At last the priest said, “I am in relations of friendship with Isahaya Buzen, the chief councillor of the Prince.  I will speak to him of you and of your loyalty, and will intercede with him that you may attain your wish.”

“Indeed, sir, I am most thankful.  I am not prompted by any vain thought of self-advancement, should I succeed:  all I wish for is the recovery of my lord.  I commend myself to your kind favour.”

“Well, then, to-morrow night I will take you with me to the councillor’s house.”

“Thank you, sir, and farewell.”  And so they parted.

On the following evening Ito Soda returned to the temple Miyo In, and having found Ruiten, accompanied him to the house of Isahaya Buzen:  then the priest, leaving Soda outside, went in to converse with the councillor, and inquire after the Prince’s health.

“And pray, sir, how is my lord?  Is he in any better condition since I have been offering up prayers for him?”

“Indeed, no; his illness is very severe.  We are certain that he must be the victim of some foul sorcery; but as there are no means of keeping a guard awake after ten o’clock, we cannot catch a sight of the goblin, so we are in the greatest trouble.”

“I feel deeply for you:  it must be most distressing.  However, I have something to tell you.  I think that I have found a man who will detect the goblin; and I have brought him with me.”

“Indeed! who is the man?”

“Well, he is one of my lord’s foot-soldiers, named Ito Soda, a faithful fellow, and I trust that you will grant his request to be permitted to sit up with my lord.”

“Certainly, it is wonderful to find so much loyalty and zeal in a common soldier,” replied Isahaya Buzen, after a moment’s reflection; “still it is impossible to allow a man of such low rank to perform the office of watching over my lord.”

“It is true that he is but a common soldier,” urged the priest; “but why not raise his rank in consideration of his fidelity, and then let him mount guard?”

“It would be time enough to promote him after my lord’s recovery.  But come, let me see this Ito Soda, that I may know what manner of man he is:  if he pleases me, I will consult with the other councillors, and perhaps we may grant his request.”

“I will bring him in forthwith,” replied Ruiten, who thereupon went out to fetch the young man.

When he returned, the priest presented Ito Soda to the councillor, who looked at him attentively, and, being pleased with his comely and gentle appearance, said—­

“So I hear that you are anxious to be permitted to mount guard in my lord’s room at night.  Well, I must consult with the other councillors, and we will see what can be done for you.”

When the young soldier heard this he was greatly elated, and took his leave, after warmly thanking Buiten, who had helped him to gain his object.  The next day the councillors held a meeting, and sent for Ito Soda, and told him that he might keep watch with the other retainers that very night.  So he went his way in high spirits, and at nightfall, having made all his preparations, took his place among the hundred gentlemen who were on duty in the prince’s bed-room.