"For what purpose?"
"I do not know."
"I think I can guess," said the Prince; "the Mikado, once in his power, would be forced to proclaim Hieyas Shogun; the entire nation would declare itself for Hieyas, and Fide-Yori would be obliged to lay down his arms."
"There is no limit to that man's audacity!"
"Where is the Mikado now?" asked the Prince.
"In the fortress of Nisio-Nosiro."
"So I supposed; and I fancy that you and I have hit upon the same plan of battle."
"You honor me," said the General.
"You mean to spread your army, I fancy, from this street, like a lake becoming a river, and surround the foe. In this way the enemy will be cut off from the shores of the Kamon-Gawa, and the attack on the fortress, of scanty numbers, as it seems to me, will be isolated. You will then fall back upon the fortress and seek shelter within its walls."
"That was indeed my intention," said the General; "but without your help I fear I should have failed to force my way through the hostile ranks."