The Golden Country Read Online Free PDF Page B

(painfully): That I don't know. But you must at least believe that he is trying to get something across to us.
    TOMONAGA: Father, as I told you before, Inoue and the other officials have begun to suspect me. No, it's even more than this. They've found something out about me. The other day Inoue made the proposal that Yuki marry a young samurai by the name of Gennosuke who is employed at the bureau.
    FERREIRA: It's a trap, isn't it? He knows that if you are a Christian you will not consent to your daughter's marrying one of the persecutors of the Christians. He's waiting to see what you'll do.
    TOMONAGA: Of course it's a trap. At the time, I was able to put him off, but sooner or later he will come up with another test. As I told the farmers, my mind is set. As a samurai, it is only proper that I give up my life for my God. But they are weak farmers. It's for their sakes that I ask you to clear up quickly the doubts I mentioned to you. Please give an answer to my question. Why does God remain silent? Why doesn't he speak in spite of all this suffering of the Christians? ... No, I mustn't talk in this way.
Yuki enters with a white veil on her head.
    YUKI: Have you finished? I'm ready for confession.
    TOMONAGA: Yuki, make a careful confession. Confess your smallest sins and doubts. So that you may be washed as white as snow. Don't be ashamed of anything. It's painful to confess one's weakness, but this very pain cleanses the soul. Do you understand?
    YUKI: Yes, I understand.
Tomonaga bows to Ferreira, then exits. Ferreira sits to hear Yuki's confession.
    FERREIRA (reciting the opening formula in Latin): Be brave. Go ahead and confess.
Yuki remains silent.
    FERREIRA: Have you done anything to stain your soul with sin?
    YUKI: Father, a girl like me ...
She falls into silence again.
    FERREIRA: A girl like you ... yes?
    YUKI: A girl like me ... No.
She starts again.
    YUKI: Will God forgive a person for being in love?
    FERREIRA: By being in love do you mean a husband loving his wife, or a girl like you falling in love with some young man? No, no, that's not a sin. Not at all. Far from being a sin, God made man and woman in such a way that they would fall in love with each other. Just as in spring the trees burst into fragrant flower and birds begin to sing, so this too is blessed by God. And didn't Christ help to celebrate the wedding feast at Cana?
    YUKI: And will he also give his blessing if the man is not a Christian, but, what's more, a member of the bureau persecuting the Christians?
    FERREIRA: A member of the Bureau of Investigation? Yuki, that man wouldn't be the young samurai who works for the bureau, would it? That couldn't be, could it? Why don't you speak? Can't you hear me? Speak out.
    YUKI: Yes, it's Gennosuke.
    FERREIRA: I was right....Since when have you known him?
    YUKI: Since I was a child. We used to play together. At times when the older children wouldn't let me enter their games and I stood crying, he would take me by the hand and sing songs to me. Since then I've always looked upon him as a brother.
    FERREIRA: You needn't go into detail about the past. Did you meet him occasionally after that?
    YUKI: No, I never met him again until I heard about him from my father the other day. But...
    FERREIRA: But? ... Continue.
    YUKI: I've been all flustered since father told me about the proposal.
    FERREIRA: Are you in love with him? . .. Remember, he's an official. No, official would be bad enough, but young as he is, he is an official of the bureau in charge of the Christian persecution.
    YUKI: That's the very reason why I am suffering.
    FERREIRA (silent for a moment): I know how much you are suffering, Yuki. My heart goes out to you. But as a priest, I must tell you clearly: you must stop thinking about him. You must get over this infatuation. From this day on you must look upon the suffering you experience in erasing him from your heart as the cross which Our Lord himself places on your shoulder. And you must cany it just