Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/416

336 With these words, he gave his horse a sharp cut with his whip. The swift-footed steed, feeling the sting of the whip, galloped on again. But the masked warrior did not loose his firm hold on the horse's tail, and was dragged some way. In the confusion his hood fell off, and his face was exposed to view. Yoshi-oki scrutinized him carefully, and was astonished to recognize his retainer Yura Hyōgo, whom he had ordered to stay in charge of his castle at Nitta, which was situated in the province of Kōzuké.

"Why are you here, Hyōgo?" cried Yoshi-oki angrily. "Why have you come to the battlefield? Why are you trying to stop me?"

"Excuse the liberty I am taking, my lord," replied Hyōgo, bursting into tears, "but I feel that it is my duty to say that I think it is unbecoming to your lordship, who is the commander-in-chief, to resort to such rash and brutal methods. I have listened eagerly to all the reports of the war, and have gathered that you are resolved to fight to the death. I therefore left Minasé Rokurō in charge of the castle, and hurried alone here to try and dissuade your lordship, by any means in my power, to change your rash intentions. If your