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

"Mariko-san? It's me - Father Alvito."

"Father? Oh, I was - I was just coming to see you. I'm leaving shortly but I wanted to talk to you before I left."

Alvito came up to her. "I'm so glad to see you, Mariko-san. Yes. I heard you were leaving. I tried to see you several times but, at the moment, I'm still forbidden the castle." Wordlessly, Mariko looked back at the beginnings of the cathedral. Alvito glanced at Brother Michael, who was also bewildered that a lady of such importance would be so scantily attended, wandering here so early and unannounced.

"You're here just to see me, Mariko-san?"

"Yes. And to see the ship leave."

"What can I do for you?"

"I wish to be confessed."

"Then let it be here," he said. "Let yours be the first in this place though the ground is barely hallowed."

"Please excuse me, but could you say Mass here, Father?"

"There's no church or altar or vestments or the Eucharist. I could do that in our chapel if you'll foil-"

"Could we drink cha from an empty cup, Father? Please," she asked in a tiny voice. "So sorry to ask. There's so little time."

"Yes," he agreed, at once understanding her.

So he walked to where the altar perhaps would be one day within the magnificent nave, under a vaulting roof. Today, the lightening sky was the roof, and birds and the sound of the surf the majestic choir. He began to chant the solemn beauty of the Mass and Brother Michael helped, and together they brought the Infinite to earth.

But before the giving of the make - believe Sacrament he stopped and said, "Now I must hear thy confession, Maria." He motioned Brother Michael away and sat on a rock within an imaginary confessional and closed his eyes. She knelt. "Before God, do-"

"Before I begin, Father, I beg a favor."

"From me or from God, Maria?"

"I beg a favor, before God."

"What is thy favor?"

"The Anjin-san's life in return for knowledge."

"His life is not mine to give or to withhold."

"Yes. So sorry, but an order could be spread among all Christians that his life is not to be taken as a sacrifice to God."

"The Anjin-san is the enemy. A terrible enemy of our Faith."

"Yes. Even so I beg for his life. In return - in return perhaps I can be of great help."

"How?"

"Is my favor granted, Father? Before God?"

"I cannot grant such a favor. It's not mine to give or to withhold. You cannot barter with God."

Mariko hesitated, kneeling on the hard earth before him. Then she bowed and began to get up. "Very well. Then please excuse-" Alvito said, "I will put the request before the Father-Visitor."

"That's not enough, Father, please excuse me."

"I will put it before him and beg him in God's name to consider your petition."

"If what I tell you is very valuable, will you, before God, swear that you will do everything in your power, everything to succor him and guard him, providing it is not directly against the Church?"

"Yes. If it is not against the Church."

"And, so sorry, you agree to put my request before the Father-Visitor?"

"Before God, yes."

"Thank you, Father. Listen then...." She told him her reasoning about Toranaga and the hoax.

Suddenly everything was falling into place for Alvito. "You're right, you must be right! God forgive me, how could I have been so stupid?"

"Please listen again, Father, here are more facts." She whispered the secrets about Zataki and Onoshi.

"It's not possible!"

"There's also a rumor that Lord Onoshi plans to poison Lord Kiyama. " "Impossible!"

"Please excuse me, very possible. They're ancient enemies."

"Who told you all this, Maria?"

"The rumor is that Onoshi will poison Lord Kiyama during the Feast of the Blessed Saint Bernard this year," Mariko said tiredly, deliberately not answering the question. "Onoshi's son will be the new lord of all Kiyama's lands. General Ishido has agreed to this, providing my Master has already gone into the Great Void."

"Proof, Mariko-san? Where's the proof?"

"So sorry, I have none. But Lord Harima's party to the knowledge. " "How do you know this? How does Harima know? You say he's part of the plot?"

"No, Father. Just party to the secret."

"Impossible! Onoshi's too close-mouthed and much too clever. If he'd planned that, no one would ever know. You must be mistaken. Who gave you this information?"

"I cannot tell you, so sorry, please excuse me. But I believe it to be true."

Alvito let his mind rush over the possibilities. And then: "Uraga! Uraga was Onoshi's confessor! Oh, Mother of God, Uraga broke the sanctity of the confessional and told his liege lord...."

"Perhaps this secret's not true, Father. But I believe it to be true. Only God knows the real truth, neh?"

Mariko had not put her veils aside and Alvito could see nothing of her face. Above, dawn was spreading over the sky. He looked seaward. Now he could see the two ships on the horizon heading southwest, the galley's oars dipping in unison, the wind fair and the sea calm. His chest hurt and his head echoed with the enormity of what he had been told. He prayed for help and tried to sort fact from fancy. In his heart he knew the secrets were true and her reasoning flawless.

"You're saying that Lord Toranaga will outmaneuver Ishido - that he'll win?"

"No, Father. No one will win, but without your help Lord Toranaga will lose. Lord Zataki's not to be trusted. Zataki must always be a major threat to my Lord. Zataki will know this and that all Toranaga's promises are empty because Toranaga must try to eliminate him eventually. If I were Zataki I'd destroy Sudara and the Lady Genjiko and all their children the moment they gave themselves into my hands, and at once I'd move against Toranaga's northern defenses. I'd hurl my legions against the north, which would pull Ishido, Ikawa Jikkyu, and all the others out of their stupid lethargy. Toranaga can be eaten up too easily, Father."

Alvito waited a moment, then he said, "Lift your veils, Maria."

He saw that her face was stark. "Why have you told me all this?"

"To save the Anjin-san's life."

"You commit treason for him, Maria? You, Toda Mariko-noh-Buntaro, daughter of the General Lord Akechi Jinsai, you commit treason because of a foreigner? You ask me to believe that?"

"No, so sorry, also - also to protect the Church. First to protect the Church, Father .... I don't know what to do. I thought you might .... Lord Toranaga is the Church's only hope. Perhaps you can somehow help him .... to protect the Church. Lord Toranaga must have help now, he's a good and wise man and the Church will prosper with him. I know Ishido's the real enemy."

"Most Christian daimyos believe Toranaga will obliterate the Church and the Heir if ever he conquers Ishido and gets power."

"He may, but I doubt it. He will treat the Church fairly. He always has. Ishido is violently anti-Christian. So is the Lady Ochiba."

"All the great Christians are against Toranaga."

"Ishido's a peasant. Toranaga-sama is fair and wise and wants trade. "

"There has to be trade, whoever rules."

"Lord Toranaga has always been your friend, and if you're honest with him, he always will be with you." She pointed to the foundations. "Isn't this a measure of his fairness? He gave this land freely - even when you failed him and he'd lost everything - even your friendship. "

"Perhaps."

"Last, Father, only Toranaga-sama can prevent perpetual war, you must know that. As a woman I ask that there be no everlasting war."

"Yes, Maria. He's the only one who could do that, perhaps."

His eyes drifted away from her. Brother Michael was kneeling, lost in prayer, the two servants nearer the shore, waiting patiently. The Jesuit felt overwhelmed yet uplifted, exhausted yet filled with strength. "I'm glad that you have come here and told me this. I thank thee. For the Church and for me, a servant of the Church. I will do everything that I have agreed."