“Ieyasu refuses to see me, except the child’s guardian be dismissed?” repeated Yodogima, thoughtfully.

“That is the advice,” replied Harunaga, who had interceded to save Kitagira.

“Then let Kitagira produce Ieyasu; here, in audience; he has the force with which to do it: if he have not the courage, why, then, Ieyasu may dismiss him; I have, as it is, really no occasion for doing so—but, I want to see Ieyasu.”

Kitagira vacillated; he believed Harunaga’s growing influence over Hideyori and estimate by the mother unwarranted, and would have married Yodogima to Ieyasu at once had he not discerned in that the ultimate defeat of Hideyoshi, the deceased taiko’s succession. Said he, to Hayami Morihisa, a captain of the Ozaka guard:

“Ieyasu plans to wed Yodogima and substitute himself in authority over Hideyori: what we must do is to gain time. Let him take her as hostage, if he choose, but see to it that no marriage take place while the son is yet under age. Hideyori is an intelligent lad, and capable of crushing Hidetada or any other of Ieyasu’s descendants, but in the meantime, we should let Ieyasu die; to go against him now, with the crushed and defeated Christians acknowledging Ozaka’s protection, would be but to invite defeat; the daimyos and captains of established faith would, to a man, rally to the cause of Ieyasu.”

You reason well, Kitagira,” replied Hayami, thereat approved in what he said by the remainder of the seven captains, “but Harunaga, as a man, could not recommend it, and his advice is paramount at court. Nor would, nor should the daimyos submit to Yodogima’s virtual imprisonment; the taiko never contemplated any such irreverence, and I am sure that she, herself, to-day, with a voice unequalled by any other, among all classes, throughout the land, once able to resist Hideyoshi, himself, as she was, would hardly consent to a degradation of the sort you suggest, or so belittle herself and those dependent upon her as to fawn favors for or of anybody. I shall advise Harunaga of your plans and let him decide; he stands best in favor with Yodogima.”

And he did so, forthwith.

“It is a make-believe,” replied she, to Harunaga, who had related the proposal, truthfully and unreservedly; “Ieyasu is not so much to fear—yet I shall not dismiss Kitagira; he is a creature of Ieyasu’s, and my best and only pawn. Does Ieyasu still refuse me a visit?”

“Yes, my dear.”

“Please do not call me ‘dear’; it is enough to retain one’s confidence in men, without their overstepping bounds granted. But this Ieyasu: where is he now, that he can refuse?”