When they had regained their upright positions, Kano addressed his self-invited guest, and said in a tone loud enough for some young samurai close by to hear:
“I am deeply grateful to the Go rojiu for remembering me on this occasion. I do not know how I deserved this honor.”
Sawa had some difficulty to hide a grin. Did this country bumpkin really fancy that the great Council of the Tokugawa cared anything about him or his family. Amused at the thought, he bowed, and said:
“The Go rojiu no doubt, if it had only known of the event, would have been glad to honor his host upon this occasion. It was known,” he added more soberly and looking sharply at Kano, “that the Choshiu clan was directed almost entirely by the wisdom of his entertainer, and the question had been discussed to secure his services for the Council. Unfortunately the law of Iyeyasu forbade it. Only members of the Tokugawa clan were permitted to serve the Shogun. But this did not prevent the Council from profiting by the wisdom of Kano the Councillor, and it was to secure this benefit that he, Sawa, had been directed to reside in the clan.”
Kano bowed, and replied. “It is a very great honor, indeed, and, no doubt, well deserved by such an able man as my guest. Pray, make yourself at home in the clan. You will find every Choshiu gentleman glad to receive a samurai from the capital, where he has advantages to learn manners which we in the country do not possess. But every samurai is glad to excel in chivalry, and we of Choshiu no less than those of other clans.”
Again they bowed, and Sawa resumed:
“I understand that this joyful event will be followed by a meeting of the Honorable Council?”
“The regular meeting is to-morrow,” replied Kano. “I have received no notice of any extra meeting, nor have I sent out any. It seems to me that you are misinformed.”
“Forgive me, my host. Who is that young man, who happened to be my neighbor during the most interesting ceremony? I fancy that I have seen him at Yedo.”
“That is probably so. Indeed, it may have been very recently, for he arrived yesterday. Choshiu’s yashiki seems to have suffered severely from the last earthquake, and expensive repairs are necessary. Our officer in charge thought it necessary to send a special messenger, but why he did not commission an older man, is beyond my comprehension.”