S H O C H I K U
Kabuki Play
" TOKI WA IMA NARI KIKYO NO HATA-AGE."
W ritten by: TSURUYA NAMBOKU
TO BE PRESENTED BY SHIKAN EBIZO & SOMEGORO WITH TROUPE, AT THE MITSUKOSHI THEATER IN OCT.
1947
THE FIRST ACT
The stage in d ic a te s the pa rlo u r o f the Honnoji Temple. Golden-coloured s l i ding screen in fr o n t .
Tass e lle d s lid in g doors to the r ig h t and l e f t . The entrance i s o f bi g tra n som work.
The cu rtain r is e s w ith fa n fa re and ba lly h o o .
Four w a itin g m a id s are arranging flo w e rs in vases w ith f l o o r - b a s k e t s in fr o n t .
Wa i t i n g maid A: We are exp ectin g Lord Harunaga and I hope
B:
our re s p e c tiv e f l o wer arrangements would a muse him. By order o f h is reverence we le a rn t th is way o f flo w e r arrangement.
C: I am a fr a id i t ' s beyond our pow er---D: But to geth er w ith
them---A: We should lik e t o amuse our lo rd w ith these arranged flo w e r s .
B: Though f a r from p e r fe c t ---A l l : Now we are ready to show. Vo i c e : Harunaga-sama i s c o min g .
W aiting Ma id A: Oh I s e e . We must inform h is reveren ce. The four maids: Of our lo r d 's a r r i v a l .
Nich iw a : No, you need not do i t . I w i l l r e c e iv e the lo r d . (H is reverence Nichiw a makes h is appearance, and the w a itin g maids s ta r t to meet th e lo r d fo llo w in g Nichiwa.)
V o ic e : Here come the lo r d .
(Mu sic s ta r ts and Lord Harunaga appears accom- panied by h is page Rammaru c a rry in g h i s sword. Another page Riki maru and Sonou-no-tsubone fo llo w .
R etainers Yashiro Josu ke, N agao Yataro, and Asayama Taso come out and stop a t the s ta ge p a s s a g e .)
N ich iwa: I am gla d to see you. Lord Harunaga I hav e the honour o f r e c e iv in g o f you in a p oor-lo o k in g
temple l i k e this. I , the abbo t o f th is temple, c a m e h e re to re c e iv e y o u .
Harunaga: Thank you f o r your tro u b le . This p la ce i s very
qu iet and the white l o t us flo w e r s a r e at t h e ir b est in the pond, dew-drops twinkling in the water
g ra ss, garden tr e s s f a i n t l y swaying by the g e n tle b re e ze . What an in t e r e s t in g view i t i s !
Ramaaru: Y e s i ndeed! T h i s temple i s famous f o r i t s
b e a u tifu l scene. I am glad i t s u it s your fa n c y . Ri kimaru: The abbot o f th is temple had t h is p arlou r b u ilt
anew h earin g your reveren ce would v i s i t h e r e . Sono-u: I t would be in t e r e s t in g f o r you to hold a
banquet e n jo y in g the view o f Tsukiyama, I suppose. Josuke: Hearing that our lo rd would take th is temple as
temporary camp, I accompanied him to th is tem ple. The name i s Yash ir o Josuke.
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-Ya ta re : A lso I , Nagao Y a ta r o , a m h e r e to a c t a s e s c o r t f o r Lord Harunaga.
Taz o: I , Asayama Tazo, j oined the p arty. Niwa: He r e , Niwa Goro
Mimura: I am Mimura J iro Suzuki: I am Suzuki Hayata Kusumi: I am Kusimi Yukitsugu.
I s h i i : I am Is h i H eibei Josuke: To guard our lo r d .
All the r e t a in e r s : A l l o f us ar e h e r e .
Harunaga: Thank you f o r your tr o u b le . I ap p recia te my r e t a in e r s ' good w ish es.
N ic h iw a : N o w , th ere i s your chamber o v e rth e re. A ll w om en : C om e th is w ay p lea se.
( Music s ta r ts and Harunaga reaches the main stage accompanied by the p a rty . Harunaga g e ts seated t o the r ig h t s id e , Sono-u to the l e f t , Rammaru to the r ig h t and the other attendants
to the l e f t . Thereupon Kikyo s e c r e t ly makes her appearance and takes a seat to the l e f t s id e . ) Harunaga: Here are w e ll d evised arranged flo w e r s . I take
Sono-u:
a fan cy to the way o f arrangement. By w h om were they presented?
This enonymus a la ta was d evised by Mashiba H isayoshi who s ta rte d f o r Chugoku p ro v in c e .
I arranged i t according to h is d e ta ile d in s tru c tio n s .
• 4 •
H a r u n a g a : It is a happy id e a that t he euonym us alata is arranged in a horse-basin w ith b i t - suspenders H isayos h i is t o m e what wings to a dragon. Hey ,
Josu k e , did you arrange t h is flo w e r-b asket?
Josuk e : No, i t i s M itsu h id e's s is t e r Kikyo w h o d i d i t , S i r . Harunaga: What? W h ere is M itsu h id e's sister K ik y o ?
K ikyo: W ell, here I am, Lord!
Harunaga: I p ro h ib ite d Mi tsuhi de f r o m coming to my presence, as you know. Why hav e you come h ere, n e v e rth e le ss ? K ik y o : I beg your pardon, si r , but my b ro th er Mi tsuhi de
always thinks o f you w h ile placed in con fin em en t. He hopes you would smooth your r u f f l e d s p i r i t s and wish to be adm itted t o your prese n c e . I presen ted t h is flo w e r basket a c c o rd in g h i s ord er. I s h a ll be much o b lig e d i f you en ter into his f e e lin g s s e e in g th e flo w e r s .
Sono-u: Th is i s an e l egant flo w e r-b a s k e t, w ith vario u s b e a u tifu l and fr e s h flo w e r s such as bindweeds, hydrangeas e t c . , you se e.
Harunaga: Hum! Now I w i l l e x p la in Mi tsuhi de' s thought
expressed by these flo w e r s . H isayoshi expressed h is s in c e r it y by the euonymus a l ata in the
horse-basin th at he would not fo r g e t h is f o r mer days when he c o lle c t e d horses us a footman.
On the con tra ry, Mi tsuhi de expressed h is smacks o f cynicism toward me by these flo w e rs which v i l l soon w ith e r. I t ' s r e a l l y a f o o lis h th in g that he
5 K ik y o : Rammaru: Rikimaru: Josuke: Tazo: A l l : Harunaga: K ikyo: Harunaga: Rammaru: A l l : Harunaga: Sono-u: A l l the wo
should t r y to de c e iv e me w ith h is narrow thought! H a , h a , h a . . . . .
I t i s awful to say, bu t I am a fr a id i t i s a
groundless su sp icion . My brother Mitsuhide w i l l never have a grudge a g a in st you, Lord, however hard h e m ig h t b e tre a te d . S a y , R a m m a ru -s a n , I a s k y o u to in terc e d e f o r the lo r d .
Do you understand h er, my Lord?
As she said j ust now, I a ls o wish th at you would en ter M its u h id e 's f e e lin g s .
If y o u a llo w M its u h id e . To com e to see yo u a g a in . We s h a ll be glad v e r y m u c h .
A l l o f us hope i t w ith our whole h e a r t .
W e l l h itsu h id e would not mind anything so lon gu s he i s adm itte d to m y p re s e n c e . D o y o u s a y s o ? I f you s m o o th y o u r ru ffle d s p irits , he would not have anything to s a y , I a m s u r e .
Then out o f con sid era tio n o f your e n tre a ty , I w i l l a llo w him to c o m e h e r e . B e t t e r c a l l him h ere. You accept our wishes then?
Many thanks f o r your kindness, s i r .
Say, Sono-u, now make p rep aration s o f the banquet. C e rta in ly s i r .
Josuke: Now you had b e t t e r c a l l M itsuhide-dono h e re as soon as p ossib le b efore the lo r d ’ s change h is mind.
K ik yo: Ce r t a in ly .
N ichiw a: N o w , I s h a ll s e e y o u a g a in s i r .
(Kikyo e x i t over there and Ni chiwa en ters r ig h t s id e . The banquet i s prepared and the women o f f e r
s e r v ic e s . )
Sono-u: Now the banquet i s ready. (Har unaga takes the cup. )
Harunaga: I t i s very in t e r e s t in g to have a drin k seeing M itsuhide w ith a d isa p p o in ted loo k . W a it u p on m e.
A l l the w omen: C e r t a in ly , s i r .
Harunaga: Go and b rin g M itsuhide q u ic k ly .
Rikimaru: Yes, di r . (g oes towards the stage p a ssa ge.) H a llo , M is u h id e -d o n o , a s L o rd is c a llin g y o u , y o u had better m ake h a ste.
M itsu h id e: Well.
(Music s t a r t s and Mi tsuhide makes h is appearance f o llow ed by Kikyo Mits u h id e s t ops a t the stags passage and p ro s tra te s h im s e lf toward Harunaga.) Y a ta ro : Here comse Mitsuhide-dono.
Mi tsu hide: I beg your pardon--- (r a is e s h is f a c e )
I have not seen y ou sin ce I f e l l under your d isp lea su re, but now I am extrem ely g la d to see you in e x c e lle n t s p i r i t s as before.
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Harunaga: Oh, i t ' s a lon g t i me since I s a w y o u la s t.
A re you so gla d th a t you have been adm itted to my presence?
Mi t suhide: Y e s , s i r . W h i l e I was placed in confinement, I did not know what to do as i f a f i s h out o f w a te r .
But today I am deligh ted beyond m easu re to have b e en a llo w e d to c o m e to y o u r p re se n ce .
H a ru n a ga : D o you rea lly m ea n it? Mitsuhide: Yes, sir.
H a r u n a g a : W e l l , I s e e . A d o g i s s a i d t o b e g r a t e f u l t o i t s m a s t e r a n d w a g i t s t a i l i f i t i s f e d e v e n f o r only
th re e days, not to speak o f man. You might also wag your t ai l i f you had one, bu t to my r e g r et you have none.
Mi tsu h id e: I am glad to be w ith you e v en though you put me down f o r a dog, an ox or a hors e . I e a r n e s tly beg you w i l l have a continued f avour toward me .
Harunaga: We l l s a i d ! I w i l l o f f e r a cup to you. M itsuhide: Eh, you w i l l o f f e r a cup?
Harunaga: You may come near me.
M itsuhide: I must l a t e r say thanks to those who put in
good words th at I might he adm itted to your presen ce. But in the f i r s t p l ace I wi l l t ake you at your kind wor d.
Harunaga: W e ll, I w i l l g i v e a cup to you now. What cup s h a ll I g i v e , eh?
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Rammaru : Yes, s i r .
(Rammaru p u lls out the euonymus alata of the
horse-basin and bring the p itc h e r b efore Harunaga. ) Harunaga: M its u h id e ! H e r e is y o u r cup.
M itsu h id e: Eh! Are you g iv in g me th is vessel?
Harunaga: Y e s . This horse-basin i s su ited f o r you. Empty the basin a t a draught lik e a h o r s e ! M itsu hide: W ell. A sovereign i s the b est judge o f h is
s u b jects. I w i l l take the cup w ith many thanks. (M itsuhide drinks sake i n the b asin . Rammaru f i l l s i t . )
Harunaga: Once in Ch in a Hansui o f Gi in cu rred h i s master Shuka’ s disp lea su re and was compelled to ea t fodder to geth er w ith a horse a f t e r having been
g i v en a hundred times o f wh ip . Hansui preten ted to be dead and escaped danger. Afterw ards he c a me
to be employed by the K in g of S h in an d b ecam e a mi n i s t e r . Shuko was despatched to Shin. Hansui knew Shuko's com ing and returned his grudge upon the l a t t e r by com pelling him to ea t fodder in a horse- b a s in , M itsuhid e ! Your h ea rt i s ju s t l i k e
t h a t o f H a n s u i, is n 't it ?
Mi tsu h id e: I be g your pardon, but i t i s r e a l l y a groundless su sp icion . How could I have a grudge a ga in st you, my Lord?
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-Rammaru: I s h a ll be glad i f you i nclude Mits u h id e -d o no in y our takin g the f i e l d.
Harunaga: Ramma r u 's p e t it io n i s praisew orthy, but you may s ta r t f o r the province o f Chugoku i f you are ready
to be under H isa y o sh i's co n tro l.
Mits u h id e : Then you w i l l despatch m e to Chugoku?
Harunaga: Go and p la ce y o u r s e lf under His a y o s h i's command. The oth er day Hisayoshi wanted to have a good h o rse, but as i l l luck would hav e i t I had n o s u it a b le one a t hand, then. You s h a ll be despatch to h i s
camp in s t e a d o f the horse. Hey, anyone? B rid le Mits u h i de and take him to Mashiba H isayosh i. M itsu hide: Then, s ir, d o y o u w a n t to d e s p a tc h m e to
Chugoku and place m e u n d e r H i s a y o s h i ' s command?
Harunaga: Go and run about i n the f i e l d by h is whip, to say nothing o f command!
M itsu h id e: I am so rry th at you have not y e t smoothed your displeasure to me. N o w th in g s h a v e c o m e to th is I w i l l s ta r t f o r Chugoku according t o y our ord er and place m yself under Hisayoshi 's command. Harunaga: A l l r ig h t . You are r e a l l y praisew orth y. Hey,
Ramma ru ! You hav e w e ll made th ings smooth. You w i l l ge t a reward as you l i k e .
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-Rammaru: Many thanks, si r . I do not wish anything beyond my sta tu s. I s h a ll be gla d i f I could have my fa th e r San-emon's form er f i e f .
Harunaga: I t ' s a n a tu ral wish. The f i e f o f your father San-emon who d ied in the b a t t le a t the Ca s t le o f Usayama, i s now p o s s e s s e d b y M its u h id e , is n 't it?
M itsu h id e: A l l r ig h t , si r . H a r u n a g a : F a ll a ll R a m m a r u 's w is h e s , a s t h e fie f is n o w p ossessed by M itsu h id e it m ay be d i f f i c u l t to m e e t th e w is h e s th o u g h it w a s fo r m a lly h is fa th e r 's . Eh, M itsuhide? M i t s u h i d e : Y e s - ---it is natura l---B u t I d o n 't think the f i e f i s e x c lu s iv e ly m in e . Harunaga: W ell— — I d o n 't w e ll understand y o ur h e a rt.
Hey, Nagao Yataro. Come here. Y a ta ro : Y e s , s ir.
Harunaga: I intended to g iv e some reward to you sin ce you
surrendered. F ortu n a tely here i s t he sword Hiyoshimaru. You nay have i t now. I hope y ou w i l l s t a r t f o r
Chugoku and render a d istin gu ish ed s e rv ic e under Hisayoshi's command.
Ya t a r o : I y ie ld e d to y o u b y th e g o o d o ffic e s o f M its u h id e a n d I w ish to g et the sword Hiyoshimaru.
Therefore I ap p recia te your kindness, but out o f con sid era tion o f M itsuhide
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Harunaga: T h en , d o y o u sa y y o u w ill n o t a ccep t th is sw o rd out of respect to M itsu hide?
Yataro: Wel l —
H aru n a ga : A re you a ga in st m y w ish es, th en ? (t a k e s th e s w o r d .)
Y a ta ro : I be g your pardon, s i r . I am ready to have Hiyoshimaru with many thanks.
(Ya t a r o r e c e iv e s t h e s w o r d .)
Mi tsuhide: Hiyoshimaru i s the treasu re o f th e S a ito fa m ily and I p reviou sly exp ressed m y wishes to g e t the
swor d . I c a n n o t b u t fe e l e n v io u s t h a t a n o t h e r pe rs o n h a v e g o t it.
Harunaga: Was that s o ? B u t a s w o r d is o f no use f o r you . Th in gs f o r sin g in g and dancing a re su ited f o r you. Here i s a s c r o l l . B e tte r use th is when you hold a
s c r o ll. B e t t e r u s e t h is w h e n y o u h o ld a t e a
-m eeting or p o e try -p a rty . There! You may have t h is , M itsuhide.
Asayama: You had b e t t er r e c e iv e the l o r d 's presen t. (Asayama brings the s c r o ll-b o x )
M itsu h id e: W ell---Many thanks fo r your kind presen t. (Mi tsuhide r e c e iv e s the box and draws b a ck .) Harunaga: Open the b ox a n d lo ok .
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-M itsuhide: Oh, t his i s woman's h a ir a g a in st my e x p ecta tio n
Harunaga: Do you re c o g n iz e i t ? Formerly you were a wonder e r and were l e a ding a seclu ded l i f e in the p ro v ince o f
E ch izen .
You found i t d i f f i c u l t to e n te r ta in a welcome g u e s t b u t y o u r k in d w ife r a is e d a l i t t l e money
by c u ttin g o f f her h a ir at the r o o t and s e llin g i t . One o f my retainers g o t the ha ir a t that time and
t o ld me the circumstances. Then I made my r e t a in e r o f your f e e l i n g p it y , and l a t e r came to appoin t to the owner o f the two p rovin ces O m i and
Tamba. A l l that was my favour towards you. Ne v e r -th e le s s , r e c e n t ly you are apt to g iv e me unnecessary a d vices o r to ta lk back to me . As th in gs are now
l i k e this, I cannot take you to the f i e l d . B etter mend your ways r e ca l l your form er days seein g the h a ir . Mits u h id e : Oh, I reco gn ize the h a ir . I t reminds me o f my
form er obscure l i f e in the provin ce o f Echizen, when I was under th e p r e s s u r e o f liv in g .
( M itsuhide put on the l i d . )
I have the pleasu re o f r e c e iv in g t h i s .
Harunaga: I am s a t i s f i e d to hear i t . I have something more to speak to you, but I am t ir e d now. L a te r I w i l l send a messenger to your inn. Go back to your inn and th at my l o r d 's present was a s c r o l l !
S o n o - u : W e ll. Y o u s e e m to have go t t i r e d , si r . You had Harunaga Sono-u: Rammaru: A l l : Harunaga: b e t t e r ta k e a re s t o v e rth e re .
Thank you. I w i l l h ave a drink in the bac k . Come w ith we, everyb ody.
Then, our Lord! Now.
Yes, s i r .
Hey, Mitsuh i d e ! Go back and w a it f or the messenger.
( Mitsuhide p ro stra tes h im s e lf. Harunaga and his p a rty e x i t towards the r ig h t s id e . Kikyo approaches Mits u h id e and puts the two sword, lon g and short,
su ggestin g something. Mi t suhide orders Kikyo to go away w ith ges tu r e . Kikyo e x it s Mits u h id e
thinks someth in g lo o k in g a t over th e r e , when a v o ic e i s heard to t el l the l o r d 's s ta r tin g f o r the f i e ld . Mitsuhide takes the sword-box and i s going towards
the stage passage, when the clap p ers bea ted . M itsu- hide e x i ts o v e r t h e r e w ith m usic.)
CURTAIN 13
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-- THE SECOND AC T ---
---The stage in d ic a te s Mitsuhides lo d g in g against Mt . Atago. Joha: Sakubei: Misao: Sakubei: Joha:
The cu rtain r i s e s w ith the sound o f b e l l .
Mits u h id e 's w ife Misao, p oet Joha and Mitsuhi d e 's r e t a in e r Yasuda Sakube i are hold in g a p o e tic
d ia lo g u e . Joha shows a s t r i p o f paper f o r poem.
Cherry flo w e rs are f a l l i n g upon running w ater o f pond. The evening wind blows as i f holding back the
running w a ter. Look a t t h is s t r ip .
I t i s a b a lmy sprin g day and the cherry blossoms are a t t h e ir b e t.
Though the season i s calm and p e a c e fu l.
There are many war l ord s a l l over the country and every o f them i s in ambition of b rin g in g the whole country under h is r u le .
While our lo r d Mi tsuhide i s devoted in the discharge o f h is d u tie s f a r the Oda fa m ily 's sake . Lord Harunaga doe s not g iv e ea rs to h is good a d v ice s , but fo llo w s those o f th at u p s ta rt H isayosh i . As th in gs are lik e t h is , I am a fr a id the Oda fa m ily w i l l soon d e c lin e .
Misao: Sakubei: Misao: Kik y o : Mi sao: K ikyo: \
D on't say such a th in g . You must not overestimate th e i nfluence of Hisayoshi . What do you say to i t , Sakubei-dono eh?
Yes in d eed ! Our master Mi t suhide l e f t h i s f i e f in the prov in ce o f Tamba and sta tion ed his troops a t the fo o t o f Mt. Atago. He was goin g to s t a r t fo r
Chugoku w ith the o b je c t o f a tta ck in g the fo r c e s o f Mori as the successor o f Hi sayosh i . Wh ile i t
incu rred Harunag a 's displeasure and Master Mitsuhide was placed in confinement f o r some tim e, today he was adm itted to Lord Haru n a g a 's presence by the god
o f f i c e s o f those c lo s e to the lo rd and went to the mansion. During the m aster's absence we are holding
t h is p o e try me e t in g to k i l l tim e. I am sure the m aster w i l l be a llo w ed to accompany the lo rd and s t a r t f o r Chugoku. T h erefore se t y o u r s e lf a t e a s e ,
Madame.
I think so, too, but I am anxious how about the l o r d 's temper; I hear he i s o f f ie r c e character, you see.
(Thereupon Kikyo makes her appearance.) Here you are S is te r ?
Oh, K ik yo-d ono! What i s i t ?
Y es, S is t e r . B rother to ld me to hand th is l e t t e r to Saku b ei-dono.
16
-Joha:
(Kikyo hands the l e t t e r to Sakubei . He r eads i t ) . I am afraid something seriou s mig h t happen.
Sakubei: This l e t t e r orders us to withdraw to Yam ashiro. Misao: Then, we mu st make h a s te .
Sakubei: A l l r ig h t , Madame. Excuse me.
Joha: B y the way , Kikyo-dono, what i s our lo r d doing in the back?
Kikyo: Brother i s reading books in his s i t t i n g room. Joha: I s that so? On my way here today I he ard th at
our lo r d had been put to shame in the presence o f Harunaga. I mean t i t . I t i s r e a l l y inhuman th at Harunaga should in s u lt our lo r d in p u b lic , w h ile i t i s a well known f a c t t ha t he is one o f the moot m erito riou s r e t a in e r s in the Oda fa m ily . N o w
that Harunaga sees only the u p start H isayoshi w ith a favou rab le view without takin g the god a d v ices o f other r e t a in e r s , our l o r d 's excellent
ta le n ts would be l e f t to ru st fo r him to continue to render s e rv ic e to that a tro c io u s Harunaga. Now
th in gs have come to th is , i f our lo r d r a is e the standard o f r e v o l t a g a in s t Harunaga, mo s t o f those war lo rd s in the country who have grudge against
the Oda fa m ily would su rely support him. I hope you w i l l persuade our lo rd .
17 -Misao: Joha: V oice: Mi s ao: Kik y o : Vo i ce : Asayama: The two: Misao: Asao:
I would do about a nyth in g except th a t.
The very hearing about the ma t t e r makes me provoking are you not m o rtifie d ?
(Mi s ao remains s i l e n t )
Now th in gs hav e come to such a pass, I must say i t d i r e c t l y to the lo r d . Plague on i t !
(Joha e x i t s )
A le g a te i s comin g .
Oh, as the lo r d ’ s le g a te i s coming, p lea se inform my husband o f i t , Kikyo-dono!
Y e s , I s e e .
(Ki kyo e x i t s to the back. Misa o r e c e iv e s the l e g a t e . )
Here i s , the l o r d 's l e g a t e !
( Thereu[ on Asayama Taso makes h is appearance w ith Harunaga's l e t t e r in the pocket. Nagao Yataro fo llo w s ca rry in g the box o f Hi y o s h ima r u .)
I have come as an urgent le g a te o f Lord Harunaga. The name is Asayama Taso.
Nagao: Nagao Ya ta ro i s here as an a tten d an t. Here w e a r e .
O h , I see. Thank you f o r your tro u b le f o r havi ng come a l l the way at t h is time o f n ig h t.
The n.
18 Mitsuhide: A s a y a ma: Nagao: Asayama: M itsuhide Asayama: Nagao: The two: Mits u h id e : K ikyo:
( The two ge t seated, when Mitsuhide appears) What i s the l o r d 's command?
As you know the lo r d i s o f i mp a tie n t ch aracter and I was ordered to come without a moment o f
de l ay.
I had no t ime to go back to my house and immediately cam e here as the atten dan t.
Therefore I hope you w i l l keep the l o r d's command in hea r t .
Y es, s i r .
(Thereupon the l i g h t goe s out sudde n l y . ) (Oh, i t ' s s tra n g e !
The lig h t should. Suddenly go out!
I suppose, the wind blowing down Mt. Ata go put out the l i g h t a l l o f a sudden.
Tak in g adv antage o f darkness, I w i l l change my c lo th e s . Say, Kik y o ! B ring here the th in g s I (p re v io u sly o rd ered.
( in th e b a ck room ) Yes, si r .
(Kikyo appears c a rry in g a wooden stand w ith a sword fo r haraki r i on i t , and put i t in fro n t o f Mits u h id e . Mitsuhide takes o f f h i s ov e rc o a t and p rep ares to comm i t h araki r i . )
19 M itsu hide: M isao: Asayama: Kikyo: Mis a o : Asayama:
( a f t e r g e t t in g ready) B ring a l i g h t , Misao! Certai n l y , s i r .
(M is a o bring a candle and makes a l i g h t ) Oh my! That fig u r e o f yours, my husband!
Oh , you have prepared to c o m m it h a r a k ir i, b efo re I was aware!
My b ro th e r had prepared f o r death. What on ea rth i s the rea son?
As might be expected from a c le v e r g e n e ra l, y ou hare adm irably made up y our mind b e fo re the f a c t . However, I hope you w i l l know the lord' s command I brought h ere. Formerly I gave you the provinces o f Tamba and Om i a p p re c ia tin g yo u r d is tin g u is h ed s e rv ic e s , but th is time I w i l l revoke your f i e f on account o f some circumstances In stead , you may take e it h e r o f the p rovin ces I zumo or Iwami as your f i e f . I order the above mentioned to my r e t a in e r Takech i M itsuhide.
M itsuhide: Of course, I expected something l i k e that b e fo re I re c e iv e the ord er. That i s why I made up my
mind to k i l l my s e l f . How could I save my honour having been c o n fis c a te d my former f i e f ? Say, my w if e , I wish you w i l l hold a mass fo r the repose o f my sou l .
20
M
i sao: Then, y our disgrace was caused by my h a ir I cut t he othe r day f o r y our sake !
(weeps ) .
K ikyo: What a p i t y ! I am overwhelmed w ith g r i e f e n te rin g in to your fe e lin g s .
Mits u h i de: I t does not look w e ll out o f resp ec t to the two p erson s. Now. Mr . Nago! The sword Hiy o s h imaru you re c e iv e d from the lo r d had form erly bel onged
to Sato M ichize and I p re v io u sly expressed my d esire to g e t i t , but Lord Harunaga took no
n oti c e o f i t . Now that I am com m itting h a r a k ir i, I s h a ll be g la d i f you w i l l a s s is t i t w ith that swo rd . Nagao: With th is sword I re c e iv e d from the lo r d , then?
M itsuhide: P lea se take my request fo r the sake of fe llo w -f e e lin g o -f samura i . N a g a o
: A ll r i g h t . Here i s the sword. (draws the sword) This i s Hiyoshimaru. You had b e tte r look a t i t w e ll. M itsuhi d e: Oh, th is i s su rely H iyoshimaru as th e p oin t is
golden! I have the s a t is fa c t io n o f le a v in g from the w orld now. I should l i k e to present my l a s t poem
t o Lord H a ru n a g a . S a y , K ik y o , b r in g h e r e th e le tte r -d e s k .
Kik y o : Cer t ain ly , si r .
(Kikyo b rin gs the desk, an ink-case and s t r in g o f paper. Mi sao and Kikyo seem sorry to p a r t, but M
i t s u h i de urges them to lea ve the scen e. The two e x i t . Mitsuhide w r ite s h is l a s t poem upon the s t r in g o f paper. )
21
-M itsu hide: Please g iv e my sin cere r e gards to Lord Harunaga. (He shows the p oet. Taso sees i t . )
Asayama: I t i s Ap r i l now.
Nagao: And the time has come.
M itsuhide: Now i t i s the time that r i g h t s and wrongs are brought to lig h t !
( Thereupon the sound of war-drum com es within h e a r in g .)
The t wo: What does the drum mean M itsuhide : Now I have my day. The t wo : Eh !
(Mi t suhide throws h is dagger a t Taso. Yataro t r i e s to stab a t Mi t suhide, but Mi tsuhide d ep rives him o f the sword and s tr ik e him to death.
Thereupon Mi ts u h id e's r e t a in e r s run out in armour.) Sakubei: H e r e is a r e p o r t , L o r d !
M itsuhi de: Oh, Sakubei ! Have you g o t ready f o r the n igh t ra id ?
Sakubei: Ye s, sure! Under L o rd 's command we are goin g t o surround the Honnoji temple th ick and t h r e e - fo ld and a tta ck h o tly a t one tim e. They w i l l be taken by su rprise and most o f them w i l l f a l l f ig h t in g . We stand a go od chance o f success. You had b e t t e r s t a r t im m ediately, L ord !
22
M itsuhide: W ell sa id ! Now I w i l l take the f i e l d . Saku b e i: ( ca l l s towards the l e f t sid e )
L o r d is s ta rtin g now!
(Thereupon the n oise o f taking the f i e l d comes w ith in h e a r in g .)
M itsuhide: Come nearer, Mitsuhide!
(Sakubei steps forw ard. Mitsuhi de holds h is sword.)
M itsuhide: Ha, ha, h a
---(The two sm iles lo o k in g a t ea ch o t h e r .)
