RECITATIVE. As he places them before him, Gihei changes colour. GIHEI. If these are the thanks that you cannot express in words........ Come, I did not take all this trouble at the risk of my life to receive a present from you. Despising me as a merchant, you think to throw money in my face. YURANOSUKE. No, we are taking leave of this world; you will by virtue of the relation from a former existence remain in it. And this present is a slight token of our good wishes as we desire you to look after Lady Kaoyo. RECITATIVE. With these words he goes out by the door, and Gihei’s anger rises still. GIHEI. Have you mistaken my spirit and disposition? You act as if you spurned me. It is abominable, it is foul. RECITATIVE. And as he kicks away the packages, they come loose and their contents are scattered on the floor. His wife rushes in. OSONO. See, these are my comb, hair-bar, and my hair that was cut off. Heavens! and this package contains the letter of divorce. GIHEI. Then, the man who cut off her hair a little while ago was........ YURANOSUKE. Oh, I sent Owashi Bungo round from the back entrance to cut off her hair at the root; and the reason was that no father would propose to give in marriage a woman whose hair is cut short like a nun’s, and still less would there be any one to take her to wife. The hair will grow in about a hundred days, and it will not be as many days before our great object is accomplished; and when we have killed our enemy, you will celebrate your reunion, when you will use the comb, hair-bar, and this hair. Until then, engage this nun and nurse for a short term of service. Her sureties shall be Owashi Bungo and Yazama Jutaro, who will guarantee to our confederates that the secret will not be revealed by her. And I will from the other world act as your go-between, Master Gihei. GIHEI. Ah, you are most kind. Thank him, wife. OSONO. You have, indeed, saved my life, sir. YURANOSUKE. Nay, there is no need to thank me. I have only repaid a very small portion of the deep debt I owe you. Master Gihei has said that he would have accompanied us, were he not a merchant. Happily, however, we have decided upon a night-attack, and when we rush into the enemy’s house, we will use your trade-name Amakawaya as our pass-word in the attack, and if one cries “Ama,” the other shall answer “Kawa.” Thus, if forty and more of us call out “Ama” and “Kawa,” it will be the same as if you were also present at the night-attack. Now we must take our leave. RECITATIVE. He leaves with his companions. [Illustration: Hair, hair-bar, and comb in a pile] [1] A name given to a child who is always crying. [2] About 10 o’clock at night. [3] A kind of macaroni. [4] About a hundred and twenty yards. ACT XI. ACT XI. RECITATIVE.