Yuranosuke. Yes, we will go.
Recitative. They quietly rise; and as the thought comes to them that they are looking for the last time to-day at the mansion where their families for generations served day and night their lord’s house, they linger and gaze back, loth to leave it.
(Here the stage revolves)
Recitative. As they stand outside the gate, Rikiya, Yazama, Hori, Odera, and others, who escorted their lord, return running.
Rikiya and Others. Have you, then, given up the mansion? We will now wait for Tadayoshi’s troops and die fighting.
Yuranosuke. No, no. Now is not the time to die. See this, all of you.
Recitative. He draws and holds up his lord’s bequest.
Yuranosuke. This is the dirk, with its tip stained with our lord’s blood, on which his soul still rests thirsting for vengeance. And with this dirk we must cut off Moronao’s head and so accomplish our object.
Recitative. The retainers are stirred by his words. Within the mansion Yakushiji is having the gate-doors clamped.
Yakushiji. They are punished by Heaven for the attack on Lord Moronao. It serves them right.