hour of the rat
(11 P.M.) pleads excuse of illness and the doctor. This lurking
scoundrel, seeking to set half the town on fire, pleads drunkenness as
keeping him abroad. Thus many of these villainous characters, whores and
fire bugs, find field for their offenses. No more of such leniency.
Failure to arrest means dismissal from the service and punishment as an
ill-wisher. Oldest and most experienced, the greatest number of
prisoners is to be expected at your hands. Shu[u]zen shows mercy. Your
age remits the punishment, but dismissal shall afford example to the
rest as to the wisdom of showing energy." Thus he cast forth without
pity an ageing officer whose only offense was an experience which sought
the mission of the night straggler, and allowed the harmless to go free.
Ryu[u]suke went forth from the office of the _bugyo[u]_ stripped of the
means of living and of reputation, and assured of the unforgiving
character of his lord. That night he cut belly, recommending his family
to mercy. This was soon found--in debt and the debtor's slavery allowed
by the harsh code. Thus was the jail kept full, with the innocent and a
sprinkling of the guilty. No one dared to be lax; for life hung on
salary, and on zeal the continuance of the salary. Moreover all revelled
in the reward of the wine cup liberally bestowed for zealous
service--and the more liberally as Shu[u]zen took his turn with his big
cup, every time he sent down the _sake_ to his underling.

In Bakuracho[u] lived one Zeisuke, a poor but honest fellow who made his
living by peddling the smaller kinds of fish and the salted varieties,
for his trifling resources allowed no larger outlay for his trays. In
this way with greatest difficulty he managed to support an old mother, a
wife, a young child. Locally he was known as "Honest Zeisuke" for the
not often found quality of representing the antiquity and character of
his wares much as they were. When bad weather forbade the opening of the
fish market, Zeisuke readily found some task at day labour by which a
few _mon_ could be secured, and for which his character for honest
service recommended him. One night, when on his way homeward, he was
passing the Asakusa Gomon just as the cry of fire was raised. Knowing
the alarm of his aged mother Zeisuke at once bolted towards home. When
all were running toward the fire this at once attracted attention. By
the law it was the strict duty of the citizen to betake himself to his
ward,