"It is with pain that I confess," continued the Prince, "that, in spite of the many defeats he has undergone, Hieyas is still the stronger; his allies increase daily. But they would rapidly diminish, and all would soon abandon him, if he should openly resist an order universally known to emanate from the Mikado." "No doubt of that," exclaimed the ministers and nobles. "What shall I do?" asked the Mikado, turning to the Prince of Nagato. "Sublime master," said the Prince, "my opinion is that you should despatch a herald to proclaim your will in every city and village; at the same time addressing to Fide-Yori and Hieyas a large deputation, charged to inform them that the war is to cease, since such is your pleasure." "Your advice shall be followed," said the Mikado; "it is good. To reward you for it, I give you the title of Nai-dai-Tsin." "Sire," cried the Prince, "I am not worthy of such an honor." "Let the envoys he sent off promptly," said the Mikado. "No more war; let us have peace and repose as of old. I feel exhausted by all these emotions," he added in a lower tone, turning to the prime minister; "it might easily kill me." They soon separated. On leaving the castle, the Prince of Nagato met a messenger in search of him. "Whence come you?" asked Iwakura. "From Nagato." Then the messenger related all the events that had occurred in that province,--the various battles, the taking of Hagui, and the capture of Fatkoura by the lord of Tosa. "What!" cried Nagato, "Fatkoura is in the hands of that scoundrel, who beheads princes! I must not delay my vengeance another moment. I will set off at once to deliver her, and make that infamous wretch pay dearly for his crimes and his impertinence." He then inquired for his little troop, anxious to learn how many the skirmish of the morning had left him. Of the two hundred sailors, eighty had been killed, and fifty wounded; about sixty being in fit condition to resume their march. Raiden's arm had been pierced by an arrow; but the bone was uninjured. The sailor had had his wound dressed, and declared that it did not pain him at all. He begged the Prince to let him go with him. "The journey will do me good," said he; "besides, there are not more than sixty of us. That's very few to capture a kingdom; and in so small a number, one man more or less counts for something." "I need twenty thousand men to march against Tosa," said the Prince; "I shall ask the Shogun to let me have them. So you see that you may well afford yourself a little rest." "Is it because I have not behaved well, that you want to drive me from you?" asked Raiden. "No, brave servant," said the Prince, smiling; "come if you will. You can stay at Osaka if your wound troubles you." "Shall we start at once?" asked the sailor.