te. His master could do worse, if
enough angered. He hesitated--"Hai!" Quoth Shu[u]zen--"'Hai' is no
answer. Has the horse power of human speech?" Kakunai put his hand to
his head, then turned to Kage, who was obstinately silent. He gave him
as hard a blow on the neck as he dared, without result. "The Tono Sama
has heard the tale; as has this Kakunai. His head in a whirl, Kakunai
knows not whether it be true or not. By an humble groom such matters are
not understood. To report idle gossip or the illusions of one's brain,
savours of impudence. Deign the question in person. Kage refuses answer
to this Kakunai."

Thus skilfully he lied. Kage eyed him with approval; Shu[u]zen with some
doubt. He turned to the horse--"Kage, it is said you speak. Shu[u]zen is
the master. Answer without lying." Kage spoke, indifferent to rank and
without circumlocution of polite society--"'Tis so; and just as does a
human being. Truly Shu[u]zen Sama has supplied a most foul smelling
place to learn the art." Abe Shiro[u]goro[u] snickered--"Kage Dono is
too precise. Would he learn the art of converse over his master's
wine?"--"Not unwillingly," replied the nag. "But in any case he would
have Isuke and this lazy groom make better and more frequent use of
broom and bucket. The good offices of Abe Dono are requested." By this
retort courteous the two noblemen were silenced and amused. Uncertain as
to the course of further converse with the beast Okumura made
salutation, mounted and departed homewards. As he gave the horse into
the groom's charge he said--"It is for Kakunai to keep in mind the words
of Kage." As he vigorously applied broom and water to the stall and
vicinity of the favoured animal, Kakunai mentally determined that on the
whole Shu[u]zen Dono was the more dangerous of the two. Hence-forward he
would be careful to remember all that Kage said--and make report.

CHAPTER VII

THE LUCK OF OKUMURA SHU[U]ZEN

The first efforts of Shu[u]zen at solving this mystery were not overly
successful. A _samurai_, he betook himself to the highest exponent of
the caste cult. In search of illumination he hit upon Hayashi Daigaku no
Kami Dono. This man, learned in all the lore of Morokoshi (China), head
of the certified institute of letters--the University--could but confess
his ignorance--vicariously. Rats nesting in the tails of horses formed
part of the experience of books, but not of that of men. Of talking
horses there was no authenticat