Page:Modern Japanese Stories.pdf/123

But this was really spoken less in friendliness than in irritation. The retainer was sufficiently encouraged by the remark to make an effort to recover some of his old sense of ease. But it was a self-conscious easiness, and underneath there was still a hard core of restraint.

Ever since the contests with naked spears Lord Tadanao had refrained, as completely as if he had forgotten their existence, from any form of practice in the military arts. It was not simply that he discontinued the tournaments, tournaments which had been held so regularly that they had seemed almost like a part of the daily routine. He was never even seen to take a dummy sword or spear in his hand.

He had been bursting with martial pride, but always gentle; rough-mannered, but basically a most innocent and harmless young lord. Now that he had abruptly withdrawn his interest from sword-play and archery he devoted more and more of his days to drinking. Though he had been addicted to wine since early youth, it had never adversely affected his behaviour. Now, as he drained cup after cup, day after day, signs of dissipation and disorderliness began slowly to appear.

It was at a banquet one night. Lord Tadanao was in an unusually cheerful mood. His favourite page boy, Masuda Kannosuke, ventured to make a remark while replenishing his lord’s great wine-cup.

“Why have we not seen your lordship lately in the military drill-hall?” he asked. “We wonder whether your lordship’s satisfaction over your recent exploits has not made you negligent.” By speaking in this way Kannosuke fancied that he was demonstrating, clearly enough, a friendly concern for his master.

Lord Tadanao went white with rage. Seizing a tray for wine-cups which lay at his side he hurled it with the speed of an arrow towards Kannosuke’s face. The violence was unexpected, and Kannosuke blanched; but, rigidly trained as he was in the code of loyalty, he made no attempt to dodge. He took the impact of the tray full on the front of his face and fell prostrate