Rikiya. Indeed, that is true. Now I should like, too, to ask you. When you brought home the weapons and packed them, how did you evade the notice of your servants?
Gihei. Oh, that, too, is a natural question. When this task was entrusted to me, I sent my wife back to her father, all my servants I discharged on one pretext or another, and now only remain a fool and my son who is four years old. There is no danger of the plot being discovered.
Rikiya. You really astonish me. I will tell my father and he will feel relieved. Master Goemon, shall we not take leave?
Goemon. Yes, we are impatient to start. Master Gihei, we take our leave.
Gihei. Then, please, present to Master Yuranosuke........
Goemon. Your compliments. With pleasure. Now, farewell.
Gihei. Farewell.
Recitative. They part, and the two men return to their inn. Just as Gihei is about to shut the front-door, his father-in-law, Ota Ryochiku, pushes himself in.
Ryochiku. No, you don’t shut it in my face. Are you in?
Recitative. He walks straight in and looks about him restlessly.