The 47 Ronin Story Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: John Allyn
holes in the legs and strut in his normal manner instead of mincing along like a woman in a tight kimono. Kataoka finished laying out the cloth so that his master was pointed in the right direction, then bowed deeply and withdrew. He would wait in the vicinity of the guard shack with the bearers until the ceremonies were over. He was not, of course, allowed to enter the castle under any circumstances. No one below the rank of daimyo was invited to the annual reception for the Emperor's envoys.
'32'
Chapter Two
Lord Asano braced himself and started the walk to the door. Although it was only a short distance, it seemed to him interminable as he carefully lifted each foot, kicked it slightly forward, and took a step down onto the trouser legs themselves. There were only a couple of guards watching him at the moment, but Lord Asano walked as carefully for their benefit as he would have before the Shogun himself. He knew that Kira would goad him unmercifully if he made even one false step, and he was determined to show these Edoites that a samurai from the country could play their game.
As one of the guards held the door open, he entered the waiting room outside the enormous Hall of the Thousand Mats where the official ceremonies would be held. Inside he paused to let his eyes become accustomed to the dimmer light.
The waiting room was spacious and high ceiHnged with gilded beams and carved pillars. As he stepped onto the gold-bordered mats. Lord Asano noticed that, even though he was early, there were several lords there ahead of him. All were dressed in court costume similar to his, differing in detail only to denote rank. One, in an outfit identical to his except that it was golden brown, looked pointedly at him and it was in this man's direction that he made his way.
Lord Date of Yoshida, a trim athletic-looking fellow in his thirties, was Lord Asano's counterpart in rank and assignment. Both their names had been drawn by lot to be official representatives of the Shogun at this reception of the Emperor's envoys from Kyoto, an annual affair that represented one of the few contacts between the Emperor, who was ruler in name only, and the Shogun, whose recent ancestors
'33'
had unified the country by mililary action and who was the actual head of the government.
Both Lord Asano and Lord Date had tried to decline the honor on the grounds that they were unfamiliar with court etiquette, but neither had been successful. They had been put under Kira's wing to learn the protocol for the occasion and were completely dependent on him to coach them through their various functions. Date had little trouble with Kira, however, while Lord Asano was constantly being ridiculed about his "country manners." Now, at the start of the final day. Lord Date looked cool and complacent while his fellow participant was noticeably apprehensive.
"Good morning," Lord Asano said, with a perfunctory bow.
"Good morning. Lord Asano," smiled Date. "You're early, aren't you?"
"So are you," retorted Lord Asano. "Maybe you're more nervous than you appear."
Date laughed. "You're the nervous one. Anyone would think you were going into battle."
"I wish it were a battle," Lord Asano said testily. "I'm a country boy with no talent for getting along with these fancy-pants courtiers. Men like Kira," and he spoke the name distastefully, "are of lower rank than we, yet we are supposed to jump when they give the word." He shook his head. "I just don't seem to know my place here."
"I don't know why you should have so much trouble with Kira," said Date with a sly smile. "He's treated me with respect, even though I'm as clumsy as you about the ceremonies."
Lord Asano looked at him warily. "Don't think I don't know your secret, Lord Date. You knuckled
Chapter Two
under to his demands and have paid him off. ..."
"I did no such thing!" Date interrupted angrily.
"Then your councilors did it for you and that doesn't reflect credit on you either—not to know
'32'
Chapter Two
Lord Asano braced himself and started the walk to the door. Although it was only a short distance, it seemed to him interminable as he carefully lifted each foot, kicked it slightly forward, and took a step down onto the trouser legs themselves. There were only a couple of guards watching him at the moment, but Lord Asano walked as carefully for their benefit as he would have before the Shogun himself. He knew that Kira would goad him unmercifully if he made even one false step, and he was determined to show these Edoites that a samurai from the country could play their game.
As one of the guards held the door open, he entered the waiting room outside the enormous Hall of the Thousand Mats where the official ceremonies would be held. Inside he paused to let his eyes become accustomed to the dimmer light.
The waiting room was spacious and high ceiHnged with gilded beams and carved pillars. As he stepped onto the gold-bordered mats. Lord Asano noticed that, even though he was early, there were several lords there ahead of him. All were dressed in court costume similar to his, differing in detail only to denote rank. One, in an outfit identical to his except that it was golden brown, looked pointedly at him and it was in this man's direction that he made his way.
Lord Date of Yoshida, a trim athletic-looking fellow in his thirties, was Lord Asano's counterpart in rank and assignment. Both their names had been drawn by lot to be official representatives of the Shogun at this reception of the Emperor's envoys from Kyoto, an annual affair that represented one of the few contacts between the Emperor, who was ruler in name only, and the Shogun, whose recent ancestors
'33'
had unified the country by mililary action and who was the actual head of the government.
Both Lord Asano and Lord Date had tried to decline the honor on the grounds that they were unfamiliar with court etiquette, but neither had been successful. They had been put under Kira's wing to learn the protocol for the occasion and were completely dependent on him to coach them through their various functions. Date had little trouble with Kira, however, while Lord Asano was constantly being ridiculed about his "country manners." Now, at the start of the final day. Lord Date looked cool and complacent while his fellow participant was noticeably apprehensive.
"Good morning," Lord Asano said, with a perfunctory bow.
"Good morning. Lord Asano," smiled Date. "You're early, aren't you?"
"So are you," retorted Lord Asano. "Maybe you're more nervous than you appear."
Date laughed. "You're the nervous one. Anyone would think you were going into battle."
"I wish it were a battle," Lord Asano said testily. "I'm a country boy with no talent for getting along with these fancy-pants courtiers. Men like Kira," and he spoke the name distastefully, "are of lower rank than we, yet we are supposed to jump when they give the word." He shook his head. "I just don't seem to know my place here."
"I don't know why you should have so much trouble with Kira," said Date with a sly smile. "He's treated me with respect, even though I'm as clumsy as you about the ceremonies."
Lord Asano looked at him warily. "Don't think I don't know your secret, Lord Date. You knuckled
Chapter Two
under to his demands and have paid him off. ..."
"I did no such thing!" Date interrupted angrily.
"Then your councilors did it for you and that doesn't reflect credit on you either—not to know
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