“The presence of Woroto Sama is required at the palace,” he called.
At a word from me, my bearers ranged up alongside the other _norimon_, until I was within arm’s-length of my friend’s out-peering face.
“You heard, Tomo,” I said in English. “What does it mean?”
He fixed a keen gaze upon Gengo, and demanded: “Does the command include both Woroto Sama and myself?”
Gengo bowed low as he replied: “The honored heir of Owari is still in mourning. The presence of Woroto Sama is alone required.”
“Woroto Sama should mount his led-horse.”
“The matter is urgent. Time was lacking to write an order.”
Yoritomo met my expectant look with an anxious frown. “It is hard to tell, brother,” he answered me in English. “Had he brought a written command--Yet in all this wild alarm, even the castle must be in a turmoil. They may want your assurance that the Commodore comes in peace.”
“Any risk to tell them that!” I cried, and I called to my escort: “Open! Fetch sandals and my led-horse!”
In the confusion of my quick scramble out of the _norimon_ and into the high-peaked saddle, some one pressed a little square of paper into my hand. As I set my feet deep in the huge stirrups, I looked about and saw Yuki slipping out from among the Satsuma men. Gengo was wheeling around the other way. My fiery little stallion plunged free from his grooms, and to gain a better grip of the bridle I thrust Yuki’s note into my bosom. A moment later and I was racing madly back along the causeway, with Gengo a length in the lead, yelling for all to clear the road. After me ran the Satsuma grooms who had charge of my horse.
Down the slope we tore at breakneck speed, through the midst of the swarming _samurais_. Nimbly as they leaped aside at Gengo’s commands, we must inevitably have run over more than one, had the roadway been less broad or the distance greater. A scant minute brought us to the bridge of the Sakaruda Gate. A _daimio’s_ procession was coming down to the bridge from the east. Regardless of its standards, we cut in ahead and galloped across the bridge.
At the gateway Gengo leaped off and ran forward to speak with the gate warden. The latter entered into a dispute which, though soon settled by Gengo, gave my grooms time to come panting across the bridge after us. Gengo hastened back to me, and cried out with imperative urgency: “Woroto Sama cannot pass unless on foot, yet haste is required!”