"It is incomprehensible," said Faxibo. "Stay! there he is, going home," he added, seeing Nagato's procession.
"Is it really he who occupies the litter?" asked Hieyas, trying to look out.
"I think I recognized him," replied Faxibo.
"Impossible! it cannot be the Prince of Nagato, unless it be his corpse."
At this moment a man entered the chamber, and prostrated himself with his face on the ground.
"It is my envoy," cried Hieyas. "Speak quickly, come I What have you learned?" he cried to the messenger.
"I went to the part of the road to which you directed me, all-powerful master," said the envoy. "At that spot the ground was strewn with corpses; I counted forty men and fifteen horses. Peasants were hovering around the dead; some felt of them, to see if there were no lingering trace of life. Others pursued the wounded horses, which were running about the rice-fields. I asked what had happened. They told me that no one knew; but at sunrise they saw a band of horsemen pass, belonging to the divine Mikado; they were on their way to Kioto. As for the corpses lying by the roadside, red with their blood, they all wore dark costumes, without any armorial bearings, and their faces were half hidden by their headdress, after the fashion of bandits and assassins."
"Enough!" exclaimed Hieyas, frowning; "go!"
The envoy retired, or rather fled.
"He has escaped me again," said Hieyas. "Well! I must deal the blow with my own hand. The end which I would attain is so noble, that I should not hesitate to use infamous means to overthrow the obstacles which rise in my path. Faxibo," he added, turning to the ex-groom, "usher in those who wait. Their presence may drive away the sad forebodings which oppressed me all night."