The Golden Country (12 page)

Changing his tone of voice.

INOUE: But if he doesn't exist, then hasn't all your suffering, hasn't all your life so far been a kind of madness? If this thing you call God does not really exist.... Why do you remain silent, Father Ferreira? Can't you hear what I'm saying to you? Your life till now stands or falls on that one fact: the existence or nonexistence of God. If he exists, then all your suffering and hardships to this day will have a meaning. But if he doesn't exist, then everything you've done has as little value as a speck of dust.

Changes tone of voice.

INOUE: There is no God! Isn't that true? There is no such thing as a God! You too, like Tomonaga, will discover this just before you take your last breath in the pit. You'll finally understand that there is no God, that your whole life has been valueless, totally wasted. Hirata, take him back. Hang him upside down in the pit once more. Hanging upside down, Father, you can mull over God's existence at leisure.

The light dims and then once again centers on the three.

INOUE: Dawn. The sky is growing light. Father Ferreira, this has been a long hard night for you. Did you come to any conclusions, about what we were discussing? If God doesn't exist, then this long torture has all been wasted, without value. But if God really does exist, then why does he permit us to do as we do? With these hands I have seized many Christians, made them give up their faith; and those that refused, I tortured and condemned to the pit. But in all this time God has never taken the power out of my hands. If God exists, then why doesn't he come to the help of his people? Why doesn't he raise the winds and wield the thunder and save the lives of his Christians and of you? There is no God, there is no God, there is no God! He's lost consciousness. Hirata, is there water at hand? Sprinkle a little on him. Don't give it to him to drink. If he drinks it, he'll die. Father Ferreira, have you found an answer yet? To what purpose would you continue your work in Japan any longer? To what purpose would you further endanger the lives of the Japanese? Don't think that I consider the teachings of Christ evil. I know that like the teachings of the Chinese sages, there is in them much that should be attended to. But there are two reasons why I reject Christianity: the first is that you people are too persistent in forcing your dreams upon us. Yes, far too persistent. Consider this well, Father. Were you to remain longer in the country, the ones to suffer would be the poor farmers. They are puzzled and don't know whether they should follow you or us. When you'll have gone away, they'll do as we tell them, without anxiety. But there's still another reason: that this country, no matter what lofty dreams you may have for her, is a country that will never take to Christianity. I know Japan and the Japanese better than you. There are some things that the Japanese can never achieve familiarity with, among them the Christian teachings.

HIRATA: He's saying something.

INOUE: What are you trying to say?

HIRATA
(placing his ear to Ferreira's mouth):
I can't make it out.

FERREIRA: Christ returned from the Jordan and was led out to the desert where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. During that time he had nothing to eat.

HIRATA: He's lost consciousness again.

The spotlight shifts to another room in the prison

GENNOSUKE: Yuki, Yuki.

Yuki rises and goes to the prison bars.

YUKI: Gennosuke, it's dangerous for you to be here. If you should be seen by a guard....

GENNOSUKE: The guard has just gone back to the guardroom. Besides, my good friend, Shinshiro, is on watch. It'll be all right for a while.

YUKI: Gennosuke, please stop troubling yourself about me. I don't want the same thing to happen again tomorrow.

GENNOSUKE: Don't worry about me. But here.

He hands her something.

YUKI: What's this?

GENNOSUKE: Nothing much . . .just a covering from my mother and some food.

YUKI: I wish you'd give the food to my father. Is he here in the same prison?

GENNOSUKE
(hesitating):
Your father is well.

YUKI: Does he know that I am here?

GENNOSUKE: No. They haven't told him yet. They didn't want to give him further grief.

YUKI: That's right. Please don't tell him I'm here.

GENNOSUKE: I won't.

YUKI: If he should ask about me, please tell him that I'm at home waiting each day for his return.

GENNOSUKE: Yes. Oh, why must someone like you suffer in this way? Why doesn't your God help you?

YUKI: While father is suffering, it's a pleasure for me to be able to suffer with him. While the farmers are suffering, it's a pleasure for me to suffer with them.

GENNOSUKE: Ah, if only I were a Christian .. .

YUKI: What are you saying?

GENNOSUKE: I said: if only I were a Christian.

YUKI: Why do you say such things?

GENNOSUKE: If I were a Christian, they'd have thrown me into this prison with you. I'd now be experiencing the same anguish as you. If I didn't have to take care of my mother, I'd have tried to save you.

YUKI: Be careful. Someone's coming.

Hirata passes by with an official

OFFICIAL
(looking into the room):
Everything's all right, Hirata-dono.

HIRATA: Sleep well, Yuki. Tomorrow there'll be the
fumi-e
again. The farmers had better think it over carefully. It'll be for their own good.

Hirata and the official pass on.

GENNOSUKE: Yuki?

YUKI: Yes.

GENNOSUKE: I'm sure you won't listen to me, but do as Hirata says. Tomorrow they'll bring out the
fumi-e
again. Please step on it. Please continue to live. To live is a wonderful thing.

YUKI: Your words make me very happy. But from childhood I've been taught that the real life is not in this world but in Paradise. From Childhood this idea has steeped my heart like water. I don't know of any other way to act.

GENNOSUKE: If only you decide to go on living, there's nothing I won't do for you.

YUKI: If I weren't a Christian, I'd have wanted to live with you. Even if we'd had to live in a poor shack, I wouldn't have minded the hardship, if only I could have shared it with you. But that was only a dream that didn't come true. There's nothing more I can do about it. Please accept this crucifix.

She takes it from her neck and hands it to him

YUKI: Now please go. If you should be caught by the guard ...

CURTAIN

The following day. The Bureau of Investigation. Inoue is sitting on the mat. In the garden Hirata, Gennosuke, a guard, Yuki, and the farmers.

HIRATA: Now that Inoue-dono is here, the ceremony of
the fumi-e
will begin. Yuki. You are first.

INOUE: Wait, Hirata. First, call Father Ferreira.

HIRATA: Father Ferreira?

INOUE: Yes, I have an idea.

One of the guards leaves the room.

HIRATA: Take a good look. Your Father Ferreira will be here in a minute. You'd better display your strength of faith to him.

The guard returns, leading the staggering priest. The farmers, seeing him, begin to talk among themselves.

HIRATA: Here's your priest. For two days and two nights, like Tomonaga, he's hung in the pit, twisting his body and crying to his God for help. But this God didn't lift a single finger to help him. Not a single finger. That's the way this God acts toward you. It's up to you to step on the
fumi-e
or not. But if you refuse and are hung in the pit and like Ferreira you cry out to your God, you may be sure that he will not say a word, as if he were deaf and dumb. He'll pretend not to hear your cry.

INOUE: Father Ferreira, I'm not giving you bad advice. If you but say the word, I'll send all these farmers back to their village immediately. I won't make them step on the
fumi-e.
If the sum of Christian teaching is charity, Father Ferreira, then won't you display this charity toward these poor farmers? They are pitiful creatures who've had a very hard life. Father Ferreira, show them your love.

Ferreira is silent.

INOUE
(gently):
It must be hard for you to say that you give up your religion. To you who have come so far to spread the teaching of Christ in Japan, these words must stick in your throat. But please listen carefully to what I am saying. If you are a true Christian, you will understand that to sacrifice yourself to save the lives of these Christians is also according to the way of God. Isn't that so, Father Ferreira?

FERREIRA: My friends, who was it that promised that if I came here, Lord Tomonaga's life would be spared and that you wouldn't have to step on the
fumi-e?
And if I should now for your sake say that I give up my religion, would the bureau really keep its promise? I can't believe it.

INOUE
(sighing):
It can't be helped, Hirata.

HIRATA: Yuki, come here.

Yuki comes and stands in front of the
fumi-e,
her eyes downcast.

HIRATA: Yuki, don't expect to be looked after like a child. Don't make me get nasty with you.

She stands there, her head hung low.

HIRATA: Do you want the same thing to happen to you as happened to your father?

YUKI: My father?

HIRATA
(imitates her voice):
My father? Yes, your father. Do you want to die in the pit, as your father did?

Yuki lets out a startled cry and collapses. Hirata roughly slaps her hands. Ferreira turns about. Gennosuke tries to restrain Hirata's hand. One of the officials seizes Gennosuke.

OFFICIAL: Gennosuke, stop it. If you don't stop, you're in danger.

HIRATA: What are you doing? Have you gone mad? No, you haven't. You've long been an accomplice of these Christians.

GENNOSUKE: Even if Yuki is a Christian, she is a helpless woman. You've been too cruel.

HIRATA: Has your pity turned into love? Do you think I'm blind, Gennosuke? You seem to have had a secret tryst with this girl in prison last night.

GENNOSUKE
(in consternation):
What are you saying? Of course I went to the prison last night. But it was only to make certain they were properly guarded.

HIRATA
(laughing):
Oh, that's most commendable. But didn't you tell her that you'd like to become a
Christian? I heard the whole conversation. Don't get angry. I suspect everyone.

GENNOSUKE: What proof do you have?

HIRATA: Proof? What about that thing hanging around your neck? Couldn't you call that proof?

Hirata has the guard pull the crucifix
from his neck.

INOUE: Gennosuke, you must have picked this up somewhere. You could never have done this seriously. Why don't you explain?

HIRATA: Even if he did pick it up somewhere, to walk about wearing objects that are under proscription is forbidden by the edict, even to a samurai. Why don't you answer?

Gennosuke remains silent.

HIRATA: Gennosuke, since things have come to this pass, we must consider the other officials and guards. We must ask you to show that you are not a Christian.

GENNOSUKE: I am not a Christian.

HIRATA: If that is so, then please step on the
fumi-e.
No, I have a better plan. If you are not the accomplice of this Christian girl, show it by stepping on her.

GENNOSUKE: What are you saying?

HIRATA: Then you won't do it?

GENNOSUKE
(turns to Inoue for help):
Dono.

Inoue averts his face and remains silent.

GENNOSUKE: Dono.

INOUE: I'd like to help you, Gennosuke. I'd like to help you, but the officials of the bureau have their own rule.

Since you were caught wearing a proscribed crucifix around your neck, you must do as Hirata says and give proof to the other officials that you are not a Christian.

GENNOSUKE: Dono, if you tell me to step on the
fumi-e
I will do it.

Gennosuke makes as if to plant his foot on the
fumi-e.

YUKI
(bending over the
fumi-e): No, that's the one thing you must not do! Please stop! Please stop!

HIRATA: The situation gets more and more troublesome.