Shogun - Clavell James (бесплатные полные книги .TXT) 📗

"Who told you that?"

Alvito did not reply. He turned back to Toranaga.

"What was said?" Toranaga asked, breaking a silence.

Alvito told him, adding, "Though he's the enemy of my faith and a pirate, I'm glad he saved you, Sire. God moves in mysterious ways. You've honored him greatly by making him samurai."

"He's hatamoto also." Toranaga was pleasured by the priest's fleeting amazement. "Did you bring a dictionary?"

"Yes, Sire, with several of the maps you wanted, showing some of the Portuguese bases en route from Goa. The book's in my luggage. May I send someone for it, or may I give it to him later myself?"

"Give it to him later. Tonight, or tomorrow. Did you also bring the report?"

"About the alleged guns that were supposed to be brought from Macao? The Father-Visitor is preparing it, Sire."

"And the numbers of Japanese mercenaries employed at each of your new bases?"

"The Father-Visitor has requested an up-to-date report from all of them, Sire, which he will give you as soon as they're complete."

"Good. Now tell me, how did you know about my rescue?"

"Hardly a thing that happens to Toranaga-noh-Minowara is not the subject of rumor and legend. Coming from Mishima we heard that you were almost swallowed up in an earthquake, Sire, but that the 'Golden Barbarian' had pulled you out. Also, that you'd done the same for him and a lady - I presume the Lady Mariko?"

Toranaga nodded briefly. "Yes. She's here in Yokose." He thought a moment, then said, "Tomorrow she would like to be confessed, according to your customs. But only those things that are nonpolitical. I would imagine that excludes everything to do with me, and my various hatamoto, neh? I explained that to her also. " Alvito bowed his understanding. "With your permission, could I say Mass for all the Christians here, Sire? It would be very discreet, of course. Tomorrow?"

"I'll consider it." Toranaga continued to talk about inconsequential matters for a while, then he said, "You have a message for me? From your Chief Priest?"

"With humility, Sire, I beg to say that it was a private message."

Toranaga pretended to think about that, even though he had determined exactly how the meeting would proceed and had already given the Anjin-san specific instructions how to act and what to say. "Very well." He turned to Blackthorne, "Anjin-san, you can go now and we'll talk more later."

"Yes, Sire," Blackthorne replied. "So sorry, the Black Ship. Arrive Nagasaki?"

"Ah, yes. Thank you," he replied, pleased that the Anjin-san's question didn't sound rehearsed. "Well, Tsukku-san, has it docked yet?"

Alvito was startled by Blackthorne's Japanese and greatly perturbed by the question. "Yes, Sire. It docked fourteen days ago."

"Ah, fourteen?" said Toranaga. "You understand, Anjin-san?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Good. Anything else you can ask Tsukku-san later, neh?"

"Yes, Sire. Please excuse me." Blackthorne got up and bowed and wandered off.

 Toranaga watched him go. "A most interesting man for a pirate.

Now, first tell me about the Black Ship."

"It arrived safely, Sire, with the greatest cargo of silk that has ever been." Alvito tried to sound enthusiatic. "The arrangement made between the Lords Harima, Kiyama, Onoshi, and yourself is in effect. Your treasury will be richer with tens of thousands of koban by this time next year. The quality of silks is the finest, Sire. I've brought a copy of the manifest for your quartermaster. The Captain-General Ferriera sends his respects, hoping to see you in person soon. That was the reason for my delay in coming to see you. The Visitor-General sent me post haste from Osaka to Nagasaki to make certain everything was perfect. Just as I was leaving Nagasaki we heard you'd left Yedo for Izu, so I came here as quickly as I could, by ship to Port Nimazu with one of our fastest cutters, then by road. At Mishima I fell in with Lord Zataki and asked permission to join him."

"Your ship's still at Nimazu?"

"Yes, Sire. It will wait for me there."

"Good." For a moment Toranaga wondered whether or not to send Mariko by that ship to Osaka, then decided to deal with that later. "Please give the manifest to the quartermaster tonight."

"Yes, Sire."

"And the arrangement about this year's cargo is sealed?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

"Good. Now the other part. The important part."

Alvito's hands went dry. "Neither Lord Kiyama nor Lord Onoshi will agree to forsake General Ishido. I'm sorry. They will not agree to join your banner now in spite of our strongest suggestion."

Toranaga's voice became low and cruel. "I already pointed out I required more than suggestions!"

"I'm sorry to bring bad news in this part, Sire, but neither would agree to publicly come over to-"

"Ah, publicly, you say? What about privately - secretly?"

"Privately they were both as adamant as pub-"

"You talked to them separately or together?"

"Of course together, and separately, most confidentially, but nothing we suggested would-"

"You only "suggested' a course of action? Why didn't you order them?"

"It's as the Father-Visitor said, Sire, we can't order any daimyo or any-"

"Ah, but you can order one of your Brethren? Neh?"

"Yes. Sire."

"Did you threaten to make them outcast, too?"

"No, Sire."

"Why?"

"Because they've committed no mortal sin." Alvito said it firmly, as he and dell'Aqua had agreed, but his heart was fluttering and he hated to be the bearer of terrible tidings, which were even worse now because the Lord Harima, who legally owned Nagasaki, had told them privately that all his immense wealth and influence were going to Ishido. "Please excuse me, Sire, but I don't make divine rules, any more than you made the code of bushido, the Way of the Warrior. We, we have to comply with what-"

"You make a poor fool outcast for a natural act like pillowing, but when two of your converts behave unnaturally - yes, even treacherously - when I seek your help, urgent help - and I'm your friend - you only make 'suggestions.' You understand the seriousness of this, neh?"

"I'm sorry, Lord. Please excuse me but-"

"Perhaps I won't excuse you, Tsukku-san. It's been said before: Now everyone has to choose a side," Toranaga said.

"Of course we are on your side, Sire. But we cannot order Lord Kiyama or Lord Onoshi to do anything-" "Fortunately I can order my Christian."

"Sire?"

"I can order the Anjin-san freed. With his ship. With his cannon."

"Beware of him, Sire. The Pilot's diabolically clever, but he's a heretic, a pirate and not to be trust-"

"Here the Anjin-san's a samurai and hatamoto. At sea perhaps he's a pirate. If he's a pirate, I imagine he'll attract many other corsairs and wako to him - many of them. What a foreigner does on the open sea's his own business, neh? That's always been our policy. Neh?"

Alvito kept quiet and tried to make his brain function. No one had planned on the Ingeles' becoming so close to Toranaga.

"Those two Christian daimyos will make no commitments, not even a secret one?"

"No, Sire. We tried ev-"

"No concession, none?"

"No, Sire."

"No barter, no arrangement, no compromise, nothing?"

"No, Sire. We tried every inducement and persuasion. Please believe me. " Alvito knew he was in the trap and some of his desperation showed. "If it were me, yes, I would threaten them with excommunication, though it would be a false threat because I'd never carry it through, not unless they had committed a mortal sin and wouldn't confess or be penitent and submit. But even a threat for temporal gain would be very wrong of me, Sire, a mortal sin. I'd risk eternal damnation. "

"Are you saying if they sinned against your creed, then you'd cast them out?"

"Yes. But I'm not suggesting that could be used to bring them to your side, Sire. Please excuse me but they . . . they're totally opposed to you at the moment. I'm sorry but that's the truth. They both made it very clear, together and in private. Before God I pray they change their minds. We gave you our words to try, before God, the Father-Visitor and I. We fulfilled our promise. Before God we failed."