Shogun (140 page)

“He told you, Father,” Brother Michael said. “He wanted to be a priest—ordained in our Society. That wasn’t much to ask, for a proud servant of God.”

“He was too proud, Brother. God in His wisdom tempted him and found him wanting.”

“Yes. I pray I am not found wanting when my turn comes.”

Alvito wandered past their Mission toward the large plot of land that had been set aside by Toranaga for the cathedral that should soon rise from the earth to the glory of God. The Jesuit could already see it in his mind, tall, majestic yet delicate, dominating the city, peerless bells cast in Macao or Goa or even Portugal ringing the changes, the
vast bronze doors ever wide to the faithful nobility. He could smell the incense and hear the sound of the Latin chants.

But war will destroy that dream, he told himself. War will come again to plague this land and it will be as it ever was.

“Father!” Brother Michael whispered, cautioning him.

A woman was ahead of them, looking at the beginning foundations that already were marked out and partially dug. Beside her were two maids. Alvito waited motionlessly, peering in the half-light. The woman was veiled and richly dressed. Then Brother Michael moved slightly. His foot touched a stone and sent it clattering against an iron shovel, unseen in the gloaming. The woman turned, startled. Alvito recognized her.

“Mariko-san? It’s me—Father Alvito.”

“Father? Oh, I was—I was just coming to see you. I’m leaving shortly but I wanted to talk to you before I left.”

Alvito came up to her. “I’m so glad to see you, Mariko-san. Yes. I heard you were leaving. I tried to see you several times but, at the moment, I’m still forbidden the castle.” Wordlessly, Mariko looked back at the beginnings of the cathedral. Alvito glanced at Brother Michael, who was also bewildered that a lady of such importance would be so scantily attended, wandering here so early and unannounced.

“You’re here just to see me, Mariko-san?”

“Yes. And to see the ship leave.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I wish to be confessed.”

“Then let it be here,” he said. “Let yours be the first in this place though the ground is barely hallowed.”

“Please excuse me, but could you say Mass here, Father?”

“There’s no church or altar or vestments or the Eucharist. I could do that in our chapel if you’ll foll—”

“Could we drink cha from an empty cup, Father? Please,” she asked in a tiny voice. “So sorry to ask. There’s so little time.”

“Yes,” he agreed, at once understanding her.

So he walked to where the altar perhaps would be one day within the magnificent nave, under a vaulting roof. Today, the lightening sky was the roof, and birds and the sound of the surf the majestic choir. He began to chant the solemn beauty of the Mass and Brother Michael helped, and together they brought the Infinite to earth.

But before the giving of the make-believe Sacrament he stopped and said, “Now I must hear thy confession, Maria.” He motioned
Brother Michael away and sat on a rock within an imaginary confessional and closed his eyes. She knelt. “Before God, do—”

“Before I begin, Father, I beg a favor.”

“From me or from God, Maria?”

“I beg a favor, before God.”

“What is thy favor?”

“The Anjin-san’s life in return for knowledge.”

“His life is not mine to give or to withhold.”

“Yes. So sorry, but an order could be spread among
all
Christians that his life is not to be taken as a sacrifice to God.”

“The Anjin-san is the enemy. A terrible enemy of our Faith.”

“Yes. Even so I beg for his life. In return—in return perhaps I can be of great help.”

“How?”

“Is my favor granted, Father? Before God?”

“I cannot grant such a favor. It’s not mine to give or to withhold. You cannot barter with God.”

Mariko hesitated, kneeling on the hard earth before him. Then she bowed and began to get up. “Very well. Then please excuse—”

Alvito said, “I will put the request before the Father-Visitor.”

“That’s not enough, Father, please excuse me.”

“I will put it before him and beg him in God’s name to consider your petition.”

“If what I tell you is very valuable, will you, before God, swear that you will do everything in your power, everything to succor
him
and guard
him
, providing it is not directly against the Church?”

“Yes. If it is not against the Church.”

“And, so sorry, you agree to put my request before the Father-Visitor?”

“Before God, yes.”

“Thank you, Father. Listen then….” She told him her reasoning about Toranaga and the hoax.

Suddenly everything was falling into place for Alvito. “You’re right, you must be right! God forgive me, how could I have been so stupid?”

“Please listen again, Father, here are more facts.” She whispered the secrets about Zataki and Onoshi.

“It’s not possible!”

“There’s also a rumor that Lord Onoshi plans to poison Lord Kiyama.”

“Impossible!”

“Please excuse me, very possible. They’re ancient enemies.”

“Who told you all this, Maria?”

“The rumor is that Onoshi will poison Lord Kiyama during the Feast of the Blessed Saint Bernard this year,” Mariko said tiredly, deliberately not answering the question. “Onoshi’s son will be the new lord of all Kiyama’s lands. General Ishido has agreed to this, providing my Master has already gone into the Great Void.”

“Proof, Mariko-san? Where’s the proof?”

“So sorry, I have none. But Lord Harima’s party to the knowledge.”

“How do you know this? How does Harima know? You say he’s part of the plot?”

“No, Father. Just party to the secret.”

“Impossible! Onoshi’s too close-mouthed and much too clever. If he’d planned that, no one would ever know. You must be mistaken. Who gave you this information?”

“I cannot tell you, so sorry, please excuse me. But I believe it to be true.”

Alvito let his mind rush over the possibilities. And then: “Uraga! Uraga was Onoshi’s confessor! Oh, Mother of God, Uraga broke the sanctity of the confessional and told his liege lord….”

“Perhaps this secret’s not true, Father. But I believe it to be true. Only God knows the real truth,
neh?”

Mariko had not put her veils aside and Alvito could see nothing of her face. Above, dawn was spreading over the sky. He looked seaward. Now he could see the two ships on the horizon heading south-west, the galley’s oars dipping in unison, the wind fair and the sea calm. His chest hurt and his head echoed with the enormity of what he had been told. He prayed for help and tried to sort fact from fancy. In his heart he knew the secrets were true and her reasoning flawless.

“You’re saying that Lord Toranaga will outmaneuver Ishido—that he’ll win?”

“No, Father. No one will win, but without your help Lord Toranaga will lose. Lord Zataki’s not to be trusted. Zataki must always be a major threat to my Lord. Zataki will know this and that all Toranaga’s promises are empty because Toranaga must try to eliminate him eventually. If I were Zataki I’d destroy Sudara and the Lady Genjiko and all their children the moment they gave themselves into my hands, and at once I’d move against Toranaga’s northern defenses. I’d hurl
my legions against the north, which would pull Ishido, Ikawa Jikkyu, and all the others out of their stupid lethargy. Toranaga can be eaten up too easily, Father.”

Alvito waited a moment, then he said, “Lift your veils, Maria.”

He saw that her face was stark. “Why have you told me all this?”

“To save the Anjin-san’s life.”

“You commit treason for him, Maria? You, Toda Mariko-noh-Buntaro, daughter of the General Lord Akechi Jinsai, you commit treason because of a foreigner? You ask me to believe that?”

“No, so sorry, also—also to protect the Church. First to protect the Church, Father…. I don’t know what to do. I thought you might…. Lord Toranaga is the Church’s only hope. Perhaps you can somehow help him … to protect the Church. Lord Toranaga must have help now, he’s a good and wise man and the Church will prosper with him. I
know
Ishido’s the real enemy.”

“Most Christian
daimyos
believe Toranaga will obliterate the Church and the Heir if ever he conquers Ishido and gets power.”

“He may, but I doubt it. He will treat the Church fairly. He always has. Ishido is violently anti-Christian. So is the Lady Ochiba.”

“All the great Christians are against Toranaga.”

“Ishido’s a peasant. Toranaga-sama is fair and wise and wants trade.”

“There has to be trade, whoever rules.”

“Lord Toranaga has always been your friend, and if you’re honest with him, he always will be with you.” She pointed to the foundations. “Isn’t this a measure of his fairness? He gave this land freely—even when you failed him and he’d lost everything—even your friendship.”

“Perhaps.”

“Last, Father, only Toranaga-sama can prevent perpetual war, you must know that. As a woman I ask that there be no everlasting war.”

“Yes, Maria. He’s the only one who could do that, perhaps.”

His eyes drifted away from her. Brother Michael was kneeling, lost in prayer, the two servants nearer the shore, waiting patiently. The Jesuit felt overwhelmed yet uplifted, exhausted yet filled with strength. “I’m glad that you have come here and told me this. I thank thee. For the Church and for me, a servant of the Church. I will do everything that I have agreed.”

She bowed her head and said nothing.

“Will you carry a dispatch, Mariko-san? To the Father-Visitor.”

“Yes. If he is at Osaka.”

“A private dispatch?”

“Yes.”

“The dispatch is verbal. You will tell him everything you said to me and what I said to you. Everything.”

“Very well.”

“I have your promise? Before God?”

“You have no need to say that to me, Father. I have agreed.”

He looked into her eyes, firm and strong and committed. “Please excuse me, Maria. Now let me hear thy confession.”

She dropped her veils again. “Please excuse me, Father, I’m not worthy even to confess.”

“Everyone is worthy in the sight of God.”

“Except me. I’m not worthy, Father.”

“You must confess, Maria. I cannot go on with your Mass—you must come before Him cleansed.”

She knelt. “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned but I can only confess that I am not worthy to confess,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Compassionately Father Alvito put his hand lightly on her head. “Daughter of God, let me beg God’s forgiveness for thy sins. Let me in His name absolve thee and make thee whole in His sight.” He blessed her, and then he continued her Mass in this imaginary cathedral, under the breaking sky … the service more real and more beautiful than it had ever been, for him and for her.

Erasmus
was anchored in the best storm harbor Blackthorne had ever seen, far enough from shore to give her plenty of sea room, yet close enough for safety. Six fathoms of clear water over a strong seabed were below, and except for the narrow neck of the entrance, high land all around that would keep any fleet snug from the ocean’s wrath.

The day’s journey from Yedo had been uneventful though tiring. Half a
ri
northward the galley was moored to a pier near Yokohama fishing village, and now they were alone aboard, Blackthorne and all his men, both Dutch and Japanese. Yabu and Naga were ashore inspecting the Musket Regiment and he had been told to join them shortly. Westward the sun was low on the horizon and the red sky promised another fine day tomorrow.

“Why now, Uraga-san?” Blackthorne was asking from the quarterdeck, his eyes red-rimmed from lack of sleep. He had just ordered
the crew and everyone to stand down, and Uraga had asked him to delay for a moment to find out if there were any Christians among the vassals. “Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

“No, Sire, so sorry.” Uraga was looking up at him in front of the assembled samurai vassals, the Dutch crew gathering into a nervous knot near the quarterdeck railing. “Please excuse me, but it is most important you find out at once. You are their most enemy. Therefore you must know, for your protection. I only wish to protect you. Not take long,
neh?”

“Are they all on deck?”

“Yes, Sire.”

Blackthorne went closer to the railing and called out in Japanese, “Is anyone Christian?” There was no answer. “I order any Christian come forward.” No one moved. So he turned back to Uraga. “Set ten deck guards, then dismiss them.”

“With your permission, Anjin-san.” From under his kimono Uraga brought out a small painted icon that he had brought from Yedo and threw it face upward on the deck. Then, deliberately, he stamped on it. Blackthorne and the crew were greatly disquieted by the desecration. Except Jan Roper. “Please. Make every vassal do same,” Uraga said.

“Why?”

“I know Christians.” Uraga’s eyes were half hidden by the brim of his hat. “Please, Sire. Important every man do same. Now, tonight.”

“All right,” Blackthorne agreed reluctantly.

Uraga turned to the assembled vassals. “At my suggestion our Master requires each of us to do this.”

The samurai were grumbling among themselves and one interrupted, “We’ve already said that we’re not Christians,
neh?
What does stamping on a barbarian god picture prove? Nothing!”

“Christians are our Master’s enemy. Christians are treacherous—but Christians are Christian. Please excuse me, I know Christians—to my shame I forsook our real gods. So sorry, but I believe this is necessary for our Master’s safety.”

At once a samurai in front declared, “In that case, there’s nothing more to be said.” He came forward and stamped on the picture. “I worship no barbarian religion! Come on, the rest of you, do what’s asked!”

They came forward one by one. Blackthorne watched, despising the ceremony.

Van Nekk said worriedly, “Doesn’t seem right.”

Vinck looked up at the quarterdeck. “Sodding bastards. They’ll all cut our throats with never a thought. You sure you can trust ’em, Pilot?”

“Yes.”

Ginsel said, “No Catholic’d ever do that, eh, Johann? That Uragasama’s clever.”