Goemon. Master Yuranosuke was first much pleased that you, a ronin without any means, should have offered so much money towards the cost of the monument; but the monument is to be placed in our lord’s burial-ground, and as it was felt that it would not please our lord’s spirit to use for building the monument the money of one who has been disloyal and faithless to him, the money is returned to you unopened.
Recitative. While Goemon is yet speaking, Yagoro takes the money from his bosom and lays it before Kanpei. In his confusion, he is almost out of his senses; and the mother comes forward with tears.
Mother. You villain, do you not see it is the retribution that has come this moment for your father’s death? Hear me, sirs. My husband, old as he was, did not think of his own future life, but sold his daughter for his son-in-law’s sake; and as he was coming home with the money, he lay in wait for him and killed him as you see. That was the money he stole, and as long as there is a Heaven above us, such money can surely be of no use. And there is neither God nor Buddha if this robber and parricide escapes unpunished. Strike this undutiful fellow with your swords and kill him inch by inch, sirs. I cannot control my anger.
Recitative. She throws herself on the floor and weeps. Astonished at these words, the two men take their swords and press upon either side of Kanpei.
Yagoro. Kanpei, I did not tell you to atone for your offence with money got unjustly and with cruelty. It would be useless to speak of the way of knighthood to an inhuman fellow like you. The felon who murders his father-in-law whom he should treat like his own father and robs him of his money, deserves to be spitted with a spear. I will take the duty upon myself.
Recitative. And he glares upon him.
Goemon. Righteous men are warned that even in thirst they should not drink of the robber’s spring. Can the money you stole by murdering your father-in-law be spent in our lord’s cause? Marvellous is Yuranosuke’s penetration when he rejected your money since he saw it was obtained by you who are by nature disloyal and faithless. But what we most deplore is that this matter will become known in the world; and when it is reported that Hayano Kanpei, a retainer of Enya Hangwan, did a most inhuman and cruel deed, it will not only be a shame to yourself, but it will be a stain upon our lord’s fair name. Fool that you are, did you not know as much? You were not formerly so lacking in understanding; what devil has now entered into your heart?
Recitative. Tears float in his keen eyes. Kanpei can no longer endure it when he is thus pressed with these clear reasonings, and baring his shoulders, he draws his dirk and instantly plunges it into his bowels.
Kanpei. Ah, I am ashamed to appear before you. I was prepared to kill myself if my desire could not be attained. Since the murder of my father-in-law will, you say, be a stain upon our lord’s name, I will tell you all. Hear me, gentlemen. Last night, on my way home after meeting Master Yagoro, I came across a wild boar in the dark running on the hill, and I sent two shots after it. I ran up to it and groped for it, and found that I had killed, not a boar, but a traveller. Great Heavens, thought I, I have made a terrible mistake! I felt in his bosom for some medicine, and caught hold of a pouch with this money in it. It was not right, I knew, but I felt that Heaven had given me the money; and so I ran off at once and handed it to Master Yagoro. And when I came home, I found that it was my father-in-law that I had killed and the money was the price of my wife’s virtue. When everything I do thus goes awry like the cross-bill’s beak, it shows that Kanpei’s knightly fortune has come to an end. Oh, sympathise with me, gentlemen.
Recitative. There are tears of mortification in his blood-shot eyes. On hearing his account, Yagoro stands up, and turning the dead body round, he examines the wound.