mewhat simple and guileless of mind, he was object of reverence
and gentle derision of the parishioners who sought his service in every
trouble. The man spoke to the _do[u]shin_, explained the matter. The
_do[u]shin_ took him to the _yoriki_ seated beneath a tea shed. The
officer nodded; then called for the report. "There is an error of
transcription." Thus he altered the characters [tsujido[u]] to
[tsujido[u]]. Instead of _tsujido[u]_ a cross road temple, now it read
"taken at the cross roads"--"Call the old man here." To the
priest--"Through no fault of yours has this man visited you. Be better
advised as to other guests.... But now--take this coin. This man's
course is run. He surely will be ordered to the execution ground. Great
has been his wickedness, and his grudge is not to be visited on others.
Prayers are to be said for his soul in the next world. The _do[u]mori_
of the Fudo[u], his zeal and honesty, his purity of heart and manners
are vouched for by those who know. Pray for him.... Now--get you hence!"
He put a gold _koban_ in the priest's hand, allowed the joyful
reverence, and cut short the protests of inconvenient gratitude. The
_do[u]shin_ shoved him off to the rear. The friendly spy carried him
apart and pointed to a path running through the fields behind the houses
of the hamlet. None cared to observe his departure. Thus Jinnai came to
Edo, minus his ghostly purveyor.

First carefully was his body nourished for the coming entertainment.
With clement genial smile Aoyama Shu[u]zen claimed the acquaintance of
this one time antagonist. As to the past and recent events there was no
doubt. Aoyama had hazy, but little confirmed, ideas of greater objects;
knowing as he did the early nature and history of Jinnai. But the
Tokugawa were now so firmly seated. Confession was to be secured in the
first place, to legalize the execution; and information in the second
place, if such existed. Of confession there was none; not even answer.
Jinnai closed tight his lips in scorn. Then first he was scourged; the
scourging of he who is already condemned. The stout fellows stood
forward with their _madake_; those thin slips of rattan, two feet in
length, wrapped into a bundle an inch in thickness with stout hempen
cord. Ah! How flexible and painful! As they laid on quickly the welts
and bloody stripes appeared. At the hundred and fiftieth blow the
medical man and legal procedure demanded forbearance. He was removed.
"Cure his