The Fires of the Gods Read Online Free PDF Page A

that the shaking and shivering patient had said all of that, but he accepted it, asking, ‘Did your cousin say what happened? How the fire started?’
    Kaneharu moaned loudly and said something.
    The cousin gave a little cry and put a hand over Kaneharu’s lips.
    ‘What? What did he say?’ Tora asked.
    The cousin shook her head. ‘He blames the gods, but it was an accident.’
    The dying man – Tora no longer doubted that Kaneharu was dying – rolled his head about from side to side and said quite clearly, ‘Father paid the money. He
paid
.’ Then the shaking got worse, and he started to wail.
    His cousin reached into a basin for a moist cloth and laid it on his head, making soothing noises as if to a whimpering child. She gave Tora a pleading look. ‘He’s not in his right mind,’ she muttered.
    Tora nodded. He bent to Kaneharu. ‘Please forgive me for troubling you. I’ll pray for you.’
    Kaneharu said nothing.
    Tora let himself out. Perhaps the cousin was right and he was out of his mind with pain. Tora wondered if he should go back and talk to the neighbors again, but he did not feel up to it. His breathing was still shallow and painful and both his head and his hands hurt. It would have to wait.
    More importantly, he had given his word to Hanae.

THE INAUSPICIOUS VISIT
     
    A kitada hated pleading, but he stiffened his resolve with an icy determination. The image of Tamako’s pale face was before his eyes, and the hardships they would all soon suffer were on his mind.
    He had sent Genba with his horses and the dog Trouble to the farm to save on feed. The farm did not produce much in terms of saleable rice, but there was plenty of grazing. It had been hard, because he loved his own horse and enjoyed riding it. They would now be forced to rent horses. It meant they would not go anywhere they could not walk to, but it was more important to feed his family.
    And he would miss the dog. In spite of the well-earned name, Trouble was a member of the family, and Akitada thought that the dog had shown particular affection to himself.
    His best hope lay in avoiding dismissal. He must try, even if it involved groveling. The prospect sickened him so much that he had not been able to eat.
    He decided to start with the minister. Here, at least, he had been in the wrong. To his dismay, however, Fujiwara Kaneie was not in – though on second thought it would have been more unusual if he had been.
    Unfortunately, his request to speak with His Excellency was overheard by the detestable Munefusa, who came running, full of glee at Akitada’s disappointment.
    ‘Come to apologize, have you?’ he asked, loud enough for everyone to hear. Heads popped out from doors as clerks and secretaries expected another confrontation. ‘Won’t do you much good, I’m afraid. The minister was very angry.’
    Akitada bristled. ‘You’ve got it wrong again, Munefusa. My purpose was to find out the origin of a certain false rumor about me. No, I don’t suspect you. You haven’t got the intelligence or the reputation to carry a convincing tale.’
    Someone snickered, and Munefusa flushed. ‘Whatever you may think of me, I know who’s responsible, while you don’t.’
    Akitada was already sorry that he had let his temper get away from him. He said more calmly, ‘Do you? Well, then I needn’t trouble His Excellency. Out with it.’
    Munefusa raised a brow. ‘That wouldn’t be very professional, would it?’
    ‘Why not? It should be your first interest that those who are connected with the Ministry of Justice are above reproach. I’m merely clearing my good name.’
    ‘There’s a matter of confidentiality involved here.’
    Akitada took a step towards Munefusa. ‘So you’ve lied again. You know nothing. You just like to make people think you have the power to hurt them.’
    The hallway had filled with clerks, scribes, and servants. Munefusa looked at them, then told Akitada, ‘I happen to know because His Excellency told me.