Page:Modern Japanese Stories.pdf/101

nōji highways, lay an army of more than 150,000 men. Banners fluttered in the early summer breeze, and polished helmet-graces flashed in the sun. Each detachment, drawn up in orderly ranks in its allotted positions, stood waiting for the now overdue word of attack.

But the handing down of this word was apparently no simple matter. Three messengers from Ieyasu, on white chargers, now wove their way through the assembled units.

“Room is being made in the ranks for Lords Yoshinao and Yorinobu,” they announced. “The forces in the van are not yet to open the engagement. They will withdraw their horses a distance of one to two hundred yards, dismount, hold their lances at the ready, and await further orders.”

This was not to the liking of Lord Tadanao of Echizen. His mind had been in a fever of excitement ever since the shock of the previous evening, and he had passed an almost sleepless night waiting for today’s battle. Now, as soon as he heard this last order, he sent Councillor Yoshida Shuri ahead to prepare the way and then moved forward himself with his whole force of near 30,000 men—sixteen battalions headed by those under his two senior councillors, the brothers Honda. Pushing through the centre of the lines occupied by the Kaga detachment, deaf to the angry protests of the Kaga men, he pressed on recklessly to the very foot of Chausu hill, and there, a little to the left of the front line forces under Honda Tadayori of Izumo, he deployed his troops in extended formation for attack.

Just at that moment an order from the Shōgun was transmitted to all units—“The defenders are evacuating their advanced posts and appear to be waiting for night. The order to attack will shortly be given.”

But Lord Tadanao was waiting no longer for orders. As two or three exploratory shots were directed at the enemy from Honda Tadayori’s forward positions the Echizen forces suddenly let loose a salvo from seven or eight hundred muskets, and, screened beneath billowing clouds of smoke, all sixteen