back!" roared Shu[u]zen. "Rub salt into the cuts. Next time
the tender surface will force at least words from his lips." But he
underestimated his man. Bound to a stake, with arms behind, kneeling on
the sharp grids, Jinnai hugged the stones--five, six, seven--Chu[u]dayu
leaped down to aid the _do[u]shin_ in pressing down the weight of nearly
eight hundred pounds resting between chin and doubled hams. The body of
Jinnai grew lobster red, his lips were tinged with bloody foam and gouts
appeared. The hours passed. The black colour of the feet rose upwards.
Then the sign was given and the man taken away in a dead faint, without
the utterance of word or groan.

Thus the game went on. Now it was the lobster. Aoyama would not go to
the prison, nor miss the sight. For a whole morning with curiosity he
watched the progress of the torture. Jinnai lay on a mat. Arms pulled
tight to the shoulders and behind the back, the legs drawn together in
the front and dragged up to the chin. The body at first had the dark red
of a violent fever, but the sweat which covered it was cold as ice. Then
the colour darkened to a purple, changed to an ominous blackish green.
Suddenly it began to whiten. In alarm the doctor ordered relief. With
wrath Shu[u]zen rose from his camp chair close by; still no confession.

What was suspension to this? Jinnai hung limp as a dangling fish from
the beam. Arms drawn behind his back and upward to the shoulders, a
weight added to the feet made any movement of the limbs agony to the
whole body. It was a sort of prolonged crucifixion. When blood began to
ooze from the toes again removal was ordered. Of the latter part of the
torture Jinnai knew little. He was unconscious. This hardy body of his
was adding to his torments. Even Shu[u]zen could not help admiring this
obstinate courage. He would try one other means--flattery; genuine in
its way. "Useless the torture, Jinnai, as is well known with such a
brave man. But why prolong this uselessness? Done in the performance of
official duty, yet it is after all to our entertainment. Make confession
and gain the due meed of the fear of future generations, their
admiration and worship of such thorough paced wickedness. Surely Jinnai
is no ordinary thief. Shu[u]zen never can be brought to believe him
such." He spoke the last somewhat in scorn. At last Jinnai was touched
with anger. He opened eyes, and, for the first time, mouth--"Aoyama Dono
speaks truth. But why regret pas