“Without authority?” inquired Kyogoku, gasping at some vain law instead of a better wit.

“I have it, and shall use it,” declared Hideyori.

“You have not been appointed, are not an official,” reasoned Fukushima.

“Yes, he has; he is nai-dai-jin; Ieyasu just now told me so, and I am sure an Interior Great Minister can do anything he likes,” threatened Jokoin, more confident than discreet.

They all ran about with glee, those of the Christians present; that one so near conversion, as Hideyori, had been raised to some exalted position were enough to enthuse them; but Yodogima meditated; the confusion thereat had left her as doubtful as Ieyasu had been perplexed with Jokoin’s entanglement. Yet she would not restrain Hideyori in his exultation from irretrievably committing himself by exercising only once the authority; she wanted to accommodate her sisters, especially Esyo, and perhaps Jokoin—possibly herself—so the power was invoked.

Ieyasu laughed when informed of the circumstance, and sending for Jokoin, told her that now he should encounter little discouragement in winning her over.

“I want you to be my wife, Jokoin,” said he, without a wrinkle or a quaver; “you are the last of the family, and are single again; what say you to feasting Hideyori: don’t you think he might be gotten rid of in some such way?”

Jokoin’s eyes opened wide. The sister to Yodogima had never heard that one’s former lover talk in that way before. It seemed impossible that the great Ieyasu, an unsuspected character, if self-inflicted shogun, a lifelong aspirant to her sister’s hand, should so belittle himself as to banter respect however much else.

“I shall speak with Yodogima; you overwhelm me,” replied Jokoin, dumfounded at her own sensibility.

“Please do; tell her that I wish to marry you; that I would spread a befitting feast; that I beseech a fool to attend; that Hideyori may judge of what he has missed; that your extravagance would swamp a younger man—all this, and more: say that Esyo, her sister, wants to kill Hideyori, and that I know of no better means of encompassing that event.”