XVIII. THE VOW OF VENGEANCE 129 XIX. THE POET'S BANISHMENT 132 XX. THE FORTY-SEVEN RONIN 136 XXI. THE HOME-COMING 142 XXII. A MEETING IN THE GARDEN 147 XXIII. AN UNEXPECTED CALL 153 XXIV. THE GEISHA PARTY 160 XXV. THE UNHAPPY MEETING 167 XXVI. DAIMYO'S PROCESSION 175 XXVII. SHIBUSAWA RECLAIMED 182 XXVIII. THE DAIMYO'S ARREST 188 XXIX. MAIDO'S PENALTY 199 XXX. THE EARTHQUAKE 208 XXXI. THE CHILD'S FATE 212 XXXII. RONIN RAIDS 218 XXXIII. THE RISE OF SHIBUSAWA 223 XXXIV. NEHACHIBANA'S REVENGE 232 XXXV. MOBILIZING THE SAMURAI 241 XXXVI. BATTLE OF FUSHIMA 248 XXXVII. THE TRIUMPHAL ARCH 255 XXXVIII. SAVING THE ARMADA 258 XXXIX. THE BIVOUAC 265 XL. SIEGE OF TOKYO 267 XLI. THE RESTORATION 278 APPENDIX 281 [Illustration] ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE "I TRUST YOU, HONOURABLE SIR, TO SPEAK FURTHER IF YOU SO DESIRE" _Frontispiece_ THE TWO-LIPPED CUP WAS OFFERED ... TAKARA MOISTENED HER LIPS THEREFROM, THEN PASSED IT TO THE BRIDEGROOM 62 KINSAN SAT IN DEEP THOUGHT ... WITH THE CHILD FONDLED IN HER LAP 172 THEIR STEELS RANG WITH THE PERFECTION OF THEIR MAKING 276 INTRODUCTORY That to the new the old must yield had ever been exemplified in Japan, as elsewhere, though until the time of this narrative she had not chosen earnestly to measure the test outside the confines of her own borders. The flowery kingdom of Nippon[1] did not know the world as others knew it, nor had she as yet cared to know it, for she was occupied and contented within her own sphere, hence satisfied and progressive without coming into contact with another civilisation.