ACT XI.
RECITATIVE.
That gentleness controls impetuosity and weakness strength was the secret which Shihkung imparted to Changliang.[1] Oboshi Yuranosuke, the retainer of Enya Hangwan Takasada, following this secret precept, has put out with over forty brave confederates in fishing-boats, which are covered with thick rush-mats, and, taking advantage of the unprotected position of Cape Inamura, has them rowed to the foot of a rock on the coast there. The first to land is Oboshi Yuranosuke Yoshikane, the second is Hara Goemon, and the third Oboshi Rikiya; they are followed by Takemori Kitahachi and Katayama Genta. Those in the leading boats and those that follow land in due order. The first five and Okuyama Magoshichi and Suda Goro, as they stand in a row, complete the first seven characters of the syllabary[2] marked on their haori. Katsuta, Hayami, and Tonomori, the famed Katayama Gengo and Owashi Bungo with a great mallet, and Yoshida and Okazaki make up the second seven. Among the young men are Odera, Tatekawa Jinbei, Fuwa, Maebara, Fukagawa Yajiro, Kawase Chudayu who lands with a small bow under his arm, and Oboshi Seibei, who make up the third seven. The fourth set consists of Okumura, Okano, Odera’s eldest son, Nakamura, Yajima, Maki, and Hiraga; and next to them stand Ashino, Sugano, Chiba, Matsumura, and Murabashi Denji; Shioda and Akane carry long swords; Isogawa Jumonji, Tomatsu, Sugino, Mimura no Jiro, and Kimura have rope-ladders in readiness; Senzaki Yagoro, Horii no Yaso, and Yakuro of the same surname, hold in their hands great bamboos about eight feet long and bent with bow-strings, to carry out the plan which Yuranosuke hit upon after drinking in the pleasure-quarters: and the rear is brought up by Yazama Jutaro, who is followed at a distance by the self-humbling Teraoka Heiyemon. Their names and marks appear on their sleeves, and they are forty-six in number. They all wear mail hakama and black haori, with breast-plates of fidelity; they are truly patterns of loyalty and exemplars of uprightness.
Yuranosuke. Do not forget the passwords “Ama” and “Kawa,” which we have taken from Gihei’s trade-name, but act as we agreed upon. Yazama, Senzaki, and Odera and their company, together with my son Rikiya, shall enter by the front gate, while Goemon and I will slip in by the back gate. When you hear my signal whistle, burst in as the time has come. There is but one head that we wish to take.
Recitative. Upon hearing Yuranosuke’s command, they all glare with angry looks upon the distant mansion and separate into parties which are to enter by the front and back gates.
(Here the stage revolves)
Unconscious of all this, Kono Musashi-no-Kami Moronao, who has been put off his guard by Yuranosuke’s dissipation, is drinking in fancied security and making women of pleasure dance and sing. With Yakushiji as his chief guest, he is carousing ignorant of his fate, and in the end he and his guests grow so lax in their behaviour as to lie down in the hall all together and are now fast asleep. Only the night-watchman is left awake, and all is silence except the sound of his clappers as he goes his round. The parties at the front and rear settle their plans, and the two fearless men, Yazama and Senzaki, creep to the front gate and listen attentively. They hear only the distant sound of the night watchman’s clappers; they see their opportunity, and tacking on the high wall the rope-ladder in the use of which they are expert, they climb upon the roof of the wall like spiders with an energy which might take them even to the clouds. The sound of the clappers is now nigh at hand, and as they jump down, the watchman discovers them and rushes upon them to see who they are; but they catch him and throw him down on the ground; they bind him fast and, seeing in him a good guide, they gag him and, tying to their own sashes the ends of the cord that binds him, they take up his clappers and strike them as they daringly go round with him to the offices in the mansion. The whistle is soon heard from the back-gate and as the time has come, the two men cry “Ama Kawa,” beating time with the clappers, and drawing out the cross-bar, they fling open the front gate. Rikiya, Sugino, Kimura, Mimura, and their company rush in, but find the shutters securely shut. Chikara tells his comrades that they must now make use of his father’s precept of the snow-laden bamboo; and putting the round bamboos bent with bow-strings between the upper and lower grooves of the shutters, they cry, “one, two, three,” and all at once cut at a stroke the bow-strings. The lintel rises and the sill sinks; and the shutters fall down one after another. “Now, run in,” they call, and with shouts of “Ama” and “Kawa,” they break into the house. “It is a night-attack,” exclaim the inmates, coming out with torches and lanterns. The comrades from the back-gate have entered, and Yuranosuke on the one side and Goemon on the other sit on camp-stools and
direct their men. The attacking party, though small in number, are this night valiant men who are prepared for death and fight with all their strength.
Yuranosuke. Do not look to others. Aim only at Moronao.