The wedge had entered, but time was required before it could be driven deeper. Kano had gradually prepared his friend Hattori to share his hopes and fears, and effective improvements had been made in the fortifications on the coast of Nagato. Cannon, not of very modern make, but decidedly better than the rusty fire pieces of old, had been purchased at Nagasaki and smuggled in at Shimonoseki; a supply of powder was also procured, and several companies of young samurai practiced daily with the guns. Ekichi had attached himself to Inouye and was rapidly growing into an expert swordsman.
One evening, in the beginning of April, Kano was sitting in his room, talking to his son. The rain doors were up, for it had been blowing hard all day, and it looked like rain. Kano began to think that it was time to retire, when Ekichi told him that there was a knock at the rain doors. Kano took up a lantern, and went on the verandah, when he heard a muffled voice calling him. He opened a door and asked who was there, when he recognized the voice of Ito. He gladly invited him to enter, and reclosing the door, led the way to his room. After the customary salutations, seeing that Ito was cold and wet, he ordered dry garments to be brought, and then inquired when he had arrived. Ito replied that he had come straight to Kano’s yashiki, and then asked him if he had heard the news. He received a negative answer and said:—“Before I tell you what it is, I must warn you that you have a spy in the house.”
“O! I know that, but he is harmless.”
“Yes; he is harmless now; but he must have found out something because the Go rojiu dogs were hot on my trail.”
“Ekichi,” said Kano, “watch around the rooms; and if you see any one trying to listen, silence him.”
The boy bowed and slipped out.
Ito sipped a cup of tea, and, seeing that Kano expected him to speak, said:
“Ii Naosuke is dead.”
“Is that so? When did he die?”
“He was assassinated in Yedo on the 23rd of last month.”