monks’ outfits grabbed her from a vendor’s stall and carried her off for their pleasure. I caught up with them just in time. She could’ve been gang-raped by a whole cursed monastery for all you cared.”
“That does not give you the right to insult my father!” she flashed at him.
“Oh, for the Buddha’s sake,” he muttered disgustedly and tossed the bamboo staff aside. Turning, he made for the door he had come through earlier.
“Wait!” she cried.
He kept right on going.
When he passed through the exercise hall, there were quick steps behind him and a hand pulled his sleeve. He swung around and saw the deaf girl, her face wet with tears.
“Now, then, er, Otomi,” he said awkwardly, “it’s all right. Just watch yourself next time,” and made her a short bow.
Her sister came up, too, and knelt, bowing her head. “This ignorant person apologizes for her words and deeds. They bring dishonor on our family. Please, for the sake of my sister, I beg that you will not leave without allowing our father to express his gratitude and share a cup of wine.”
Tora hesitated. He had no wish to further his acquaintance with this bizarre family, but he was curious to see the man who had floored him so efficiently. With a grudging nod, he allowed himself to be led to the living quarters of the martial arts teacher, Higekuro.
These consisted of a single room, which served as kitchen and living area, tiny but very clean, and furnished with a built-in wooden platform for sitting, cooking facilities, and a few simple utensils. In one corner, stacked wooden cupboards formed steep steps to an attic space above.
A bearded giant of a man sat on the platform in the Buddha’s pose. He was occupied with weaving the soles of straw sandals. His luxuriant black beard accounted for his name; Higekuro meant Blackbeard.
“A new student, child?” he asked the older girl in a booming voice when he saw Tora.
“No, Father,” the girl Ayako answered. “A friend. He saved Otomi from two monks today, and the Rat sent him to us.”
Higekuro dropped his work and sat up, looking at Tora with interest. “Did he, indeed? We are deeply indebted to you, sir.”
Eyeing the giant warily, Tora stepped forward, bowed, and introduced himself. Clearly this huge, muscular man was the one who had attacked him, but what game was he playing?
“Pray join me in some wine,” continued Higekuro, inviting Tora to sit next to him. “Two monks, did she say? Good heavens! I see that they must have been a handful. Your face is badly bruised and cut.” He waved Otomi over and said, gesturing to Tora’s face, “Go get some salve, little one, while your older sister pours the wine.”
The deaf girl watched his lips carefully, nodded, and scurried up to the attic.
Tora looked from the giant with the magnificent black beard to Ayako. He felt completely out of his depth. Somehow nothing was as it should be with these people. Perhaps he had wandered among the fox spirits.
Ayako saw his frown and flushed a deep red. “It was my fault, Father,” she murmured, hanging her head. “I am so ashamed. I thought he was trying to grab Otomi...and I’m afraid I. . .” She did not finish.
“You mean it was you?” Tora was aghast. “You? A mere slip of a girl threw me? Impossible! This is a joke, isn’t it? It was you all along, Master Higekuro, wasn’t it?” He looked from one to the other. The girl turned away. Higekuro shook his head sadly.
“I am sorry,” he said. “I know how you must feel, and it grieves me deeply. A girl.” He sighed. “Try to forgive her. She is very good, you know. I taught her myself before I lost the use of my legs. She has been helping me in the school ever since, because I can no longer stand. Ayako handles all of the stick-fighting lessons and demonstrates the wrestling holds. I am crippled from the waist down and can only teach archery
“That does not give you the right to insult my father!” she flashed at him.
“Oh, for the Buddha’s sake,” he muttered disgustedly and tossed the bamboo staff aside. Turning, he made for the door he had come through earlier.
“Wait!” she cried.
He kept right on going.
When he passed through the exercise hall, there were quick steps behind him and a hand pulled his sleeve. He swung around and saw the deaf girl, her face wet with tears.
“Now, then, er, Otomi,” he said awkwardly, “it’s all right. Just watch yourself next time,” and made her a short bow.
Her sister came up, too, and knelt, bowing her head. “This ignorant person apologizes for her words and deeds. They bring dishonor on our family. Please, for the sake of my sister, I beg that you will not leave without allowing our father to express his gratitude and share a cup of wine.”
Tora hesitated. He had no wish to further his acquaintance with this bizarre family, but he was curious to see the man who had floored him so efficiently. With a grudging nod, he allowed himself to be led to the living quarters of the martial arts teacher, Higekuro.
These consisted of a single room, which served as kitchen and living area, tiny but very clean, and furnished with a built-in wooden platform for sitting, cooking facilities, and a few simple utensils. In one corner, stacked wooden cupboards formed steep steps to an attic space above.
A bearded giant of a man sat on the platform in the Buddha’s pose. He was occupied with weaving the soles of straw sandals. His luxuriant black beard accounted for his name; Higekuro meant Blackbeard.
“A new student, child?” he asked the older girl in a booming voice when he saw Tora.
“No, Father,” the girl Ayako answered. “A friend. He saved Otomi from two monks today, and the Rat sent him to us.”
Higekuro dropped his work and sat up, looking at Tora with interest. “Did he, indeed? We are deeply indebted to you, sir.”
Eyeing the giant warily, Tora stepped forward, bowed, and introduced himself. Clearly this huge, muscular man was the one who had attacked him, but what game was he playing?
“Pray join me in some wine,” continued Higekuro, inviting Tora to sit next to him. “Two monks, did she say? Good heavens! I see that they must have been a handful. Your face is badly bruised and cut.” He waved Otomi over and said, gesturing to Tora’s face, “Go get some salve, little one, while your older sister pours the wine.”
The deaf girl watched his lips carefully, nodded, and scurried up to the attic.
Tora looked from the giant with the magnificent black beard to Ayako. He felt completely out of his depth. Somehow nothing was as it should be with these people. Perhaps he had wandered among the fox spirits.
Ayako saw his frown and flushed a deep red. “It was my fault, Father,” she murmured, hanging her head. “I am so ashamed. I thought he was trying to grab Otomi...and I’m afraid I. . .” She did not finish.
“You mean it was you?” Tora was aghast. “You? A mere slip of a girl threw me? Impossible! This is a joke, isn’t it? It was you all along, Master Higekuro, wasn’t it?” He looked from one to the other. The girl turned away. Higekuro shook his head sadly.
“I am sorry,” he said. “I know how you must feel, and it grieves me deeply. A girl.” He sighed. “Try to forgive her. She is very good, you know. I taught her myself before I lost the use of my legs. She has been helping me in the school ever since, because I can no longer stand. Ayako handles all of the stick-fighting lessons and demonstrates the wrestling holds. I am crippled from the waist down and can only teach archery
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