ent: thanks.
Jubei calls later." Nimbly he was on his feet. Diving under the _haori_
into which Cho[u]bei was struggling he bounced out the front, leaving
Cho[u]bei on the ground and floundering in the folds of his garments,
from which issued most violent language. For the first time that day
O'Take and O'Haru had something to amuse them. O'Taki refusing, they
assisted Cho[u]bei to his feet and adjusted his robe. Then one on each
side of him they set out for Honjo[u] Yoshidacho[u]. As parting salute
to O'Taki, Cho[u]bei finished his sentence.... "Something to remember on
Cho[u]bei's return." Her laugh in reply was so savage that the women
turned to look at her. In fright they hastened off with their prize.

At Honjo[u] the reception of Cho[u]bei called forth the whole house.
The pimp entered the presence of Toemon with confident and jaunty air.
"He has the contract?" said Toemon to the woman. O'Haru indicated a
sleeve. The _banto[u]_ and one of the _wakashu[u]_ (young men employes)
grasped the arms of Cho[u]bei. The incriminating document was deftly
removed by O'Haru and passed over to Toemon. "Now the fellow can neither
produce it, nor play his tricks with it." He looked it over carefully;
then placed it with his own copy. Cho[u]bei was too outraged and
frightened to do more than squat and gasp as he looked around the circle
of hostile faces. Without cushion he sat on the bare _tatami_, much as
does a criminal at the white sand. Said Toemon severely--"For once
Cho[u]bei has drunk hot water with this Toemon. Does he think to act
thus with impunity. The younger sister of his brother Kanemon, 'a noted
wench for the streets,' was brought here for life service; sold to
Toemon for twenty _ryo[u]_. Toemon does not intend that the price shall
be too high for him. Cho[u]bei cannot lie out of his own contract.
Toemon has it in his hands. Cho[u]bei has the twenty _ryo[u]_. Toemon
loses his money. Well and good: Toemon clears himself from the affair.
The responsibility lies wholly with Cho[u]bei. Let him look to it."
Cho[u]bei seized the moment when lack of breath in his anger halted the
speech of Toemon. He would have lied, but Toemon again broke in.
"Cho[u]bei has no brother. Cho[u]bei has no woman to dispose of on his
own signature. The one he did have, the one he possesses, Toemon knows
where to find. Toemon had a woman O'Iwa in his house. You sold the wife
of a _go-kenin_, Iemon Dono of Yotsuya; a woman who was the heir of
Ta