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Read Ebook: Barbara Lynn: A Tale of the Dales and Fells. by Jenkinson Emily J
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Ebook has 1886 lines and 87219 words, and 38 pages
THE QUEST OF THE SWORD THE TRAGEDY OF KESA GOZEN THE SPIRIT OF THE LANTERN THE REINCARNATION OF TAMA THE LADY OF THE PICTURE URASATO, OR THE CROW OF DAWN TSUBOSAKA LOYAL, EVEN UNTO DEATH; OR THE SUGAWARA TRAGEDY HOW KINU RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE A CHERRY-FLOWER IDYLL THE BADGER-HAUNTED TEMPLE
Mortally wounded, both men fell to the ground, and so fatal had been Jurobei's thrusts that in a few minutes they breathed their last
The unhappy mother sadly followed with her eyes the pathetic little figure disappearing on her unknown path
Gunbei had watched the execution of his cruel order from the veranda
Yendo draws his sword, when between him and the victim of his vengeance there darts the lovely Kesa
Wataru little dreams that it is the last cup his wife will ever drink with him
To his unspeakable horror and amazement the moonlight reveals the head of Kesa--his love!
His grandfather had been a retainer of Ota Dokan ... and had committed suicide when his lord fell in battle
He was suddenly startled to see a girlish form coming towards him in the wavering shadows
Hayashi visits the temple where his lost love was buried and dedicates his whole life to praying for the repose of her soul
"When I was eighteen years of age, bandits ... made a raid on our village and ... carried me away"
When the bride was led into the room and seated opposite Toshika, what was his bewildering delight to see that she was ... the lady-love of his picture
Urasato's escape from the Yamana-Ya
As she spoke, Urasato leaned far out over the balcony, the picture of youth, grace and beauty
O Tatsu ... took her stand behind Urasato, and with deft fingers put the disordered coiffure to rights
There in the grey light of the breaking dawn, she could see the lifeless form of her husband stretched upon the ground
"Listen, Sawaichi!" said the Heavenly Voice, "Through the faith of your wife and the merits of her accumulated prayers, your lives shall be prolonged"
"This is the head of Kanshusai, the son of the Lord Sugawara!"
The box, which served her as a shield, was speedily cut in two, and there appeared, unfolding and fluttering in the breeze, a little winding-sheet and a sacred banner for the dead
"No, no," said Matsuo ... "this is not the body of my boy. We are going to bury our young lord!"
From earliest times Kinu and Kunizo were accustomed to play together
Her ghastly face and blood-stained garments struck terror to the souls of the petrified spectators
Kunizo, almost beside himself with happiness, did his utmost to minister to his beloved lady
Suddenly a young girl appeared from the gloom as if by magic!
An old priest suddenly appeared ... staff in hand and clad in ancient and dilapidated garments
What was the young man's astonishment to see a pretty young girl standing just within the gate
In one of the dark corners of the temple-chamber, they came upon the dead body of an old, old badger
THE QUEST OF THE SWORD
His old widowed mother would not die happy unless he were rehabilitated, and to this end he knew that she and his faithful wife, O Yumi, prayed daily before the family shrine.
How often had he racked his brains to find some way by which it were possible to prove his unchanging fidelity to Shusen; for the true big-hearted fellow never resented his punishment, but staunchly believed that the ties which bound him to his lord were in no wise annulled by the separation.
Like a faithful watchdog, alert and anxious, jurobei had followed Shusen at a distance, unwilling to let him out of his sight at this critical time, for Gunbei Onota was the sworn enemy of Shusen Sakurai. Bitter envy of his rival's popularity, and especially of his senior rank in the Daimio's service, had always rankled in the contemptible Gunbei's mind. For years he had planned to supplant him, and Jurobei knew through traitors that the honest vigilance of his master had recently thwarted Gunbei in some of his base schemes, and that the latter had vowed immediate vengeance.
Jurobei's soul burned within him as this sequence of thoughts rushed through his brain. The tempest that whirled round him seemed to be in harmony with the emotions that surged in tumult through his heart.
More than ever did it devolve on him to see that his master was properly safeguarded. To do this successfully he must once more become his retainer. So Jurobei with vehement resolution clenched his hands over the handle of his umbrella and rushed onwards.
Now it happened that same night that Gunbei, in a sudden fit of jealous rage and chagrin, knowing that his rival was on duty at the Daimio's Palace, and that he would probably return alone after night-fall, ordered two of his men to proceed to Shusen's house and to waylay and murder Shusen on his road home. Once and for all he would remove Shusen Sakurai from his path.
Meanwhile Jurobei arrived at Shusen's house, and in the heavy gloom collided violently with the two men who were lying in ambush outside the gate.
"Stop!" angrily cried the assassins, drawing their swords upon him.
Jurobei, recognizing their voices and his quick wit at once grasping the situation, exclaimed:
"You are Gunbei's men! Have you come to kill my lord?"
"Be assured that that is our intention," replied the confederates.
"I pray you to kill me instead of my lord," implored Jurobei.
"We have come for your master and we must have his life as well as yours. I have not forgotten how you cut me to pieces seven years ago. I shall enjoy paying back those thrusts with interest," returned one of them sharply.
Jurobei prostrated himself in the mud before them. "I care not what death you deal me, so long as you accept my life instead of my lord's. I humbly beg of you to grant my petition."
Instead of answering, one of the miscreants contemptuously kicked him as he knelt there.
Jurobei, whose ire was now thoroughly provoked, seized the offending leg before its owner had time to withdraw it, and holding it in a clutch like iron, inquired:
"Then you do not intend to grant my request?"
"Certainly not!" sneered the wretches.
Jurobei sprang to his feet and faced them. Without more ado they both set upon him with their weapons.
Overhead the storm increased in violence. The floodgates of heaven were opened, peals of heavy thunder shook the earth with their dull reverberations, and the inky skies were riven with blinding flash upon flash of forked lightning, which lit up the dark forms and white faces of the combatants, and glinted on their swords as they parried and clashed together in mortal strife.
Now Jurobei was an expert swordsman of unusual and supple strength. He defended himself with skill and ferocity, and soon his superiority began to tell against the craven couple who were attacking him. It was not long before they realized that they were no match for such a powerful adversary, and turned to flee. But Jurobei was too quick for them, and before they could escape he cut them down.
Mortally wounded, both men fell to the ground, and so fatal had been Jurobei's thrusts that in a few minutes they breathed their last.
Jurobei raised a jubilant face heavenwards and thanked the gods for the victory. He had rescued his master from death. He felt that the sacrifices that he and O Yumi had made in the past--the breaking up of the old home and the parting from their baby-daughter and the old mother--had not been in vain. The prescience, which had warned him that evil was hanging over Shusen, and which had made him so restless and uneasy of late, had been fulfilled, and he had forestalled the dastardly intention of the treacherous Gunbei and his two scoundrels.
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