[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

you will do well."
In the generation of Lord Katsushige there were retainers who, regardless of high or low rank, were requested to work
before the master from the time they were young. When Shiba Kizaemon was doing such service, once the master
was clipping his nails and said, "Throw these away." Kizaemon held them in his hand but did not stand up, and the
master said, "What's the matter?" Kizaemon said, "There's one missing.'' The master said, ' 'Here it is,'' and banded
over the one that he had hidden.
Sawabe Heizaemon was ordered to commit seppuku on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in the second year of
Tenna. As this became known to him on the night of the tenth, he sent a request to Yamamoto Gonnojo [Tsunetomo]
to be kaishaku. The following is a copy of Yamamoto's reply. (Tsunetomo was twenty-four years old at this time.)
I am in accord with your resolution and accept your request for me to function as kaishaku. I instinctively felt that I
should decline, but as this is to take place tomorrow there is no time for making excuses and I will undertake the job.
The fact that you have chosen me from among many people is a great personal satisfaction to me. Please set your
mind at ease concerning all that must follow. Although it is now late at night, I will come to your house to talk over
the particulars.
When Heizaemon saw this reply, it is said that he remarked, "This is a matchless letter."
From ages past it has been considered ill-omened by samurai to be requested as kaishaku. The reason for this is that
one pains no fame even if the job is well done. And if by chance one should blunder, it becomes a lifetime disgrace.
Once when Tanaka Yahei was attending to affairs in Edo, one of his menials was rather insolent and Yahei scolded
him severely. Late that night Yahei heard the noise of someone coming up the stairs. He felt this to be suspicious and
quietly got up. With short sword in hand he asked who was there, and it turned out to be the menial whom he had
scolded previously, secretly holding a short sword. Yahei leapt down and with a single stroke cut the man down. I
heard many people later state that he had had good luck.
A certain Master Tokuhisa was born quite different from other people and looked to be a bit moronic. Once, a guest
was invited and mudfish salad was served. At that time everyone said, "Master Tokuhisa's mudfish salad," and
laughed. Later when he was in attendance and a certain person made fun of him by quoting the above remark,
Tokuhisa pulled out his sword and cut the man down. This event was investigated and it was stated to Lord Naoshige,
"Seppuku is recommended because this was a matter of rashness within the palace."
When Lord Naoshige heard this, he said, ' 'To be made fun of and remain silent is cowardice. There is no reason to
overlook this fact because one is within the palace. A man who makes fun of people is himself a fool. It was his own
fault for being cut down."
Once when Nakano Mokunosuke bearded a small boat on the Sumida River to enjoy the coolness, a rogue got in too
and committed all manner of rude acts. When Mokunosuke saw that the rogue was relieving himself over the side of
the boat, he cut the man's head off and it fell into the river. So that people would not notice this, he quickly covered
the body with various things. He then said to the boatman, "This matter should not become known. Row up to the
upper reaches of the river and bury the corpse. I shall naturally pay you well."
The boatman did as he was told, but in the lagoon where the body was buried Mokunosuke cut off the head of the
boatman and returned directly. It is said that this fact never became known publicly. At that time there was also one
young homosexual male prostitute riding in the boat. Mekunosuke said, "That fellow was a man too. It is best to learn
how to cut a man while one is still young," and so the man cut the corpse once. Because of that the young man said
nothing later on.
It is said that every time Oki Hyobu's group gathered and after all their affairs were finished he would say, "Young
men should discipline themselves rigorously in intention and courage. This will be accomplished if only courage is
fixed in one's heart. If one's sword is broken, he will strike with his hands. If his hands are cut off, he will press the
enemy down with his shoulders. If his shoulders are cut away, he will bite through ten or fifteen enemy necks with his
teeth. Courage is such a thing."
Shida Kichinosuke said, "At first it is an oppressive thing to run until one is breathless. But it is an extraordinarily
good feeling when one is standing around after the running. More than that, it is even better to sit down. More than
that, it is even better to lie down. And more than that, to put down a pillow and sleep soundly is even better. A man's
whole life should be like this. To exert oneself to a great extent when one is young and then to sleep when he is old or
at the point of death is the way it should be. But to first sleep and then exert oneself . . . To exert oneself to the end,
and to end one's whole life in toil is regrettable." Shimomura Rokurouemon told this story.
A saying of Kichinosuke's that is similar to this is, "A man's life should be as toilsome as possible."
When Ueno Rihei was overseer of accounting in Edo, he had a young assistant whom he treated in a very intimate
way. On the first night of the eighth month he went drinking with Hashimoto Taemon, an overseer of foot soldiers, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

zanotowane.pl

doc.pisz.pl

pdf.pisz.pl

kajaszek.htw.pl