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Updated: May 27, 2025
At last Shônosuké, with a vigorous kick, raised the football; but, having missed his aim, it went tumbling over the wall into the next garden, which belonged to one Hikosaka Zempachi, a teacher of lance exercise, who was known to be a surly, ill-tempered fellow. "Oh, dear! what shall we do?" said Shônosuké.
"Sir," answered Tsunéhei, with tears of gratitude for his lord's kindness, "from my heart I thank you for your great goodness; but I have been insulted and trampled upon, and, if I lay down my life in the attempt, I will repay Zempachi for what he has this day done." "Well, then, since you needs must be revenged, go and fight, and may success attend you!
"This Zempachi is heartless and cruel, and if you go to his house will assuredly kill you; take, therefore, these fifty riyos, and fly to Osaka or Kiôto, where you may safely set up in business."
At last Zempachi, losing his temper, began fighting less carefully, so that Tsunéhei found an opportunity of cutting the shaft of his spear. Zempachi then drew his sword, and two of his retainers came up to assist him; but Tsunéhei killed one of them, and wounded Zempachi in the forehead.
I am almost afraid to ask pardon for my carelessness; but please forgive me, and let me have the ball." "I thought your master, Shôzayémon, was to blame for this; but it seems that it was you who kicked the football." "Yes, sir. I am sure I am very sorry for what I have done. Please, may I ask for the ball?" said Tsunéhei, bowing humbly. For a while Zempachi made no answer, but at length he said
But Zempachi, growing more and more angry, called one of his servants, and said to him "That fellow, Tsunéhei, has been most insolent: go next door and find out Shôzayémon, and tell him that I have ordered you to bring back Tsunéhei, that I may kill him." So the servant went to deliver the message. In the meantime Tsunéhei went back to his master's house; and when Shônosuké saw him, he said
When Shôzayémon saw and examined the sword, he admired it greatly, and said, "This is indeed a beautiful blade, and one on which you may rely. Take it, then, and bear yourself nobly in the fight; only remember that Zempachi is a cunning spearsman, and be sure to be very cautious."
"Ha! so you have come back; and now for your insolence, this day I mean to kill you with my own hand." "Insolent yourself!" replied Tsunéhei. "Beast, and no Samurai! Come, let us see which of us is the better man." Furiously incensed, Zempachi thrust with his spear at Tsunéhei; but he, trusting to his good sword, attacked Zempachi, who, cunning warrior as he was, could gain no advantage.
As they were talking, the messenger arrived from Zempachi, demanding the surrender of Tsunéhei, on the ground that he had insulted him: to this Shônosuké replied that his father was away from home, and that in his absence he could do nothing.
Zempachi, not used to anything but flattery and coaxing, flew into a violent rage at this; and while he was thinking how he would revenge himself upon any one who might be sent to ask for the lost ball, Tsunéhei came in, and said to one of Zempachi's servants "I am sorry to say that in my lord's absence I took his football, and, in trying to play with it, clumsily kicked it over your wall.
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