Billy’s voice was heard in raised tones outside.
“Then we can see into the chest to-day!” he cried, excitedly.
“Yes.”
Taro rushed into the hall to speak in excited Japanese to his father. With the two boys clinging to his arms Mr. Kurukawa came into the room.
“There’s a little ceremony I have promised the boys, mother,” he said. “It was once customary for Japanese soldiers to look at, and often worship, the swords of their ancestors before starting for the seat of war.”
“We are going to look into the ancestor’s chest,” cried Billy; “that old brown thing in the go-down.”
The “old brown thing” was brought reverently into the room by careful servants. At Mr. Kurukawa’s quiet command complete silence reigned before he touched it. Then he said, in the gravest of voices:
“You children must learn to control your feeling. You exhibit too much excitement. You, Billy, and Taro, both of you, evince the same excitement over a solemn occasion such as this, as you would over a festival or a game. Appreciate and remember this occasion, my boys.”
The boys, reproved, hung their heads. Mr. Kurukawa then opened the old chest. One by one he brought forth the various articles within it. Some of them were mouldering with age. These he handled with reverent touch. He explained to the family what each relic was after this fashion:
“This garment, my children, was worn exactly three hundred years ago by your ancestor, Carsunora. He was in the service of the Emperor. The Shogun Lyesade set a price upon his head, and after repeated battles with his clan they succeeded in surrounding his fortress at Carsunora. Here for fifty-five days they kept a siege. His brave men preferred death to surrender, despite the promise of Lyesade. Day and night the assault was made upon the fortress. Its turrets and windows were demolished. Starvation stared them in the face. Still your ancestor held out. Finally one of the enemy started a fire under the walls, and the brave ones were driven out into the open. Your ancestor was surrounded on all sides. The swords of his enemy pierced him. See, there are the rents in his garments. It is said there were over a hundred wounds upon his body. But desperately and valiantly he fought on, killing or wounding all who came within touch of his sword. See it, my children, bent and rusty, with the very stains of the enemy’s blood preserved upon it! But even the most valiant of heroes cannot bear up against a host of men. With his retainers dead on all sides, wounded by the eager swords of a thousand enemies, he suddenly signified his intention of committing supuku.