The two gentlemen went out. Although they met numerous parties of boisterous samurai, they were not molested, since the crest they wore was known as that of a kuge. When they came to the gate, Kano walked boldly in, followed by Inouye.
“Your tablets, please, gentlemen,” said one of the guards, bowing.
“How now, fellow,” cried Kano haughtily, “who has dared instruct you to address gentlemen of our quality? Take his name,” he said to Inouye, but the man disappeared, and they passed in.
Kano remembered the way, and, arriving at the house where they had met before, he inquired for Sanjo. He found, however, that this was the residence of Iwakura, and requested to be announced. After waiting a few moments, he found himself in the presence of the man who was one of the chief instruments in the re-organization of the empire.
“I am glad to see you, Mr. Councillor,” said the kuge, “and you come at an opportune time. Some of us who are interested in the present movement, were going to meet later on. But I will request them to come as soon as possible.” He clapped his hands, and gave some directions to the kneeling attendant. Presently a handsome screen was brought in and placed behind Kano; then he heard the opening of the sho ji behind the screen, and surmised that the meeting would be attended by a person of so exalted a rank as to be invisible to him.
Iwakura entertained his visitors in that charming manner, peculiar to the highbred Japanese. It appeared only a few minutes to Kano, when norimono began to arrive, and he and his friend were presented to the possessors of names, familiar to every Japanese, high or low. Ichijo, Nijo, Higashi Kuze,[81] all historic names, appeared. At last a norimono arrived, and Iwakura himself hastened to receive this visitor, who, with his attendants was ushered into the room behind. The other kuge kept up their conversation, but Kano noticed from the terms of self-debasement, and the frequent drawing of the breath, that the last caller must be, indeed, near to the throne. At last Iwakura reappeared, and took his seat.
“My lords,” he said, “we have the unexpected but very gratifying pleasure of having as visitor the man who really started the movement which led to such surprising results. Mr. Kano is the trusted Councillor of our friend Mori of Nagato, and this gentleman, Mr. Inouye, he tells me, is his right hand. He has also informed me, while waiting for your lordships to arrive, that he has a thousand brave and devoted samurai at hand, ready to do His Majesty’s bidding, and declares himself ready to answer any question it may please your lordships to ask.”
Five minutes passed in performing the prostrations incident to this introduction, and Nijo, as the oldest of the kuge present, spoke:—
“I do not understand quite, Mr. Councillor, why the peace of the Gosho should be interrupted. His Lordship Iwakura tells us that you are the cause, and I doubt not that you have good reasons. At the same time, I protest that all these proceedings are highly improper, and that there is no precedent for them. I am told that the barbarians are at our door. Well, so they were six hundred years ago;[82] but His Majesty, as in duty bound, visited the shrine at Isé,[83] and implored the aid of the divine ancestors. The result is well-known. But the Gosho was not disturbed. To guard his country properly, His Majesty needs repose and contemplation. We like it not, Mr. Councillor, that his sacred presence should be disturbed.”
Kano and Inouye bowed low, and were silent. After some moments of decorous silence, the kuge next in years spoke:—