] Sama. The papers of
transfer are these; by the hand of Kakusuke." As he took the documents,
said Kwaiba in answer to Kibei's inquiring look--"Your honoured parent
has favoured this Kwaiba. The transfer is of farms in Kazusa for others
in Shimosa. Thus all can be brought under one hand. A single _nanushi_
(bailiff) can manage the whole property in the two villages."--"But the
office...," objected Kibei. He had the _samurai_ instinct against the
slightest taint of failure in obligation. "Let Kibei San deign to follow
in the footsteps of Kwaiba. The successor to the _nanushi_ recently
deceased is a child. Kwaiba is in no haste to provide a substitute
pending majority. The right will lapse, and at majority the boy can be
found occupation elsewhere, to no small gain in the revenue. Out of
sight, out of mind. Kwaiba's present manager is unsurpassed; so is the
income he manages to gather." He looked around in some surprise, seeing
that Kakusuke still maintained his position, although dismissed. Then
noting him closely--"What has happened, Kakusuke? Your colour is bad.
Too cordial entertainment by the _chu[u]gen_ of Inagaki Dono? Or has
Kakusuke seen a ghost?"

"Kakusuke has seen O'Iwa San; of Tamiya. Rather would he have seen a
ghost; if indeed it was not a demon he saw." Kwaiba started--"O'Iwa!
Where?"--"It was at the brothel of Toemon, chief of the night-hawks, at
Yoshidacho[u] in Honjo[u]. Mobei the toilet dealer had suffered
direfully at her hands. Meeting her unexpectedly, the fool let out all
he knew of the happenings in the ward. In a rage she flew on him. 'To
seven lives a curse on Iemon Dono, on Akiyama Sama, on Kondo[u]
Sama.'"--He hesitated; then added--"on the Go Inkyo[u] Sama. Then in a
straight line she flew off toward the canal. Did she drown herself? This
Kakusuke could not ascertain. Going to the aid of Mobei, mauled and
prostrate on the ground, the whole story was learned. Cho[u]bei had sold
her for life to Toemon, to serve as a night-hawk."

Ito[u] Kwaiba sat straight up. His idle braggart words of a few moments
before came home to him. In Kibei he found no encouragement. After all
Kibei was a _samurai_; harsh, but with the courage of his caste and
profession. He spoke openly--"It was an outrageous deed. To sell a
_samurai_ woman to such a life! It stinks. This comes of bringing in a
low dog (_yaro[u]_) such as this Cho[u]bei. Did Iemon know of his
intention?" He looked Kwaiba in the eye, but the latter m