Shogun (The Asian Saga Chronology) (63 page)

"There's new golden bread, Captain-Pilot, fresh hardtack, butter, and a side of beef.  Fresh oranges from Goa and even a gallon of Madeira wine to wash it down with, or brandy if you'd prefer.  There's beer, too.  Then there's Macao capon, hot and juicy.  The Captain-General's an epicure."

"God damn you to hell!"

"He will, when it pleases Him.  I only tell you what exists."

"What does 'epicure' mean?" Mariko asked.

"It's one who enjoys food and sets a fine table, Senhora Maria," Alvito said, using her baptismal name.  He had marked the sudden change on Blackthorne's face.  He could almost see the saliva glands working and feel the stomach-churning agony.  Tonight when he had seen the repast set out in the great cabin, the gleaming silver and white tablecloth and chairs, real leather-cushioned chairs, and smelt the new breads and butter and rich meats, he himself had been weak with hunger, and he wasn't starved for food or unaccustomed to Japanese cuisine.

It is so simple to catch a man, he told himself.  All you need to know is the right bait.  "Good-by, Captain-Pilot!"  Alvito turned and walked for the gangway. Blackthorne followed.

"What's amiss, Ingeles?" Rodrigues asked.

"Where's the food?  Then we can talk.  First the food you promised."  Blackthorne stood shakily on the main deck.

"Please follow me," Alvito said.

"Where are you taking him, Father?"

"Of course to the great cabin.  Blackthorne can eat while Lord Toranaga and the Captain-General talk."

"No.  He can eat in my cabin."

"It's easier, surely, to go where the food is."

"Bosun!  See that the pilot's fed at once—all that he needs, in my cabin, anything from the table.  Ingeles, do you want grog, or wine or beer?"

"Beer first, then grog."

"Bosun, see to it, take him below.  And listen, Pesaro, give him some clothes out of my locker, and boots, everything.  And stay with him till I call you."

Wordlessly Blackthorne followed Pesaro the bosun, a large burly man, down the companionway.  Alvito began to go back to dell'Aqua and Toranaga, who were talking through Mariko near the companionway, but Rodrigues stopped him.

"Father!  Just a moment.  What did you say to him?"

"Only that you would like to see him and that we had food aboard."

"But I was offering him the food?"

"No, Rodrigues, I didn't say that.  But wouldn't you want to offer food to a fellow pilot who was hungry?"

"That poor bastard's not hungry, he's starving.  If he eats in that state he'll gorge like a ravenous wolf, then he'll vomit it up as fast as a drunk-gluttoned whore.  Now, we wouldn't want one of us, even a heretic, to eat like an animal and vomit like an animal in front of Toranaga, would we, Father?  Not in front of a piss-cutting sonofabitch—particularly one as clean-minded as a pox-mucked whore's cleft!"

"You must learn to control the filth of your tongue, my son," Alvito said.  "It will send you to hell.  You'd better say a thousand Ave Marias and go without food for two days.  Bread and water only.  A penance to God's Grace to remind you of His Mercy."

"Thank you, Father, I will.  Gladly.  And if I could kneel I would, and I'd kiss your cross.  Yes, Father, this poor sinner thanks you for your God-given patience.  I must guard my tongue."

Ferriera called out from the companionway, "Rodrigues, are you coming below?"

"I'll stay on deck while that bitch galley's there, Captain-General.  If you need me I'm here."  Alvito began to leave.  Rodrigues noticed Mariko.  "Just a minute, Father.  Who's the woman?"

"Donna Maria Toda.  One of Toranaga's interpreters."

Rodrigues whistled tonelessly.  "Is she good?"

"Very good."

"Stupid to allow her aboard.  Why did you say 'Toda'?  She's one of old Toda Hiro-matsu's consorts?"

"No.  She's the wife of his son."

"Stupid to bring her aboard."  Rodrigues beckoned one of the seamen.  "Spread the word the woman speaks Portuguese."

"Yes, senhor."  The man hurried away and Rodrigues turned back to Father Alvito.

The priest was not in the least intimidated by the obvious anger.  "The Lady Maria speaks Latin too—and just as perfectly.  Was there anything else, Pilot?"

"No, thank you.  Perhaps I'd better get on with my Hail Marys."

"Yes, you should."  The priest made the sign of the cross and left.  Rodrigues spat into the scuppers and one of the helmsmen winced and crossed himself.

"Go nail yourself to the mast by your green-addled foreskin!" Rodrigues hissed.

"Yes, Captain-Pilot, sorry, senhor.  But I get nervous near the good Father.  I meant no harm."  The youth saw the last grains of sand fall through the neck of the hourglass and he turned it.

"At the half, go below, and take a God-cursed pail and water and a scrubbing brush with you, and clean up the mess in my cabin.  Tell the bosun to bring the Ingeles aloft and you make my cabin clean.  And it'd better be very clean, or I'll have your guts for garters.  And while you're doing it, say Ave Marias for your God-cursed soul."

"Yes, Senhor Pilot," the youth said weakly.  Rodrigues was a fanatic, a madman, about cleanliness, and his own cabin was like the ship's Holy Grail.  Everything had to be spotless, no matter what the weather.

CHAPTER 27

"There must be a solution, Captain-General," dell'Aqua said patiently.

"Do you want an overt act of war against a friendly nation?"

"Of course not."

Everyone in the great cabin knew that they were all in the same trap.  Any overt act put them squarely with Toranaga against Ishido, which they should absolutely avoid in case Ishido was the eventual victor.  Presently Ishido controlled Osaka, and the capital, Kyoto, and the majority of the Regents.  And now, through the
daimyos
Onoshi and Kiyama, Ishido controlled most of the southern island of Kyushu, and with Kyushu, the port of Nagasaki, the main center of all trading, and thus all trade and the Black Ship this year.

Toranaga said through Father Alvito, "What's so difficult?  I just want you to blow the pirates out of the harbor mouth,
neh?
"

Toranaga sat uncomfortably in the place of honor, in the highbacked chair at the great table.  Alvito sat next to him, the Captain-General opposite, dell'Aqua beside the Captain-General.  Mariko stood behind Toranaga and the samurai guards waited near the door, facing the armed seamen.  And all the Europeans were conscious that though Alvito translated for Toranaga everything that was said in the room, Mariko was there to ensure that nothing was said openly between them against her Master's interests and that the translation was complete and accurate.

Dell'Aqua leaned forward.  "Perhaps, Sire, you could send messengers ashore to Lord Ishido.  Perhaps the solution lies in negotiation.  We could offer this ship as a neutral place for the negotiations.  Perhaps in this way you could settle the war."

Toranaga laughed scornfully.  "What war?  We're not at war, Ishido and I."

"But, Sire, we saw the battle on the shore."

"Don't be naïve!  Who were killed?  A few worthless
ronin
.  Who attacked whom?  Only
ronin,
bandits or mistaken zealots."

"And at the ambush?  We understand that Browns fought Grays."

"Bandits were attacking all of us, Browns and Grays.  My men merely fought to protect me.  In night skirmishes mistakes often happen.  If Browns killed Grays or Grays Browns that's a regrettable error.  What are a few men to either of us?  Nothing.  We're not at war."

Toranaga read their disbelief so he added, "Tell them, Tsukku-san, that armies fight wars in Japan.  These ridiculous skirmishes and assassination attempts are mere probes, to be dismissed when they fail.  War didn't begin tonight.  It began when the Taikō died.  Even before that, when he died without leaving a grown son to follow him.  Perhaps even before that, when Goroda, the Lord Protector, was murdered.  Tonight has no lasting significance.  None of you understands our realm, or our politics.  How could you?  Of course Ishido's trying to kill me.  So are many other
daimyos.
  They've done so in the past and they'll do so in the future.  Kiyama and Onoshi have been both friend and enemy.  Listen, if I'm killed that would simplify things for Ishido, the real enemy, but only for a moment.  I'm in his trap now and if his trap's successful he merely has a momentary advantage.  If I escape, there never was a trap.  But understand clearly, all of you, that my death will not remove the cause of war nor will it prevent further conflict.  Only if Ishido dies will there be no conflict.  So there's no open war now.  None."  He shifted in the chair, detesting the odor in the cabin from the oily foods and unwashed bodies.  "But we do have an immediate problem.  I want your cannon.  I want them now.  Pirates beset me at the harbor mouth.  I said earlier, Tsukku-san, that soon everyone must choose sides.  Now, where do you and your leader and the whole Christian Church stand?  And are my Portuguese friends with me or against me?"

Dell'Aqua said, "You may be assured, Lord Toranaga, we all support your interests."

"Good.  Then remove the pirates at once."

"That'd be an act of war and there's no profit in it.  Perhaps we can make a trade, eh?" Ferriera said.

Alvito did not translate this but said instead, "The Captain-General says, we're only trying to avoid meddling in your politics, Lord Toranaga.  We're traders."

Mariko said in Japanese to Toranaga, "So sorry, Sire, that's not correct.  That's not what was said."

Alvito sighed.  "I merely transposed some of his words, Sire.  The Captain-General is not aware of certain politenesses as he is a stranger.  He has no understanding of Japan."

"But you do have, Tsukku-san?" Toranaga asked.

"I try, Sire."

"What did he actually say?"

Alvito told him.

After a pause Toranaga said, "The Anjin-san told me the Portuguese were very interested in trade, and in trade they have no manners, or humor.  I understand and will accept your explanation, Tsukku-san.  But from now on please translate everything exactly as it is said."

"Yes, Lord."

"Tell the Captain-General this: When the conflict is resolved I will expand trade.  I am in favor of trade.  Ishido is not."

Dell'Aqua had marked the exchange and hoped that Alvito had covered Ferriera's stupidity.  "We're not politicians, Sire, we're religious and we represent the Faith and the Faithful.  We do support your interests.  Yes."

"I agree.  I was considering—"  Alvito stopped interpreting and his face lit up and he let Toranaga's Japanese get away from him for a moment.  "I'm sorry, Eminence, but Lord Toranaga said, 'I was considering asking you to build a temple, a large temple in Yedo, as a measure of my confidence in your interests.'"

For years, ever since Toranaga had become Lord of the Eight Provinces, dell'Aqua had been maneuvering for that concession.  And to get it from him now, in the third greatest city in the Empire, was a priceless concession.  The Visitor knew the time had come to resolve the problem of the cannon.  "Thank him, Martin Tsukku-san," he said, using the code phrase that he had previously agreed upon with Alvito, committing their course of action, with Alvito the standardbearer, "and say we will try always to be at his service.  Oh yes, and ask him what he had in mind about the cathedral," he added for the Captain-General's benefit.

"Perhaps I may speak directly, Sire, for a moment," Alvito began to Toranaga.  "My Master thanks you and says what you previously asked is perhaps possible.  He will endeavor always to assist you."

"Endeavor is an abstract word, and unsatisfactory."

"Yes, Sire."  Alvito glanced at the guards, who, of course, listened without appearing to.  "But I remember you saying earlier that it is sometimes wise to be abstract."

Toranaga understood at once.  He waved his hand in dismissal to his men.  "Wait outside, all of you."

Uneasily they obeyed.  Alvito turned to Ferriera.  "We don't need your guards now, Captain-General."

When the samurai had gone Ferriera dismissed his men and glanced at Mariko.  He wore pistols in his belt and had another in his boot.

Alvito said to Toranaga, "Perhaps, Sire, you would like the Lady Mariko to sit?"

Again Toranaga understood.  He thought for a moment, then half nodded and said, without turning around, "Mariko-san, take one of my guards and find the Anjin-san.  Stay with him until I send for you."

"Yes, Lord."

The door closed behind her.

Now they were alone.  The four of them.

Ferriera said, "What's the offer?  What's he offering?"

"Be patient, Captain-General," dell'Aqua replied, his fingers drumming on his cross, praying for success.

"Sire," Alvito began to Toranaga, "the Lord my Master says that everything you asked he will try to do.  Within the forty days.  He will send you word privately about progress.  I will be the courier, with your permission."

"And if he's not successful?"

"It will not be through want of trying, or persuasion, or through want of thought.  He gives you his word."

"Before the Christian God?"

"Yes.  Before God."

"Good.  I will have it in writing.  Under his seal."

"Sometimes full agreements, delicate agreements, should not be reduced to writing, Sire."

"You're saying unless I put my agreement in writing, you won't?"

"I merely remembered one of your own sayings that a samurai's honor is certainly more important than a piece of paper.  The Visitor gives you his word before God, his word of honor, as a samurai would.  Your honor is totally sufficient for the Visitor.  I just thought he would be saddened to be so untrusted.  Do you wish me to ask for a signature?"

At length Toranaga said, "Very well.  His word before the God Jesus,
neh?
  His word before his God?"

"I give it on his behalf.  He has sworn by the Blessed Cross to try."

"You as well, Tsukku-san?"

"You have equally my word, before my God, by the Blessed Cross, that I will do everything I can to help him persuade the Lords Onoshi and Kiyama to be your allies."