The attendants looked at one another and said: “Really, he is very clever—even more clever than you, sir! Yes, unless a man employs some men cleverer than himself he can never become great!”
With unbounded joy Bunzayemon soon arrived at his depot at Fukagawa. No sooner did he catch sight of Chobei than he held out his hand to him, saying: “Ah! I have no words in which to express my thanks to you. I have been hearing from the chance talk of the people on my way home of all you have been doing in my absence, and have been much struck by your sagacity. Indeed, I have never felt so much joy as I experience to-day!”
Bunzayemon, who was not accustomed to show joy or sorrow in his face, could not suppress his emotion on that day.
Almost all the houses in the city of Yedo were destroyed by the fire. Warriors and merchants had to build their abodes afresh, and because all the timber in the city was reduced to ashes, the price at once went up tenfold. Now Kibun alone, at this juncture, had already a great stock of timber on hand at his depot at Fukagawa, and he had fresh supplies constantly being sent in from the mountains in the near-by country, being the timber he had lately bought. The profit which he gained by selling all this material was something enormous.
“‘I have no words in which to express my thanks to you’”
Moreover, on account of his alms and the inclosures he had put up for various great feudal lords, they too became his customers and asked him to rebuild their mansions. By these orders he again made a great profit. He ascribed this good fortune entirely to Chobei, to whom he gave a great sum of money as a token of appreciation of his services. Besides, he handsomely rewarded the other men and boys in his employ.
He also sent for that chief carpenter, Seihachi.
“Well, Seihachi, this is the prize which I give you.”
Thus saying, he put a box which contained one thousand rio in front of him.