Ishida shifted uneasy. "They say he was, once, in love with the princess." "Love! He's too cold for that: I should sooner think him in quest of the treasure stored away there, at Ozaka, in Maeda's keep." "Do you know," continued Ishida, without further reference to Yodogima, "that two of them, Ieyasu and Maeda, united, are competent and capable of doing about as they like? They must be antagonized, and you and I shall do it; ally yourself with the former, and I will attend the latter." "But Yodogima is friendly to both of them, in some measure." "So much the better, for Oyea is as hot against her, and if we fail at the one, why, then we have a surer remedy." Thus they separated, and Ishida calling at the castle convinced Maeda that it were high time for Ieyasu to pay his respects to Hideyori, their rising superior. Maeda, the guardian, without any suspicion as to motive or consultation with Yodogima, issued the invitation, and Masuda as soon advised Ieyasu that Maeda plotted to kill him. "Maeda harm me? There must be some mistake," replied Ieyasu, a bit puzzled, but not the least shaken. "There can be none, however, about this letter," suggested Masuda, producing one, in the hand of its supposed writer. "Perhaps my lord is familiar with the handwriting. It was intercepted between Yodogima, the mother, and his grace, the good guardian--can your lordship unravel the meaning, to some better purpose?" Ieyasu turned pale. Though understanding well enough its purport, somehow the chirography did not exactly satisfy him, and wheeling round toward Esyo--who of late had made it her business to sojourn mostly between Fushima, Ieyasu's recently adopted domicile, and Azuchi, Oyea's deserted or despised hearth--Ieyasu--grandfather to Kita, Esyo's first born, a daughter--significantly asked: "Who wrote it, Esyo?" Esyo stammered; for once she had been taken unawares: "Perhaps Jokoin might know. Shall I call her; she is close by, engaged just now with Takiyama; you know he is quite friendly--" "No; I would rather not put her to the test, as I did you, my daughter. But where is her husband, Kyogoku?" "Oh, he's at Ozaka; preferred Kitagira and the shrine to his wife and a church; though Maeda, really, distrusts them both; poor, lonely soul; he's about the only Christian left there; a pleasing enough circumstance to Yodogima, I presume, now that she's a favorite among the captains and the bearer of a--" "Cannot you control your tongue? Now Kita, your own daughter, shall marry Hideyori, as I command. Go hence." "Where to, Azuchi?" "If you like; I can do quite well without either of you." "Perhaps."