drawing their swords, rushed into the front room to defend their
master. At this moment the Ronins, who had burst open the door of the
front hall, entered the same room. Then arose a furious fight between
the two parties, in the midst of which Chikara, leading his men
through the garden, broke into the back of the house; and Kotsuke no
Suke, in terror of his life, took refuge, with his wife and female
servants, in a closet in the verandah; while the rest of his
retainers, who slept in the barrack outside the house, made ready to
go to the rescue. But the Ronins who had come in by the front door,
and were fighting with the ten retainers, ended by overpowering and
slaying the latter without losing one of their own number; after
which, forcing their way bravely towards the back rooms, they were
joined by Chikara and his men, and the two bands were united in one.

By this time the remainder of Kotsuke no Suke's men had come in, and
the fight became general; and Kuranosuke, sitting on a camp-stool,
gave his orders and directed the Ronins. Soon the inmates of the house
perceived that they were no match for their enemy, so they tried to
send out intelligence of their plight to Uyesugi Sama, their lord's
father-in-law, begging him to come to the rescue with all the force
at his command. But the messengers were shot down by the archers whom
Kuranosuke had posted on the roof. So no help coming, they fought on
in despair. Then Kuranosuke cried out with a loud voice: "Kotsuke no
Suke alone is our enemy; let some one go inside and bring him forth.
dead or alive!"

Now in front of Kotsuke no Suke's private room stood three brave
retainers with drawn swords. The first was Kobayashi Hehachi, the
second was Waku Handaiyu, and the third was Shimidzu Ikkaku, all good
men and true, and expert swordsmen. So stoutly did these men lay about
them that for a while they kept the whole of the Ronins at bay, and at
one moment even forced them back. When Oishi Kuranosuke saw this, he
ground his teeth with rage, and shouted to his men: "What! did not
every man of you swear to lay down his life in avenging his lord, and
now are you driven back by three men? Cowards, not fit to be spoken
to! to die fighting in a master's cause should be the noblest ambition
of a retainer!" Then turning to his own son Chikara, he said, "Here,
boy! engage those men, and if they are too strong for you, die!"

Spurred by these words, Chikara seized a spear and gave ba