Shogun - Clavell James (бесплатные полные книги .TXT) 📗
"Sire?" Buntaro saw that Toranaga was keeping calm only with an enormous effort, and in spite of his will, his voice was trembling.
"I've a private message for my mother in Takato. You're to tell no one you're going there. But once you're clear of the city, cut north."
"I understand."
"Lord Zataki may prevent you from delivering it - may try to. You are to give it only into her hands. You understand? To her alone. Take twenty men and gallop there. I'll send a carrier pigeon to ask safe conduct from him. "
"Your message will be verbal or in writing, Lord?"
"In writing."
"And if I can't deliver it?"
"You must deliver it, of course you must. That's why I picked you! But . . . if you're betrayed like I've . . . if you're betrayed, destroy it before you commit suicide. The moment I hear such evil news, the Anjin-san's head is off his shoulders. And if . . . what about Mariko-san? What about your wife, if something goes wrong?"
"Please dispatch her, Sire, before you die. I would be honored if . . . . She merits a worthy second."
"She won't die dishonorably, you have my promise. I'll see to it. Personally. Now please come back at dawn for the dispatch. Don't fail me. Only into my mother's hands."
Buntaro thanked him again and left, ashamed of Toranaga's outward show of fear.
Now alone, Toranaga took out a kerchief and wiped the sweat off his face. His fingers were trembling. He tried to control them but couldn't. It had taken all his strength to continue acting the stupid dullard, to hide his unbounding excitement over the secrets, which, fantastically, promised the long-hoped-for reprieve.
"A possible reprieve, only possible - if they're true," he said aloud, hardly able to think, the astoundingly welcome information that Mariko had brought from the Gyoko woman still shrieking in his brain.
Ochiba, he was gloating, . . . so that harpy's the lure to bring my brother tumbling out of his mountain eyrie. My brother wants Ochiba. But now it's equally obvious he wants more than her, and more than just the Kwanto. He wants the realm. He detests Ishido, loathes Christians, and is now sick with jealousy over Ishido's well-known lust for Ochiba. So he'll fall out with Ishido, Kiyama, and Onoshi. Because what my treacherous brother really wants is to be Shogun. He's Minowara, with all the lineage necessary, all the ambition, but not the mandate. Or the Kwanto. First he must get the Kwanto to get the rest.
Toranaga rubbed his hands with glee at all the wonderful new possible ploys this newfound knowledge gave him against his brother.
And Onoshi the leper! A drop of honey in Kiyama's ear at the right time, he thought, and the guts of the renegade's treason twisted a little, improved modestly, and Kiyama might gather his legions and go after Onoshi with fire and sword at once. 'Gyoko's quite sure, Sire. The acolyte Brother Joseph said Lord Onoshi had whispered in the confessional that he had made a secret treaty with Ishido against a fellow Christian daimyo and wanted absolution. The treaty solemnly agreed that in return for support now, Ishido promised the day you are dead that this fellow Christian would be impeached for treason and invited into the Void, the same day, forcibly if necessary, and Onoshi's son and heir would inherit all lands. The Christian was not named, Sire.' Kiyama or Harima of Nagasaki? Toranaga asked himself. It doesn't matter. For me it must be Kiyama.
He got up shakily, in spite of his jubilation, and groped to one of the windows, leaned heavily on the wooden sill. He peered at the moon, and the sky beyond. The stars were dull. Rain clouds were building.
"Buddha, all gods, any gods, let my brother take the bait - and let that woman's whisperings be true!"
No shooting star appeared to show the message was acknowledged by the gods. No wind sprang up, no sudden cloud blanketed the crescent moon. Even if there had been a heavenly sign he would have dismissed it as a coincidence.
Be patient. Consider facts only. Sit down and think, he told himself.
He knew the strain was beginning to tell on him but it was vital that none of his intimates or vassals - thus none of the legion of loosemouthed fools or spies of Yedo - suspect for an instant that he was only feigning capitulation and playacting the role of a beaten man. At Yokose he had realized at once that to accept the second scroll from his brother was his death knell. He had decided his only tiny chance of survival was to convince everyone, even himself, that he had absolutely accepted defeat, though in reality it was only a cover to gain time, continuing his lifelong pattern of negotiation, delay, and seeming retreat, always waiting patiently until a chink in the armor appeared over a jugular, then stabbing home viciously, without hesitation.
Since Yokose he had waited out the lonely watches of the nights and the days, each one harder to bear. No hunting or laughing, no plotting or planning or swimming or banter or dancing and singing in Noh plays that had delighted him all his life. Only the same lonely role, the most difficult in his life: gloom, surrender, indecision, apparent helplessness, with self-imposed semistarvation.
To help pass the time he had continued to refine the Legacy. This was a series of private secret instructions to his successors that he had formulated over the years on how best to rule after him. Sudara had already sworn to abide by the Legacy, as every heir to the mantle would be required to do. In this way the future of the clan would be assuredmay be assured, Toranaga reminded himself as he changed a word or added a sentence or eliminated a paragraph, providing I escape this present trap.
The Legacy began: "The duty of a lord of a province is to give peace and security to the people and does not consist of shedding luster on his ancestors or working for the prosperity of his descendants . . . .
One of the maxims was: "Remember that fortune and misfortune should be left to heaven and natural law. They are not to be bought by prayer or any cunning device to be thought of by any man or self-styled saint." Toranaga eliminated ". . . or self-styled saint," and changed the sentence to end ". . . by any man whatsoever."
Normally he would enjoy stretching his mind to write clearly and succinctly, but during the long days and nights it had taken all of his self-discipline to continue playing such an alien role.
That he had succeeded so well pleased him yet dismayed him. How could people be so gullible?
Thank the gods they are, he answered himself for the millionth time. By accepting "defeat" you have twice avoided war. You're still trapped, but now, at long last, your patience has brought its reward and you have a new chance.
Perhaps you've got a chance, he corrected himself. Unless the secrets are false and given by an enemy to enmesh you further.
His chest began to ache, he became weak and dizzy, so he sat down and breathed deeply as the Zen teachers had taught him years ago. 'Ten deep, ten slow, ten deep, ten slow, send your mind into the Void. There is no past or future, hot or cold, pain or joy - from nothing, into nothing . . . .
Soon he started to think clearly again. Then he went to his desk and began to write. He asked his mother to act as intermediary between himself and his half-brother and to present an offer for the future of their clan. First, he petitioned his brother to consider a marriage with the Lady Ochiba: ". . . of course it would be unthinkable for me to do this, brother. Too many daimyos would be enraged at my 'vaulting ambition.' But such a liaison with you would cement the peace of the realm, and confirm the succession of Yaemon - no one doubting your loyalty, though some in error doubt mine. You could certainly get a more eligible wife, but she could hardly get a better husband. Once the traitors to His Imperial Highness are removed, and I resume my rightful place as President of the Council of Regents, I will invite the Son of Heaven to request the marriage if you will agree to take on such a burden. I sincerely feel this sacrifice is the only way we can both secure the succession and do our sworn duty to the Taiko. Second, you're offered all the domains of the Christian traitors Kiyama and Onoshi, who are presently plotting, with the barbarian priests, a treasonous war against all non-Christian daimyos, supported by a musket-armed invasion of barbarians as they did before against our liege lord, the Taiko. Further, you're offered all the lands of any other Kyushu Christians who side with the traitor Ishido against me in the final battle. (Did you know that upstart peasant has had the impertinence to let it be known that once I am dead and he rules the Regents, he plans to dissolve the Council and marry the mother of the Heir himself?) And in return for the above, just this, brother: a secret treaty of alliance now, guaranteed safe passage for my armies through the Shinano mountains, a joint attack under my generalship against Ishido at a time and manner of my choosing. Last, as a measure of my trust I will at once send my son Sudara, his wife the Lady Genjiko, and their children, including my only grandson, to you in Takato...."
