pray for the salvation of the man she had
betrayed. On her way to the Asakusa Kwannon she passed the jail, then
near the Torigoebashi. Stumbling along just here she raised her head, to
confront the long line of rotting heads there set forth. Just facing her
was that of her ex-lover Ogita Kuro[u]ji. It took on life. The eyes
opened and glared fierce hate. The lips moved, and the teeth ground
together. Then the other heads made measured movements. "Atsu!" With the
cry she fell fainting to the ground, and it was difficult to restore
her to consciousness. For several years the half crazed beggar woman
sought alms near the jail, to act as guide and comment on the fresh
heads exposed, until as nuisance she was driven off by the guard. Then
the shameful swollen corruption of the body was drawn from the canal
close by; thus to end on the refuse heap the treachery of Cho[u]senburo
no O'Yoshi.

CHAPTER XV

THE GOD FAVOURS SHU[U]ZEN

The influence of a House close to the person of the Sho[u]gun was no
drawback to the close attention Aoyama Shu[u]zen gave to official duty
throughout his career. The Aoyama stood high in the council of the
governing power. Even an old blunderbuss like Hoki no Kami could not
shake this influence. When Yukinari tore the mirror from the hands of
the young Sho[u]gun Iyemitsu Ko[u], berated him roundly for effeminacy,
and dashed the offending object to pieces on the stones of the garden,
this wanton treatment of the prince could not be overlooked. "Invited"
to cut belly by his intimates and opponents in the council
(_ro[u]ju[u]_) he defied them, laid hand to sword, and swore they should
join him in a "dog's death." The timely entrance of O[u]kubo Hikozaemon
prevented the unseemly spectacle of three old soldiers and statesmen
enjoying the fierce and deadly pastime of one of the duels of Keicho[u]
(1596-1614). Hoki no Kami in his own way was right--and knew it; and he
had the tacit approval of Hidetada Ko[u]. The result was not _harakiri_,
but the offending noble was consigned to the care of his brother. He and
his were "extinguished"; for the time being, and to the greater glory of
his other relatives near the Sho[u]gun's person. Such was the rough
discipline in Hidetada's camp of Edo. The second Sho[u]gun, now retired
(O[u]gosho[u]--_inkyo[u]_), never lost the manners or the methods of the
battle field.

The career of Aoyama Shu[u]zen therefore was a steady rise in the
Government service; in