his harem.

With a long breath Shu[u]zen surveyed his work. It was complete. Then he
went to the outer ward of the apartments. To his call no one came.
Repeated, in the distance of the _ro[u]ka_ appeared from the outer ward
(_omote_) the old and faithful Nakamura Saisuke. At sight of his lord,
dyed in blood from head to foot, he threw up his hands. Without undue
haste or any words Shu[u]zen led him to the scene of the punishment.
Respectfully Saisuke brought a cushion. Then prostrate he waited for his
lord to speak. Long endured the silence. Then said Shu[u]zen
briefly--"Caught in the act of adultery this Shu[u]zen has put to death
the guilty. The results are most important. The lack of discipline in
the House is sure to lead to the honoured punishment by the suzerain.
From this there is no escape." Saisuke surveyed the scene with the calm
eye of experience. "Be in no haste, my lord. This Saisuke in his long
experience has seen many deeds of violence. For the present this matter
need not be published. Of the outer apartments (_omote_), the
_chu[u]gen_ and servants need know nothing. In any case they do not
count, and can be sent away. The others are not curious; moreover they
are loyal, as _samurai_.... Of the inner apartments--a very clean sweep
has been made. Deign to leave matters for the present to this Saisuke."
With approval the old man examined the handiwork of his lord. It was
most thorough, even to the eye of this remnant of the battle field. Then
he went to work. The bodies he conveyed to the side of the artificial
mound in the garden. Digging out part of the hill, here he buried them;
forced in, dove-tailed together, in the smallest space; the old man
grumbling at the ground they occupied. Then with water he washed out the
blood stains on the wood work. When dry he would plane out tell-tale
marks. Meanwhile he would serve his lord, to the exclusion of all
others. Would the Tono Sama deign to rest? With sad misgivings the
_kyu[u]nin_ (house officer) watched Shu[u]zen as he retired to his room.
Himself he mounted guard at the women's entrance, to prevent all
intrusion.

Nakamura Saisuke's heart was pure. His age beyond recall. For two days
he struggled, alone in his task. On one pretext or another the
_samurai_ were sent off, one here one there, on lengthy missions.
Perhaps the old man's efforts had been too great. In the course of the
day a _chu[u]gen_, come on some affair, found him flat on his belly,
groan