YURANOSUKE. No, no, Yagoro. What cause of anger have we against Lord Ashikaga that we should take up arms against him? It was only my plot to test the spirit of those two, father and son. Let us deliver the mansion to Yakushiji and go each his way. We will meet again at Yamashina, near the Capital, and there open our minds to one another and consult upon our future plans. RECITATIVE. No sooner has he spoken than Jirozaemon comes out of a room. YAKUSHIJI. What, still consulting? When you have got rid of the body, make over the house at once. [Photograph: ICHIKAWA DANJURO as _Yuranosuke_] GOEMON. Yes, we have kept you waiting. Examine well before you take over our lord’s furniture and his arms and equipages. Come, let us go, Master Yuranosuke. YURANOSUKE. Yes, we will go. RECITATIVE. They quietly rise; and as the thought comes to them that they are looking for the last time to-day at the mansion where their families for generations served day and night their lord’s house, they linger and gaze back, loth to leave it. (Here the stage revolves). RECITATIVE. As they stand outside the gate, Rikiya, Yazama, Hori, Odera, and others, who escorted their lord, return running. RIKIYA AND OTHERS. Have you, then, given up the mansion? We will now wait for Tadayoshi’s troops and die fighting. YURANOSUKE. No, no. Now is not the time to die. See this, all of you. RECITATIVE. He draws and holds up his lord’s bequest. YURANOSUKE. This is the dirk, with its tip stained with our lord’s blood, on which his soul still rests thirsting for vengeance. And with this dirk we must cut off Moronao’s head and so accomplish our object. RECITATIVE. The retainers are stirred by his words. Within the mansion Yakushiji is having the gate-doors clamped. YAKUSHIJI. They are punished by Heaven for the attack on Lord Moronao. It serves them right. RECITATIVE. His servants clap their hands and laugh long and loud. The younger samurai run back to the gate, crying:— SAMURAI. Do you hear that? YURANOSUKE. Have you no wish to avenge our late lord’s death? RECITATIVE. Hearing his words, they all go out together, looking back with anger at the mansion. [Illustration: Box with leaf limb] [1] An outer coat worn by men. [2] Considered the most perfect mirror of loyalty in all Japanese history. He died fighting for the Emperor at Minatogawa in 1336. [3] A garment worn over the shoulders and tucked under the hakama. (It is worn by the envoys in the double-page illustration of this Act) ACT V. ACT V. RECITATIVE.