Akimoto. We will need a dingy or small fishing boat. Can you get one?" "Perhaps," Hiraga said, answering automatically, fogged with myriad questions and dreads. "Perhaps I could steal one. Sensei I th--"
"You are not thinking clearly. Fisherman always remove the oars when the boat is not in use. No need for that. Buy one." Katsumata took out a small silk purse and put it carelessly on the table. "Hiraga, concentrate!" he said, his voice hardening. "Has living with gai-jin infected you so much with their evils that you've forgotten your oath to sonno-joi? Concentrate, the plan is good, the timing is perfect. Could you buy a boat?"
"Yes, yes but, but, Sensei, where do we retreat to?"
"Retreat is simple. Three of us, you, Takeda and me, we sink the warship. Then we beach the boat as near Yedo as possible and lose ourselves in the city."
"What about the other man, the one who fires the church?"
"He will escape on foot."
"We need more shishi in support, this is a major task. This whole area will become lethal."
"That makes escape easier. Four men is enough. I will lead the attack on the ship and if tomorrow there's a wind the burning church may torch all Yokohama, a further gift. Come back tonight, bring Akimoto and I will make final plans."
"But--where's Takeda?"
"I left him at Hodogaya. He will be here this afternoon. Until dusk, Hiraga." Curtly Katsumata bowed a dismissal.
In turmoil Hiraga bowed back, too many years an adoring, awe-struck student of the Sensei, master swordsman and tactician, not to accept the dismissal. He went out and stumbled back across the bridge to the Settlement, along the village street, later turned to the promenade and walked back along it, seeing nothing, his head a mess of dark thoughts and impossibilities, his future in tatters all because this Satsuma outsider was determined to shove destiny forward.
But the Sensei is right, he brooded. Those two acts would drive the gai-jin berserk, the fleet would invest Yedo, Yedo would burn, Yokohama would be decimated in revenge. In a few months fleets would come, this time with armies.
By then shishi will not control the Gates, but all Nippon would be up in arms. And it would make no difference to the gai-jin.
One way or another we will have to open to their world.
Gai-jin have decided. So they will have a base at Yokohama and other places--because they have the power to decimate our coasts and close our ports, forever if they wish, and no Divine Wind will help us.
"'allo, mate, where you goin?"
"Oh." He was standing in front of the Legation.
"'Morning Sir Sentry. I go Taira-sama."
"He's not 'ere, mate," the sentry said yawning. "Mister Tyrer 'n the Guv, they's at Kanagawa."
"Oh?" Hiraga looked across the bay. The seascape was wintery. He could just discern Kanagawa. A frigate, he recognized it as the Pearl, was steaming slowly offshore, against the wind, neat, and deadly. In the roads the flagship with its forty 60-pounders, was at anchor into wind. "I come back 'rater," he muttered.
Disconsolate, he wandered back to the village. To buy a dingy. However much he disapproved, he was shishi first.
Early that afternoon in the wardroom aboard H.m.s. Pearl Seratard clinked glasses with Sir William, congratulating the other again on the meeting.
"A marvelous step forward, Henri, old chap," Sir William said jovially. He took up the bottle and rechecked the label.
"Not bad for a '48. Excellent repast too."
On the table were leftovers of the picnic lunch provided by Seratard's chef: cold pigeon pies, quiche, crumbs of the French bread left, and a few slivers of a devoured Brie that had arrived on the last merchantman from Shanghai. "Still can't believe Yoshi offered what he offered."
"I agree. Marvelous is the word. We'll train the navy, you take the army, we'll take banking and customs and--"
"Dreamer!" Sir William said with a laugh.
"But we're not going to quarrel about partitions, London and Paris will do that." He belched contentedly. "It'll come down to "how much" in the end for obviously we'll have to lend the wherewithal to buy our ships, factories or whatever--however much they say they'll pay."
"Yes, but there'll be the usual safeguards, customs revenues etc." Both laughed.
"There'll be more than enough for both our countries,"
Sir William said, still not quite believing it. "But do me a favor, Henri, please don't bait the Admiral, I've enough trouble as it is."
"All right but he's so... never mind. What about this Nakama? Astonishing. I think you were lucky he didn't kill you by night, you are their number one enemy. What possessed you to take such a risk?"
"He wasn't armed, he was helping Phillip with his Japanese," Sir William said. As far as he knew only four of them, Tyrer, McFay, Babcott and himself, knew the man could speak English and there was no reason to share that secret. "He was well watched," he added, matter-of-fact, though another pang went through him at the thought of the danger they had been in.
"What are you going to do about him?"
"What I told Yoshi."
They had all been shocked at Yoshi's revelations--Sir William almost as much as Tyrer--particularly that Nakama was wanted for the murder of Utani, one of the Elders, amongst other killings. At once he had said, "Phillip, tell Lord Yoshi as soon I get back to Yokohama I will begin a formal enquiry, and if the facts are as he says I will return him at once to the authorities.
Phillip!"
But Tyrer, speechless with disbelief, was staring blankly at Yoshi. Andr`e recovered quickly and translated for him, jerked as Yoshi snapped at him.
"He, er, Lord Yoshi says, You question my words?"' "Say, Not at all, Lord Yoshi." Sir William had kept his voice level for he had seen the eyes narrow. "But as you have your laws or customs, for instance your not being able to order this daimyo Sanjiro to obey you, I also have to comply with our laws which the Treaty specifies clearly is Yokohama's dominating law."
"He says, Sir William, Ah yes, the Treaties. In this new spirit of friendship he agrees to, to allow you the duty of giving up the ... the assassin. He'll send men to take custody tomorrow. About the Treaty, sir, he says, he said exactly, some changes are necessary, we can discuss them in twenty days."
Tyrer said quietly, "Excuse me, Sir William, about Nakama, may I suggest that--"' "No, Phillip, you may not. Andr`e, say to him exactly: We would be honored to discuss matters that affect our mutual interests at any time." He had chosen the words very carefully and breathed a sigh of relief when the reply came back, "Lord Yoshi thanks you and says, We meet in twenty days if not before and now will return to Yedo with Dr. Babcott."
When the politenesses and bows were done and Yoshi had left the room, Seratard said, "William, I think you slid out of that trap cleverly. He's cunning that one.
Congratulations."
"About the navy," the Admiral began hotly.
Sir William said, "First let me get Babcott and Tyrer on their way. Come along, Phillip!" and when he had got him outside he hissed, "What the devil's the matter with you?"' "Nothing sir."
"Then why is your face around your ankles?
Why do you forget your job is just to interpret and not make suggestions?"' "Sorry, sir, but about Nakama, sir--"' "I know it's about him for God's sake, you practically shat all over the conference table! Do you think our wily host didn't notice? Your bloody job is to translate what's said and be impassive and that's all. This is the second bloody time I've had to caution you!"
"Sorry sir, it's just that Nakama's important and--"' "You mean Hiraga, or whatever other name he's using at the moment? Jesus Christ, he's accused of murder. I agree he's been a fund of information but God Almighty, a renegade outlaw? We're lucky he didn't kill us in our beds when you think he's had the run of the Legation and your quarters."
"What do you plan to do, sir?"' "Damn it, what I've already said: investigate and if it's true as I suspect it is, we are honor bound to turn him over."