ently from Kwaiba to
Iemon, and from Iemon to Kwaiba. Iemon in delight nodded assent.
Cho[u]zaemon promptly turned his back on him and faced Kwaiba. At first
the old man was very angry at the acuteness of Cho[u]zaemon. The sharp,
free exposure did not please him. Then the idea of countering on this
acuteness made him good tempered. He grumbled--"The ten _ryo[u]_ owing
to Kwaiba at the New Year--principal and interest; such is the fee for a
successful issue." Cho[u]zaemon held up his hands in pretended
horror--"Pay back borrowed money! Is that expected by the
Kumi-gashira?"--"Not 'expected,'" put in Kwaiba promptly. "With the seal
of Akiyama San the return is assured." Cho[u]zaemon became
thoughtful--"It is true. The last loan was under seal.... Too bad....
Well! Well! The conditions are hard. Submission is necessary. The debt
will be forgiven?"--"Kibei and Iemon stand as witnesses," replied
Kwaiba--"Then how is this?" said Cho[u]zaemon. All put their heads
together. Akiyama Cho[u]zaemon went into details. Kwaiba pushed back his
cushion; slapped his thighs. "Cho[u]zaemon, you are cheap at double the
money. Just the thing! Eh, Iemon, Uji? Eh, Muko San?" All grinned a
raptured assent.

CHAPTER XI

THE PLOT DEVELOPS

For two days Iemon was maturing the preliminaries. He seemed unwell and
out of sorts. The third day he did not get up at all. O'Iwa was properly
anxious. Said she--"The change in the year is a sickly season.
Condescend to take some drug. Allow Suian Sensei to be summoned." Iemon
grumbled a dissent. She went on in her enthusiasm--"He is the very
prince of doctors. See: here is a salve he recommends; for skin and
nerves. O'Hana San, the beautiful concubine of Ito[u] Sama, uses nothing
else. He guarantees it on her praise, as means to remove blemishes of
any kind or source." Iemon looked up quickly. The connection puzzled and
did not please him. Perhaps he noted a puffiness about O'Iwa's face,
remembered a repulsion toward marital usages. The women should leave the
men to play their own game. He said gruffly--"Suian! A dealer in
cosmetics and charms. Have naught to do with his plasters and potions;
as cheats or something worse. As for O'Iwa, she is black as a farm hand
from Ryu[u]kyu[u] (Loo-choo). O'Hana is fair as the white _kiku_. Can
the pastes of Suian Sensei change black to white?" Startled, O'Iwa
looked round from the glass into which she was peering. She was taken by
surprise. In their personal