Harakiri Page #4

- Of what good is that now?

- Indeed, sire.

But how shall we deal with him?

I doubt he intends

to meekly disembowel himself.

He obviously has something

up his sleeve.

Whatever it is...

he won't get away with it.

We'll force his hand

and make him commit harakiri.

In fact, if he refuses,

we'll descend upon him in force

and cut him down.

What happens within the walls

of this compound...

is as secret as what happens

behind the walls of our castle back home.

One signal from me

and everyone will know what to do.

But I'm bothered

about Hikokuro and the other two.

I need to send someone

to find out more...

and under the circumstances,

I'd like you to personally hurry

and find out the real story.

Master Tsugumo...

summer days are long,

but the hour advances.

I must ask you to proceed

without furither delay.

But, Counselor,

the ritual cannot take place

without a second.

I understand your concern,

but I've discussed the matter

with my senior colleagues.

With all three men of your choice ailing,

we cannot accommodate your wishes.

You will have to accept our selection.

Ichiro Shinmen!

I command you to serve

as second for Master Tsugumo.

Perform your duty with care.

I must protest!

To act as my second,

I have named

three specially selected men.

I must have one of these three.

Are you deaf?

All three you name are ill

and are not present today.

I explained this very clearly.

Did you not hear?

Then in that case,

I have no choice.

I must call off my harakiri for now.

Enough, Hanshiro Tsugumo!

Your extorition scheme

has gone too far.

It's bad enough to march in here

demanding a place to perform harakiri,

but then you quibble endlessly

over naming your second.

You never intended to commit harakiri.

All you really want is money!

Counselor!

If I were the extoritionist you say,

would I be calmly sitting here

on this platform?

- Then why do you not quietly proceed?

- I am fully prepared to die.

But cutting my belly open

does not in itself

ensure smooth passage

to the netherworld.

I need someone to expeditiously

strike off my head -

a swordsman of reliable skill.

I do not perform harakiri

to atone for a crime or offense.

The least I can expect

is to choose my own second.

Furither debate on the matter

is clearly a waste of time.

You are a fraud,

a disgrace to our class.

You never intended

to commit harakiri.

Insolent dog!

Stop!

Wait!

Wait, I say!

I beg of all those present

a moment - a brief moment.

You can't possibly have more to say.

But I do.

I do have more to say.

I haven't finished my story.

I have no ears

for your endless ramblings.

Counselor!

If you force me to,

I will fight desperately to the death,

no matter the odds against me.

Some of your men

will be wounded undeservedly.

Some may even lose their lives.

Would it not be better

to simply hear me out?

Once I have finished my story,

I will disembowel myself

with no furither ado.

Or if you feel harakiri

is too good for me,

you may turn your men on me

to do what they will.

In any event,

I would first like you to hear

what I have to say.

As to these conditions you state,

do I have your word?

You have my word.

And as a samurai,

you will hold true to it?

Very well,

but make it shorit.

I will not listen

to your useless mutterings for long.

Men, fall back.

Now, where was I?

Oh, yes.

My master's house fell

and Jinnai Chijiiwa died,

but before doing so,

he asked me to look after Motome.

When my master's house fell...

we immediately left the domain

and moved to Edo.

The streets of Edo

were crowded with ronin,

flotsam from the Battle of Sekigahara.

In former times,

other clans would have gladly taken in

any ronin who'd earned a name for himself.

But in an era no longer in need

of warriors or horses,

so peaceful that no wind

even rustled the leaves on the trees,

it was a constant struggle

simply to find a meal.

Indeed, it shames me to recall

our miserable lives

of these last eight or nine years.

But amidst all our hardships...

my daughter Miho

was rapidly becoming a woman,

and soon it was

the spring of her 18th year.

Father.

I've set your lunch out

in case I'm not back in time.

The greatest delicacies

taste of nothing when eaten alone.

If you're not back, I'll wait.

I'll collect for these and then stop

by Yoshizakicho for dried fish.

Hello.

Welcome, sir.

Busy as usual?

Looks like you're on your way out.

Yes, to the wholesaler

in Kyobashi.

The Mikawaya, I suppose.

Take care.

Experience is the best teacher.

You've become very deft at that.

Forgive me.

I hate asking you

for advances all the time,

but my earnings

simply refuse to catch up.

You disarm me

by beating me to the punch.

I came intending

to lodge a complaint or two,

but when you make the first move,

what can I say?

By the way,

what are your thoughts

on that matter I raised the other day?

Have you come to a decision?

Yes, I have.

Glad to hear it.

It takes a load off my mind.

No.

I appreciate your proposal

regarding Miho,

but I've decided to decline.

In the end, her adoption

by the Joshuya family

would be a mere pretext

lasting perhaps six months.

Once established

as a member of their family,

she'd be sent to Lord Sakakibara

as his concubine.

Master Tsugumo,

the Sakakibara are a family

with a domain of 110,000 koku.

It may sound odd to seek benefit

from your daughter's connections,

but you need do nothing,

and doors will open to you.

I understand that.

But, Master Seibei,

no matter how far I've fallen,

I cannot make my daughter a concubine

to profit from her connections.

It's fine to uphold your pride.

But as a parent, you must consider

your daughter's feelings too.

What?

She's young and beautiful,

yet she doesn't have

a single fancy kimono to wear.

She can only look forward to endless days

of slaving at her father's side.

Master Tsugumo,

you can't fight the world you live in

nor go against

the tide of the times.

It's a good proposal for Miss Miho,

and for you,

no matter how you look at it.

In fact, to be honest,

is it not precisely because Miss Miho

was blessed with such beauty

that an avenue like this

remains open to you?

Confucius said:

"He who knows not the will of heaven

is not a superior man."

"He who knows not proper decorum

must not rise to his feet."

"He who knows not the heart of words

cannot know the heart of man. "

That will be all for today.

Thank you, sir. Good-bye.

Hey, Katsuzo,

let's go sparrow hunting today.

Hello, Uncle Hanshiro.

It's good to see you.

Have some tea.

Much obliged.

I know this house well enough

to at least boil water.

As it happens, Motome,

I came today to discuss

a matter of some weight.

You sound so formal.

What could it be?

How quickly the days

and months fly by.

Miho is now 18.

She looks more

like her mother every day.

In fact, it's hard to see

how she could possibly be of my blood.

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