MAIN CHARACTERS:
Sugawara Akitada nobleman, senior secretary in the Ministry of Justice
Tamako his wife
Tora his retainer and sidekick
Genba another retainer
Seimei his secretary; a faithful family servant
Hanae amp; Yuki
Tora’s wife and baby son
Kobe superintendent of the Capital Police
CHARACTERS INVOLVED IN THE ARSON CASE:
Tojiro amp; Takeo homeless boys
Koichi, Shinichi amp; Seiji three deaf mutes; ‘collectors’ for a protection gang
Haruko
Koichi’s daughter
Jirokichi burglar, aka ‘the Rat’
Hoshina his girlfriend; owner of a wine shop
Kaneharu a small merchant
Watanabe a rich merchant
Abbot Shokan abbot of the Seikan-ji temple
CHARACTERS INVOLVED IN THE MURDER OF A SENIOR OFFICIAL:
Kiyowara Kane the Junior Controller of the Right
Lady Kiyowara his wife
Katsumi his son and heir
Lady Aoi
Lady Kiyowara’s cousin; a shrine virgin
Ono Takamura a court poet
Prince Atsunori the Minister of Central Affairs
Fuhito
Lord Kiyowara’s major-domo
OTHERS:
Munefusa
Akitada’s subordinate in the Ministry of Justice
Nakatoshi a former subordinate
Fujiwara Kaneie the Minister of Justice