundred ryō!” replied his master smiling.
“It is unbelievable!” said Kyūsuké.