With inward groans, their teeth chattering and their bodies shivering, they followed this merciless fellow. "Ha! Ha! For tobacco there will be fire in the braziers. At least one's fingers are assured of warmth." They smirked at the anticipated pleasure. Warm fingers and the heated saké! But—Oya! Oya! Bare were swept and wide open thrown the rooms. Screens (inner and outer) had all been taken away. From the garden came the cold blast, blowing icily through this wide bare space. For cushions—the straw zabuton; for fire in the braziers—punk! Explained Shūzen in all kindness and suavity—"Fires in the braziers in this heat were too terrific even to think of; so punk (hinawa) has been substituted.... No need for thanks; the mere duty of the host. And now—no ceremony: off with the garments of all. A middle cloth answers purposes of decency. Deign the trial. Here is cold water to cool the heated body." Promptly he stripped to the skin. The kerai were bringing to the verandah black lacquered basins filled with water in which ice floated. Before this terrific fellow there could be no hesitation. They followed his example in being soused from head to foot. In the wiping—"Let the rag hang loose. Don't wipe with knotted towel. Stupid fellows! The cool wetness clinging to the skin gives a shiver of delight." Thus shouted Shūzen to his officiating satellites. Then all the guests took seats. The mucous was running from the noses of the old fellows who had fought campaigns at Odawara, Sekigahara, Ōsaka. Aoyama noted it with delight; and even Kondō felt a grudge against him, yet was compelled to laugh.
The viands were brought—to send a chill down the spines of all; macaroni in cold water (hiyamugi), and the equally heating sea ear in frozen salt water (mizugai). Shūzen urged the latter, as better fitted for the season. As piles of sashimi (sliced raw fish), resting on neat beds of shaven ice, were brought eyes looked to heaven—to hide the expression. When the wine appeared, the bottles immersed to the neck in tubs filled with salted ice, the more recondite parts of the room echoed groans. Even Shūzen smiled with complacence. He felt he had scored success. It was Endō Saburōzaémon who showed no sign of discomfiture. "Naruhodo! Aoyama Uji, in this great heat how explain a thing so strange? Deign, honoured sir, to look. This white substance falling from the sky; if it were not so hot, one would call it snow." Said Aoyama undisturbed—"Not so, Endō Uji. It is but from wild geese fighting in the sky, their feathers; or perchance kanro—the sweet dew which falls from heaven when a virtuous lord condescends to rule. Who more virtuous than the honoured suzerain?" All bowed in heartfelt enthusiasm and respect. Then said Saburōzaémon—"'Tis a thing to note closer at hand; a stroll in the garden, to seek its coolness in this heat." He leaped down into the fast accumulating snow.
Others too stole away, at least to get protection from the outrageously cold blasts of the exposed rooms, and the further exactions to be anticipated from the ingenuity of their host. Growled Kanématsu—"It is the value of one's life risked with such a fellow as Aoyama. Where Kanématsu sits the snow drifts in on his shoulders. He is without consideration or mercy."—"For any: his women must find service in such a yashiki a substitute for the torments of Emma Dai-Ō."—"Not so," sneered Kondō. "Even the wife is but a wooden figure; much like Kondō's fingers." An idea seemed to come to him. He left them for the time being. The others stood sheltered from the wind, to talk and shiver, Endō joined them from his garden stroll. Seeing Kondō on his return, said Abé Shirōgorō—"Eh! Naruhodo! The smile of pain relieved! Kondō Uji, has he found means to unbend, to thaw out those fingers? Ha! The rascally fellow knows the way about. There is hot water at hand. Deign to give the hint, Kondō Dono." Kondō leaked a smile, then snickered—"It was but an idea. Hot water in this yashiki on such a day there is none. But it is always to hand for the effort. The fingers of Kondō were turning white, were in danger, and so...." He held out his fingers for inspection. Abé looked with envy. "They fairly steam!" Then suddenly putting his fingers to his nose—"Oh! Oh! The filthy fellow! Kondō Uji! Deign to wash your hands. Indeed hot water is always carried on one's person. But...." All grasped their nasal members and protested. Noborinosuké laughed outright, and submitted to the ablution. Abé in malice gave the hands a copious libation. For the nonce his fingers had been saved and Kondō was satisfied with the outcome.
A woman dressed in the summer garb for service came from a room close by. The opening and closing of the shōji gave Endō Saburōzaémon a glimpse. At once—"This way...." His tone commanded attention. Abé Shirōgorō, Kanématsu Matashirō, Ōkubo Hikoroku followed him. It was the maids' sleeping room they entered. "Aré! Aré! Have not the honoured sirs made a mistake? Deign to return to the other apartment. This is the maids' dressing room."—"And in no better place can one be," grumbled Shirōgorō. His eyes took in the room with avid curiosity. Here the girls quickly slipped into winter garb, until called to the banquet hall for service. But it was not the glimpse of shoulders of the one so engaged at the moment, as the brazier covered by a quilt and placed in the centre of the room. From this the girls had emerged in confusion. Said he reprovingly—"Eh! Eh! In this great heat to have a brazier—it is more than out of season. Surely it is against the order of the master of the house." The girls, uneasy and at a loss, had but for answer—"It was the idea of O'Kiku...." The beauty, still flushed with the suddenness of her effort, came forward smiling. The attention of all was riveted. A little taller than the average of her sex, very fair of skin, the sparkling eyes in the pure oval of the face framed in tresses reaching almost to her feet, the tiny feet and long fingers appearing from the edge of the robe, the incomparable poise of head and neck, this woman was a beauty, to be rivalled by few in Edo town. The voice too was as musical as were her words to the frozen men—"It is but a water kotatsu; so that one can be cooled in this extreme of heat.... Within? Ice—of course. Deign to enter." The suppressed groan of Abé was cut short. He looked fixedly at the bright laughing face before him. The smile was pained and stereotyped, but the sympathy was evident. He understood. "Ho! Ho! Endō, Kanématsu, Ōkubo, deign to try this delicious coolness. Ah! Ha! This water kotatsu is a splendid idea. In this great heat it restores one to life. Truly Kiku is as clever as she is beautiful; one apart from all the others." The men crowded together under the kotatsu—"More ice! More ice! The hibachi grows warm." Laughing O'Kiku brought the necessary supply with the tongs, blew it into life with a little bellows.
All the time Endō observed her closely. To Abé—"Truly she is a beauty.... Your name is Kiku.... And age?... Twenty years only!... So Kiku is sempstress in the house of Aoyama Uji. So! So!" He and Abé regarded her attentively. They praised her beauty. The crimson blush spread over face and neck, adding to her charm. Thoroughly warmed the men left the room. Said Endō—"Oh, the liar! This Aoyama poses as a misogynist, takes a wife—perforce, and charges those of us who like women with effeminacy. Ōkubo, how about this Kiku.... The Sempstress? Oh, you stupid fellow! Why—there is no more beautiful woman in Edo. She is the mistress of Aoyama; who deceives and mocks us all. And now—to bring him to open shame." Aoyama Shūzen, quick to note their absence, and the return so refreshed, was much put out. "Where have these fellows been?"
Endō Saburōzaémon was not slow in the attack. "Truly, Aoyama Uji, words do not fit deeds. Are you not a bit of a rascal?"—"Why so?" was the calm reply of Shūzen, always ready to a quarrel. "You pretend to hate women; you charge us with effeminacy who have wives; and take your own but on compulsion. Yet in this very house there is not only a wife, but the most beautiful woman in Edo for concubine." Shūzen's astonishment was too manifest. "Who?" said Endō, with some misgiving that he had missed fire. "This Kiku; would you deny it?"—"Surely so," was Shūzen's assured reply. Then seeing the curiosity of those around he added with courtesy—"This Kiku is a slave girl, a criminal under judgment, a yatsu-hōkōnin by favour. Would you know about her? She is daughter to the robber Jinnai, not long since put to death. The law may be harsh, yet it condemns the line of such men to extinction, and sends their issue to the execution ground. Whether through good will, or mistaking the Aoyama Harajuku, the resort of this Jinnai, for this yashiki, the villagers brought the two girls Kiku and Yui from near Tsukuba. In pity one was taken into the life service of the yashiki. For his business Jinzaémon of the Yoshiwara Miuraya considered the younger Yui as more fitting. To him she was bound as yatsu-yūjō.... Husband? No: and thus all posterity of the robber is stamped out. Yui serves for life as harlot in the Yoshiwara, with no recognized issue. Kiku serves for life at the yashiki. The case is a pitiable one." All present echoed what he said. "It is the offence, not the person, which is to be hated. Truly it is a hard lot." They were curious to see her. Said Shūzen—"Surely she has been rated too high, but—summon Kiku here." As the girl stood in the midst for all to observe, blushing and panting a little with fright at all these eyes upon her, there was no gaze more intent than that of Aoyama Shūzen. The pity expressed and the praises lavished reached his ears. He studied her from head to foot, heard the caustic criticisms—"Such a beauty, and a serving wench! Aoyama is a fool."
CHAPTER XXIV
The Tiger at the front Gate; the Wolf at the Postern
Thus it came about that O'Kiku was an inmate of Aoyama's yashiki. He had told the tale, the fatal error drawn by the mother from the peasant's message. It was her own deed. Thus "evil seed produces evil fruit. In one's posterity is punishment found." All knew Kiku's story. Promptly with her appearance in the household she was named Shioki—O'Shioki San, O'Shioki San; when not addressing her these companions called it to each other for her to hear. Shioki? It means "the execution ground."