Thus licensed, Ishida lost no time in perfecting his plans--as anticipated by Ieyasu, perchance encouraged by another still higher in authority. Hideyasu and his troops, at all events, had as expeditiously returned to Fushima, and no restraint of whatsoever kind hindered or enlightened the supposed past-master now snugly domiciled at Sawayama. Konishi, and others, including a portion of the captains, stood behind Ishida; Takiyama, as many daimyos, and the remaining captains, supported Ieyasu: thus Christianity had been split, and found itself uncharitably enrolled, each side preparing to battle ostensibly for the same cause, an avowed safeguarding of Hideyori's interests, but in reality the preservation of an established religion, Buddhist or Shintoist, whichever it were. No one, however, so much as mentioned religion in connection with the impending crisis; none professed to seek political mastery; social conditions were apparently satisfactory, but the war fever spread and the cry of everybody alike at once became, "Preserve the taiko's government." The princess verily laughed, and Ieyasu, Buddhist incarnate, withdrew from the council and began concentrating his forces at Yedo. Ishida, professing Christianity, mobilized around Sawayama, and their respective forces stood nearly equal. Thence Yodogima, observant of every move, uninfluenced by their claims or their charges, gathering and neutralizing every malcontent, secure in her possessions and peaceably inclined, quietly looked on and the nation applauded. "You are a dear, sweet child, Hideyori, and your mother just worships you, lives only for you and yours," whispered she, half to herself and half to the snuggling, confiding boy; who had grown, already, into a fine, dapper little chap, with the form and dash of a Taira. The mother, like others, no doubt admired her son, but over and above this motherly instinct there developed and ripened a determination to live in him, to attain by and through him an ideality in keeping with his lineage and their progression. Through her he had inherited the manlier traits: sobriety and the colder forces of an harmonious fellowship should come of a careful tutoring, such as none else than Harunaga could give; he, installed, as personal instructor, immediately Yodogima had compromised upon Kitagira's appointment for guardian, would attend the pleasure only of a mother rightly judged, measure truly a child's really inborn inheritance. "How good it is to feel that one's energies are not directed aimlessly," cogitated she, drawing the child close in her arms. "I can now understand what it is to love intelligently. Yes, with precision. The primal instincts are only foundation stones upon which to rear a superstructure in keeping with our destiny. A mother's love shorn of the father's ambition resolves an anomaly. I must have verity."