said he, “just now, when I was fighting, I struck Banzayemon more than once, and without effect.  How could that have been?” Then they looked at his sword, which had fallen by his side, and saw that the edge was all broken away.  More than ever they felt indignant at the baseness of Banzayemon’s heart, and redoubled their kindness to Sanza; but, in. spite of all their efforts, he grew weaker and weaker, until at last his breathing ceased altogether.  So they buried the corpse honourably in an adjoining temple, and wrote to Sanza’s wife and son, describing to them the manner of his death.

Now when Sanza’s wife, who had long been anxiously expecting her husband’s return, opened the letter and learned the cruel circumstances of his death, she and her son Kosanza mourned bitterly over his loss.  Then Kosanza, who was now fourteen years old, said to his mother—­

“Take comfort, mother; for I will go to Yedo and seek out this Banzayemon, my father’s murderer, and I will surely avenge his death.  Now, therefore, make ready all that I need for this journey.”

And as they were consulting over the manner of their revenge, Umanosuke, the son of Umanojo, whom Sanza had slain, having heard of the death of his father’s enemy, came to the house.  But he came with no hostile intent.  True, Sanza had killed his father, but the widow and the orphan were guiltless, and he bore them no ill-will; on the contrary, he felt that Banzayemon was their common enemy.  It was he who by his evil deeds had been the cause of all the mischief that had arisen, and now again, by murdering Sanza, he had robbed Umanosuke of his revenge.  In this spirit he said to Kosanza—­

“Sir Kosanza, I hear that your father has been cruelly murdered by Banzayemon at Yedo.  I know that you will avenge the death of your father, as the son of a soldier should:  if, therefore, you will accept my poor services, I will be your second, and will help you to the best of my ability.  Banzayemon shall be my enemy, as he is yours.”

“Nay, Sir Umanosuke, although I thank you from my heart, I cannot accept this favour at your hands.  My father Sanza slew your noble father:  that you should requite this misfortune thus is more than kind, but I cannot think of suffering you to risk your life on my behalf.”

“Listen to me,” replied Umanosuke, smiling, “and you will think it less strange that I should offer to help you.  Last year, when my father lay a bleeding corpse on the sea-shore, your father made a covenant with me that he would return to give me my revenge, so soon as he should have regained the stolen sword.  Banzayemon, by murdering him on the Mound of the Yoshiwara, has thwarted me in this; and now upon whom can I avenge my father’s death but upon him whose baseness was indeed its cause?  Now, therefore, I am determined to go with you to Yedo, and not before the murders of our two fathers shall have been fully atoned for will we return to our own country.”